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Intent to Enter - 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards

June 2, 2025

 

To all ACEC California Members and Prospective Members:

 

This is your opportunity to participate in ACEC California’s 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) program. We encourage you to submit an entry for a project worthy of prominence and recognition in which your firm was involved.   

 

The Engineering Excellence Awards program recognizes successfully completed projects that stand out based on the quality and complexity of the project. The program is an opportunity to promote not only your firm, but also our profession through outstanding projects. Award winners will be honored at a banquet hosted by ACEC California's Scholarship Foundation on February 19, 2026, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Award winners will receive extensive statewide promotion through ACEC California. All banquet proceeds will benefit the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation.

 

Furthermore, the Golden State and Honor Award recipients will have the opportunity to enter the ACEC National competition . ACEC members and media from all over the nation will recognize competition winners at a black-tie dinner in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in conjunction with ACEC's Annual Convention and Legislative Summit.   

 

If you wish to enter the 2026 competition, complete the Intent to Enter form below.

 

Upon receipt of this form, you will be sent the Official Entry as soon as it is available (early July). We encourage you to complete the Intent to Enter form early, so that your firm receives all notifications and has ample time to prepare an official entry. Final official entry project submittals are due by Tuesday, September 30, 2025.   

 

Please contact Danielle Fournier for additional information on this excellent firm recognition program. We look forward to receiving your entry.

 

Sincerely,

John Moossazadeh

Chairman, EEA Committee

Qualification Details

To enter a project in the ACEC California competition, engineering and land surveying firms must have an office based in California or be an ACEC California member. Submitted projects must be substantially completed and ready for use between November 1, 2023 and October 31, 2025 (Projects in Categories A and D must have been publicly disclosed by the client between this time period). 

 

Awards may be given in any or all categories at the ACEC California level, at the discretion of the panel of judges. The Golden State Award will be presented to the best overall project in the competition. Only the Golden State and Honor Award winners are eligible to advance to the ACEC National competition.

 

Before beginning to prepare a project entry, it is suggested that entrants make certain the client and/or owner will grant permission to enter this project in the state and/or national competition, will authorize the release of information about the project and approves of the project summary.

 

*Entry into the ACEC National level requires completion of a separate project notebook and photographic panel, in accordance with ACEC National guidelines.      

Categories

CATEGORY A

  CATEGORY E   CATEGORY I

Studies, Research & Consulting Services

Non-design services, projects not involving the preparation of construction documents consisting of but not limited to the following projects:

  • New products, materials and technologies
  • Expert testimony
  • Basic research and studies
  • Computer/software technology
  • Technical papers
  • Public outreach/involvement
  • Water conservation
  • Security plans
  • Project feasibility, economic or risk studies
  • Value engineering

Environmental

  • Hazardous waste
  • Solid waste
  • Restoration/reclamation/remediation
  • Air quality
  • Noise
  • Recycling
  • Waste pond management
  • Carbon sequestration & trading
  • Mitigation

 

 

 

 

 

Special Projects

  • Safety & security
  • Corrosion protection/cathodic protection
  • Program & construction management
  • Land development
  • Trenchless technologies/directional boring
  • Recreational facilities
  • Subsurface engineering

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
CATEGORY B   CATEGORY F   CATEGORY J

Building/Technology Systems

  • Mechanical/electrical/plumbing
  • Computer/technology
  • Communications
  • Acoustics
  • Software systems
  • Sustainability or carbon neutrality
  • Efficiency certification standards, e.g. LEED
  • Energy efficiency - new and retrofit
  • Secure facilities (military, research, correctional)

Water & Storm Water

  • Wastewater collection/treatment and disposal
  • Residuals management and reuse
  • Graywater systems
  • CSO's
  • Mine tailings
  • Agricultural
  • Storm water management
  • Erosion control

 

Small Projects

  • Total project construction budget does not exceed $5 million (at the entrant's discretion, except for entries in Category A, projects under $5 million are not limited to this category)

 

 

 

 

 
CATEGORY C   CATEGORY G  

CATEGORY K

Structural Systems

  • Foundations
  • Tunnels
  • Buildings
  • Seismic Design
  • Towers
  • Bridges
  • Stadiums

 

 

 

Water Resources

  • Hydraulics, hydrology
  • Surface and groundwater supply development
  • Treatment
  • Transmission, distribution & storage
  • Watershed management
  • Water use reduction
  • Flood risk management
  • Climate adaptation
  • Coastal and eco-system restoration
  • Locks/dams/water control structures
  • Irrigation

Energy

  • Transmission & distribution
  • Power generation
  • Renewable energy
  • Cogeneration
  • Energy storage technologies
  • Energy usage reduction programs
  • Demand side management

 

 

 
 
CATEGORY D   CATEGORY H   CATEGORY L

Surveying & Mapping Technology

  • Geomatics, ALTA, land title and rights surveys
  • Control, GPS, monitoring or construction surveying
  • Survey mapping, GIS/LIS, photogrammetry

 

Transportation

  • Highways
  • Rail
  • Airports
  • Marine/Ports
  • Public transit
  • Intermodal facilities

 

Industrial & Manufacturing Process and Facilities

  • Petrochemical
  • Biotech
  • Manufacturing
  • Heavy industry
  • Industrial waste
  • Materials handling
  • Mining, metallurgy, mineralogy

Dates to Remember

 

June 2, 2025

Intent to Enter information is sent to all firms.

July 1, 2025

The Official Entry Form will be available by July 1, 2025.

September 30, 2025

Deadline for submission of Official Entry Form and electronic files to ACEC California.

Early November 2025

Judging will take place and results will be announced.

January 7, 2026

ACEC National EEA deadline for submission (www.acec.org).
 

February 19, 2026


 ACEC California EEA Banquet will be hosted by the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation and held at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. All banquet proceeds benefit the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation.

May 5, 2026

 ACEC National Awards banquet will be held in Washington, D.C. (www.acec.org).


Intent to Enter Form 

To enter a project in the 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards competition, please complete the form below. Upon receipt of this form, ACEC California will send the entry preparer the required information, guidelines and forms for the official entry.

To submit more than one project, please complete the form below for each additional project.