CTA® Smart Home Division Mark of Excellence Awards Program Official Rules
 

The CTA Smart Home Division Mark of Excellence Awards Program (“Program”) is a contest owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association® (CTA), located at 1919 South Eads Street, Arlington VA 22202, in partnership with CE Pro, located at 100 Crossing Blvd. Suite 310, Framingham, MA 01702. The Program annually recognizes the best in custom home integration and installed technology. These Official Rules summarize the high-level requirements and rules of the Program. The terms of these Official Rules are binding on entrants. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

 

Entry Dates: Submissions are accepted 10:00:00 AM ET September 27, 2022 through 11:59:59 PM ET November 22, 2022 (“Application Dates”). Entrants will be notified by December 16, 2022 of their status.

 

Eligibility and Requirements: Program is open to manufacturers, distributors, and integrators. Submitted products must fit into the defined categories on the Program website. Projects must fit into the defined categories located on the Program website.

 

·       The Program is open to any entrant who, as of date of entry, is at least 18 years of age or older (19 years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska) and a legal resident of the United States or the District of Columbia. Entrants must have reached the age of majority in their respective state, province or territory of residence at the time of entry.

·       Products submitted must have been released within 12 months before the Program opening date (no earlier than September 27, 2021), or planned to be released within 6 months after the Program opening date (no later than March 27, 2023).

·       Projects submitted must have been completed within 12 months before the Program opening date (no earlier than September 27, 2021).

·       Products and projects submitted must represent technology/installations in residential spaces. Entries that represent technology/installations in commercial spaces are not eligible for consideration.

·       Entries submitted to the Program in previous years are not eligible for resubmission unless significant unique and innovative enhancements have been made to the original product/project and a new model is submitted. CTA reserves the right to disqualify entries at its sole discretion where significant improvements have not been made to a product/project or technology submitted in a prior year. If an entry of a similar model previously submitted is disqualified, entry fees will not be refunded.

·       Products/projects, including audio, video and/or live content, should be appropriate for a general audience. Explicit or simulated sex, virtual pornography, nudity and violence are prohibited. CTA, in its sole discretion, may determine if a product/project is not eligible for consideration.

·       Products under embargo (those not shared with or cannot be released to the public) beyond November 2022 will not be considered.

·       Entrants must submit one (1) completed application per product and/or project and pay the non-refundable application fee with each submission.

·       The same product/project may be submitted into multiple categories and is eligible to win in each category entered, provided a separate application fee is paid for each category submitted.

·       If improperly categorized, an entry may be moved to a different category based on recommendations of the judging panel, without consent from the entrant.

·       A minimum of three (3) entries must be received by CTA in each product/project category in order to select a winner. If the minimum is not reached, entries may be moved to a different category for consideration based on recommendations of the judging panel, without consent from the entrant.

·       Refunds of any kind will not be granted.

·       Winners must have a representative from their company present onsite to accept their award at the Mark of Excellence Awards ceremony, taking place January 6 at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, NV.

 

How to Enter: Enter online at https://markofexcellence.secure-platform.com/a/ during the Application Dates. Entries submitted by email or hard copy will not be accepted. Entry fees may be paid online prior to submission. Any entry not paid in full by 11:59 PM ET November 22, 2022 will be disqualified. It is the entrant’s responsibility to choose and verify the correct entry fee based on their current CTA member status. If an incorrect entry fee is chosen and paid at the time of entry, CTA reserves the right to seek additional payment or disqualify the entry if the balance has not been rectified by November 22, 2022.

 

Entry Fees: A breakdown of entry pricing is below.

 

Category	2023 Entry Fee
Projects
CTA Member	$175.00
CTA Member Early Bird	$150.00
CTA Member Additional Entry	$150.00
CTA Member Early Bird Additional Entry	$125.00
CTA Non-Member	$349.00
CTA Non-Member Early Bird	$299.00
CTA Non-Member Additional Entry	$250.00
CTA Non-Member Early Bird Additional Entry	$225.00
Products
CTA Member	$375.00
CTA Member Early Bird	$325.00
CTA Member Additional Entry	$200.00
CTA Member Early Bird Additional Entry	$175.00
CTA Non-Member	$525.00
CTA Non-Member Early Bird	$475.00
CTA Non-Member Additional Entry	$325.00
CTA Non-Member Early Bird Additional Entry	$300.00

                        

Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

 

Winner Selection: A panel of industry expert judges will review applications in each product and project category and provide a score from 1 to 10 (1 being lowest, 10 being highest) based on the set of criteria below:

 

Products

1.     Value

2.     Innovation

3.     Benefits to the integrator

4.     Benefits to the homeowner

 

Projects

1.     Overall excellence

2.     Technological innovation

3.     Fulfillment of customer’s needs

 

Scores are then tallied to determine the winner(s) in each category, based on the highest score. To evaluate an entry or break a tie, CTA or Program judges may ask for additional information.

 

The opportunity to be selected as a winner is dependent on the number of eligible entries received. Award designation is subject to proof of current and continued compliance with Official Rules and approval by CTA.

 

Award Timeline:

 

·       November 22, 2022: Entries due

·       December 16, 2022: Notified by email of award status

 

Finalists/Winners Released:

 

·       Late December: Finalists will be posted on CTA’s website, CTA.tech

·       Late December/Early January: Winners will be featured on CTA’s website, CTA.tech

Winners will also be announced through a CE Pro press release.

 

Entry Benefits:

·       Coverage in the March 2023 print edition of CE Pro magazine

·       Exposure on CTA’s website, CTA.tech

·       Coverage on cepro.com

 

Winner Benefits:

§  Recognition during the Smart Home Mark of Excellence Awards ceremony, taking place January 6 at CES 2023

§  Recognition in a digital profile on CTA.tech that will be amplified to audiences across social media

§  A Mark of Excellence Award trophy

§  A toolkit with a special winner logo and opportunities for showcasing their win

§  Industry-wide recognition and media attention through a CE Pro press release

§  Promotion in CTA member newsletter and CTA SmartBrief

 

Program awards are non-transferable prizes. No cash redemptions. No substitutions, except that CTA reserves the right to substitute an award of equal or greater value. All awards will be granted provided they are properly claimed in accordance with these Official Rules and a sufficient number of eligible entries are received.

 

Privacy Statement: CTA and CE Pro are collecting personal information in the entry form for the purpose of entering the Program. CTA will collect and process this information in the United States pursuant to these Official Rules and the legitimate interests of CTA for Program entry. In order to enter the Program, this information is required. By submitting information in the entry process, you consent to your personal information being processed and used for the specific purposes set forth below:

·      CTA will retain this information for seven (7) years.

·      Entrants are required to supply contact information at the time of entry including, but not limited to name, phone number, mailing address and email address.

·      Information collected during Program entry will be used to send transactional emails and correspondence directly related to the Program and to process Program entries. Additionally, the information may be shared within CTA to use for outreach on CTA membership.

·      The information will be shared with Program judges for honoree selection. CTA may disclose personal information to respond to law enforcement requests and as required by applicable law, court order, or governmental regulations.

·      Personal information collected and processed with appropriate security following applicable data privacy and protection laws/regulations.

·      Please familiarize yourself with CTA’s full Privacy Policy, incorporated into these Official Rules.

·      If you need to correct information or obtain a copy of the information you have submitted, please send a verifiable request to dataprivacy-ces@cta.tech. Where applicable, you have the right to request that we delete any of your personal information collected and retained, subject to certain exceptions. A request for deletion of submitted information will render that entry ineligible for the Program as we require certain information to process and retain Program submissions. Voluntary withdrawals of this nature will not receive a refund.

 

If you are entering personal information on behalf of anyone other than yourself, you represent that you are authorized to complete this Program entry and that the information you provide is accurate. You agree to be solely liable for damages as a result of any information you provide. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless CTA, its officers, directors, employees, agents and affiliates from all liability, damages, judgments and costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) for any claims brought by or on behalf of any third party arising from your conduct, misconduct or negligence in completing a Program entry on another’s behalf.

 

Rights Granted to CTA: CTA reserves the exclusive right to interpret all conditions regarding this Program without claim for damage or recourse of any kind. Except where prohibited and subject to confidentiality limitations, by entering the Program you agree that CTA may use your company name, information submitted through the entry process (excluding PII), detailed description of your company/product, website and photographs of products (“Submission Features”) throughout the world, in perpetuity, in any media, without limitation or compensation to you or your company. By entering the Program, you waive privacy/publicity rights and other legal or moral rights that might preclude CTA’s use of the Submission Features, and you agree not to sue or assert any claim against CTA relating to their use of the Submission Features.

 

Each company that enters the Program grants CTA permission, without compensation or prior approval, to use its Submission Features in promoting this or similar awards programs in the future.

 

Restrictions and Additional Information: By entering, you agree to abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of CTA, which will be final and binding on all matters relating to the Program. By entering, the Entrants agree to waive any right to claim ambiguity or error in these Official Rules.

       i.         Employees of CTA, its subsidiaries, sales representatives, advertising, promotion and all other service agencies involved with design, execution or fulfillment of this Program, and members of the immediate families (defined for these purposes as parents, children, siblings, spouse and domestic partners) or households (whether related or not) of any of the above are not eligible to participate.

     ii.         CTA and its clients, officers, directors, agents and employees are not responsible or liable for: (1) garbled, illegible, incomplete, damaged, misdirected, late, lost or failed entries; (2) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet or computer malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (3) errors or delays in transmission; (4) any condition caused by events beyond the control of CTA which may cause the Program to be disrupted or corrupted; (5) any losses or damages caused by participation in the Program or acceptance or use of the prize; or (6) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Program.

    iii.         By applying to the Program, you represent and warrant that (a) you own all rights in your product/project or have the necessary licenses to intellectual property used in your product/project; (b) your product/project does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy or publicity rights or any other legal or moral rights of any third party; and (c) your product/project does not contain any defamatory, libelous, illegal, dangerous or sexually-explicit material. It is the entrant’s responsibility to properly attribute any and all trademarked or copyrighted terms used in their application.

    iv.         CTA reserves the right to limit, restrict, or disqualify participation in the Program at any time for any reason. Specifically, CTA may prohibit you from participating in the Program, in its sole discretion, if you fail to follow the Official Rules or act: (a) in a manner it determines to be not fair or equitable; (b) with an intent to annoy, threaten or harass any other entrant or CTA; in a manner that endangers the safety or well-being of any person; or (c) in any other disruptive manner. CTA decisions are final and binding.

     v.         CTA reserves the right to rescind any awards granted to winners who have misrepresented their product/project or entry in this Program.

    vi.         CTA reserves CTA reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate or suspend this Program should electronic viruses, malicious software attacks, unauthorized human intervention, systems malfunctions, failures, difficulties or other causes beyond the control of the CTA and its agencies corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper play or conduct of the Program.

 

Disputes and Governing Law: By participating, entrants permanently and irrevocably release, indemnify, and hold harmless, CTA and its officers, directors, employees, agents and all others associated with the development and execution of this Program from and against any injury, loss or damage caused or claimed to be caused by your participation in the Program and/or the acceptance, awarding, receipt, use and/or misuse of the award, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage. Entrants agree that CTA is not responsible for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to the Program and/or the award(s). In the event that the preceding release and indemnity clauses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or void for any reason, entrant agrees that, by entering the Program, (i) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action in connection with the Program, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Program, but in no event attorney's fees; and (iii) any entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental, special, exemplary or consequential damages and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses. Entrants agree that all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of CTA or entrants in connection with the Program, shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules. Entrants consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State and Federal courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.