diff --git a/backend/audit/fixtures/workbooks/should_fail/federal-awards-audit-findings/has_bad_award_references.xlsx b/backend/audit/fixtures/workbooks/should_fail/federal-awards-audit-findings/has_bad_award_references.xlsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0cb9b1138
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diff --git a/backend/audit/fixtures/workbooks/should_pass/award_references/has-lowercase-award-reference.xlsx b/backend/audit/fixtures/workbooks/should_pass/award_references/has-lowercase-award-reference.xlsx
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index 0000000000..75d94ba831
Binary files /dev/null and b/backend/audit/fixtures/workbooks/should_pass/award_references/has-lowercase-award-reference.xlsx differ
diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_award_references_pattern.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_award_references_pattern.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e265211253
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_award_references_pattern.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import logging
+from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
+import re
+from audit.intakelib.intermediate_representation import (
+    get_range_by_name,
+)
+from audit.intakelib.common import (
+    get_message,
+    build_cell_error_tuple,
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# A version of these regexes also exists in Base.libsonnet
+AWARD_REFERENCES_REGEX = r"^AWARD-(?!0000)[0-9]{4}$"
+
+
+# DESCRIPTION
+# Award references should be of format AWARD-####
+# TESTED BY
+# has_bad_award_references.xlsx
+def award_references_pattern(ir):
+    award_references = get_range_by_name(ir, "award_reference")
+    errors = []
+    for index, award_reference in enumerate(award_references["values"]):
+        if not re.match(AWARD_REFERENCES_REGEX, str(award_reference)):
+            errors.append(
+                build_cell_error_tuple(
+                    ir,
+                    award_references,
+                    index,
+                    get_message("check_award_references_invalid"),
+                )
+            )
+
+    if len(errors) > 0:
+        logger.info("Raising a validation error.")
+        raise ValidationError(errors)
diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/runners.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/runners.py
index 3199df4064..4ef792a63a 100644
--- a/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/runners.py
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/runners.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 import logging
+
+from .check_finding_award_references_pattern import award_references_pattern
 from .check_cluster_names import check_cluster_names
 from audit.fixtures.excel import FORM_SECTIONS
 from .check_gsa_migration_keyword import check_for_gsa_migration_keyword
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@
     has_all_the_named_ranges(FORM_SECTIONS.FINDINGS_UNIFORM_GUIDANCE),
     has_all_required_fields(FORM_SECTIONS.FINDINGS_UNIFORM_GUIDANCE),
     has_invalid_yorn_field(FORM_SECTIONS.FINDINGS_UNIFORM_GUIDANCE),
+    award_references_pattern,
     prior_references_pattern,
     no_repeat_findings,
     findings_grid_validation,
diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/common/error_messages.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/common/error_messages.py
index fc4c416a06..f2bd641dd7 100644
--- a/backend/audit/intakelib/common/error_messages.py
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/common/error_messages.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
     "check_missing_aln_three_digit_extension": "Missing ALN (CFDA) three digit extension",
     "check_aln_three_digit_extension_invalid": "The three digit extension should follow one of these formats: ###, RD#, or U##, where # represents a number",
     "check_prior_references_invalid": "Prior references must be <b>N/A</b> or a comma-separated list of values in the format <b>20##-###</b>, for example, <b>2019-001, 2019-002</b>",
+    "check_award_references_invalid": "Award references must be of the form <b>AWARD-####</b>, for example, <b>AWARD-0001</b>",
     "check_additional_award_identification_present": "Missing additional award identification",
     "check_federal_program_total": "Federal program total is {}, but should be {}",
     "check_cluster_total": "This cluster total is {}, but should be {}",
diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/runners.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/runners.py
index 32441ffb25..e68d333a96 100644
--- a/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/runners.py
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/runners.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 from .xform_add_transform_for_cfda_key import generate_cfda_keys
 from .xform_uniform_cluster_names import regenerate_uniform_cluster_names
 from .xform_reformat_prior_references import reformat_prior_references
+from .xform_reformat_award_references import reformat_award_reference
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ def run_all_audit_findings_text_transforms(ir):
 
 
 def run_all_audit_findings_transforms(ir):
-    return run_all_transforms(ir, general_transforms)
+    return run_all_transforms(ir, audit_findings_transforms)
 
 
 def run_all_corrective_action_plan_transforms(ir):
@@ -108,5 +109,6 @@ def run_all_secondary_auditors_transforms(ir):
 ]
 
 audit_findings_transforms = general_transforms + [
+    reformat_award_reference,
     reformat_prior_references,
 ]
diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/xform_reformat_award_references.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/xform_reformat_award_references.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9b7b4a683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/transforms/xform_reformat_award_references.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import logging
+from audit.intakelib.intermediate_representation import (
+    get_range_by_name,
+    replace_range_by_name,
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+# Tested by has_lowercase_award_reference.py
+def reformat_award_reference(ir):
+    references = get_range_by_name(ir, "award_reference")
+    new_values = list(map(lambda v: v.upper() if v else v, references["values"]))
+    new_ir = replace_range_by_name(ir, "award_reference", new_values)
+    return new_ir