Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award - Public-Private Partnership

Public-Private Partnership

The Baldrige Award is supported by a distinctive public-private partnership. The following organizations and entities play a key role:

• The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award raises funds to permanently endow the award program.

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, manages the Baldrige Program.

• The American Society for Quality (ASQ) assists in administering the award program under contract to NIST.

• The Board of Overseers advises the Department of Commerce on the Baldrige Program.

• Members of the Board of Examiners—consisting of leading experts from U.S. businesses and education, health care, and nonprofit organizations—volunteer their time to evaluate award applications and prepare feedback reports for applicant organizations. Board members also share information about the program in their professional, trade, community, and state organizations. The Panel of Judges, part of the Board of Examiners, makes award recommendations to the director of NIST.

• The network of state, regional, and local Baldrige-based award programs known as the Alliance for Performance Excellence provides potential award applicants and examiners, promotes the use of the Criteria, and disseminates information on the award process and concepts.
• Award recipients share information on their successful performance and quality strategies with other U.S. organizations.