Big Jump in Applications for Nation's Top Honor for Excellence

Sixty-eight organizations have sent NIST their application for the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s Presidential award for excellence. Last year, 49 businesses, schools, and health care organizations applied. Over the next six months, teams of specially-trained examiners will evaluate these 68 organizations to determine which will receive the Award this fall.

The 68 applicants for the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality award include 10 large manufacturers, eight service companies, 12 small businesses, 19 education organizations and 19 health care organizations.This is an increase in all categories compared with the previous year. Since 1988, 49 organizations have received the Baldrige Award.

The application process for the Baldrige Award is rigorous and thorough. Applicants for the award submit up to 50 pages of details showing processes, improvements, and results in seven areas, including leadership, customers and markets, human resources and strategic planning.

All applicants must supply data and information on the ethical practices and governance of their organization. Questions include “How does the organization’s governance system ensure management and fiscal accountability and independence in audits while protecting stockholder and stakeholder interests?” and “How does the organization provide evidence of fiscal accountability, ethical behavior, legal compliance and organizational citizenship?”.

Only those with exemplary, role model performance will be considered for selection as a Baldrige Award winner for 2003.

Each applicant receives more than 400 hours of review by an independent board of business, education and health care experts and a detailed report citing strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Organizations passing an initial screening this summer will be visited by a team of examiners in the fall to verify information and to clarify issues and questions.

Winners of the 2003 award are expected to be announced in November and receive the award from President Bush and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans in a ceremony early next year. The Baldrige Award is a 14-inch Steuben crystal encasing a gold medallion engraved with the Presidential seal and the words, “The Quest for Excellence.” For more information on the Baldrige National Quality Award, go to www.baldrige.nist.gov on the World Wide Web.

Media Contact: Jan Kosko, (301) 975-2767

Created: 6/6/2003
Contact: inquiries@nist.gov