Stay in Place, Cut the Waste

PHOTO SOURCE: House Press Gallery 

A recent effort is afoot in the House of Representatives to decrease by 50% the $10 billion per year in travel expenses borne by the federal government. A bipartisan group has introduced HR 2643, the “Stay in Place, Cut the Waste Act.” Representative Mike Fitzpatrick spoke about it last week with Rich Zeilo on talk radio. At Oblong, we couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the concept behind this bill and will follow its progress, as it speaks directly to some of the key benefits of Mezzanine. 

The work of government employees is complex, involves multiple stakeholders, requires data from various sources, and necessitates group consensus. To achieve successful collaboration, people need to go beyond teleconferencing and peer-to-peer screen-sharing; they need the ability to share content, capture ideas, archive work and make informed decisions in the moment. 

Mezzanine answers the needs of government agencies by providing InfoPresence—the incorporation of multiple users, multiple devices, and multiple streams of information in a high-fidelity shared digital workspace. It makes for a collaborative and productive environment and saves both time and money. 

Whether the bill becomes law or not, Oblong is ready to service the needs of the US Government. Mezzanine is already listed on the GSA schedule with our partners at Carahsoft and we look forward to helping government groups not just reduce waste and stay in place, but boost productivity and help agencies arrive at decisions faster.