MALCOLM BALDRIGE NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD 1995 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 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. 1993 Ames Rubber Corporation and Eastman Chemical Company. 1994: AT&T Consumer Communications Services, GTE Directories Corp.; and Wainwright Industries, Inc. Winning companies are required to share their successful quality strategies at the annual Quest for Excellence Conference held in February. 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: (1) leadership, (2) information and analysis, (3) strategic planning, (4) human resource development and management, (5) process management, (6) business 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 business excellence and quality achievement 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. In addition, the Baldrige program is seeking quality experts from the healthcare and education communities to participate in a pilot program in these areas. Candidates who wish to participate on Pilot Evaluation Teams must apply using forms provided in the 1995 Examiner Application. The schedule for the 1995 Board and the Pilot Evaluation Teams is: 1995 Examiner Applications available September 8, 1994 1995 Examiner Applications due November 8, 1994 1995 AWARD TIMETABLE Award Criteria available Now available Award Eligibility Determination Forms due March 3 1995 Award Applications due April 3, 1995 Award Application review/site visits April-October 1995 Site Visits - Business September 4 - September 23, 1995 Site Visits - Education and Healthcare October 15-18, 1995 Award Ceremony Fall 1995 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 1995 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 - 1/95