WELCOME

Please carefully read and follow instructions on what to do to submit your application(s) for consideration.

Eligibility

Supply management departments in organizations of all sizes and geographic locations, domestic and international, are invited to apply free of charge. Multiple entries are welcome. Reviewers may not review entries from their own company or those from direct competitors. Company data remains strictly confidential unless ISM receives permission to use information in an ISM brochure, magazine or Web site.

How to Apply

ISM has developed a simple Web-enabled platform for you to use to submit an application. Your application will be submitted electronically to www.ism.ws/RichterAwards/. You will be able to upload documents in standard format files.

Applicants must submit the following which will only be accepted through the ISM Web site, www.ism.ws/RichterAwards/.

1. Complete all elements of the Web application form, select one category per entry and include the category on the cover page. Choices are: Process, Organization/Structure, People and Technology. If no category is specified, one will be designated by ISM.
   
   
2. An executive summary of no more than two pages (500-700 words) that includes, in this order:
   1. Brief description of your organization.
   2. A clear description of the reason/rationale behind the project/initiative strategy.
   3. How the project/initiative meets date range parameters. (October 1, 2005-September 30, 2006)
   4. How your organization was impacted (for example, what was your solution, what was the effect across the business, how did you become more competitive and so on).
   5. How your solution exhibited leadership and innovation.
   6. Results and how they were validated and quantified (for example, real-world performance data including milestones, baseline metrics and results or the percentage or magnitude of the results).
   7. Plans for sustaining the initiative.
   
   Submit in Microsoft Word using a minimum 10 pt. text size.
   
   
3. Supporting documentation further explaining the scope, impact and execution of the initiative following the general order of the executive summary. Validation of results from internal business partners, external customers or suppliers is encouraged. Please do not submit confidential or proprietary materials. Results may be stated in terms of order of magnitude rather than actual figures. Supporting documentation cannot exceed six pages. These documents may be in Word, Excel, PowerPoint or PDF format.
   
   
4. Total application length, excluding the Web application form, may not exceed eight pages total.
   
   
5. Applications will only be accepted through the ISM Web site, www.ism.ws/RichterAwards/.

The Oversight Committee reserves the right to remove any application from consideration at its sole discretion.

Number of Awards

It is the intention of ISM to give one award per category based on the merits of the submissions. Four additional awards will be given and come from one category or a combination of categories if submissions warrant it. Awards are dependent on applications of sufficient quality. In support of the ISM mission "to lead supply management," the Richter Awards Oversight Committee focuses on identifying entries that exhibit leadership and innovative thinking coupled with measurable organizational impact.

About the Judging Process

Three factors are most crucial in guiding the judges' selections. First, projects must address big challenges for which new solutions would have wide organizational and/or supply chain impact. Second, top contenders must offer a truly innovative solution, rather than just a modest improvement over existing practices. Third, entries must be supported by rigorous data based on real-world performance.

Results should be measured, significant and sustainable. They may be hard or soft, and projected or actual. The results may be measured against any recognized metric such as revenue enhancement, asset management, cost management, productivity, speed-to-market or competitiveness. Metrics are not confined to this list. While results may be projected or actual, judges place higher value on results that are supported by data. Results may be presented as percentages or the magnitude of change rather than absolute numbers. If appropriate and available, validation outside the supply arena is welcome.

Award Criteria

The Evaluation Committee and the Oversight Committee assess entries based on the following award criteria:

1. The application submitted covers a project led by a supply management department (i.e., the entity spending its own resources in support of its mission through a supply management department).
2. The initiative meets application criteria.
3. The initiative addresses a major organizational challenge.
4. The solution is innovative.
5. The supply management department exhibits leadership throughout the process.
6. The results have an impact on the organization's performance.
7. The results are supported by validation.
8. The application content is certified as correct by an officer of the organization.

The project submitted must either (1) have been completed and/or implemented within the twelve-month date range of October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006, or (2) the project's first set of measurable outcomes must fall within the date range of October 1, 2005 and September 30, 2006.

About the Reviewers

The Evaluation Committee is comprised of senior supply professionals. Reviewers evaluate applications against pre-established criteria and recommend finalists to the Oversight Committee for approval. The Oversight Committee is comprised of senior supply executives and academics and is responsible for setting policy and selecting awards winners. www.ism.ws/RichterAwards/

About the Awards Event

Winners will be notified in January 2007. All notifications are strictly confidential. Award recipients will be publicly announced and honored at an awards dinner on Monday, May 7, 2007, at the ISM Annual International Supply Management Conference and Educational Exhibit in Las Vegas, Nevada. Winners agree to make two presentations at Conference sessions the Tuesday afternoon following the awards dinner.

ISM Contact

Direct questions to: Scott Sturzl, C.P.M., Vice President - Education, at 800/888-6276, extension 3105 (or if calling from outside the United States 480/752-6276, extension 3105), or by e-mail at RichterAwards@ism.ws.

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