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CAPAM International Innovations Awards Programme 1999-2000

Theme: Service to the Public

Up to 10 finalists will make presentations to the Jury at the 2000 CAPAM Biennial Conference October 15-18, 2000, Cape Town, in South Africa . Each of the

Finalists’ submissions will be presented to the delegates at the Conference. At a formal ceremony on the final evening of the Conference, the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be presented with their awards.

A. Purpose

The purpose of the CAPAM International Innovations Awards Programme is to promote innovation in government reform throughout the Commonwealth. The Awards Programme provides Commonwealth countries with varied perspectives on change and exposes models which may be adapted and applied in differing environments. The theme of the Awards Programme is "Service to the Public". The theme focuses on the ways in which governments and their agencies provide services to their citizens. More specifically, the CAPAM Awards Programme seeks innovations that:

- tap the creativity of front-line employees, through changes in work design and supervision;

- reshape organisational culture in profound ways that improve public performance;

- implement significant policy innovation;

- uphold just and honest government and directly or indirectly prevent or eradicate corruption;

- exemplify multi-agency, intergovernmental, public-private, NGO and voluntary sector collaboration; and

- demonstrate effectiveness in performance-based management.

B. Evaluation Criteria

The criteria to be used for evaluation of the submissions will include:

Effectiveness. That the innovation has been commissioned or chartered after June 30, 1996, and thus sufficient time has passed to demonstrate the initiative’s effectiveness. Particular attention will be paid to costs of implementation, savings and other related benefits.

Innovation. That in the Jury’s experience, the entry is genuinely innovative within the public sector. Innovation may take the form of a successful experiment; the implementation of effective organisational change; the translation of new ideas into practice; or harnessing new technology. Where innovation involves technological change, the emphasis will be on how the technology was introduced into the organisation.

Relevance. That the innovation is consistent with the Awards theme and that it is relevant. The impetus for the change and the purpose and objectives of the change should be noted.

Significance. That the benefits of the innovation, either actual or potential, are significant; note: significance can be local as well as national and will not be evaluated simply on the grounds of the size and scale of benefits.

Replicability. The submission has or will be replicated in some shape or form by other governments or agencies. If so, it should be noted by whom and the level of success to date.

Appropriateness to Context. Given regional economic and socio-economic conditions, particular technologies may be more appropriate to the situation or context (i.e. capital financing versus labour intensive improvements).

Updated March 13, 2002