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GITEC 2027

Celebrating Excellence in Federal IT

Big ideas. Real impact. Exceptional leaders.

The GITEC Awards celebrate the people, projects, and partnerships moving government technology forward. From groundbreaking innovation and mission-driven modernization to outstanding leadership and collaboration, these awards recognize the individuals and teams turning bold ideas into meaningful progress across the public sector.

Each year, GITEC brings together leaders from government, industry, and academia to recognize the achievements shaping the future of public service technology and celebrate the community making it all possible.

Know someone making a difference in government IT? We want to hear about them!

Nominations for the 2027 GITEC Awards officially open on December 10, 2026, during ATARC's CIO & Executive Leadership Summit.

Nomination Deadline: February 26, 2027

2027 Award Categories:

  • Excellence in Cybersecurity
  • Digital Transformation
  • AI & Data Analytics
  • Workforce Development
  • Innovation in Acquisition
  • Working Group Excellence

Celebrating Our 2026 GITEC Award Winners

Innovation deserves recognition. So do the people behind it.

Before we look ahead to 2027, we're celebrating the incredible individuals and teams who made their mark at GITEC 2026.

From transforming federal acquisition and strengthening cybersecurity to advancing AI, modernizing government services, and building the workforce of tomorrow, our 2026 honorees demonstrate what's possible when innovation meets mission.

Take a look back at the leaders, innovators, and changemakers we celebrated in Charlottesville!

Nomination Rules & Eligibility

Who Can Nominate:

  • Anyone may submit a nomination.

Who Can Be Nominated:

  • Only government teams, agencies, or individuals (Federal, State, or Local Government) are eligible to receive awards.

Nomination Details:

  • You must provide accurate contact information for the nominee’s point of contact so that we can notify them of their nomination.
  • You may submit as many nominations as you wish for different individuals or teams.
  • Individuals and teams may nominate themselves.
  • Team nominations count toward one category only. Multiple identical nominations for the same person or team in one category will be considered a single nomination.
  • The nominator’s name, title, and organization may be shared with the nominee upon request.

Project Eligibility Window:

  • Projects that began in 2025 and finished in 2026.
  • Projects that began in 2026 (finished or ongoing).
  • Ongoing projects not yet finished by Dec 31, 2026 if there is tangible progress by that date.

Tips & Tricks: 

  • Our Judging Panel is made up of federal leaders, so focus on what’s practical, measurable, and mission-driven. They want to see real-world impact, not just marketing language or buzzwords!

  • Including tangible metrics is always a great way to stand out. The more, the better!

  • Make sure you are clearly demonstrating how the government project/team/individual has hit the three main questions (partnership, mission outcomes, innovation). This is the scoring criteria our judges use when processing the nominations. 

     

Judging Process

The GITEC 2027 Awards are reviewed and selected by a panel of government officials who volunteer their time and expertise to evaluate nominations. Each judge applies a consistent set of criteria outlined in the nomination form, assessing the innovation, impact, collaboration, and outcomes demonstrated by each nominee.

Judges refrain from reviewing nominations where a conflict of interest may exist, such as teams or agencies they directly support or represent.

The deliberation period takes place in February and March 2027, during which judges carefully evaluate each individual and team nomination. If additional details are needed, ATARC will contact nominators or nominees on the judges’ behalf to obtain clarifying information.

Once the nomination period closes, nominees will be notified of their selection before judging begins.

Winners will be recognized in-person at GITEC 2027, held June 6-8, 2027 in Charlottesville, VA, during a special awards ceremony honoring excellence in public sector IT.

Get Involved!

If you are a government official interested in joining the GITEC 2027 Judging Panel, please reach out to Kim Eastridge (keastridge@atarc.org) for more information.

For any questions about the nomination process or timeline, contact the ATARC Events Team at events@atarc.org.