Departments nominating themselves for an award must have a current continuity plan and may nominate themselves for the award under one of the following categories: 

• Successful Implementation During a Real Event
• Innovative Risk Mitigation Strategy 

• Feasible and Actionable Business Continuity Plan

  The nomination form will ask you to submit a written statement for the corresponding category you selected above. Details for the submission are below. You will also have the opportunity to attach the relevant plan documentation, reports, or materials that support your submission.
   

Successful Implementation During a Real Event Category

This category is for submissions where a plan or strategy was successfully used during an actual business disruption.

• Event Details: Describe the event (e.g., power outage, IT failure, etc.) and the disruption that occurred (e.g., loss of workspace, IT, or unavailability of staff). Describe the impacts to the organization and the duration and scope of the disruption.
• Plan Activation and Execution: Describe the parts of the plan or strategies used in the event, such as: how the plan was activated, steps taken immediately following the event, or alternative business processes used, etc.
• Success Metrics: Provide evidence of the plan's success. What was the impact on the business disruption as a result (e.g., reduced downtime, maintained critical services, or avoided financial loss)? 

• Lessons Learned: What key takeaways or improvements were identified as a result of using the plan during this real event?
   

   

  Innovative Risk Mitigation Strategy Category

  This category is for departments that have implemented a new, inventive strategy to mitigate against business disruption risks.

• Risk: Identify the specific business disruption risk(s) the strategy is designed to mitigate.
• Continuity Strategy: Describe the strategy (e.g., new technology, partnership, process, or alternate site).

• Impact: Describe how the strategy will reduce risk or mitigate against disruption risk. 

   

   

  Feasible and Actionable Business Continuity Plan 

  This category is for submitting a comprehensive plan that is well-documented and ready for use, regardless of whether it has been used yet.

  In your submission note: 

• Accessibility and Training: How is the plan stored and made accessible to relevant staff? What training or testing has been conducted to ensure staff know their roles in the continuity plan?
• Plan Elements Checklist: Please confirm the inclusion of the following required elements in your documented plan in UC Ready. You do not need to attach your continuity plan to your submission, as this can be looked up via UC Ready:
  • Communications:
    • Procedures for communicating continuity plan activations with stakeholders.
    • Contact Lists: (staff, vendors, and other stakeholders).
  • Complete BIA: Identifies essential IT applications/systems, buildings, and other resources.
  • Continuity Procedures and/or strategies (alternate sites, equipment, IT, etc.).
  • Lines of Succession: current and complete list.
  • Vital Records: current, complete, and outlines how to access backups.
  • Agreements/Contracts related to your BCP (if applicable).