PMI Project Excellence Award

Purpose

The PMI Project Excellence Award recognizes complex projects that best deliver:

  • Superior performance of project management practices
  • Superior organizational results
  • Positive impacts on society

Eligible

  • Project budget must be less than US$75 million. Projects with a budget greater than US$75 million should apply for the PMI Project of the Year Award.
  • Project of any type, from any industry, in public or private sectors.
  • Project from any geography in the world.
  • The project must have been completed no more than 18 months before the nomination deadline.
  • The Lead Nominator does not require PMI affiliation.

Not Eligible

  • A project which has either won or has been previously nominated for the PMI Project of the Year Award or the PMI Project Excellence Award.
  • Projects completed over 18 months from the nomination deadline.
  • Projects over US$75 million. Please visit the PMI Project of the Year Award page.
  • Current PMI staff, PMI contractors, and/or PMI consultants are not eligible to apply for this award.

Number of Awards

  • PMI reserves the right not to select any recipients for a particular year if the evaluations performed indicate that nominations do not meet the stated criteria.

Nomination

Overview

  • One Lead Nominator with whom PMI will communicate regarding the nomination must be designated.
  • The Lead Nominator does not require PMI affiliation.
  • Review PMI General Nominations Guidelines.

Criteria

  1. Introduction/Summary
    This section provides the project background.
    1. Provide project information
      1. Project Name:
      2. Project Location:
      3. What was the original budget?
      4. What was the final approved budget?
      5. What was the actual buget?
      6. What was the start date?
      7. What was the original completion date?
      8. What was the final approved completion date?
      9. What was actual completion date?
    2. Provide a brief overview of the organization and the project.
    3. Describe how the project contributed to the organizational strategy.
    4. Describe the benefit/value of this project on the general public.
  2. Benefits Realization
    Show that the benefits/value of your project were realized by answering the following:
    1. Identify the benefits/value of the project for the organization(s).
    2. Describe what processes/tools were used to verify if the project benefits were achieved or not.
    3. Describe what benefits-related complexities had to be overcome.
  3. Leadership
    Show that the leadership of the project was effective by answering the following:
    1. Describe the project leadership, including key stakeholder relationships and executive sponsorship.
    2. Describe what leadership practices were used and how they were used.
    3. Describe how effective leadership contributed to the project’s success.
    4. Provide a letter signed by the project sponsor that will:
      1. Describe the project benefits and confirm they were realized to your satisfaction.
      2. Describe your engagement with the project leadership.
      3. Describe and list the top three reasons why you believe this project is a worthy candidate for this award.
      4. Describe how this project aligns with the strategy of your organization.
  4. Stakeholders
    Show that stakeholder expectations and communications were effectively managed by answering the following:
    1. Identify the key stakeholders and why they were key to your project.
    2. Describe what processes/tools were used to manage stakeholder expectations and communications.
    3. Describe how these processes/tools were used to manage stakeholder expectations and communications.
    4. Describe how effective management of stakeholders contributed to the project’s success.
    5. Describe what stakeholder-related complexities had to be overcome.
  5. Schedule
    1. Describe what processes/tools were used to develop and manage the schedule.
    2. Describe how these processes/tools were used to effectively manage the schedule’s critical path.
    3. Describe how effective management of schedule contributed to the project’s success.
    4. Describe what schedule-related complexities had to be overcome.
  6. Cost
    Show that the project cost was effectively developed and managed by answering the following:
    1. Describe what processes/tools were used to determine the project cost.
    2. Describe how these processes/tools were used to effectively manage the project costs.
    3. Describe how effective management of cost contributed to the project’s success.
    4. Describe what cost-related complexities had to be overcome.
  7. Scope
    Show that the project scope was effectively developed and managed by answering the following:
    1. Describe what processes/tools were used to document the project scope.
    2. Describe how these processes/tools were used to manage the scope.
    3. Describe how effective management of scope contributed to the project’s success.
    4. Describe what scope-related complexities had to be overcome.
  8. Risk
    Show that risks were effectively managed during the project by answering the following:
    1. Identify the key risks and explain why they were key to your project.
    2. Describe what processes/tools were used to document risks.
    3. Describe how these processes/tools were used to manage risk.
    4. Describe how effective management of risks contributed to the project’s success.
    5. Describe what risk-related complexities had to be overcome.
  9. Project Change Management
    Show that proposed changes to project scope, cost, and schedule were effectively managed by answering the following:
    1. Describe what processes/tools were used to document and approve changes.
    2. Describe how these processes/tools were used to manage change.
    3. Describe how effective management of change contributed to the project’s success.
    4. Describe what change-related complexities had to be overcome.
    5. Identify the key changes during your project and why they were key to your project.
  10. Lessons Learned
    Show that lessons learned from previous projects (if any) and from the submitted project were effectively integrated into the project and/or organization by answering the following:
    1. Describe what processes/tools were used to capture lessons learned.
    2. Describe how the lessons learned were integrated into the project.
    3. Describe how the integration of lessons learned contributed to the success of the project.
    4. Identify the key lessons learned and why they were key to your project and/or organization.

Note: A glossary page can be included.

General Nominations Guidelines

Permissions and Release Form

In the Event of a Successful Nomination

  • The PMI Professional Awards Program Staff will send the nomination package to a designated panel of evaluators, who are subject matter experts, for evaluation.
  • The nominations, evaluation process, and scores are proprietary to PMI and will not be disclosed to nominators or nominees.
  • The Lead Nominator will be notified of the status of the nomination at the conclusion of the evaluation process.
  • Selection and communication of nomination status must take place no later than the third quarter of the year.

In the Event of an Unsuccessful Nomination

  • A project which has been previously nominated for the PMI Project of the Year Award or the PMI Project Excellence Award cannot be re-nominated due to the project completion date requirement.

PMI Award FAQs

View the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the PMI Professional Awards.

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