The Awards are open to:

All Commercial, Government/Public Sector, Educational, Not-for-Profit or Charitable organisations based in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) or the Isle of Man who have been trading for at least one year (prior to 31st July 2004), and can demonstrate they have achieved tangible gains by using the Internet or other Information & Communications Technologies.

Restrictions:

• Organisations trading for less than twelve months are not eligible;
• Organisations based in the Channel Islands, or the Rest of the World are not eligible;

The Awards organisers, their partners, sponsors, suppliers to the Awards, and any wholly owned subsidiaries of the above are excluded from entering.  

 
E-Commerce Awards - Regional/National

The specific requirements for each of the six following categories are as follows:

Entrants must employ up to 250 staff (SME).  They may also enter any National ICT Innovators Awards categories.

BEST SALES AND MARKETING ONLINE
Companies who have transformed their business through the development and implementation of online sales and marketing activities.  Judges will be looking for excellence from:
- Defined sales and marketing plan
- Quantifiable business benefits
- Use of innovative techniques and tools

BEST CUSTOMER CARE ONLINE
The best companies pay the utmost attention to customer care.  Judges will be looking for the innovative use of the internet and information & communications technologies to make a step change in the way customers perceive the applicants organisation and value the service they receive.

BEST END-TO-END INTEGRATED BUSINESS
As internet and communications technologies become mainstream, leading companies will be gaining benefit by tightly integrating their key processes from end-to-end.  Judges will be looking for the innovative use of these technologies, the degree of integration and the quantifiable business benefits.

BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS
Applicants will be judged on how they have: used their Broadband internet connection in an innovative and beneficial way; improved their customer's use of Broadband through novel or innovative services or content; or helped in the rollout and wider uptake of Broadband in Britain.
Technologies categorised as Broadband within this years awards include always-on connections with available bandwidths greater than 128kbs, such as ADSL, Cable, fixed point-to-point radio, Wi-Fi, UMTS and Satellite. Services and technologies delivered using Broadband might include streamed video or audio, Voice over IP, security or process monitoring, software or eBook distribution.

Examples of innovation in this category include:

Delivery of time-critical business information
Provision of rich compelling consumer content, perhaps interactively
Provision of complex business services through an Application Service Provider previously available only to large Enterprises.

BEST USE OF TELEWORKING
Entrants should demonstrate how the introduction of remote working has helped to improve the way the business operates and performs in terms of internal efficiency, productivity and has helped to enhance employees' work-life balance.

Applicants will be judged on how they have: utilised Information and Communication Technologies to work from home, SOHO (Small Office, Home Office), or remote locations, reflecting new opportunities in flexible working practices and locations.

Examples include:

Provide a virtual working environment for people working from home
Providing flexible working opportunities for working parents or workers with disabilities
Developing a virtual company with completely outsourced facilities and no central office location

BEST USE OF MOBILE AND WIRELESS APPLICATIONS
Applicants will be judged on how they have employed mobile and or wireless technology to enable their organisation to operate in a location independent way.

Technologies used may include short-range Personal Area Networks such as Bluetooth; Infra -red communications; Wireless LAN technology such a Wi-Fi; or longer-range mobile technologies such as Pagers, SMS/MMS, GSM GPRS, or UMTS.

Examples of innovation in this category include:

• Changing working practices of employees through increased mobility or availability of information to field workers
• Compelling new consumer services through the introduction of location-based services
• Improved customer service through mobile access to company data;
• Improved distribution routing and tracking through better use of in-cab systems

 
National ICT Innovators Awards Categories

These awards will recognise best practise in the development of ICT by UK business's and public sector communities.
They are designed to exemplify the true applied technology innovators in the marketplace today and are open to all type and size of UK organisation. Entrants may enter one or more or the seven categories.

In addition to regional categories, SME entrants (up to 250 staff) may also enter one or more of the National ICT Innovators Awards categories.

One technology and six market sectors that align with the overall national agenda have been selected to be the subject of these new awards, they are;

TECHNOLOGY

Safe online transactions award

As online trading and transactions become increasingly prevalent within both the B2C and B2B sectors, it is becoming increasingly important for organisations to be able to trust their online trading partners and communicate with them securely.  Judges will be looking for examples of best practice where organisations have demonstrated a duty of care to their customers and suppliers by creating safe online trading environments. Organisations must be able to illustrate how through the innovative use of technologies they are helping to make the UK Internet a safe place to do business.

MARKET SECTOR AWARDS

These awards are for individuals and teams who have developed business solutions of an innovative nature displaying a deep understanding of the technology, a visionary approach and excellence in the development process.

Judges will be particularly looking for these three aspects to be clearly demonstrated and for evidence that there are true and quantifiable business benefits.

• Health
• Transport
• Education and Learning
• Export
• The Environment
• E-Government (Public Sector)