Project Awards Information

Introduction:

Submissions only by member firms of a project completed in a year previous to the Call for Submission, but no more than two years. Judging of the project by an adjudicating committee, selection of a project for awards, and presentation of awards at the Annual General Meeting.

Committee:

A GCAO awards committee will be comprised of the GCAO President, GCAO Past President, Entertainment Committee Director, and a Director at Large. The function of this committee will be the development, oversight, and ongoing implementation of the award program.

Applications:

Application submission form for entries is available below >

Categories:

The award program is limited to two categories for All projects of a General Contract, Construction Management, or Design-Build nature. Members wishing to apply for an Award may enter one of the three value range categories noted in category A. All submitters of Category A are automatically entered into Category B.

Category A – Buildings- Architectural/Commercial/Institutional

An award selection will be made from each of the three designated project cost categories below:

• up to $5 Million in value
• from $5 to $30 Million in value
• $30 Million in value and over

Category B – Don Chutter Meritorious Achievement Award

The Don Chutter Meritorious Achievement Award will be presented to the submission that best demonstrates the contribution of General Contracting to our quality of life in Ottawa. The judging panel will consider that project which excels in all areas of the rated criteria and is also an Ottawa and Surrounding Region Project. The criteria will consider four different but related aspects of the submitting firm’s role in the project:

• Project objectives, solutions, and achievements
• Technical excellence and innovation
• Level of difficulty
• Contribution to economic, social or environmental quality of life

Ottawa-based projects in all categories are eligible for this award.

Judging:

The GCAO President will facilitate, but not adjudicate the judging review. An Adjudicating Committee will be established each year by the GCAO Award Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and the Adjudicating Committee will serve as judges for the award program. The Adjudicating committee will have a representative from:

• Engineering (possibly CEO or PEO volunteer)
• Architecture (possibly ORSA volunteer)
• Owner (Municipality, University, or Other volunteer)

Judging Criteria:

Judging Criteria will be on a point based system against the following criteria (a to d)

a. Project Objectives, Solutions, and Achievements:

• Safety – confirm # of LTIs on project (subcontractors and own forces and any fatalities
• Project Management
• Schedule

b. Technical Excellence and Innovation

• Innovations
• Environmental Highlights
• Design-Build Achievement (if applicable)

c. Level of Complexity

• Uniqueness
• Complexity
• Teamwork

d. Contribution to Ottawa

• Customer satisfaction – reference letter
• Contribution to Ottawa area economic, social or environmental quality of life (as applicable)

Frequency:

Every Year or every two years as directed by the Board Presentation: To be presented at AGM, to senior company representatives and the company team (SS, PM, EST).

Validity Period:

Submissions only for projects completed in the last 2 years (prior to submission date).

Timeline for Call for Submissions:

• Intent to submit notice to be issued to GCAO by November (Date to be confirmed) | View form here >
• Allow time for members to submit, submissions due December (Date to be confirmed)
• Adjudicate and let winners know so they can be sure to attend AGM late January (Date to be confirmed)

Project Awards Program

Submissions only by member firms of a project completed in a year previous to the Call for Submission, but no more than two years. Judging of the project by an adjudicating committee, selection of a project for awards, and presentation of awards at the Annual General Meeting.

Past Winners

• 2020 View the winners
• 2018 View the winners
• 2016 View the winners
• 2014 View the winners
• 2012 View the winners

Adjudication Procedure

Nominations will be reviewed by the Association’s Board of Directors, whose members will determine whether or not an Award will be presented in any given year. Selection decisions will be based on the information provided in the Nomination(s), supplemented by information in the Association’s records and interviews with pertinent members, subcontractors, suppliers, consultants and owners.