FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:             NIST 94-25
June 2, 1994

Contact:  Jan Kosko                QUALITY EXPERTS FROM BUSINESS,
          (301) 975-2767           HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION
                                   NEEDED FOR 1995 BALDRIGE
                                   QUALITY AWARD BOARD OF
                                   EXAMINERS

     The National Institute of Standards and Technology is
seeking quality experts from all sectors of American business, as
well as from non-profit health care and education organizations,
to serve on the 1995 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige
National Quality Award.

     Applicants for the board must be experts in quality
management and capable of evaluating large and small
manufacturing and service businesses.  In addition, quality
experts from the health care and education communities are needed
to participate in a pilot program in these areas.

     NIST currently is working with the health care and education
communities to adapt the Baldrige criteria and award program for
these sectors.  A pilot program will be conducted in 1995.

     Those selected for the Board of Examiners must take part in
a three-day preparation course based on the Baldrige award
criteria and the examination process.  In addition, examiners are
expected to spend 10 days or more reviewing applications,
preparing feedback reports to applicants and, in some cases,
participating in site visits. "The Board of Examiners has made an
enormous contribution to improving quality in the United States,"
says Curt Reimann, head of the Baldrige Award program at NIST.
"Participation in the work of the board is a very rewarding
experience for both the examiners and the organizations that
sponsor them."

     The Board of Examiners currently has 260 quality experts
from business and industry, trade and professional associations,
universities, government agencies, and not-for-profit
organizations.

     Applications to serve as a member of the 1995 board will be
available in September from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award Office, A537 Administration Building, NIST, Gaithersburg,
Md. 20899-0001, (301) 975-2036, fax:  (301) 948-3716, e-mail:
oqp@micf.nist.gov (via Internet).  Examiner applications are due
Nov. 1, 1994.

     The Baldrige quality award was established by Congress in
1987 to promote quality awareness, to recognize quality
achievements of U.S. companies and to publicize successful
quality strategies.  The award is not given for specific products
or services.  Currently, two awards may be given annually in each
of three categories:  manufacturing, service and small business.
Awards for 1994 are expected to be announced in October.

     A non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department's
Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth by
working with industry to develop and apply technology,
measurements and standards.  NIST was selected by Congress to
design and manage the award program because of its role in
helping U.S. companies compete, its world-renowned expertise in
quality measurement and its reputation as an impartial third
party.

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