Annual Awards of Excellence 

In 1993, the MDOT State Highway Administration and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approached Highway Industry leaders in Maryland about transforming the annual dinner meeting into an MdQI annual conference with the Maryland with Pride Awards being presented at the conference banquet. The first annual MdQI conference was held in 1994. Since that time, the Awards of Excellence have been presented at the annual conference banquet.  In 2008, the committee changed the annual awards process to recognize projects completed within a fiscal year instead of a calendar year. In 2009, the committee added new categories including "Green" projects. In 2011, the committee introduced Modal Awards (now for MDOT TBUs, Baltimore City and CEAM).

MdQI presents annual Awards of Excellence and Partnering Awards for public sector transportation projects in Maryland.

Eligibility for Awards

To be eligible for an award, the project must have a date of substantial completion or acceptance for maintenance between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023. For the planning category, the project must have received a record of decision or the equivalent between the dates listed above. Engineering consultants and contractors can also submit applications for the awards. 

The award winners will be announced at the 2024 MdQI Conference on February 7 & 8. 

Award Categories

MDOT/Municipal Award (Under $5 Million and Over $5 Million)

This award will be given to one project over $5 million dollars and one under $5 million dollars, selected by each MDOT Transportation Business Unit (TBU) in MdQI  (MAA, MDTA, MPA, MTA, SHA), by the County Engineers Association of Maryland (CEAM) and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) as their highest quality project from a design and construction perspective. The MDOT, County or Baltimore City design and construction Project Managers, the Engineering Consultant and the General Contractor will receive awards.

Each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT will select three shortlisted projects from applications received from employees, consultants, and contractors. A winner will be selected from these and will remain a secret until the awards banquet at the MdQI Annual Conference. All three shortlisted project representatives will be invited to attend the awards banquet (at their cost) and the “MDOT/Municipal Award” winner will be announced for each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT project. 

Note: The MdQI “Project of the Year” will be selected from the years MDOT/Municipal award winners.

Green/Sustainability/Environmental Award

This award will go to the project that best exemplifies a quality project that is green/sustainable and/or environmental. This could include anything from a green building to a stream restoration project. Each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT will select one project for this category from all of the applications received.

The nominations will be reviewed and a winner and two runners up selected by a panel made up of MDOT/Municipal and/or Awards committee members. The MDOT TBU, County or Baltimore City design and construction Project Managers, the Engineering Consultant and the General Contractor will receive awards. The MdQI application forms including the section on Green/Sustainability/Environmental should be used for this category. 

Planning Award

This award will go to a quality project that has made it through the planning process.  This award could be for any type of planning project.

Each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT will select one project for this category from all of the applications received. The nominations will be reviewed and a winner and two runners up selected by a panel made up of MDOT/ Municipality and/or Awards committee members. The MDOT, County or Baltimore City Planning Project Manager and the Engineering Consultant will receive awards.

The MdQI application form “Engineering” questions should be used for this category.

Innovation Award

This award will go to a project that best exemplifies the use of innovation in a planning, design or construction project.  This could be a new innovation, an existing innovation but new to Maryland or a new application of a new or existing product or process. 

Each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT will select one project for this category from all of the applications received. The nominations will be reviewed and a winner and two runners up selected by a panel made up of MDOT/ Municipality and/or Awards committee members. The MDOT, County or Baltimore City person most responsible for the innovation and Engineering Consultant, Contractor and supplier if applicable will receive awards.

MBE/DBE Firm Award (Engineering and Construction)

These awards will go to the engineering and construction MBE/DBE firm that has performed high quality work on a project completed during the time frame noted above. 

Each MDOT TBU, CEAM and BCDOT will select one engineering and one construction firm for this category from the applications received. The nominations will be reviewed and the winner and two runners up selected by a panel made up of MDOT/ Municipal representatives and/or Awards committee members.  The winning engineering firms and construction firm will receive awards.

Subcontractor Award (Engineering and Construction)

These awards will go to the engineering and construction Subcontractor that has performed high quality work on a project completed during the time frame noted above.

Each modal agency, CEAM and BCDOT will select one engineering and one construction subcontractor for this category from the applications submitted. The nominations will be reviewed and the winner and two runners up selected by a panel made up of MDOT/Municipal and/or Awards committee members. The winning engineering firms and construction firm will receive awards.

Partnering

This award is for the successful use of partnering on a transportation project in Maryland. There is a separate nomination and review process for this category. For more information visit the partnering award page, here.

Instructions and Forms

• A separate application is required for each project submitted. Applications must be submitted via the online form here. Although a PDF of the form is available to preview the questions, all submissions must be made electronically via the online form.

• You may save your application at any time by clicking submit on the final page and a link will be emailed to you should you wish to continue/edit at a later time. The link may be shared with other individuals who wish to edit the form. Entries may be edited up until the application deadline, at which time all entries will be considered final. A minimal number of fields are listed as "required" to facilitate previewing the form and saving to come back later.

• To be eligible for an award, the project must have a date of substantial completion or acceptance for maintenance between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023. 

• For the planning category, the project must have received a record of decision or the equivalent between the dates listed above. 

• Engineering consultants and contractors can also submit applications for the awards. 

• Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2023.

• In order to give all applications, the same opportunity, applications that do not follow the above rules and format, or are received after the deadline, will not be considered for awards.

Display Panels

If shortlisted for an award, the applicant will be asked to prepare a 30”x30” display panel which should demonstrate the challenges, solutions, innovation, complexity and unique aspects of key project elements. The panel should be prepared with high quality Photos and minimal text. 

Awards of Excellence Contacts

The modal, CEAM and Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) MdQI award representatives are:

Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT): Bimal Devkota

County Engineers Association of Maryland (CEAM): Matthew Allen

Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA): Franz (Alex) Ollerman

Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA): Billy Whitecotton 

Maryland State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA): Stephen Bucy

Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA): Bill Randow

Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT  MTA): Wane-Jang Lin