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Each year, the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society recognizes the hard work done by legislative audit and evaluation offices. It offers awards in four categories for which an office may submit a nomination or application—Outstanding Achievement Award, Excellence in Evaluation Award, Excellence in Research Methods Award and Certificates of Impact.

Outstanding Achievement Award

This award is presented to one individual who has made outstanding contributions to the fields of legislative program evaluation or performance auditing, both at the national level through his/her involvement with NLPES and at the state level in his/her office(s). A maximum of one award may be granted in a given year; there may be years when no award is granted. The 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Leslie McGuire. 

Excellence in Evaluation Award

This award is presented to one legislative office that is determined to have made significant contributions to the fields of program evaluation or performance auditing during a four-year period. Only one award is granted each year. If no office meets the criteria for the award, none will be awarded. NLPES awarded the 2023 Excellence in Evaluation Award to the Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General. 

Excellence in Research Methods Award

This award is presented to the office or offices that used exemplary research methods in an evaluation or audit report released during a calendar year. A maximum of three offices may be granted the award in a given year. If no office meets the criteria for the award, none will be awarded. NLPES awarded the 2023 Excellence in Research Methods Award to two offices--the Louisiana Legislative Auditor and the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. 

Certificates of Impact

This award is presented to legislative offices that issued evaluations or audit reports, during a three-year period, that resulted in documented public policy changes, program improvements, dollar savings or other public impacts. Each office may submit only one evaluation or audit report for consideration per year. An evaluation or audit report that previously received a Certificate of Impact is not eligible to receive a future Certificate of Impact. There is no limit on the number of offices that may be granted the Certificate of Impact award each year. If no office meets the criteria for the award, none will be awarded. A total of 26 offices were presented 2023 NLPES Certificates of Impact. 

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Applying for an Award

A special five-person committee oversees the nomination process for the Outstanding Achievement Award. The committee consists of the NLPES Chair, the NLPES Vice Chair and three other individuals selected by the NLPES Chair who have a significant history of both active participation in NLPES and experience in legislative program evaluation or performance auditing.

The NLPES Awards Subcommittee oversees the awards process for the Excellence in Evaluation Award, Excellence in Research Methods Award and Certificates of Impact.

In 2024, the deadline for submission of all award applications is Friday, May 3, 2024. 

Please note that applicants are responsible for submitting all documentation and materials to be considered by the submission deadline. Judges will not follow-up to obtain additional materials nor will additional materials be considered after the submission deadline. Please refer to the specific selection criteria and submission instructions for each award/certificate and ensure that your submission package meets all criteria for that award.

Selection Criteria and Submission Instructions

If you have questions about any of the awards, please contact:

 

2023 Award Recipient(s)
Year Excellence in Evaluation Award Winner(s) Excellence in Research Methods Award Winner(s) Recognition of Impact Award Winner(s) Outstanding Achievement Award Winner

2023 

Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General 

Louisiana Legislative Auditor; Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission 

24 states 

Leslie McGuire, director, Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts (retired) 

Previous Award Winners
Year Excellence in Evaluation Award Winner(s) Excellence in Research Methods Award Winner(s) Recognition of Impact Award Winner(s) Outstanding Achievement Award Winner
2022 Michigan Office of the Auditor General Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability; Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit 24 states James Barber, Executive Director, Mississippi Joint PEER Committee (Retired)
2021 New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee

Louisiana Legislative Auditor;

Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Office of Research and Education Accountability		 22 states Linda Triplett, Director, Mississippi PEER Performance Accountability Office (Retired)
2020 Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee; Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee 25 states John Schaff, Legislative Auditor, Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor (Retired)
2019 Louisiana Legislative Auditor Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit; Louisiana Legislative Auditor; Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission 26 states Ken Levine, Executive Director, Texas Sunset Advisory Commission (Retired)
2018 Colorado Office of the State Auditor Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee 25 states Gary VanLandingham
2017 California State Auditor's Office Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General 25 states [none awarded]
2016 Mississippi Joint Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Colorado Office of the State Auditor;
Louisiana Legislative Auditor		 24 states [none awarded]
2015 New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability 22 states Max Arinder, Executive Director, Mississippi Joint PEER Committee (Retired)
2014 North Carolina Program Evaluation Division New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee 24 states [none awarded]
2013

Colorado Office of the State Auditor

 Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor;
Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee

24 states

 Marion Higa, State Auditor, Hawaii Office of the Auditor (Retired)
2012 Texas Sunset Advisory Commission Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations;
Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General;
Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission		 24 states Phil Leone, Director, Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (Retired)
2011 Georgia Performance Audit Division Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability; Georgia Performance Audit Division 25 states Janice Mueller, State Auditor, Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau (Retired)
2010 Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General;
Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations		 23 states George L. Shroeder, Director, South Carolina Legislative Audit Council (Retired)
2009 Utah Office of the Legislative Auditor General Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability;
Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Revue Committee		 22 states [none awarded]
2008 South Carolina Legislative Council Georgia Department of Audits - Performance Audit Division, Montana Legislative Audit Division, Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission

25 states

 Jim Pellegrini, Deputy Director, Legislative Audit Division, Montana (Retired)
2007 Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) 18 states R. Kirk Jonas, Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (Retired)
2006 Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission 17 states Don Bezruki
2005 Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor Arizona Office of the Auditor General 19 states Wayne Welsh
2004 Arizona Office of the Auditor General Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor 22 states John Turcotte
2003 Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit and Texas Sunset Advisory
Commission		 Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor 23 states Roger Brooks, Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor
2002 Wisconsin Kentucky 19 states Cheryl Ridings, Deputy Director, South Carolina Legislative Audit Council (Retired)
2001 Utah Virginia 16 states Mary Noble, State Auditor, California Bureau of State Audits (Retired)
2000 Arizona Florida 15 states Ray D. Pethtel
1999 Washington None 11 states Judith Frye, Former Assistant State Auditor for Program Evaluations, Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau
1998 California / Virginia Arizona 12 states N/A
1997 Florida Wisconsin N/A N/A
1996 Montana None N/A N/A
1995 Minnesota Virginia N/A N/A
1994 Kansas / Mississippi None N/A N/A
1993 Colorado Arizona (Texas - Honorable Mention) N/A N/A
1992 Hawaii Washington N/A N/A
1991 Texas Kentucky / South Carolina N/A N/A
1990 South Carolina N/A N/A N/A
1989 Florida N/A N/A N/A
1988 Colorado / Montana N/A N/A N/A
1987 Kansas / Utah N/A N/A N/A
1986 Minnesota / Tennessee N/A N/A N/A
1985 Arizona / California / Wisconsin N/A N/A N/A
1984 None N/A N/A N/A
1983 Massachusetts N/A N/A N/A
1982 Mississippi / New York N/A N/A N/A
1981 Eagleton Institute/Virginia N/A N/A N/A

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