Who Should Enter

The Awards competition is open to processors or users of fabricated products who have devised new or improved products or applications, incorporating DuPont fluoropolymers as a critical component. Products or applications must result from work done by the entrant in conception and commercialization of the entry.

Entries may be submitted by representatives of a company or independent professionals who, working alone or in a team, are primarily responsible for the development of the new product or application. Joint entries that represent the work of several companies are encouraged.

Current DuPont employees or their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. Former employees may enter but may not submit entries based on their work at DuPont.

Awards

There will be up to nine winners named: one first place, one second place, and one third place, for those qualified entries, in each of three regions (the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and Asia Pacific). A minimum of three winners will be named.

First-place winners Receive $5,000 in cash, a crystal sculpture and plaque for the entrant's company or organization.

Second-place winners Receive $3,000 in cash and plaque for the entrant's company or organization.

Third-place winners Receive $1,500 in cash and a plaque for the entrant's company or organization.

How Entries Will Be Evaluated

Judging will focus on three primary criteria. However, you may include additional features and benefits if they are not included here.
1—Degree of innovation How novel is this product or application? How does it differ from traditional products, applications or processes for fluoropolymer products?
2—Breadth of use, both current and potential What industrial or consumer markets have adopted or might adopt this product or application? How large are these markets? How widespread has adoption been, and is use expected to grow? Could this entry create opportunities for additional new uses in current or additional markets? How difficult was achieving commercial adoption? Did cost have an effect on adoption?
3—Commercial significance, both current and potential How important or desirable is adoption for industrial or consumer markets? Does the entry satisfy important or unmet needs? Do the entry's features lead to benefits with real, demonstrable value? The technical validity of claims should be supported by results of tests, technical literature, property data or documented performance in commercial applications.

Typical Product or Application Benefits

Consider whether your entry offers any of these important benefits compared with similar products or applications:
Increased safety Assured quality Improved reliability Lower cost Lower energy consumption Environmental protection

Judging

Entries will be judged by a panel of experts, not associated with DuPont, who represent academia, the plastics industry, industry associations, or the industry trade press. Judges' decisions are final.

Entry Limitations

All entries must involve the use of DuPont fluoropolymers. DuPont fluoropolymers include Teflon®, Tefzel® and Zonyl® fluoropolymers, films, fibers, finishes, coatings, and other DuPont fluoropolymer products covered under the Teflon® trademark.

Products and applications must have been in commercial service no more than five years prior to entry (July 1, 2001). Process or research developments that have not been commercialized are not eligible.

Note: Entries must be in English and received no later than December 31, 2006.

Awards are contingent upon the entrant permitting DuPont or its agents to publish sufficient information about the entry so that the general public can understand it.

Entries involving applications in contact with food or pharmaceuticals must qualify under appropriate FDA or pharmaceutical regulations. Such qualifications must be noted on the entry form.

Entries involving illegal uses will not be accepted.

Proprietary Information

For up to five years after submission of the entry, DuPont and the judges shall each maintain in confidence all information disclosed, either written or pictorial, that is identified as confidential by the entrant. If mutually agreed, confidential information may be returned before the five years have passed. This agreement shall then expire early as long as DuPont or the judges retain no copies of the confidential information.

DuPont and the judges will use such information only in evaluating the entry. However, these obligations of confidentiality and limited use shall not apply to information that is:
or becomes publicly known through no fault of the receiving party; already known to the receiving party, as shown by that party's prior written records; subsequently learned by the receiving party from a third party entitled to disclose it; subsequently developed by the receiving party independent of information received from the disclosing party; or required to be disclosed in accordance with applicable law or pursuant to court or other governmental order, provided the party required to make such disclosure gives the other party reasonable advance written notice to allow time to seek a protective order.
Except for information clearly labeled as confidential, all information contained in the entry form and supporting materials will be considered for use by DuPont or its agents in preparing press and promotional information describing the winning entries.

Each entry is submitted in expectation of winning the competition and the subsequent publication of press and promotional information describing the entry. Accordingly, information necessary for the public to understand should not be identified as confidential. DuPont may develop potentially publishable articles including such information and offer them for publication. DuPont will submit any written materials to the company or organization involved for review and non-objection before dissemination.