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~ Submissions highlight IT-driven improvements in government efficiency ~
Nine award categories recognize the work of local, state and educational entities. Submissions focus on improvements in the business of government made possible by strategic use of IT. All entries must be submitted by a Virginia public body. Entries must be submitted by July 24.
Nominations will be evaluated by a committee of judges that includes IT leaders from state agencies, localities, the legislature, the courts and education. Awards will be presented to honorees at a special ceremony during the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium (COVITS) slated Sept.3-4. Executive summaries of winning entries will be posted online to provide inspiration and best practice examples to peers and partners.
Full program details and a list of last year’s winners are available on the event website,
The 2014 Governor’s Technology Awards categories are:
· Cross-Boundary Collaboration on IT Service Delivery Initiatives: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to share data easily across boundaries, create knowledge-sharing
culture, support common business processes or promote innovative partnership programs. Entries should be submitted jointly by at least two government entities.
· IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Citizen: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to improve citizen access to and service from governmental entities. Included are projects which improve citizens' electronic interaction with government, promote availability, usability and/or transparency of information and increase public awareness and adoption of services.
· IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Business: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to promote efficiency by improving business access to and service from governmental entities. Included are projects to improve business' electronic interaction with government, promote availability, usability and/or transparency of information and increase business awareness and adoption of available services.
· IT as Efficiency Driver - Government to Government: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to promote efficiency in government. This category promotes projects that enable organizations to do more with less. Results realized may include a dollar return on investment, realignment of staff time and/or newly transparent processes/information.
· Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to solve a business problem at the local level. This category is open to any local government entity, including social services, first responders and GIS practitioners.
· Innovative Use of Technology in Education: Recognizes the innovative use of IT to support the unique missions of Virginia's schools, colleges and universities. Cooperative projects between educational institutions and other governmental entities, including research and development programs, fall into this category.
· Innovative Use of Big Data and Analytics: Recognizes the innovative use of technology in collecting, storing, retrieving and analyzing a variety of structured and unstructured data sources.
· Innovative Use of Open Data: Recognizes the innovative use of technology and transparency in making data available to citizens, businesses or other government entities. Preference will be given to those projects that encourage and facilitate creative and low-cost utilization of information to expand and enhance citizen services and engagement.
· Best Citizen Portal: Recognizes the innovative use of an online portal that demonstrates innovation, functionality, attractiveness, efficiency and ease of use. Open to any Virginia government organization, agency or jurisdiction that is citizen-facing.
Criteria for Evaluation
Entrants should illustrate how the submitted initiative meets the following benchmarks; equal weight will be given to each:
• Business proposition: A clear statement of the business problem, its target audience, and how the new solution leverages IT tools to solve the problem.
• Innovation and technological merit: What tools were used? What makes this solution innovative?
· Value: Note quantitative metrics such as usage, transaction times, cost savings/avoidance and return on investment; also note qualitative benefits such as improvements to citizen and/or employee experience. Include collaboration if applicable.
• Success: How well did the project attain the stated business goals and objectives?
Clearly link the outcome to the business proposition set at the beginning of the project.
Eligibility for Awards
· All entries must be submitted by a recognized Virginia public body. All entered projects must now be in use and have quantifiable outcomes.
· Private sector organizations may assist in the development of an application for a government partner but will not be officially recognized in the awards ceremony unless noted in the category.
· Submissions should focus on improvements in the business of government and go beyond a description of a private sector solution to describe the business need that necessitated the project and how the project succeeded.
· Entries should portray projects that currently are providing service. Subsequent phases may be mentioned, but the measured success of the live phase is judged.
· Public bodies may submit multiple projects, but only one entry per category will be accepted from each. The same program should not be submitted in more than one category.
· Collaborative applications representing partnerships between governmental entities are strongly encouraged.
Prior Governor's Technology Award winning projects are not eligible.
All nominations must be received by July 24, 2014, using the online submission form at
