Information and Nomination Procedures for the 2015 Industry Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award
The Industry Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award – 2015
Since 1995, the National Center for Advanced Technologies (NCAT), acting as the agent for the Associations and Societies involved in the Multi-Association Industry Affordability Task Force, has sought to recognize an individual and small working groups/teams in the defense manufacturing community for making outstanding contributions to furthering manufacturing science and technology in the United States for the past fiscal year (Oct 2014 – Sep 2015). Through the Industry Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award, these Associations and Professional Societies acknowledge and recognize contributions of those scientists, designers, engineers, and/or managers involved in defense manufacturing who have sought to:
(1) Conduct research into ways and means to increase the producibility, affordability, or technical superiority of the nation’s defense systems and/or
(2) Develop or practice ways and means to increase the producibility, affordability, or technical superiority of the nation’s defense systems.
Associations and Societies solicit nominations for the Award from its members and then forward the nominations to NCAT. Companies may also submit nominations directly to the NCAT award coordinator. Each year, a lead Association or Society acts as the main sponsor for the Award, which is also endorsed by all the other Associations and Societies affiliated with the Multi-Association Industry Affordability Task Force (the logos of all the affiliated societies ands associations appear on the Award plaque). The President of the lead association presents the Award at the Annual Defense Manufacturing Conference, scheduled for December 1, 2015, with high-level Industry and Government officials in attendance. For the year 2015 the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is leading the Award, which will be made in the name of all of the affiliated Associations and Societies.
Since 1999 awards have been made in two categories: Individual and Small Team/Group. Since 2002 three categories have been awarded: Individual, Small Team/Group (Large Business), and Small Team/Group (Small Business). These three categories shall continue to be used for the 2015 awards. Note: Small business is defined as a firm with less than 500 total employees.
Award Eligibility
The award is open to all. Nominees (as many as desired) may be submitted by all the affiliated Associations/Societies of the Multi-Association Industry Affordability Task Force in any or all of the three award categories: individual, small team/group (large business), and small team/group (small business). Although companies are strongly encouraged to (and usually do) submit nominations through one of the Associations, occasionally nominations from one of the companies represented on the Multi-Association Industry Affordability Task Force will be sent to NCAT directly. These are considered valid nominations, but will be attributed to the most applicable association to be considered for the award. Each Association is limited to three nominations in each of the three categories, and each association is responsible for submitting at least one nomination, including all categories.
Note: Joint Industry/Government teams are eligible. There are no restrictions on who can be nominated for the Individual award category—both Government and Industry individuals have won this award, often with a record of service in both regimes.
The nominees must be living at the time of their nomination. Any individual or small group/team in the defense manufacturing community that has significantly contributed to the understanding, development, or application of manufacturing techniques, processes, methods, practices, or management throughout the nation is eligible for this award.
- Individual category nominations may be either for (1) a specific achievement in defense manufacturing which culminated during the past year or (2) a sustained record of performance and distinguished contributions in the defense manufacturing arena over a longer period.
- Small team/group from large (over 500 employees) companies should be for a specific achievement in the field of defense manufacturing which culminated during the past year. Award is limited to 10 team members.
- Small team/group from small business (less that 500 employees) companies should be for a specific achievement in the field of defense manufacturing which culminated during the past year. The small business should have performed the majority of the work. Award is limited to 10 team members
2015 Nominating and Award Selection Procedures
Nominations should be provided electronically and include the following information:
- Nominator’s name, mailing address, and electronic communications contact information (phone, fax, and e-mail)
- Nominator’s title and organization/affiliation (company or association)
- Nominee’s name and title, institutional or company affiliation, and address. For team categories please include the name of the project here.
- Category: Specify whether the nomination is for the individual or one of the small team/group categories (large or small business). If for the team/group categories, all of the members’ names should be included as nominees (exactly as they would appear in the Award Program, should the team/group be selected).
- A summary of the action(s): the basis for the nomination (approximately 100-150 words). This will form the basis for the “citation” to be published in the Award program distributed at the presentation ceremony should the nominee win. Hint: It also “grabs” the attention of the members of the Award Committee who will be evaluating the nomination.
- A separate longer statement, not to exceed three, single spaced pages (12 point “Times New Roman” or similar font preferred), with one inch margins. This will form the basis for the comparative evaluation by the Award Committee of the award nominees and selection of the award recipient(s).
Nomination details should include:- Technical/managerial challenges overcome
- Significance of the accomplishment
- Financial or technical performance benefits (should be as specific as possible, without the use of any proprietary data. In needed, use normalized data.)
- Potential for solution to be subsequently applied beyond the original applications.
- A resume of the nominee or a brief biography for each nominee. In the case of the team award (optional), a brief description of the key team members and a biography/resume for the team leader(s) are appropriate.
Completed nominations should be submitted to the Awards Coordinator, The National Center for Advanced Technologies, e-mail mark.gordon@ncat.com, phone 813-899-4545, Fax 813-425-7774. Questions regarding nomination procedures or other matters may also be addressed using this contact information.
The deadline for award nomination submissions is COB, Friday, November 6, 2015. All nominating materials may be used by NCAT to publicize the award.
As stated previously, NDIA is the lead association for the 2015 award selection process and will present the award at DMC 2015 on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. Mr. Ralph Resnick, Chair of the NDIA Manufacturing Division will chair the 2015 Industry Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award Selection Committee. Past lead associations/societies have included: NSIA (1995), AIA (1996, 2000, 2010), GEIA (1997, 2005), AMT (1998, 2007, 2013), AFCEA (1999), SME (2001, 2008, 2014), NACFAM (2002, 2009), NDIA (2006), NCMS (2004, 2011), and NCDMM (2012).
Award Nomination and Selection Process
NCAT forms the Award Selection Committee each year from representatives of the affiliated Associations and Societies. The Associations and Societies solicit nominees from their member companies and then forward their nominations to NCAT by the Nomination due date. NCAT in turn consolidates and forwards copies of each of the nomination packages to each member of the Award Selection Committee. The members of the Award Committee then individually evaluate and rank order all of the nominees in each of the three award categories and forward their three sets of rank orders to NCAT. NCAT then tallies the votes. In each of the three categories the entry with the most first-place votes is the winner. If there is a tie for number of first place votes, it will be resolved using the rank ordering (number of second place votes; if that does not resolve the tie, number of third place votes, etc.). The Committee then ratify the NCAT tally (one ratification vote per Association/Society present) and approve the selection of the winner(s) in the three categories of the Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award.
Award Ceremony
The Awards will be presented at the Defense Manufacturing Conference (Phoenix, AZ, Nov. 30 – Dec 3, 2015). The recipients of the Award(s) will be notified in advance so they can arrange to attend the awards presentation ceremony at DMC and receive their awards in person if they desire. Also, the winners usually will be asked to provide a picture of the winning individual/groups for inclusion in the Awards Program. Note: All award recipients have in fact chosen to receive their awards in person, although sometimes not all members of the winning team have been able to attend.
Past Award Recipients
2013
– Dr. Michael McGrath
– L3 Common Data Link team
2013
– Mr. Lance Bryant
– RRMIF: Automated Missile Factory
2012
– Mr. Ed Morris
– MLRS Rocket Motor: Air Pollution Control System
2011
– Mr. Steven M. Linder
– Zinc Sulfide Missile Dome
– Volumetric Accuracy for Large Machine Tools
2009
– Mr. Donald H. Verhoff
– Volumetric Accuracy for Large Machine Tools Team
– Tantalum-Tungsten Lined Gun Barrel Manufacturing Team
– M-ATV Production Launch Team
2008
– DHUD Reflective Microdisplay Team
– Naval Propulsion Shaft Machining Team
2007
– Mr. Jim Mattice
– Common Composite Tailcone
– Kinetic Spray Metal Deposition Technologies
2006
– Dr. Jacques Gansler
– Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle
– Enhanced Wiring Integrity Team
2005
– Mr. Thomas D. “Dan” Cundiff
– Rapid Prototyping Technology Advancement Team
2004
– Mr. Larry Rhoades, Extrude Hone
– Metals Affordability Initiative
– The Light Armored Vehicle Logistics Support Team
2003
– Mr. Leonard Martinez, Sandia National Laboratories
– Paveway Integrated Supply Chain Team, Raytheon
– ManTech Laser Shock Peening Initiative, LSI, Inc
2002
– Mr. Richard Engwall
– Laser Engineered Net Shaping
(LENS) NCMS/CTMA Team
– High Throughput Production Process (HITHRU) NCMS/CTMA Team
– Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) ATK Team
– Sandoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) Lean Pathways Team
2001
– Mr. Robert Cattoi
– Lockheed Martin Aeronautics JSF Airframe Affordability Demonstration Team
– Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Project Lightspeed Team
2000
– Mr. James M. Sinnett
– The Boeing JDAM Production and SMEI Teams
1999
– Dr. Lance Davis
– Harris GCSD Team
1998
– Mr. Herman M. Reininga
1997
– Mr. Aris Melissaratos
1996
– Mr. William James Andahazy
1995
– Mr. R. Noel Longuemare