14 June 2010 | Rebecca Ellinor

This year’s CIPS Supply Management Awards has pulled in more than 200 applications – the highest number to date – competing for the top honours.

In total, 222 entries were received across the categories, up from 197 last year and 190 the year before.

The most popular category, with more than 40 entrants, was most improved purchasing operation - step-change.

The judges are meeting today and the short list will be posted on www.supplymanagement.com tomorrow morning.

The awards, which celebrate and reward excellence in purchasing and supply, include a number of team categories as well as an overall winner. Team categories include best contribution to corporate responsibility, best people development initiative, international purchasing project of the year and more.

Buyers have also entered one of the two individual awards: CIPS Procurement and Supply Chain Management Professional of the Year and the CIPS Young Procurement and Supply Chain Management Professional of the Year, open to CIPS members aged 30 or under.

Shirley Cooper, the CIPS president and the procurement and supply chain director at Computacenter, is once again chair of the judging panel.

E-procurement firm BravoSolution is the headline sponsor, while RS, Hays Procurement and American Express are also sponsoring the event. QinetiQ Commerce Decisions is the official technology provider for the judging process.

Winners will be announced at a gala event at Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 8 September. Click here to book your table, or go to www.cipssmawards.com for more details.