Excellence In Construction Awards Gala

The Excellence in Construction^® Awards celebration honors the nation's most innovative and high-quality construction projects and world-class safety, inclusion, diversity and merit programs. The best merit shop projects of 2024 were celebrated on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Las Vegas, at the 35th annual EIC Awards gala. You can see more information about the winners on our EIC Winners page.

Enter Application Platform

Thank You to Our Program Sponsor

Learn more about our proud program sponsor, the ABC Insurance Trust. The Trust provides employee benefits, plans and services to ABC member companies and chapters, with with more than 60 years of experience helping construction companies navigate the ever-changing benefits landscape. The Trust staff includes noted experts on employee benefit design, compliance, prevailing wage regulations and other benefits issues that impact the construction industry. The Trust is well known for its unique proprietary plans, top-shelf customer service and commitment to helping ABC members improve their benefits offerings.

2025 Program Dates and Deadlines
 

• Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025–Date by which construction of the submitted project must be completed
• Friday, Oct. 24, 2025–Phase I: Deadline to register your project and submit payment (intent to compete)
• Friday, Nov. 14, 2025–Phase II: Deadline to submit the final application. Applicants will have until 11:59 p.m. ET to finalize all applications.
• Week of Dec. 8, 2025–All applicants will receive an email detailing the results.
• Thursday, March 19, 2026–Winners will be celebrated at the 36th  Annual National Excellence in Construction® Awards Gala in Salt Lake City.

ABC Membership Required:
Only ABC contractor members are eligible to enter. Projects completed through a joint venture must include a document outlining the ownership percentage and responsibilities of each partner. Include the document with the Project Information section. If the majority partner is an ABC member but not all partners are ABC members, only the majority contractor is eligible to enter. If your project was completed by a joint venture and not all parties are ABC members, email [email protected] For eligibility requirements.

Safety Policy:
A company that experiences a safety-related fatality of a direct employee in the united states within the current program year (Oct. 16, 2024-Oct. 15, 2025) is not eligible for an excellence in construction award. If a subsidiary is a direct ABC member versus part of a larger holding company member, then the subsidiary with a safety-related fatality is not eligible, but another subsidiary of the same holding company may be.

Furthermore, all EIC award winners have a continuing duty to inform ABC of a safety-related fatality that occurred after the end of the current program year until the time of the awards program. Such a fatality will nullify the EIC award. After the judging process and prior to the awards program, ABC will request that an award winner confirm that a safety-related fatality did not occur. Failure to respond to the request will also nullify the EIC award.

No project that involves prime, multi-prime or sub-trade contractors with a safety-related fatality is eligible to be considered for an award. 

ABC Chapter Award Winner:
If the company’s local ABC chapter has an awards program, the project must have won the equivalent of first or second place at the chapter’s most recent competition. An exception to this requirement may be granted if the applicant submits a letter from the ABC chapter president explaining the reason the project qualifies to be entered at the national award level; For example, the chapter does not have an award category for the applicant’s project or the chapter does not hold a competition. 

If there is a question regarding eligibility, the applicant may request clarification from the national EIC committee by emailing [email protected] Prior to submission of the project.

how to apply

All applications are submitted electronically following the below steps:
*Google Chrome is recommended to ensure program compatibility. 

1. Click the Enter Application Platform button at the top of the page. 
2. Then click Apply Now!
3. For first-time applicants, create a username and password to access the registration and application pages. if you have submitted previously, your username and password remains the same from year to year.
4. Complete phase I—your intent-to-compete registration—and submit payment. Credit card payment is required; checks are no longer accepted.
5. A confirmation email will be sent to you containing the link to continue on to phase II—the application. you may save your information as you go and revisit the application as needed.
6. When ready, click Save and Finalize to submit the application. Once the application is finalized, you will no longer be able to make edits. A confirmation will be emailed to you.

Watch this six-minute tutorial to learn more about the application process. and, check out these training videos: 

 Important note: the $595 application fee is non-refundable. Be sure to review the application criteria and eligibility prior to entering your submission.

judging and winner notifications

The final judging rounds will take place during the first week of December and applicants will be notified of the results via email during the week of Dec. 8.

Thank You to Our Sponsor