Government Project Delivery Awards 2026: Shortlist announced

Outstanding projects and professionals from across government have been shortlisted for the Government Project Delivery Awards 2026, recognising the best in project delivery across the Civil Service and wider public sector.

Now in its sixth year, the awards recognise innovation, leadership and resilience among project delivery professionals. This year saw over 70 nominations submitted by departmental heads of profession, arm’s length bodies and devolved administrations.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony on Wednesday 11 March 2026.

The shortlist

The full shortlist is available in the Government Project Delivery Awards 2026 section, including category overviews, judging criteria and descriptions of each nominee’s work.

Infrastructure Award

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage Programme – HyNet and East Coast Cluster.

Ministry of Justice: HMP Millsike – New Prisons Team.

Department for Work and Pensions: Fylde View – A Flagship Civil Service Hub in Blackpool.

Service Transformation Award

Department for Education: Early Years Childcare Reform.

Home Office: FBIS – E-visa ETA.

Department of Health and Social Care: Frontline Digitisation.

Best Practice in Project Delivery Award

Ministry of Justice: Drug Testing Service Project Team.

Department of Health and Social Care: NHS AI Lab Programme.

Department for Work and Pensions: Targeted Case Review Project.

Data-Driven Excellence

Department for Work and Pensions: Service Modernisation Programme – Child Maintenance Modernisation – Predictive Analytics.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Place Analysis Tool.

Ministry of Defence: NESTOR Programme – Operation HIGHMAST Multinational Mission Partner Environment.

Team of the Year Award

Ministry of Justice: Pre-Recorded Evidence Team.

Department for Work and Pensions: Pensions Dashboard Programme.

Department for Education: School Based Nurseries.

Advancing the Profession

Ministry of Defence.

Department for Education.

HM Revenue and Customs.

Inclusion Award

Ministry of Justice: Disability and Neurodiversity Toolkit – Kim Dangerfield, Ellie Church and Disability and Neurodiversity Champions.

Department of Health and Social Care (NHS Blood and Transplant).

Department for Work and Pensions: Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Group – Diane Johnson, Kami Gova, Katy Gartside and Shiraz Rana-Rahman.

Rising Star Award

Teesha Bhuruth, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

John Scott, HM Revenue and Customs.

Laura White, Ministry of Defence.

Congratulations to all those shortlisted. The awards ceremony will take place on 11 March 2026.