We are pleased to announce the shortlists for the Computing Awards for Excellence 2007.

For the third year running we have received a record number of entries, 20 per cent up on the previous high last year. And the quality of the entries across the categories has been outstanding.

All the individuals, teams, companies and projects that have made the shortlist can be proud of their achievements ­ all of you demonstrate the strength of the UK IT community.

We will be featuring each of the nominated entries in Computing over the coming weeks ­ but only one can walk away with each prize.

The winners will be announced at the prizegiving ceremony on 7 November at the Battersea Park events arena ­ to book your place at one of the best parties of the year, visit: www.computing.co.uk/awards.

Project awards

Private Sector Project of the Year

• Bradford & Bingley - Charms2 complaint management system
• Jimmy Choo - Global IT strategy project
• Littlewoods Shop Direct Group - Business optimisation project
• National Australia Group Europe - Convergence of Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
• Network Rail - Maintenance handhelds project
• Specsavers Optical Group - Specsavers retail system
• Swinton - Delivering Excellent Customer Service project
• Trader Media Digital - Auto Trader new car search

Public Sector Project of the Year

• Businesslink.gov.uk - International Trade Single Window project
• Dorset County Council - Electronic document and record management system
• Glasgow City Council - E-procurement programme
• Kent and Medway Health Informatics Service - Service delivery project
• NHS Connecting for Health - Picture archiving and communications system ( Pacs)
• Northumbria 101 Partnership - Single non-emergency number project
• Pharmaceutical Oncology Initiative Partnership - Chemotherapy planning oncology resource tool (C-Port)
• Service Personnel and Veterans Agency - Ministry of Defence joint personnel administration project

Community Project of the Year

• Buchan IT E-learning Services
• Computer Aid International
• Charityshare
• Holmesdale Technology College / E-learning Foundation
• Equipmentdirect.org.uk
• PDSA
• Riding for the Disabled Association
• YouthNet

Innovative Project of the Year

• BBC Worldwide - Digital showcase
• BT - Project Sophia
• Channel 4 - 4oD
• East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust - Electronic patient care reporting
• Innovation Leeds - Digital pen and paper project
• Northumberland County Council - North-net
• PDSA - Retail management system
• Service Personnel and Veterans Agency - MoD joint personnel administration project

Green Project of the Year

• Barclays Capital - Virtual desktop
• BT - 21st century data centre project
• Business Eco Group - Mobile working
• John Lewis Partnership - Server virtualisation
• Peterborough City Council - PC power use
• Scottish Borders Council - Storage virtualisation

Outsourcing Project of the Year

• Co-operative Financial Services
• Credit Suisse
• Financial Services Authority
• Rowanmoor Pensions
• Service Birmingham
• Vodafone

Student Project of the Year

• Aston University ACNRG Electronic Engineering Department - In-Motes Eye
• Rugby School - IBM home automation

Individual awards

IT Leader of the Year

• Rorie Devine - Chief technology officer, Betfair
• Al-Noor Ramji - Chief information officer, BT
• Mark Akass - Chief technology officer, BT Global Financial Services
• Benoit Laclau - Managing director of business improvement and technology, EDF Energy
• Richard Cross - Director of technology, ITV
• Darrell Stein - IT director, Marks and Spencer Group
• Gareth Nutt - IT director, Mouchel Parkman
• John Crane - Chief information officer, National Australia Group Europe

IT Professional of the Year

• Rob Hobart - Business systems technologist, Berwin Leighton Paisner
• Jez Phoenix - Gresham Insurance Services
• John Watson - IT capacity planning team leader, National Australia Group Europe
• Stewart Fawley - Desktop support officer, RBT (Connect)
• Andrew Mackey - Head of networks, Service Birmingham
• Robin Woodward - Royal Bank of Scotland Group
• Catherine Michel - Chief technology officer, Tribold
• Paul Fremantle - Vice president of technology, WSO2

IT Department of the Year

• Berwin Leighton Paisner
• Canterbury City Council
• Ealing Homes
• Norton Rose
• RBT (Connect)
• Salford Software
• TNT Express ICS

IT Team of the Year

• Barclays Bank - Mainframe stability team
• Bechtel - Jamnagar export refinery project team
• Berwin Leighton Paisner - Development team
• BT Global Services - Design service management team
• Comet - IS service delivery team
• Specsavers Optical Group - Specsavers IT team
• Royal Bank of Scotland Group - Group technology ITD

IT Employer of the Year

This award is judged separately and the shortlist will be announced at a later date.

Company awards

Best IT Strategy

• Capital & Regional
• Hampshire County Council
• Intelligent Finance
• Kent Connects
• Linklaters
• Littlewoods Shop Direct Group
• National Australia Group Europe
• TNT Express ICS

Best Small Business IT Strategy

• Close Invoice Finance
• Doctors.net.uk
• Enterprise Group
• Imerja
• Jimmy Choo
• Memset
• Newcastle International Airport
• Riggott & Co

Industry awards

Business Hardware Supplier of the Year

• EqualLogic
• Hitachi Data Systems
• Mirapoint
• Netezza
• Pillar Data Systems
• Secerno
• Secure Computing
• Yoggie Security Systems

Business Software Supplier of the Year

• Citrix Online
• Kaspersky Lab
• NetSuite
• Red Hat
• StepStone
• Texthelp Systems
• Tideway
• Websense

IT Services Supplier of the Year

• BT
• Eurodata Systems
• GlassHouse Technologies
• LinuxIT Europe
• Luxoft
• MessageLabs
• PC World Business
• Vanco

Networking / Communications Supplier of the Year

• Cisco
• ConSentry Networks
• iPass
• LifeSize Communications
• Neos Networks
• Research in Motion
• Riverbed Technology
• Vocera

IT PR Company of the Year

• Fleishman-Hillard
• Hill & Knowlton
• Hotwire
• ITPR
• Lewis
• Metia
• Octopus Communications
• Rainier PR

Recruitment Consultancy of the Year

• Elan IT
• First People Solutions Group
• Highams Group
• LA International
• ReThink Recruitment
• Rullion Computer Personnel
• Spring Technology
• Greythorn

Technology Advertising Campaign of the Year

• ChemistryTM for Morse
• ChemistryTM for ViewSonic
• DWA & Squeeze Red for Adaptec
• DWA for NEC
• Mason Zimbler for SAS
• SDL OneWeb campaign
• Tidalwave for Canon UK
• Tidalwave for HP

Editor’s award

Outstanding Contribution to UK IT

To be announced on the night