We have the government to thank for the internet, GPS and unmanned aerial systems. Much of the machine learning and advanced analytics powering the data-driven economy are made possible by government-funded research. And agencies themselves are being transformed by new technologies and innovative ways of weaving IT into critical missions.
Public-sector tech, in other words, is far cooler than the government often gets credit for. These awards aim to give these innovators the credit they deserve.
The Public Sector Innovation category focuses on transformative tech that is truly reinventing government -- at the federal, state and local levels. That potentially mission-critical impact can stem from a new technology itself or from the innovative ways established tech is being leveraged to make government function better.
Nominations for 2019 public sector innovations are now being accepted. As you begin thinking about the transformative work you'd like to see recognized, please keep the following questions in mind:
What type of innovation is it?
Any tech-driven project in government is eligible, but the 2018 awards for public sector innovations focus on six distinct areas of IT:
- AI/Analytics/Automation
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud/Infrastructure
- Digital Transformation
- IoT & Smart Cities
- Unmanned Systems
Nominations can be submitted in multiple categories, as appropriate, as convergence is often critical to the mission. And submissions stamped "other" are encouraged -- we recognize that some disruptive technologies are emerging so quickly they don't fit into existing categories!
Who is the government lead?
The private sector plays a critical role in many if not most government IT efforts, and truly transformative initiatives are almost always collaborations. However, all nominations must specify the government agency where the work is taking place and include a government employee as the project lead. These are not individual awards, but we do need a clear point of contact.
Is this innovation having an impact?
Research projects and early-stage pilots are fully eligible; the technology or project need not be fully deployed. But whatever the stage of development, it's critical that the nomination explain the mission impact, whether proven or projected.
Nominations are centered on two "essay questions" about the innovation in question:
- Describe the technology -- what is the IT involved and how it is being used or tested?
- Describe the impact -- how is this technology transforming government missions? And why is it particularly worthy of recognition in 2019?
Each response can be up to 500 words, but longer is not necessarily better. Focus on telling the story of your project's innovations and impact, and be sure to stress why the effort is award-worthy this year.
Who is vouching for this project?
Nominators matter. Our judges want to see persuasive specifics in the write-ups, of course, but they also pay close attention to the slate of supporting nominators. Has the innovation in question impressed key stakeholders in the agency or observers elsewhere in government? Nominations that come solely from team members and their industry partners almost never carry the weight of those that include some additional outside validation.
What projects have been picked in the past?
You can also look to last year's winners for a better sense of what our judges have considered true examples of innovation in government IT:
So please be thinking about projects throughout government that you believe are worthy of a Government Innovation Award and be sure to submit your nominations.