For the 2009 SAP Pinnacle Awards, we are providing all relevant information about this year's program, including the award categories and criteria for evaluation.

To help you understand the key performance indicators that SAP will use to judge and select the award winners, the different criteria is now available to you much earlier than for programs of previous years. This availability should help you better focus activities in your partnership with SAP.

2009 Pinnacle Award Categories and Selection Criteria

Pinnacle awards are chosen by categories and specific criteria:

• 2009 award categories
• 2009 selection criteria

Award Candidates

Candidates can be partners of SAP or Business Objects, an SAP company, with a valid partner agreement in these areas:

• Service and integration
• Software solutions
• Technology
• Channel
• Hosting
• Business process outsourcing

SAP may extend the program to include additional partners associated with strategic initiatives.

Nomination and Selection Process

• SAP Internal Nominations – The respective SAP business units, field organizations, and strategic initiatives will provide these nominations.
• Partner Nominations – Partners may provide nominations for each performance category within each solution area with the focus on business activities or solutions done in 2008. One nomination per partner per category will be accepted and included for evaluation. Nominations will begin in January 2009. You will need access to SAP's Partner Portal (S-User required). If you do not know it or your partner number, please contact your partner manager or your dedicated contact at SAP.
• Award Winner Selection – Upon review of the nominations according to predefined criteria, a committee headed by Global Ecosystem and Partner Group will determine award winners. The jury will publish the three finalists from each category approximately one month prior to the award ceremony.

Award Ceremony

All finalists will be invited to the SAP Pinnacle Awards ceremony on the eve of SAPPHIRE EMEA. The winners will be announced at that time.

Value and Benefits

SAP Pinnacle Award winners will receive a number of benefits. Here are just a few:

• Celebration – Enjoy an exclusive award ceremony with SAP board members and executives, and receive a custom-made award trophy by world-famous designers.
• Promotion and Branding – Receive the following benefits:
  • Press release template including a quote from Zia Yusuf, Executive Vice President, Global Ecosystem and Partner Group
  • Finalist and winner logos for further marketing activities
  • Finalist promoted in the SAPPHIRE EMEA Guide
  • SAP.com presence
  • SAP Info Magazine, print and online
  • Global Partner Newsletter – finalist and winner announcements
  • Partner Portal presence – finalist page and winner update
  • Communities of Innovation web presence
  • SAP Newsflash
  • Custom-made award trophy by world famous designers
  • Certificate
  • Event documentation CD, including all winner logos