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2008 Entry Instructions

This document provides step-by-step instructions for entering the Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. Review these instructions carefully, as late submission or omission of required materials may result in imposition of a late fee or disqualification of your entry. To review the rules that pertain to the competition, submitters should refer to the 2008 Official Rules section of the MDEA Web site.

General Information. To enter the MDEA competition, entrants must provide their responses to the Entry Questionnaire in both electronic (e-mailed or diskette) and hard-copy (signed) forms. An electronic version of the questionnaire can be downloaded here.

Do not alter the formatting of the questionnaire by changing type size or color or by resetting margins. The total length of answers to questions 10 through 16 should not exceed seven single-spaced pages.

The electronic version of the completed questionnaire, together with other electronic materials pertaining to the entry, may be e-mailed to mdea@cancom.com. Alternatively, entrants may save the electronic form of their entry materials to a standard PC-compatible diskette or CD-ROM and mail them with the hard copy of their entry.

The hard copy of the completed questionnaire must be printed on plain white paper (not letterhead), with page numbers in the center of the bottom margin. The submitter of the entry must sign and date this copy of the form, attesting to the eligibility of the product and the accuracy of the entry materials. If the entry fee will be paid with a credit card, the cardholder must authorize payment by signing and dating this copy of the form in the spaces provided.

When completed, the signed hard copy of the Entry Questionnaire, together with other required entry materials, should be mailed to:

Medical Design Excellence Awards
c/o Steve Halasey, Group Editor
Canon Communications LLC
11444 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064-1549
Phone: 310/445-4274

For an entry to be considered on time for the 2008 competition, all required materials and entry fees must be received by Canon Communications no later than 5:00 p.m. (PST) on January 18, 2008.

Complete the Entry Questionnaire, taking care to answer each question clearly and fully, yet concisely. Focus your efforts on providing substantive information, and avoid unsubstantiated claims, comparisons with other products, and marketing hyperbole. Where necessary to answer specific questions, seek the assistance of others involved in developing your product (e.g., to describe specific product features, or to explain business benefits).

Support your responses to the questionnaire with additional documents, and refer to each as a separate appendix or exhibit (e.g., see Appendix 1; see Exhibit 5). In the electronic version of the entry, each such document should be saved as a separate file using a clear filename convention (e.g., productname-appendix1; productname-exhibit5). In the hard copy of the entry, additional documents should be clearly numbered and placed after the completed Entry Questionnaire in the order to which they are referred.

Appropriate supporting documents might include design specifications, product spec sheets, marketing brochures, measures of improved processing techniques, product test data, results of clinical studies, operating instructions and user manuals, copies of peer-reviewed articles about the product, and so on.

Provide Informative Visuals to illustrate the design and operation of your device. Each entry must be accompanied by at least one high-resolution digital image that clearly depicts the product. This image will be used for jury orientation and will also be used for publication if your device is named an award winner.

To meet this entry requirement, entrants typically submit a copy of their product’s “glamour shot”—the main image used in promotional materials for the product. Companies may submit no more than five alternative versions of their product’s glamour shot. No artificial overlays, labeling, or logos should appear in the image areas of these photos. To ensure high-quality print reproduction, images should be saved at a high-resolution setting (300 dpi) for a width of at least 3 inches. Images saved as .eps, .jpg, or .tif files are preferred.

Entrants are encouraged to support their responses to the Entry Questionnaire by providing additional photographs, figures, and other graphic materials. Such supporting graphics might include different views or exploded diagrams to depict special features of the entry, photos showing enhancements over an earlier product, a series of photos or illustrations to help jurors understand how the product is used, or charts to illustrate business benefits associated with the product. Such optional images may include artificial overlays or labeling as necessary to direct jurors to features of importance.

Entrants must not embed supporting graphics within the responses to the questionnaire. Instead, such materials should be referenced at the appropriate places in entrant’s responses (e.g., see Figure 1; see Table 4). In the electronic version of the entry, such materials should be provided as separate files using a clear filename convention (e.g., productname-figure1, productname-table4). In the hard copy version of the entry, such graphic materials should be clearly numbered and placed after the completed Entry Questionnaire in the order to which they are referred. Entrants must not submit supporting graphics in electronic version only.

Entrants are encouraged, but not required, to submit a short video in VHS or DVD format to demonstrate how their product is used. If a video is submitted, it should be brief (5 minutes or less), and should focus clearly on the product’s design features and usage. Each video or DVD must be labeled with the company and product name.

Provide Complete Contact Information for the submitter, the manufacturer’s authorized contact person (if different from the submitter), and all companies nominated to receive supply and design credit in connection with the entry. Only one official contact should be named for each company. This person should be authorized and capable of responding promptly to inquiries and obtaining any additional information necessary for the processing of the entry.

Submitters are encouraged to provide contact information for additional team members at each company (including suppliers). This information will be provided to writers who are preparing stories about MDEA-winning products, and can help guide them to the team member most responsible for the contributions under discussion.

Because most communications from MDEA staff will be delivered via e-mail, it is essential that the Entry Questionnaire include an e-mail address for the authorized contact at each company. Submitters should confirm that this information is present and correct. Authorized contacts should be advised to clear spam filters and other e-mail restrictions so that they can receive messages from MDEA staff with addresses ending “@cancom.com.”

Pack Simply. When putting together your entry materials, avoid fancy packaging. A simple manila folder is adequate for most documents, and a resealable manila envelope is sufficient for most odd-sized materials other than product samples. All special backings, structures, and folders (e.g., binders, plastic sleeves for photos or entry forms, and protective boxes and wrapping) will be removed prior to judging.

Sample Products are not required, but can be sent as an aid to the judging process. Jurors can gain a better understanding of a device by handling and operating it, and entrants are encouraged to send actual working products whenever possible. Disposable products, surgical instruments, small patient monitors, and many other types of devices can be readily accepted for viewing by the jury.

For the purposes of judging, entrants are discouraged from sending samples of large products such as hospital fixtures and furnishings, complex monitors, or bulky electromechanical devices. Instead, it is recommended that submitters of such products take advantage of the opportunity to provide short videos that show the key features of their products and demonstrate how they are used.

Sample products may be sent with the signed hard copy of the Entry Questionnaire or separately. Submitters who send separate packages containing sample products should ensure that both shipments are clearly labeled so that they can be reunited for judging. Sample products should be mailed to:

Medical Design Excellence Awards
c/o Steve Halasey, Group Editor
Canon Communications LLC
11444 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064-1549
Phone: 310/445-4274

If samples are sent to accompany an entry, they should be received by Canon Communications no later than 5:00 p.m. (PST) on January 18, 2008.

Companies that wish to have their sample products returned must include a return airbill for the outbound shipment. If a return airbill is provided, products not selected as winners will be returned by May 2008.

Although Canon Communications will do its best to safeguard all products, the company is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage. The submitting company should arrange for appropriate insurance coverage under its own policy. Please note that all product packaging will be opened as part of the judging process. Jurors may handle and use product samples, which may result in spoilage or destruction of disposable items.

Samples for Display. The MDEA presentation ceremony takes place during the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East Exposition, which is held in New York City each June. Throughout this show, MDEA-winning products of all sizes are displayed in a special showcase area.

Samples of MDEA-winning products sent for judging will be retained by MDEA staff and may be used for display at MD&M East if they have not been damaged during judging. The packet sent to winning companies will include additional information, including a request for displayable samples if necessary.

Manufacturers of large MDEA-winning products are encouraged to participate in the showcase at MD&M East. Instructions for shipping large products will be provided in the packet sent to winning companies.

MDEA-winning products are also eligible for display at the MD&M West Exposition, which takes place in Anaheim, CA, at the beginning of each year. Samples of small MDEA-winning products sent for display at MD&M East will be retained by MDEA staff and may be used at the following year’s MD&M West if they are still in displayable condition. Samples of large MDEA-winning products will not be retained for use at MD&M West. The packet sent to winning companies will provide instructions for arranging to display large products at MD&M West.

The MD&M West showcase also provides an opportunity for winning companies to update their product display using packaging that incorporates the MDEA Winner logo. The packet sent to winning companies will provide instructions for arranging to update products used for display at MD&M West.

Include the Correct Entry Fee. Deadlines and entry fees for the 2008 MDEA competition are as follows:

Early-bird deadline: 12 November $350
Standard deadline: 17 December $500
Late deadline: 18 January 2008 $650

For an entry to be considered on time for the 2008 competition, all required materials and entry fees must be received by Canon Communications no later than 5:00 p.m. (PST) on 18 January 2008.

All check and money order payments must be made in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Make checks payable to Canon Communications LLC. Entry fees may also be paid via VISA, MasterCard, or American Express credit accounts, when authorized by the cardholder’s signature on the hard copy of the Entry Questionnaire.

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