The Innovation in State Government Award recognizes state administration department programs, projects, and initiatives that exemplify leading practices in the industry. 

2021 Categories:

More details in the Awards Information Packet on each category.

• Acquisition, Supply Chain, and Stockpiles
• Customer Service & Experience
• Digital Services, Data Management, Analytics & Visualization
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Procurement
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workforce
• Employee Engagement and Experience (includes Strategic Workforce Planning)
• Transformation
• Workspace Optimization Initiatives

 Eligibility:

Nominations will be reviewed for eligibility and alignment with the category. The nominator will be notified by July 8 of any concerns with the submission.

• State must be a paid member of NASCA
• Submissions must be made by State Chief Administrators (or equivalent) or other state member with the State Chief Administrator's approval
• Nominated programs/projects should have implemented within the last 24 months
• Projects may be led by other agencies/departments, but staff from the administration department must have played a significant role in developing the program or project. (ex: HHS stockpile redesign, Department of Corrections recruitment and retention initiative)
• Only one nomination per state is allowed in each category, not multiple categories. Contact [email protected] if you need help on the category selection
• A state may only be recognized as the award winner in two categories, the two highest scoring projects will be selected
• Only completed submissions will be accepted
• Submissions will only be accepted online
• Prior year submissions that were not awarded and have been updated can also be submitted

Judging Criteria:

Applicants will use a NASCA template that includes an executive summary and narrative of each of the following judging criteria. Visual aids are encouraged and may be included as supplemental material, but scores will be based on the written submission. More details in the Awards Information Packet on each criteria:

• Innovation: Project Goals/Objectives (25%)
• Strategy/Tactics (25%)
• Impact: Success Metrics/Outcomes and Efficiencies Achieved (50%)

Looking for tips and tricks? Check out Tips for a strong submission.

Deadline: July 6, 2021 | 11:59 PM ET

Access previous award submissions on our Knowledge Center