The Rules

The BIBAs is the most rigorous business awards programme in Lancashire. Please find enclosed our rules and details of our judging process.

The Rules

  • The BIBAs are open to any business based in the County of Lancashire (post Local
    Government Act of 1972)
  • Entries are treated in confidence but will be shared with a select group of individuals for judging
    purposes only.
  • All entries must be submitted via The BIBAs Website using the appropriate
    application form.
  • A maximum of five attachments (e.g. tables, graphs or photos) may be included with the entry form.
    These attachments must be image files (jpg, pdf, word, excel png or tif) and must not exceed 5MB in
    total. Any attachments that exceed the permitted allowance or exceed the permitted file size will be
    deleted.
  • If a category is focused specifically on achievement in the past 12 months, this refers to activity
    dating back to January 2023.
  • All finalists must commit to attend the BIBAs ceremony – please click here to reserve your tickets.
  • Entering more than one category is allowed and encouraged, provided you meet the category
    criteria.
  • All entries will be automatically acknowledged. Applicants are advised to check all mail filters and
    add bibas@lancschamber.co.uk to their safe-senders
    list. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 15 minutes of submitting your entry please
    contact 01772 653000 option 1 for assistance.
  • Entries arriving after the closing date deadline will not be accepted unless previously agreed with
    the organisers.
  • Applicants must be authorised to enter their organisation into the awards programme.
  • Entries should be in English and should be submitted online via the official website – please check
    all entries for spelling and grammar.
  • Should a category not receive sufficient entries, it will be withdrawn from the Awards programme.
  • Companies from any sector and of any size and age can enter. The BIBAs are the only all-encompassing
    business awards that are able to consider micro-businesses against PLCs and allow them to compete on
    a level playing field. There is one category which is excluded from self nomination – Lancastrian
    of the Year
    selected for Lifetime Achievement.
  • All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. Details will not be disclosed to any
    outside party. Any financial information provided will also be treated in the strictest confidence
    and will not be disclosed to anyone other than the panel of judges. All information will be
    confidentially disposed of post competition.
  • Award winners and finalists will be issued with an official logo which may be used in
    advertising/promotional activity (following second interview/winners following the ceremony).
  • All businesses are encouraged to attend the BIBAs ceremony regardless of any status in the
    competition.
  • All finalists must agree to be represented at the awards ceremony. To reserve your table/tickets
    please click here.
  • Winners will be announced at the BIBAs award ceremony at Blackpool Tower’s Ballroom on Friday 20th
    September 2024
  • Cancellations for places at the BIBAs ceremony must be received in writing no later than 28 days
    prior to the ceremony for a refund to be considered. Cancellations received less than 28 days prior
    to the ceremony will not be possible and the full amount will be chargeable. Tickets for the
    ceremony are limited and always sell out…
  • The Judges will be representatives from each of the sponsors and guest judges, who are well
    respected experts in their field.
  • The Judges reserve the right to move your application to another category or to add you to another
    category; you will be contacted if this is the case.
  • The Judges’ decision is final and no feedback will be given.
  • By entering these awards, you agree to our business partners and sponsors having access to your
    contact details.
  • By entering the awards, you agree to partake in publicity of the awards including the use of any
    images taken.
    Furthermore, if selected as a finalist, you accept and agree that The BIBAs may use or publish any
    photographs, comments or evidence submitted in the Awards programme.
  • Sponsors are not permitted to enter the BIBAs.
  • Judges are not permitted to enter the BIBAs.

Judging your application

Eligibility and Quality Test – round 1

Following the closing date, your application(s) will undergo an eligibility check and will be scored against
a set of robust benchmarking standards by a sifting panel.

The sifting-panel reserve the right to highlight relevant categories that suit applications with a view to
recognising the business in that category. Applicants will be contacted to confirm acceptance.

All application forms will be scored out of 100 by a sifting panel. Only the 12 top scoring applications
will go onto the next round (interviews).

All applicants shortlisted for interview will be informed. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified by close
of business the same day. The shortlist will not be published.

If you are shortlisted you must be available to attend an interview on 16th or 17th May 2024.

Shortlist Interviews – round 2

This stage is classified as the shortlist stage where up to a maximum of twelve businesses in each category
will be invited to a shortlist interview(s), which will take place on Thursday 16th or Friday 17th May 2024.

The judges’ score will be based on the performance at interview(s), and added to the application score. An
applicant’s previous track record in the competition (whether successful or not) will have no relevance on
the outcome of the decision. All interview sessions will last for approximately 30 minutes.

Questions to the applicant will be relevant and appropriate and only relate to the judging criteria
contained on the judging score sheet. The judging panel will only sit on the day in question. Failure to
attend an interview will automatically result in the applicant being eliminated from that category –
interviews cannot be re-arranged under any circumstances.

Finalist Interviews – The BIBAs on Tour – round 3

The top eight scoring applicants from the interview stage (round 2) will be informed on 29th April 2024 and
invited to participate in the BIBAs on Tour. At this stage you are deemed a finalist of The BIBAs 2024.

You will receive full instructions of the BIBAs on Tour including times & dates when your business will be
visited by the judging panel(s). Judges will tour your premises, speak to your employees and senior
management. Dates for each visit can be viewed here.
Following the tour, judges will determine the overall winner which will be announced at the BIBAs
ceremony on Friday 20th September.

If you want to give your business a bigger competitive edge, enter the BIBAs today.