2009 IBM Rational Awards Guidelines

1. Nominations for each award category must be received by April 17, 2009 at 11:55pm Eastern Time.

2. IBM Business Partners must be in good standing as determined by IBM, and in compliance with terms of their PartnerWorld agreement. IBM reserves the right to decline to nominate or accept any Rational Business Partner Awards nominations from or for IBM Business Partners who are not in good standing with their agreements.

3. Winners and finalists will be announced during the Business Partner Day at the IBM Rational Software Conference 2009, Orlando Florida. One of the criteria for selecting the winner amongst the finalists for the various award categories is the partner's show of support for our brand's largest annual event. Hence, the winners must be represented by a company senior executive at the IBM Rational Software Conference 2009. Finalists are not required to attend.

4. An IBM Business Partner may be nominated in more than one award category as long as they meet the criteria. However, specific Business Partner solution can only be nominated in one category.

5. Nominations must be submitted in English.

6. All questions on the nomination form must be completed, unless otherwise specified. Non-completion is grounds for disqualification.

7. IBM Business Partners must indicate their company's consent to submit the nomination by providing the name and title of an authorized representative from their company. IBM employees nominating an IBM Business Partner must provide the name and title of an authorized representative from the IBM Business Partner company as proof of identity and consent to the nomination.

8. By consenting to the nomination, IBM Business Partners are also consenting to all promotional activity as described in the Company consent and authorization paragraph on the submission tab.

9. Please do not send products with your nomination. If you would like the judges to review an executable demo, please provide a Web address along with instructions on how to access the demo on the nomination form.

10. Do not forward information that you or any third party consider to be confidential.

11. IBM’s decisions are final, and IBM reserves the right to: 1) modify or eliminate categories and the stated procedures and/or criteria in whole or in part at any time without notice; or 2) reject any nomination in its sole discretion and without notice.