Project Leadership Awards
COAA Project Leadership Awards
COAA's Project Leadership Award (PLA) recognizes Owners’ excellence in project delivery. One or more PLA is bestowed each year to celebrate leadership, professionalism, and exceptional management by Owners involved in the design and construction process.
The Project Leadership Award is open to both public and private Owners. Owners do not have to be a member of COAA to submit an entry.
The program is open to all types of construction projects ... healthcare facilities, government buildings, manufacturing plants, educational/research facilities, etc. Renovation and new construction projects, large or small, are eligible for the award. Project size and cost are not contributing or deciding factors.
Projects nominated for a Project Leadership Award must have achieved Substantial Completion (available for occupancy) between January 1, 2024 and the submission deadline. Nominated projects will be reviewed by the Project Leadership Award Selection Team, which will evaluate submissions in the following areas:
- Project leadership by the Owner
- Collaboration and communication
- Problem solving and conflict resolution
- Overall project success
- Adherence to schedule
- Cost management
- Quality
- Project complexity
- Conservation and sustainability
- Embodiment of The COAA Way
The Gold Award is for the Owner that best demonstrates overall excellence in project management, collaboration, and leadership.
The COAA Way Award is for project teams that exemplify the idea that a team of PEOPLE - led by a "Good Owner," sharing BEST PRACTICES in a CULTURE built on trust & respect - will complete BETTER PROJECTS.
Silver Awards and Special Awards may be awarded depending on the quality/nature of the entries.
The Awards Selection Team reserves the right to select more than one winner.
Winners will be notified at least one month prior to the national COAA Connect conference, which is when the awards will be presented.
- Develop narratives describing the project using the Nomination Form (sections I through VII). Proposals must contain all the information requested, be legible, and be presented in a professional manner. Incomplete forms will not be considered for the award.
- Obtain (3) letters of recommendation as outlined in section VIII of the Nomination Form.
- Complete and sign the Affirmation and Release at the end of the Nomination Form.
- Assemble a PDF package that includes the following components:
- Project narratives
- Letters of recommendation
- Signed affirmation and release
- Email the PDF package to Lucie Castro (lcastro@coaa.org) with the subject line COAA Project Leadership Awards.
- Provide low-resolution and high-resolution (300 dpi or higher) project photographs, preferably in JPG format, on a CD/DVD or flash drive and mail this, along with a check payable to COAA for $350 (members) or $600 (non-members) to:
COAA Project Leadership Awards
5000 Austell Powder Springs Rd. Suite 151
Austell, GA 30106
Pay Online
- Emailed PDF proposal and mailed digital photographs are due by close of business on the last business day of August.
NOTE: Proposals and photographs will not be returned to the applicant and may be used by COAA.
Selection Team and Guidelines
A team of appointed COAA volunteers will review award submissions, weigh the relative merit of each, and determine collaboratively which submissions are worthy of an award.
These guidelines will be reviewed and followed to ensure a fair, unbiased process.
- All members of the Selection Team shall be members of COAA in good standing
- Composition of the Selection Team should reflect the diversity of COAA in terms of professional role and other characteristics
- Immediately following the closing of the Awards application deadline (last business day in August), the team will review applications based on established and approved guidelines
- Team members shall recuse themselves from reviewing applications that present a clear conflict of interest
- Immediately following the closing of the Awards application deadline (last business day in August), the team will review applications per these guidelines and against the above criteria
- Team members shall participate in virtual meetings or conference calls as needed to reach consensus decisions
- Team members should make every effort to attend the Awards Luncheon at COAA Connect
- The Selection Team may not enter into legal or binding agreements on behalf of COAA and has no authority over COAA resources or staff
For additional information, please contact Lucie Castro at 800-994-2622.
Previous Award Winners
Congratulations to the COAA Project Leadership Award winners listed below. These Owners demonstrated leadership, professionalism, and management excellence in their project delivery.
| Award Level | Owner Name | Project Name |
| Gold | General Services Administration (GSA) | U.S. Courthouse Charlotte/Charles R. Jonas Modernization & Annex |
| Award Level | Owner Name | Project Name |
| Gold | Michigan State University | MSU STEM Teaching & Learning Facility |
| The COAA Way | General Services Administration | The Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. United States Courthouse |
| Award Level | Owner Name | Project Name |
| Gold | The University of Texas | Anna Hiss Gymnasium Renovation |
| Silver | MD Anderson Cancer Center | Smithville Relocation |
| The COAA Way | Nemours Children's Health | Milford Clinic - Delaware |
| Award Level | Owner Name | Project Name |
| Gold | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | Phipps - Exhibit Staging Center |
| Silver | Michigan State University | Edward J. Minskoff Pavillion at the Broad College of Business |
| The COAA Way | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC - Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Penn State East Halls Phase 1 | The Pennsylvania University |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | University of Central Florida - Research 1 | University of Central Florida |
| Gold | Spartan Stadium End Zone Addition | Michigan State University |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Health Learning Building at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School | The University of Texas at Austin |
| Silver | Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center | Cleveland Clinic |
| Special | National Museum of African American History | Smithsonian Institution |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton New Satelite Hospital | Northeast Georgia Medical Center |
| Silver | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Expansion | City of San Antonio |
| Silver | Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building | Ohio State University |
| Special | One World Trade Center | Port Authority of NY & NJ |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Health and Human Development Building | Pennsylvania State University |
| Silver | Homer Stryker M.D School of Medicine | Western Michigan University |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Delta/JFK International Airport Terminal 4 Redevelopment Program | Delta Air Lines, Inc. |
| Silver | Bothell Discovery Hall Project | University of Washington |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Methodist OIive Branch Hospital | Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare |
| Silver | Odegaard Undergraduate Library Renovation | University of Washington |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Pavilion for Women | Texas Children's Hospital |
| Gold | University of Texas at Arlington College Park Center | University of Texas System |
| Silver | Berks Campus Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building | The Pennsylvania State University |
| Silver | Wake Forest Biotech Place | Wexford Science & Technology, LLC |
| Special | Orange Line Light Rail Expansion | Dallas Area Rapid Transit |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | North Terminal Development Program | Miami Dade Aviation Department |
| Gold | Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery Research Project | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and The University of Wisconsin |
| Silver | Data Hall Center Project | University of Texas Southwestern |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Middle Tennessee Medical Center - Replacement Hospital | Middle Tennessee Medical Center |
| Silver | Tuscarora High School | Loudoun County Public Schools |
| Silver | Emerging Pathogens Institute | University of Florida |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Careers Building Renovation Project | Anne Arundel Community College |
| Silver | Engineering Lab Building Expansion | University of Texas, Arlington |
| Silver | Kaiser Downey Medical Center | Kaiser Foundation Hospital |
| Special | Edward R. Roybal Learning Center | Los Angeles Unified School District |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Bed Tower Expansion | Florida Hospital East Orlando |
| Silver | Central Business District Level Boarding | Dallas Area Rapid Transit |
| Silver | Legacy | Children's Medical Center of Dallas |
| Special | Submarine Escape Training School | Department of the Navy |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Rio Vista Recreational Center | City of Peoria |
| Silver | Proton Therapy Institute | University of Florida |
| Silver | West Forsyth High School | Forsyth County Board of Education |
| Special | BrainSUITE | MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Orange County - Corrections Booking & Release Center | Orange County, FL |
| Gold | Lowry & Peggy Mays Ambulatory Clinical Building | MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Special | University of Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium | State of Wisconsin |
| Special | Sophia Street Parking Deck | City of Fredericksburg |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | 2005 Canada Summer Games Support Facilities | University of Regina |
| Gold | Trinity Church in the City of Boston Restoration, Renovation and Expansion Program |
Trinity Church in the City of Boston |
| Special | Indianapolis Public Schools Renovating and Building New Schools |
Indianapolis Public Schools |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Institute | University of Florida |
| Gold | Museum for the Little White House Historic Site | Georgia State Financing & Investment Institute |
| Special | Wedge 2-5 Renovation | The Pentagon |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Chemistry Building Renovation | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| Special | Pavilion and Multigenerational Center at Liberty Pointe | City of Henderson |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Artie L. Henry Middle School | Leander Independent School District |
| Special | Recreation Services Facility | University of Central Florida |
| Award | Project Name | Owner |
| Gold | Norcross High School Project | Gwinnett County Public Schools |
