HOW TO ENTER

Applications should be sent direct to the appropriate State or Territory agency. All information provided will be treated as strictly commercial-in-confidence.
Prospective applicants may obtain more detailed information by contacting their State/Territory export award organisers, as listed below, or by phoning Austrade on 13 28 78.

Award Application Kits and Guidelines are available from your State/Territory Organiser for an Awards Application pack.

Click here to review State Contacts

WHY SHOULD YOUR COMPANY ENTER?
The National Award scheme has a long standing history of attracting a variety of high calibre applicants from around Australia, from large to small enterprises.
The Award program is an excellent vehicle for your company top promote your business and service products to Australian exporters and the business community.

Benefits for Finalists & Winners
	Public acknowledgement of business excellence; benefit from nation-wide publicity and media exposure.
	Profiled as a corporate role model whose performance and success in overseas markets s more Australian companies and enterprises to respond to the export challenge.
	Promoted as a success story through our national sponsors, media and via key industry and business publications.
	Be more attractive to investors and new clients.
	Gain prestige and business acclaim and better positioning amongst peers and within the broader business community.
	Successful companies can carry the endorsement of Australia's most prestigious business Awards.
	Winners and finalists are entitled to feature the Winners Awards logo on products/goods, packaging, stationery, company signage, advertising and promotional material.
	Participation generates workplace pride and boosts staff morale & motivation, suppliers, associates, and shareholders by sharing in the success of the company.
	Receive national trophy and certificate to display.
Eligibility
	Applications are invited from firms and organisations that:
	Produce goods or services that have Australian content of at least 50 per cent of their Free on Board value.
	Earn foreign exchange.
	Operate as a seperate business if part of a larger organisation.
	Have been exporting for more than 3 years, except for the Emerging Exporter Award. Applicants for Emerging Exporter will also be considered for their appropriate industry category.
	Businesses with a non-metropolitan head office may enter the Regional Exporters Award plus one other category of award.
	Winners from previous years are eligible to apply.
	Government Departments and Agencies are not eligible.
	Sponsors of an Export Award cannot lodge an application for that category.

Closing Date for Entries
Application closing dates vary for each State and Territory.

Note: There will be no separate applications for the Australian Export Awards, and Austrade will not accept any entries submitted directly to them.

JUDGING CRITERIA
The selection panel is drawn from the public and private sectors, comprising persons with international business experience, including small business and regional representation.

Aspects that the judges tend to focus on strongly include:-
	The degree of innovation in the applicant's marketing strategy
	Export growth achieved and the ability to sustain that growth
	The overall company commitment to international market development
1. Quality of the export marketing strategy
	Quality and scope of your integrated global marketing strategy
	Innovative techniques, including e-commerce, employed to win export business
	Strategies to promote and enhance brand awareness in export markets
2. Company Infrastructure
	Employment Factors
	Company Planning
	Production Capability
	Competitive Advantage
	Advanced Technology
	Quality Assurance
	After-Sales Service
	Financial Management
3. Level of Export Sales as a proportion of total sales
	including net foreign exhange earnings from overseas operations
4. Sustainable growth in export sales
	as a proportion of total sales
	in terms of value, and in terms of the year-to-year percentage growth in value, over the last 5 years (or since the applicant commenced exporting)
	in terms of projected value over the next 3 years
5. Sound capital base
	Substantial net worth (total assets minus total liabilities)
	Sufficient working capital (cash flow and resources) to support export activity