SIO Awards for Excellence in Surety Bond Promotion Criteria & Nomination Form

The SIO Awards for Excellence in Surety Bond Promotion honor local surety associations (LSAs) with two levels of achievement and individual NASBP and SFAA members with one level of achievement:

Local Surety Associations

• Silver Award – for LSAs that conduct at least five public relations activities in a calendar year to promote the value and benefits of contract surety bonds. This award recognizes LSAs for their efforts to promote contract surety bonds and calls attention to the opportunity to expand promotional initiatives.
• Gold Award – for LSAs that conduct at least 10 public relations activities in a calendar year to promote the value and benefits of contract surety bonds. This award recognizes LSAs for outstanding commitment to the promotion of contract surety bonds and highlights their leadership efforts in their communities.

Individual

• Platinum Award – for an individual NASBP or SFAA member whose efforts to promote contract surety bonds have had a significant impact on the construction industry. This award is not based on the volume of activities, but on the successful outcome of the individual's actions in promoting the value and benefits of contract surety bonds. Nominations for this award must summarize the significance of the individual's accomplishments and specify outcomes and results of his or her efforts.

Examples of Promotional Activities

Industry outreach to private owners, public owners, lenders, government agencies, risk managers, contractors, subcontractors, minority contractors, architects, engineers, attorneys, CPAs, universities, and their respective associations including:

Presentations/Meetings

• On the value and benefits of contract surety bonds.
• To discuss the protections surety bonds provide.
• To inform audiences of the benefits of surety bonds.

Exhibitions

• Exhibit and distribute surety information at expos, conventions, meetings, career fairs, or other gatherings.

Sponsorships

• Sponsor, develop, or present non-compensated continuing education courses to a non-surety industry audiences on contract surety bond-related issues.

Legislative Activity

• Inform Legislators and their staff on how surety bonds protect taxpayer dollars, prequalify contractors, and guarantee project completion.

Media/Publications

• Write articles on surety topics for publication in external trade journals, magazines, or newsletters
• Produce Public Service Announcements on the benefits of contract surety bonds.
• Participate on a TV/radio program, talk show, or news story.
• Distribute press releases or provide information to the media on the value and benefits of contract surety bonds.

Community Outreach

• Generate positive public awareness of the LSA and the surety industry through community service or volunteer initiatives, construction/insurance-related scholarships, surety mentorships, or career fairs. (The weight given to these activities will be determined by the judges.)

Rules

1. Nominations may be made by the candidate seeking the award, the LSA President, the Public Relations Committee Chair, or any member of SFAA or NASBP.
2. Applicants must complete the online nomination form. Supplying documentation of activities, photos, news clippings, programs or fliers advertising the event, testimonials, or other related materials will enhance your application. (Documentation will be accepted separately from the online nomination form via e-mail, fax, or mail but must be received no later than February 13, 2009.) Contact SIO at (202) 686-7463, fax (202) 686-3656, sio@sio.org, or mail to Surety Information Office, 1828 L St. NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20036-5104.
3. Entries must include the date of activity, type of activity, primary audience targeted, description of the activity, number of attendees (if possible), and names of LSA members whose efforts are deemed worthy by the LSA President to receive an award item. LSAs are encouraged to submit group and project photos along with their entries.
4. For Platinum Award nominees, entries should summarize the significance of an individual NASBP or SFAA member's accomplishments. Strong narratives will include measurable outcomes and results (e.g. number of new or emerging contractors who obtained bonding or dollar amount of bonds written).
5. SIO may use materials or information from the entries to promote surety bonds in the Surety Bond Networker and other SIO promotional materials, as well as in SFAA and NASBP publications.
6. Entries must be received online no later than February 13, 2009.
7. Please contact SIO at (202) 686-7463, fax (202) 686-3656, sio@sio.org, or mail at Surety Information Office, 1828 L St. NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20036-5104.
8. For questions contact Marc Ramsey at (202) 686-7463 or sio@sio.org.

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Nomination Form

Award:

Silver Gold Platinum

Name of Local Surety Association:

Name of Platinum Nominee:

LSA Members to Receive Award/Certificate (Silver, Gold Entries):

Member Name................................Member Company.........................Award or Certificate

Description of Activities and Results (Date, Title, Audience, # Attendees, Outcome, Names of LSA Members Involved):

Example #1: 4/24 "ABCs of Surety Bonding," ABC Construction Assn., 45 GCs, distributed SIO materials, 6 GCs obtained bonding as a direct result of presentation (Ramsey, McIntyre)
Example #2: 6/18 "Surety Market Update," author, Engineering News-Record, reached 70,000+ paid subscribers, received 4 calls from contractors citing article who requested more information about surety bonds, referred 2 GCs to list of surety bond producers (Ramsey)
Example #3: 9/14 Exhibit, AGC Conf., 1,300 GCs, subs, minority contractors, distributed 600 brochures, received calls from 25 minority contractor attendees requesting more information, referred to list of surety bond producers (McIntyre)

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Platinum Award Narrative
Please do not exceed 300 words.

NOTE: Please attach group and project photos to an e-mail and send to sio@sio.org. If you would like SIO to send letters to members' supervisors, include their names and addresses.

Submitted By (Name, Company, Phone, E-mail Address):

Please PRINT this nomination form as a backup before selecting "Submit" button.