MBA Building
Excellence Awards
Program
Workshop
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Schedule:
• August 24, 2017 – Awards Seminar
• October 6, 2017, 4 p.m. – Submissions Due
• October 25, 2017 – AGC Build America Deadline
• November 2017 – Judges Create a Shortlist
• November / December 2017 – Tour Shortlisted Projects
• February 22, 2018 – Evening of Excellence
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Competition Rules:
• Projects substantially completed between
January 1, 2014 and September 1, 2017
• Projects must be located within 200 miles of MBA
• Entry fee for each project is $100
• Projects must be submitted by principals or officers
of member firms, or with their written permission
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Competition Rules (continued):
• Projects must have an MBA Member in a general
contracting relationship:
• GC, CM-at-Risk, Design-Build, etc.
• MBA Specialty Members may submit projects where
they were in direct contract with the Owner
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Competition Rules (continued):
• A project may be entered in two different categories,
but not by the same contractor. A General
Contractor and Subcontractor may submit the same
project in separate categories
• Example: A GC submits the project for “New
Construction Over $25 million” and the Subcontractor
submits it for “Excellence in Craftsmanship Exterior”
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Competition Rules (continued):
• Entries and materials become property of the MBA
• Photo Credit: You are responsible for making us
aware of any photography credits and/or restrictions
for use of submitted materials
• If you want a particular photo featured in the awards
brochure, please make that known
MBA Building Excellence Awards
MBA Award Categories:
• New Construction Over $25 Million
• New Construction Between $10-$25 Million
• New Construction Under $10 Million
• Renovation Construction Over $10 Million
• Renovation Construction Under $10 Million
• Excellence in Craftsmanship – Interior Construction
• Excellence in Craftsmanship – Exterior Construction
MBA Building Excellence Awards
MBA Award Categories:
• Members are welcome to contact the MBA for
assistance in deciding the proper category
• Categories are subject to change depending on submissions
• Existing buildings can classify as New Construction
• Agency CM does not qualify; must be CM-at-Risk
• Contractors submitting in Craftsmanship categories
MUST SELF-PERFORM & specify the trade
MBA Building Excellence Awards
MBA Award Categories:
• Should a question arise as to the eligibility or
category of a project – the MBA Marketing
Committee shall make the final determination
• The MBA reserves the right to move a project or
alter a category. All actions will be transparent.
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Submission Process:
• There is no longer an online form
• Program rules and a project information form (Word
Document) were sent on July 31, 2017
• Please use one form per project
• Complete the entire form and email it to
• Submissions Due: Friday, October 6, 2017, at 4 p.m.
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Payment:
• The entry fee is $100 per project
• Credit card payments:
http://www.mbawpa.org/eventpaypage5.asp
• Checks made payable to:
Master Builders’ Association
631 Iron City Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Required Materials:
• Entry Form
• Project Description / Executive Summary
• Project Narrative
1. Project Teamwork
2. Meeting Difficult Challenges
3. Client Satisfaction
4. Special Characteristics
5. Safety
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Required Materials (continued):
• Photographs
• At least one (1) color photograph; no more than ten (10) photos
• If you want a particular picture featured in awards brochure
please make that known
• You are responsible for photo credits / restrictions
• Miscellaneous
• Up to five (5) miscellaneous items (i.e.: letter of recommendation
or other items that assist in telling the story of your project)
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Project Narrative Specifics:
When addressing each of the five (5) criterion, ask
yourself, and others associated with the project:
What made this project unique?
Why should this project win?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
1. Project Teamwork:
• How did the construction team operate /
communicate?
• Did strong management techniques create a cohesive
team?
• Were Lean principles effectively utilized?
• Did you achieve time and/or cost savings that can be
attributed to teamwork?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
2. Meeting Difficult Challenges:
• How did you overcome: difficult terrain, restricted
work space, adverse elements, unforeseen conditions,
etc.?
• Did you have to work around an operating Owner?
Was the space occupied?
• Was a fast-track schedule implemented?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
3. Client Satisfaction:
• Were there any substantial savings experienced?
• Did the team have to adapt to the client’s changing
needs during a project?
• Do you have a letter of recommendation?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
4. Special Characteristics:
• Did your project include any of the following?
• Innovation• State-of-the-art methods employed on this project?
• Special materials or new material application techniques utilized?
• Construction Craftsmanship• Were there unique features of the project that should be explained?
• Were there any unique installations or exceptional finishes?
• Sustainable Construction Practices• Green certifications, sustainable solutions and/or significant green
features?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
5. Safety:
• What safety training was held for this project?
• Do you have documentation associated with the
safety of this project?
• How did the topic of safety provide a good public
image for your project and/or Owner?
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Submission Advice:
• Prepare an outline for the narrative portion
• Create a list of items to cover in each section
• Involve the team upfront – coworkers (field and
office), architects, contractors, owner, engineers, etc.
• Follow your outline – Stay focused!
• This is your opportunity to BRAG!
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Submission Advice (continued):
• KISS – Keep It Simple Submitter
• Photographs are important
• Involve Multiple Reviewers
• Someone familiar with the project
(Owner, Architect, PM, etc.)
• Someone NOT familiar with the project
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Feedback from the Judges:
• Last year’s submittals were the best so far
• The length of the write-ups were good
• They included the necessary information, but didn’t go on
too long as in the past
• It is a proposal. Tell us why you should win!
• Executive Summary is the first thing that they read to
screen the projects and see it as the most important
MBA Building Excellence Awards
What the Judges want to see:
• Keep the paragraphs for each category brief
• Safety SPECIFICS
• Owner Satisfaction Letters
• Having the superintendent on site during the site
visits is very helpful
• If your project has a confidentiality agreement –
consider potential issues
MBA Building Excellence Awards
Questions?
Eric Starkowicz
Director of Industry Relations
Master Builders’ Association of Western PA
412-922-3912