PMI Project of the Year Award

Beginning in 2022, all projects are nominated for PMI Project of the Year regardless of budget or region and awarded as follows:

PMI Project of the Year Award

• One best in class project selected from all Project of the Year submissions will be awarded PMI Project of the Year. 

New Awards! PMI Large and Mega Project Award and PMI Small and Mid-Size Project Award

• All Project of the Year submissions are automatically entered to win the PMI Large and Mega Project Award or PMI Small and Mid-size Project Award.
• These awards recognize excellence in project management practices including superior organizational results, innovation, and positive impacts on society.
• Awards are budget-based:
  • Large and Mega Project Award (budgets over US$50 million)
  • Small and Mid-Size Project Award (formerly PMI Project Excellence Award, budgets below US$50 million)

Purpose

The PMI Project of the Year Award, PMI Large and Mega Project Award, and Small and Mid-Size Project Award recognizes complex projects that best deliver:

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

Eligible

• Project of any type, from any industry, in public or private sectors.
• Project may be from any region.
• 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.
• Current PMI staff, PMI contractors, and/or PMI consultants are not eligible to apply for this award.
• Award distribution – this replaces “Number of Awards” section
• One best in class project will be named PMI Project of the Year
• One project and up to two finalists will be named PMI Large and Mega Project Award winners
• One project and up to two finalists will be named PMI Small and Mid-Size Project Award winners
• PMI reserves the right not to select any finalists 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 budget?
      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.