DAFI38-402 — Airmen Powered By Innovation And Suggestion Program

DAFI38-402 governs the Airmen Powered by Innovation program and its Air Force-wide idea processes.

Search DAFI38-402

  • Publication number: DAFI38-402
  • Title: AIRMEN POWERED BY INNOVATION AND SUGGESTION PROGRAM
  • Date: 2018-02-09

View DAFI38-402 on armypubs.army.mil


It covers submitting, evaluating, refining, pitching, implementing, and scaling ideas across the Air Force. It also establishes procedures for processing ideas below the MAJCOM level, providing feedback to innovators, and offering professional development opportunities.

Applies to: It applies to Airmen at all levels including the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard (ANG) members, except where noted otherwise.

Topics covered

  • Innovation submissions
  • Idea evaluation
  • Innovation pitches
  • Decision makers
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Program performance metrics

Questions and answers

What does DAFI38-402 say the Airmen Powered by Innovation program solicits?

The Airmen Powered by Innovation program is the Air Force enterprise-wide innovation program that solicits suggestions/ideas from all Airmen which contribute to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement of operations or programs related to the armed forces.

What stages of idea development does DAFI38-402 cover?

Specifically, it outlines procedures for submitting, evaluating and refining ideas, pitching ideas to Decision Makers (see para 2.6), implementing ideas, and ultimately getting ideas that scale across our Air Force.

What happens when an idea is not governed by the Airmen Powered by Innovation program?

Informs Innovators when submissions are not governed by Airmen Powered by Innovation program to the appropriate office of primary responsibility e.g., Technical Order Changes, Patents/Inventions, Price Challenges, Air National Guard Title 32 submissions affecting only the Air National Guard, etc.

How long can an idea go without progress before the process directs attention to it?

Manages process flow by directing attention for action on any idea not showing progress after 30 calendar days.

What requirements apply to promotional items for the program?

The promotional items purchased must be of low cost and have little or no intrinsic value (e.g. pens, mouse pads, lanyards). The promotional items must also contain or display contact information (i.e. website address, telephone number(s)) providing Airmen with the means to learn about and/or participate in the program.

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