NEC Australia has been named as a finalist in the 2020 Project Management Achievement Awards for its work on the Clarence Correctional Centre which opened to inmates in June this year.

Australia's newest prison near Grafton was designed, built and operated through a Public Private Partnership, with the Northern Pathways consortium comprising of Serco, John Laing, John Holland Group and Macquarie Capital, on behalf of the NSW Government.

Through two contracts, NEC delivered first-of-a-kind digital services to inmates, on top of a highly available network and data centre infrastructure, as part of a crucial partnership focused on assisting inmates with their self-improvement - ultimately fostering increased confidence, better behaviour and a more positive self-image.

Based on favourable behaviour patterns, inmates will be granted permissions to access IT services such as secure networks, allowing approved purchases and entertainment, managed family communication and internal prison-based, cashless banking resources - all part of the most advanced inmate digital services platform ever seen in Australia.

"We are thrilled to have worked on such an exciting and important project with JHG," NEC Australia's general manager, projects and transition, Hean Groom, said.

"To be recognised as a finalist in these awards is a worthy recognition of the amazing talent that we have at NEC, along with a professional collaboration with JHG and our other valued partners.

"Our strong delivery governance framework enabled us to deliver a solution that streamlines processes for inmates and prison operators and creates better outcomes for society in general."

NEC has a proven history in working with correctional facilities across Australia, including the provision of secure and controlled telephony requirements for over 70 per cent of Australia's prison environments across more than 15 years.

NEC has provided a range of ICT systems and managed services, some of which include LAN, WAN, WLAN, telephony, voice and video gateways, Inmate Digital Services (IDS), end-point devices, operator services and ICT integration works.

Celebrating their 20th year, the PMAAs exist to recognise, honour, and promote outstanding achievements in program and project leadership.

"I would like to congratulate each of the finalists of this year's awards," Australian Institute of Project Management CEO Elizabeth Foley CEO said. "This year we received one of the highest number of entrants since the inception of the awards in 2000.

"The entries showcase exceptional project success and profile the highly skilled leaders driving these projects forward.

"We are looking forward to celebrating with all the finalists and revealing the winners in our first ever fully virtual event.

"There has never been a more pertinent time to celebrate project success as we look to project leaders to guide our economy out of the recession."

The 2020 Project Management Achievement Awards winners will be announced in a virtual event on November 25, 2020.