The entry deadline for the 2009 Eddy Awards, sponsored by Pensions & Investments, is only days away.
The Eddy Awards, presented annually by P&I since 1995, recognize plan sponsors that provide exceptional investment education to defined contribution plan participants. The deadline for entries is Oct. 3.
This marks the second year that Eddy Awards also will be given to service providers. Providers will be honored in the same categories as their clients, and may enter in the service provider contest the same education campaign that their plan sponsor client entered in the plan sponsor awards.
Service providers may enter generic materials — which are banned from the original set of Eddy Awards — and may enter their client campaigns even if the client doesn't enter the plan sponsor competition.
Entry forms and rules and regulations are available here.
The original Eddy Awards will continue to recognize corporate, public, not-for-profit and union defined contribution plan sponsors for the best and most effective investment education programs. Winners of both sets of Eddy Awards will be announced at P&I's annual Defined Contribution/401(k) East Coast conference next winter.
There are six categories, further divided by number of employees:
•Initial Education-print: This category includes brochures, booklets and other print pieces that introduce existing employees to investment options and plan features of a new or modified plan, or introduce new employees to the investment options of an existing plan. Materials must focus heavily on the investment process.
•Ongoing Education-print: This category is designed for printed materials that reinforce all or part of a plan sponsor's earlier investment education efforts, or to change participant investment behavior.
•Special Projects-print: Here's your chance to showcase special investment education programs that can range from an attention-grabbing postcard to an entire campaign on a wide variety of investment-related topics, including new investment options, diversification or increased deferral rates.
•Conversions-print: This category recognizes the materials devoted to explaining the transition to a new service provider. The entries submitted do not, however, have to contain all of the investment education expected in the initial and ongoing education categories.
•Training and Advocacy-print: This category is a chance for plan sponsors to show their most creative efforts at educating the employees who provide investment education to participants. This category includes advocates such as store managers, rather than just human resource training personnel.
•Other media: This category includes all non-print media, such as videos and use of the intranet, Internet, e-mail and any other technology designed to boost participation rates or to communicate initial investment education, enrollment or ongoing investment information. When necessary, the plan sponsor must provide judges with access to websites, e-mail accounts and any other location for the information. Temporary user access valid between Nov. 15, 2008, and Feb. 15, 2009, should accompany the entry. In addition, non-video entries should contain two printed copies of campaign highlights, including the home page.
Entries are judged in three plan size categories: fewer than 1,000 employees; 1,000 to 5,000 employees; and more than 5,000 employees.
Winners of the 2008 Eddy Awards may not submit the same materials in the 2009 competition, but new materials are welcome from any or all past winners.
The Eddy Awards judges — plan executives, consultants and P&I staff members — will consider the effectiveness and completeness of the investment education program. A letter containing evidence of the effectiveness (such as an increase in plan participation or increase in attendance at enrollment meetings) must accompany the entry.
Materials should have close identification with the sponsoring company and provide information and guidance for all plan participants.
