MALCOLM BALDRIGE
                                                   NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD
                                                          1994 FACT SHEET

MALCOLM BALDRIGE NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD

Public Law 100-107, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Improvement Act of 1987, signed by President Reagan on August 20,
1987, established an annual U.S. National Quality Award. The
purposes of the Award are to promote awareness of quality
excellence, to recognize quality achievements of U.S. companies,
and to publicize successful quality strategies. The Secretary of
Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards) were given
responsibilities to develop and administer the Award with
cooperation and financial support from the private sector.

THE AWARDS 

Up to two Awards may be given each year in each of three
categories:

     . manufacturing companies or subsidiaries
     . service companies or subsidiaries
     . small businesses
     
Fewer than two Awards may be given in a category if the high
standards of the Award Program are not met. The following Awards
have been presented - 1988: Motorola, Inc.; Commercial Nuclear
Fuel Division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation; and Globe
Metallurgical, Inc. 1989: Milliken & Company; and Xerox
Corporation's Business Products and Systems. 1990: Cadillac Motor
Car Division; IBM Rochester; Federal Express Corporation; and
Wallace Co., Inc. 1991: Marlow Industries; Solectron Corporation;
and Zytec Corporation. 1992: AT&T Network Systems Group,
Transmission Systems Business Unit; AT&T Universal Card Services;
Granite Rock Company; Texas Instruments Incorporated, Defense
Systems & Electronics Group; and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Recipients receive a medallion in a crystal base. Winning
companies are required to share with other American organizations
information about their successful quality strategies.

ELIGIBILITY

Businesses located in the United States may apply for Awards.
Subsidiaries are defined as divisions or business units of larger
companies. Subsidiaries must primarily serve either the public or
businesses other than the parent company. For companies engaged
in both services and manufacturing, classification is determined
by the larger percentage of sales. Small businesses are
independently owned with not more than 500 full-time employees.

AWARD CRITERIA

Seven areas are examined: (I) leadership; (2) information and
analysis; (3) strategic quality planning; (4) human resource
development and management; (5) management of process quality;
(6) quality and operational results; and (7) customer focus and
satisfaction. Applicants must address a set of examination items
within each of these categories. Heavy emphasis is placed on
quality achievement and quality improvement as demonstrated
through quantitative data furnished by applicants.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Each written application is evaluated by members of the Board of
Examiners. High-scoring applicants are selected for site visits
by a Panel of Judges. The Judges recommend Award recipients to
the Secretary of Commerce from among the applicants site visited.
Applicants receive a written feedback summary of strengths and
areas for improvement in their quality management. The American
Society for Quality Control assists in the administration of the
examination process.

EXAMINERS

The Board of Examiners is comprised of quality experts selected
from industry, professional and trade organizations,
universities, government agencies, education and health care
organizations, and from the ranks of the retired. Those selected 
meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition.
Examiners must take part in a preparation program based upon the
Criteria, the scoring system, and the examination process. Each
fall applications are solicited from quality experts to serve as
Examiners for the following year. The schedule for the 1994 Board
is:

1994 Examiner Applications available ..........September 8, 1993
1994 Examiner Applications due .................November 2, 1993

1994 AWARD TIMETABLE

Award Criteria available .................................October 29, 1993
Award Eligibility Determination Forms due ...................March 4, 1994
Award Applications due ......................................April 4, 1994
Award Application review/site visits ...................April-October 1994
Site Visits  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 6 - October 1, 1994
Award Ceremony ..................................................Fall 1994

CONFIDENTIALITY

All applications are confidential. Applicants are not expected to
provide proprietary information about products or processes.
Examiners are assigned to avoid conflicts of interest.
Information on the successful strategies of Award recipients is
released only after written approval is received from recipients.

FEES

Fees are set to cover some of the costs of review. Fees for 1994
include a nonrefundable payment of $50 that must accompany the
Eligibility Determination Form. The written application review
fee for manufacturing and service companies is $4000, while the
fee for small business review is $1200. There is a separate fee
of $1500 if Supplemental Sections are necessary. Separate site
visit fees are set at the time the visits are scheduled.

For applications or information, write or call:

Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Administration Building - Room A537
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
TELE:   301 -975-2036
FAX:    301-948-3716

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