Location:

The award banquet will take place on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at the Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Notification:

All entries will be posted (identifying details only) on the conference web site www.rebootconference.com/publicsector2006.  Winners will be notified in early September.

How to enter:

All entries must be made through the Web nomination form at http://www.rebootconference.com/publicsector2006/nominate.php   If you have a problem with this, please email: [email protected], and we will get in touch with you to discuss the completion of the process.

Eligibility:

The 2006 Public Sector Information Technology Awards recognize leadership, innovation and excellence in the management and use of information technologies within the public service of British Columbia. "Public service" this year includes Crown corporations, municipalities, and public educational and healthcare organizations.

Eligible projects are those that have been completed within the last two government fiscal years. (April 1, 2004 - March 31, 2006). A phase of an ongoing project can be nominated IF it has been for all practical purposes a stand-alone project.

Deadline:

Only entrants who have submitted completed applications to the Awards Committee by September 12, 2006 will be eligible.

Award judges:

Each category will be evaluated by a panel of two independent senior judges, who can be public servants or private sector individuals.

The judges’ evaluation starts with a review of the entrants. Any judge detecting a possible conflict of interest will be replaced or switched to another category.

All recommended winners are reviewed by the conference steering committee before a final decision is made.

Judging criteria:

The primary criterion will be the value of the business achievement resulting from the technology investment. The judges will also consider:

• The strategic impact of the technology-enabled solution.
• The degree of benefit to clients and taxpayers.
• Demonstrated operational and technical excellence.
• Opening of communication or information to new audiences.
• Empowerment of users or communities of interest.
• Strengthening of relationships.
• Acceptance by the community of users.
• Innovation: a new way to meet the needs of targeted people or groups; unique motivation for people to use the information infrastructure.
• Clear distinction from similar projects, applications or services.

Specific criteria for each category are also listed in the descriptions.

ENTRY GUIDELINES:
Basics:

The online entry form will ask you to provide the following basic information:

• Name and location of project or nominee
• Category
• Name and contact information of person submitting entry

Supporting documentation:

The entry form also provides a way fro you to attach a Word document containing the details that will convince the judges.  The attachment should be no longer than 8 pages.  Anything beyond the eight page will be considered only at the judges’ discretion.

Required information:

• Sponsoring organization
• Name of sponsoring organization’s lead person supporting the project, if applicable
• Name and organization of outside project leader, if applicable
• Names and organizations of other team members
• Summary of project - 25 words or fewer
• References for verification of facts and client satisfaction (you MUST provide contact information in case judges require confirmation of this evidence)

Recommended other content:

• Objectives - What is the objective of the project, application or service? What needs/requirements did this project address?
• Innovation - Tell the judges exactly how your entry is unique.  Explain the aspects of the project that distinguish it.
• Implementation Factors - Discuss some of the approaches used and underlying principles followed in creating and managing your project.
• Results/Success - Be as specific as possible in the context of your objectives.  Provide precise, tangible measures of results.  Discuss the project’s impact on customer/users/the public.  Discuss any barriers you overcame.
• Advice - What advice can you offer to others?  What should they do to maximize their chance of success.  Outline the challenges encountered.
• Category Specifics - Evidence of specific achievements as required for the category chosen.

VISIBILITY AND DUE DILIGENCE:

Your entry will be viewed by the advisory committee, the screening panel and judges who may be from outside government. All entries that meet the minimum criteria will be listed on the Reboot Web site. We therefore advise entrants to perform due diligence in getting Public Affairs Bureau approval as required before placing the entry information where the general public can see it.

AWARD CATEGORIES:

A project may be submitted for more than one category, but separate entries are required for each submission.

There will one award per category. In all categories, the judges may decide not to give an award

1. Organizational Transformation
Descriptions:

This award recognizes projects where information technology played a key role in making it possible for major organizational transformation to occur. Project should relate to the following organizational topics:

• Organizational communication, people management, relationship management, change management;
• Project management, knowledge management;
• Risk management and measurement and/or systems development projects.

Criteria:

• Describe the transformation - what changed in the organization as a result of the transformation.
• Describe how this project differed in approach as compared to traditional approaches the organization has used before.

2. Citizen Engagement
Descriptions:

The citizen engages with government in a variety of ways: through input and participation in the legislative process and through day to day interactions with government staff and the services that government provides.  This occurs at municipal, provincial and federal levels.  Projects being considered for an award in this category should demonstrate the following:

• Citizen centered service delivery. Effective and efficient processes to enable the public to assist in the creation of benefit for citizens;
• The foregoing processes are designed to be open and accessible so that citizens within every socio-economic group can have the opportunities to participate;
• That these public processes provide clear well articulated benefit.

Criteria:

• A description of the processes and/or services.
• The process used for public consultation and how this process was implemented.
• A description of the resulting public benefits.
• What data is used to support the citizen engagement and measure results?

3. Business Value and Results Through Technology
Descriptions:

Technology is often a key component in driving business results.  This award category recognizes the achievement of superior business results through the use of technology. Projects in this category must demonstrate:

• Efficiency;
• Effectiveness (e.g. service improvements, program outcomes, etc.);
• Customer satisfaction and high levels of user acceptance
• Significant benefits to customers/clients.

Criteria:

• What organizational results were improved?
• How was client/citizen satisfaction determined and measured?

4. Innovation
Descriptions:

The ability to innovate is one of the most elusive and yet most sought after organizational capabilities. Organizations with this capability will find more efficient and effective ways of doing things. Projects in this category should demonstrate:

• New product or service development resulting from the application of existing or new technology;
• Improvements to existing products or services;
• Breakthrough business process improvements;
• Achievements in research and development, technology and/or infrastructure.

Criteria:

• Describe the innovation.
• How has this project and/or team demonstrated initiative and creativity by looking beyond traditional methods of doing business?
• How has the project and/or team demonstrated a highly collaborative and integrated approach to planning and problem-solving?

5. Team Work
Descriptions:

This award recognizes projects that demonstrate how two or more organizations from the greater public sector have collaborated effectively through the use of Information Technology for the benefit of British Columbia citizens:

 Criteria:

• Describe how the two organizations worked together and how they contributed to the success of the project.
• Describe the benefits to each organization (i.e. productivity or process improvements, cost effectiveness).
• Describe the form of collaboration or governance that was established between the organizations involved and how the relationship is maintained.