Industry Awards

Industry Awards are open to any organisation – private, public, academic or not for profit – provided the project took place in the 18 months immediately prior to the application and relates to surveying and/or spatial activities.

Organisations of all sizes, from sole traders to large national firms, are encouraged to enter.

Nominations should be submitted in the region the project took place (not the location of head office/staff).

There is no charge for any member of the profession to enter the awards.

The APSEA Judging Panels provide expert, objective and independent opinions on the merits of the nominations entered. Panels are established for each category and are comprised of industry peers, associates and advisors from across all regions of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, inclusive of professionals of diverse areas of speciality, experience, gender, ethnicity, race, religion and sexual orientation.

Judges will individually score each nomination in their category based on the criteria listed below, with the highest scoring submission being deemed the winner. Judges will recuse themselves from judging selected nomination/s where there is a conflict of interest. A final review of winners is undertaken by SSSI or SIBA|GITA representatives to ensure quality and consistent application of APSEA principles.

The judges’ decisions are final. No correspondence is exchanged once the decisions are made. Information about nominees or winners will not be issued or made public prior to the awards presentations.

Nominees are encouraged to attend their local APSEA award dinner, held in conjunction with SSSI regional conferences. Attendance at these dinners is at the nominee’s cost, however ticket prices are kept at a reasonable level to make the events as accessible as possible.

2022 regional winners will be invited to attend the Oceanic APSEA event at Locate in Adelaide in May 2023. Discounted tickets will be available for these oceanic award finalists.

Entrants are encouraged to provide sufficient evidence to fully answer the category criteria and must be made through the APSEA nominations portal.

The word limit for the industry categories is minimum 500 words and maximum 1500 words, not including the nomination summary which is a minimum of 50 words and maximum 100 words.

You are able to be nominated by a colleague/peer or nominate yourself, however if you nominate yourself for an individual APSEA, we strongly recommend you attach a statement of support (an email or letter) from a supervisor or colleague to support your claim.

Instructions for First-time users of the Awards System

• Click on the above link and create a user ID
• A confirmation will be sent to your email, click on the link to confirm your account (please check junk mail if confirmation email is not received)
• Login and lodge your application

Applicants may login and change their submission up until the final submission date.

The Community Impact award recognises unique contributions the spatial industry has had on people and communities.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the project, technology or solution that has provided a positive impact to local communities.
• Benefit to communities: Describe how the project was identified, why the project was undertaken, who were the key actors involved at a community level and its intended or delivered impact.
• Methodology, verification and reporting: Describe the rationale for the project, how the initiative has been validated and reported on. Describe any cultural, safety and structural or technical integrity considerations and the rationale for actions taken to address these.
• Contribution to the field: Describe how your project showcases emerging or developing technologies or ideas as they are applied to supporting communities.

The Environment and Sustainability award recognises products and projects that help to resolve any issue in an environmental context.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the timeframe of the project (is it a discrete project or part of a bigger program) relative size (eg FTEs, budget), a brief statement of complexity (multiple stakeholders, unusual constraints), funding source (e.g. client, private, CRC/research, other grant).
• Benefit to the environment: Describe why the project was undertaken, including the impact on natural resource management and effect on the balance of the environment.
• Methodology, verification and reporting: Describe the rationale for the methodology, how the initiative has been validated and reported on. Describe any safety and structural or technical integrity considerations and the rationale for actions taken to address these.
• Contribution to the field: Describe how your project showcases emerging or developing technologies or ideas as they are applied to enhancing environmental or sustainability outcomes.

The Award for Innovation is broken into two sub-categories – Small Business (1 – 20 FTE) and Medium to Large (greater than 21 FTE) to allow greater opportunity for all organisation sizes and to assist judges in their assessments.

The Innovation Award recognises a unique delivery of a project, product or service based on a new idea, method, technology, process or application resulting in significant social, environmental and/or economic benefits.

SMALL BUSINESS

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: What was the purpose of the project, how was it identified, how was it addressed and what was its impact?
• Innovation Claim: What was unique about your innovation? You might describe how your project contributes to the national digital transformation strategy through the use of spatial data and technology, how your project showcases design of original solutions or ingenious adaptation of existing solutions such as innovative application of emerging or developing technologies.
• Market potential: Describe the potential of your innovative solution and potential impact or real impact on markets.
• Contribution to industry: Describe how the project has had an ongoing impact on the industry and the community or how it could provide impact e.g. realising new technical, social, cultural, environmental and/or economic benefits.

MEDIUM TO LARGE BUSINESS

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the purpose of the project, product or service, how was it addressed and its intended and actual impact. Include a brief statement of unique complexities which may include unusual constraints, new applications of location data, planned integration into other projects, unique elements of interoperability), timeframe of the project (is it a discrete project or part of a bigger program) relative size (eg FTEs, budget), a brief statement of complexity (multiple stakeholders, unusual constraints), funding source (e.g. client, private, CRC/research, other grant).
• Innovation Claim: What was unique about your innovation? You might describe how your project contributes to the national digital transformation strategy through the use of spatial data and technology, how it showcases design of original solutions or ingenious adaptation of existing solutions such as innovative application of emerging or developing technologies.
• Product market fit: Demonstrate how the project meets a quantified market need and how the need has been validated.
• Market entry strategy: Describe the rationale for the approach to market including overcoming barriers of entry to market.
• Contribution to industry: Describe how the project has had an ongoing impact on the industry and the community or how it could provide impact e.g. realising new technical, social, cultural, environmental and/or economic benefits.

The International Partnership Award recognises organisations that have successfully conducted business through developing trade opportunities in international markets through unique projects, products and services. This may be through products or projects that have successfully been delivered through local or international collaboration in a market outside of Australia or coordinated with international organisations/clients, applying surveying and spatial knowledge, products, and/or IP.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the timeframe of the project (is it a discrete project or part of a bigger program) relative size (eg FTEs, budget), a brief statement of complexity (multiple stakeholders, unusual constraints), funding source (e.g. client, private, CRC/research, other grant).
• International supply: Describe what skills, products or services your organisation provided as part of the project. For example, discuss the proportion of content (eg IP, resources, experience, data) that was developed locally, and/or in conjunction with the international organisation.
• Markets: Describe the international sector/s actively entered into (countries and segments).
• Entry Strategy: Describe the rationale for the partnership including overcoming barriers.
• Contribution to client: Describe how the project has had an ongoing impact for the client.
• Collaboration: Describe the project delivery process and the nature of the collaboration that was required.

The Award for Spatial Enablement recognises products or projects in which the application of spatial information, methodology and/or tools has greatly improved the outcomes of a non-spatial project, process or product. This could for instance entail identifying benefits to those sectors and or organisations that use spatial technology/solutions to underpin their core business like health, transport and agriculture.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the timeframe of the project (is it a discrete project or part of a bigger program) relative size (eg FTEs, budget), a brief statement of complexity (multiple stakeholders, unusual constraints), funding source (private, CRC/research, other grant).
• Describe enablement in your context: Discuss how the project showcases the application of spatial information and methodology and/or tools in a non-spatial market or project.
• Project Status: Has the project been implemented and how is it likely to be utilised?
• Contribution to client: Describe how the project has had an ongoing impact on the client, for example realising new technical, social, cultural, environmental and/ or economic benefits.

The Technical Excellence Award recognises surveying and spatial projects that apply existing technology and methodologies to an exceptionally high technical standard, overcoming significant technical challenges, and delivering outstanding results for the client.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe the timeframe of the project (is it a discrete project or part of a bigger program) relative size (eg FTEs, budget), a brief statement of complexity (multiple stakeholders, unusual constraints), funding source (e.g.client, private, CRC/research, other grant).
• Degree of technical methodology to overcome the challenge in delivering the solution: Describe the rationale for the methodology including overcoming barriers and managing risk.
• Level of complexity of the challenge: This sets the context for technical excellence – what are the technical skills and knowledge at play? Why is it such a big deal? Complexity comes in many forms: scale, geographic location, quality of results, many interdependent tasks or resources.
• Contribution to client: Describe how the project has had an ongoing impact on the client.

The Award for Workforce Development and Inclusion recognises excellence in approaches taken to develop and prepare workforce for current and emerging technology and market needs.

The following criteria should be addressed:

• Project description: Describe approaches taken to develop talent and skills for your or your client’s workforce. Describe unique challenges keeping pace with emerging technology, business practices, legislative and regulatory changes to ensure the skills currency of your workforce is developed.
• Skills gaps and development of workforce: Describe how your business addresses skills gaps and how it manages the ebb and flow of meeting skills needs.
• Diversity: Describe how your organisation addresses diversity across the workforce and describe the benefits to your or your client’s business performance and culture.
• Training, educational programs: Describe training and education programs are undertaken (e.g. internships, apprenticeships, micro-credentialling etc) and the impacts these have on your productivity, staff retention and culture.
• Demonstrated benefit and/or contribution to the industry: Describe how the approach has had an ongoing impact on the organisation and/or community, for example realising new technical, social, cultural, environmental and/or economic benefits.