DOGE-OK released their first report focused on reducing unnecessary federal grants, reducing the state employee headcount, improving asset management, and cracking down on waste and fraud in procurement. Oklahoma is leading the way in responsible governance with DOGE-OK, an initiative dedicated to making state government more efficient, accountable, and cost-effective. By eliminating wasteful spending, streamlining operations, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely, DOGE-OK is realizing savings while maintaining high-quality services for Oklahomans.

"Oklahomans work hard for their money—DOGE-OK is making sure the government does the same,” said Governor Stitt. “We all want Oklahoma to lead with common sense and make responsible choices that prioritize citizens over bureaucracy. Congressional Republicans have worked with DOGE on the federal level to make incredible progress, even as Democrats and the swamp attempt to block their efforts. I look forward to continuing our work to implement reforms to protect taxpayers."

Returning Unneeded & Redundant Federal Health Grants

DOGE-OK has identified over $157 million in federal grants that are duplicative, underutilized, or exceed actual need. These grants can be returned without impacting services as they include overlapping efforts and often exceed the utilized funding.

Reducing the State Employee Headcount

Since Governor Stitt took office in 2019, the number of state employees has marginally increased from 30,844 to 31,664, far below the rate of Oklahoma’s population growth. DOGE-OK has outlined several strategies to reduce the state workforce while enhancing operational efficiency. These strategies include analyzing workload distribution, benchmarking staffing levels against similar agencies, and assessing cost-effectiveness. These steps will ensure Oklahoma is on track to have fewer state employees by 2026 than in 2019.

Asset Management

DOGE-OK has completed a comprehensive real property review to improve the efficiency of state-owned and leased properties. The initiative included a detailed audit to assess property use, condition, and costs, leading to the development of a centralized database for better management. By evaluating utilization rates, DOGE-OK identified underused and vacant spaces and engaged with state agencies to align their space needs. Next steps include conducting a cost-benefit analysis to compare ownership versus leasing, prioritizing high-cost properties for consolidation, and strategically shifting agencies into shared facilities. Additionally, the state will enhance the process for selling or leasing surplus properties to maximize taxpayer value.

Combatting Waste and Fraud in the Procurement Process

In 2022, OMES acquired Celonis and established the Risk, Assessment and Compliance (RAC) division. DOGE-OK expanded upon that work to combat waste and fraud across state government. DOGE-OK and OMES found $8.48 billion in statutory exempt purchases for review, $190 million in flagged purchase card transactions, and $3 billion in off-contract spending, creating an opportunity for bulk purchasing and renegotiation.

Building upon these findings, DOGE-OK will continue to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure effective use of taxpayer dollars across state government

Read the DOGE-OK report here.