Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA)

A Public Private Partnership
Building active partnerships in the private sector and among the private sector and all levels of government is fundamental to the success of the Baldrige National Quality Program in improving national competitiveness. Private sector support for the program in the form of fund, volunteer efforts, and participation in information transfer continuous to grow.

To ensure the continued growth and success of these partnerships, each of the following organizations plays an important role

Foundation for the MBNQA (Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award)
The foundation for the MBNQA was create to foster the success of the program. The Foundation's main objective is to raise funds to permanently endow the Award Program.

Prominent leaders from U.S organizations serve as foundation Trustees to ensure that the Foundation's objectives are accomplished. A broad cross section of organizations throughtout the United States provides financial support to Foundation.

National Institute of Standars and Technology
The National Institute of Standars and Technologi (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, manages the Baldrige National Quality Program. NIST promotes U.S innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standars, and technology in ways that enchance economic security and improve our quality of life. Through a network of technology extension centers and field offices serving all 50 states and Puerto Rico, NIST help small and medium sized businesses access the information and expertise they need to improve their competitiveness in the global marketplace.

American Society for Quality
The American Society for Quality (ASQ) assists in administering the Award Program under contract to NIST. ASQ is dedicated to the on going development, advancement, and promotion of quality concepts, principles, and techniques. ASQ strives to be the worlds recognized champion and leading authority on all issues related to quality. ASQ recognizes that continuous quality improvement will help the favorable positioning of American goods and services in the international marketplace.

Board of Overseers
The board of Overseers advises the Department of Commerce on the Baldrige National Quality Program. The board is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and consists of distinguished leaders from all sectors of the US economy.
The board of Overseers evaluates all aspects of the program, including the adequacy of the criteria and processes for determining award recipients. An important part of the board's responsibility is to assess how well the program is serving the national interest. Accordingly, the board makes recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce and to the Director of NIST regarding changes and improvements in the program.

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