Call for Nominations for the 2021 DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) Awards Program

1.  The DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) Annual Awards program recognizes eligible personnel, individually or in teams, for exceptional achievements in delivering capabilities and/or management practices that support the strategic mission and objectives of the DoD CIO to advance the Digital Modernization Strategy (DMS) and National Defense Strategy priorities.
2.  Award criteria.  Nominees must have made outstanding achievements between July 2020-June 2021 towards the goals and objectives of the DoD Digital Modernization Strategy (DMS) and National Defense Strategy priorities.  Such capabilities include:  Cybersecurity; Command, Control and Communications (C3); Artificial Intelligence (AI); software modernization, Cloud Computing; Data; Cyberspace Workforce; Electronic Records Management; Section SOS/Accessibility to Information and Communication Technology; and, Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).  Nomination content requirements are contained in reference (a).
3.  Eligibility.  Service members (officers and enlisted) in the grade 0-6 and below or DoD civilians GS-15 and below are eligible for nomination.  Contractors may be recognized as part of a team if led by military or DoD civilian.
4.  Nominations
4.A.  Nominations.  Qualified individuals and/or teams will be submitted via the first 0-6 in the chain of command to the Service CIO, the Deputy Commandant for Information (DC I).  Additionally, the Comptroller or budget office must endorse any quantified cost savings or avoidance cited in the nomination.
4.B.  Service CIO Nominations.  The DC I will review, approve, and submit up to 8 individual and/or team nominations to the DoD CIO.
4.C.  DOD CIO Selection.  Awardees will be selected from nominations from the Military Services, Combatant/Joint Commands, Defense Agencies, Field Activities, and Principle Staff Assistants.  The DoD CIO will review nominations and score the packages in accordance with the criteria set forth in reference (a).
5.  Awards Presentation.  Due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic, a determination to host the awards presentation ceremony at the Pentagon will be provided at a later date.
6.  Administration and Logistics
6.A.  USMC nominations must contain all requested information and must be sent via email to cio_awards@usmc.mil by COB 7 July 2021.  No fax or hard copy submissions will be accepted.  Due to the timeline, no extensions will be approved.
6.B.  All nominations be must coordinated through the nominee's chain-of-command for quality review and eligibility.
6.C.  The references, nomination template, and further guidance can be found on the following web site:  https:(slash)(slash)www.hqmc.marines.mil/C4/awards/
6.D.  Award winners will be announced to Component CIOs and posted on the DoD CIO public web page.  A MARADMIN will be published with the results.
7.  Command and Signal
7.A.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force.
7.B.  Ensure widest dissemination of this MARADMIN.
7.C.  Questions regarding the DoD CIO Awards Program may be sent to cio_awards@usmc.mil.
8.  Release authorized by LtGen L. E. Reynolds, Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.