Welcome to the Prince George's County Technology Council Page |
.png)
Submit your nomination here: Best of Prince George's County Award
The Best of Prince George's County Cybersecurity Award recognizes organizations and individuals who have made a meaningful impact on cybersecurity across the community. This countywide recognition highlights initiatives that strengthen cybersecurity awareness, resilience, and protection for residents, businesses, and public institutions.
All eligible nominees compete for a single award based on demonstrated community impact during the evaluation period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Submissions are evaluated using a transparent, evidence-based framework that prioritizes measurable outcomes, community reach, and lasting impact.
Eligible nominations will be reviewed by an independent panel of three to five judges representing a range of sectors, including technology, business, government, and education. Judges evaluate submissions using a standardized scoring rubric and must adhere to strict conflict-of-interest guidelines. To maintain fairness, nominees may not serve as judges, and each organization may submit only one nomination.
Final results are reviewed to ensure the integrity and consistency of the evaluation process. The goal of the award is to recognize impactful cybersecurity contributions while maintaining a fair, transparent, and credible selection process for all participants.
The sponsoring organization reserves the right to disqualify any nominee if credible information arises that conflicts with the intent or standards of the award.
Application Instructions:
To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation process, all nominations must follow the structured submission format below. Each section includes word limits to keep submissions focused and comparable across nominees.
Community Impact Summary
Limit: approximately 250 words
Describe the impact your work had on the community. Identify who benefited, how they benefited, and why the impact matters beyond your organization.
Impact Activities and Outcomes
Limit: approximately 400 words
Describe the specific cybersecurity-related activities completed during the evaluation period and the outcomes achieved. Focus on actions taken and the results that were delivered.
Evidence of Impact
Format: bullet points or structured entries
Provide at least two forms of objective evidence that demonstrate the impact of your work. Evidence may include program metrics, measurable outcomes, public artifacts, or other indicators showing completed results.
Suggested evidence fields include:
• Evidence type (metric, program output, public artifact, outcome indicator)
• Description
• Timeframe
• Scale or quantity
Community Reach and Sustainability
Limit: approximately 200 words
Describe the scale of your impact and whether the outcomes are ongoing, repeatable, or expanding to benefit additional members of the community.
Optional Differentiators
Limit: approximately 150 words
You may include additional information about collaborations, innovative approaches, or practices that make your work stand out. Third-party partnerships may be included but are not required.
Submission Guidelines
To maintain fairness across all nominations, the following items will not be accepted:
- PDF documents, slide decks, or marketing materials
External links submitted in place of evidence
Unlimited attachments or supporting materials
Unstructured essays outside the provided sections
All nominations must follow the structured format above to be eligible for review.
Award Timeline
March
Public Launch and Awareness
- Publicly announce Best of (County) Cybersecurity Award
Open nomination portal
Begin direct outreach to likely nominees
Publish submission guidance and evaluation criteria
Information Session #1 (Early March):
• Open to all potential nominees
• Walk through:
– What qualifies as community impact
– Evidence expectations
– Submission format
• Record session for later viewing
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #2):
• Final readiness check
• Confirm outreach strategy
• Address early questions or confusion
April
Active Nomination Period
- Continue promotion and reminders
Target underrepresented sectors if needed
Monitor submissions for completeness issues (no feedback to nominees)
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #3):
• Status update
• Validate intake consistency
• No review of submissions yet
May
Mid-Cycle Engagement
- Continue accepting nominations
Conduct targeted outreach if volume is low or skewed
Prepare judges for evaluation phase
Information Session #2 (Mid–Late May):
• Focus on last-mile questions
• Reinforce evidence and completeness requirements
• Emphasize July 14 hard deadline
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #4):
• Confirm evaluation logistics
• Confirm scoring cadence
• Reconfirm conflict-of-interest disclosures
June
Final Nomination Push
- Final reminders and countdown messaging
No rule changes
No extensions communicated
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #5):
• Final pre-close check
• Confirm scoring timeline and assignments
• Lock judging procedures
July
Nomination Close and Evaluation
July 14:
• Nomination portal closes (hard stop)
Mid–Late July:
• Completeness screening (pass/fail)
• Eligible submissions distributed to judges
• Judges score independently
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #6):
• Judge calibration discussion
• Confirm scoring consistency
• Identify if tie-breaking or additional review is needed
August
Selection and Certification
- Aggregate scores
Apply tie-breaking rules if needed
Governance lead certifies process integrity
Winner and finalists confirmed internally
Submit winner information to Cybersecurity Association per their timeline
Internal Committee Meeting (Monthly #7 – Optional):
• Final confirmation
• Lessons learned
• Close-out discussion
September
Award Presentation and Close-Out
- Award presented at Cybersecurity Awards Ceremony
Judges and committee acknowledged
Archive records and scoring artifacts
Begin post-event wrap-up