Purpose
The PMINJ Project of the Year (POY) Award recognizes the best in class of a New Jersey project team for superior performance of project management practices, as well as fostering innovation and creating a sense of community within the team.
Distinction Between a Project (POY) and a Program (PMEx)
| Area | Project | Program |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Short term, temporary. | Longer term. |
| Scope | Projects have defined objectives. Scope is progressively elaborated throughout the life cycle. | Programs produce aggregate benefits delivered through multiple components. |
| Change | Project teams expect changes and implement processes to address the changes, as needed. | Program teams explore changes and adapt to optimize the delivery of benefits. |
| Success | Success is measured by product and project quality, timelines, budget, customer satisfaction, and achievement of intended outcomes. | Success is measured by the realization of intended benefits and the efficiency of delivering those benefits. |
| Funding | Funding is largely determined up front based on ROI projections and initial estimates. Funding is updated based on actual performance and change requests. | Funding is up front and ongoing. Funding is updated with results showing how benefits are being delivered. |
Eligibility
Projects with team members in New Jersey, coordinated by a New Jersey based company, or completed within New Jersey that have used project management principles can apply if:
- PMINJ affiliation is not required.
- New Jersey projects of any type, from any industry in public or private sectors, are eligible.
- The project must have been completed no more than 20 months prior to the nomination deadline.
- There are no restrictions on the use of the submitted information after the final date of submission.
- The POY winner will coordinate with their internal leadership or Communications team to ensure there are no data restrictions.
Verification, Evaluation and Selection
- The PMINJ POY Director and/or designee will contact the nominator to confirm receipt and eligibility of the nomination package.
- The final evaluation process will consist of Zoom video conference interviews of the top three nominees by a panel of PMINJ Board members.
- The Director will notify the POY winner at the conclusion of the evaluation process.
- The nominations, evaluation process, and scores are proprietary to PMINJ and will not be disclosed to nominators or nominees.
- If none of the nominees reflect the level of achievement expected, PMINJ reserves the right not to present an award.
Award
- One Project of the Year award will be presented at the November PMINJ Monthly Meeting.
- A $500 contribution will be made by PMINJ to the winner's selected United States charity.
- PMINJ Pulse will feature the winning project.
- Press releases will be made to external media for the presentation of the award.
- The POY recipient may also coordinate additional publicity with PMINJ for the November event.
General Criteria
Each nomination is evaluated across four areas.
Reason for Nomination (25%)
Explain why the project team deserves the POY award.
Project Excellence (25%)
Describe how this project advances the project management profession, including innovative thinking, adaptability, and aligning value with stakeholder expectations.
Project Challenges (25%)
Describe the specific challenges the project addressed and why they were significant to stakeholders and the organization.
Strategic Alignment (25%)
Describe how the project aligned with organizational strategic goals, mission, and long-term vision, and how it strengthened collaboration and partnerships.
Schedule
Dates are loaded from the project award API.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 31 Jul | Deadline for Nomination Application |
| 12 Sep | POY winner will be notified |
| 11 Oct | Winner will provide a short video, 30 to 60 seconds, to promote the November event |
| 15 Oct | Winner will deliver a final PowerPoint presentation in 16:9 format |
| Second Tuesday of Nov | Presentation dry run |
| Third Tuesday of Nov | Presentation by the POY winner at the PMINJ Monthly Meeting |
Nomination Package
- Complete the online nomination form.
- Upload supporting documentation to PMINJ according to the application instructions.
- The nominator ensures there are no restrictions on the use of submitted information, and permission has been obtained for the use of copyrighted materials included in the package.
- A lead nominator should be designated to communicate with PMINJ regarding the nomination.
Contact
Send all POY award inquiries to the Project Awards team.
