2001 Quality Awards Directory

Want to put your organization's quality management system to the test? Applying for a state or regional quality award is an excellent way to evaluate your QMS and improve your products or services. Contact the organizations listed for applications and exact dates.

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by Jesse Jones and Laurel Thoennes

National Quality Awards

Canada Awards for Excellence

• John Perry or Cheryl McAnerin
• National Quality Institute
• 2275 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Ste. 307
• Etobicoke, ON M8V 3Y3 Canada
• Ph. 416-251-7600 Fax 416-251-9131
• www.nqi.ca

The Canada Awards for Excellence (CAE) recognize excellence in quality and wellness in the workplace (in partnership with Health Canada) in both private and public sectors using the NQI criteria (Canadian Framework for Business Excellence, Canadian Healthy Workplace Criteria, Canadian Quality Criteria for Public Sector Excellence). Organizations must document their use of quality principles and practices outlined in NQI criteria.

Categories: Certificate of Merit and trophy for Quality and Healthy Workplace awards, for small, medium and large private and public sector and not-for-profit organizations.

Schedule: May--applications due. Oct.--awards presentation.

Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

• Geneva James
• National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Quality Program
• 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1020
• Gaithersburg, MD 20899
• Ph. 301-975-2036 Fax 301-948-3716
• www.quality.nist.gov

The Baldrige Award promotes an understanding of the requirements for performance excellence and competitiveness improvements and promotes sharing of information on successful performance strategies. The Secretary of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology develop and administer the award with cooperation and financial support from the private sector. Three awards may be given each year in each category.

Categories: Privately and publicly owned for-profit businesses with headquarters in the United States and its territories; for-profit and not-for-profit public, private and government education organizations that provide educational services to students in the United States and its territories; and for-profit and not-for-profit public, private and government health care organizations located in the United States and its territories.

Schedule: April--eligibility forms due. May--award applications due.

The President's Quality Award Program

• Office of Executive and Management Development
• 1900 E St., Room 6468
• Washington, DC 20415
• Ph. 202-606-5053 Fax 202-606-2034
• www.opm.gov/quality

The President's Quality Award Program is administered by the Office of Personnel Management. The Performance Excellence criteria are closely aligned with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality

Award criteria, with several modifications to reflect the government environment. Winners of the Presidential Award for Quality demonstrate mature approaches to performance excellence that are well-deployed throughout their organizations. They have documented world-class results and sustained performance improvement over several years. Winners of the Award for Quality Improvement demonstrate early positive approaches to performance excellence that are deployed throughout most of the organization.

Categories: Any part of the executive branch of the federal government with no fewer than 100 full-time federal employees.

Schedule: April--applications available. Oct.--applications submitted. Summer 2001--award ceremony.

Alabama

Alabama Quality Award

• Linda Vincent
• Alabama Productivity Center
• P.O. Box 870318
• Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
• Ph. 205-348-8994 Fax 205-348-9391
• www.proctr.cba.ua.edu

Examination categories include leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management, and business results. To qualify, applicants' productivity and quality efforts must be implemented within Alabama. Categories: Small business, manufacturing, service (including government), education and health care

Schedule: Nov.--awards ceremony

Arizona

Arizona State Quality Award

• Tim Jones
• Arizona Quality Alliance
• 3737 N. 7th St., Ste. 157
• Phoenix, AZ 85014
• Ph. 602-636-1383 Fax 602-636-1377
• www.arizona-excellence.com

All organizations--public or private, profit or nonprofit--are eligible, and award categories are set according to the organization's size without limitations on the sector, industry or profit status. The Governor's Award recognizes organizations that have mature quality systems and a sustained record of superior performance. There is no limit to the number of award recipients. The Arizona Pioneer Award for Quality recognizes organizations that have begun their quality journey by establishing and deploying fundamental quality systems and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

Categories: Small (up to 99 employees), medium (100-499 employees), large (500 or more employees)

Schedule: The award process runs from February through July.

Arkansas

Arkansas Quality Award

• Barbara Harvel
• Arkansas Quality Award
• One Chamber Plaza
• Little Rock, AR 72201-1618
• Ph. 501-373-1300 Fax 501-373-1976
• www.arkansas-quality.org

The Arkansas Quality Award recognizes organizations that have met identified standards at four levels: quality interest (for organizations beginning to express interest in quality principles); quality commitment (for organizations demonstrating serious commitment to total quality management); quality achievement (for organizations demonstrating significant progress in building sound processes); and Governor's Quality Award (for organizations demonstrating the utmost in quality excellence).

Categories: Any Arkansas public or private organization

Schedule: April--applications of intent due. May--award applications due. Oct.--awards announced.

California

California Awards for Performance Excellence

• Thomas Hinton
• California Council for Excellence
• P.O. Box 1235
• Poway, CA 92074
• Ph. 858-486-0400 Fax 858-486-8595
• www.ccqs.org

CAPE is the official Baldrige-based awards program for California. It consists of three progressive levels. The California Challenge is a self-assessment recognition program. The California Prospector Award is a short-form version of the Baldrige Award criteria. The highest level of the CAPE program consists of the U.S. Senate Productivity Award and the Eureka Award. The U.S. Senate Productivity Award is for manufacturers. The Eureka Award offers seven categories. Both awards use the most current Baldrige Award criteria.

Categories: U.S. Senate Productivity Award: small manufacturer (fewer than 200 employees) and large manufacturer (200 or more employees). Eureka Award: large and small service, education, health care, nonprofit, government and military.

Schedule: Aug.--applications due.

Colorado

Better Business Bureau Excellence in Customer Service Award

• Carol Odell
• Better Business Bureau
• 25 North Wahsatch
• Colorado Springs, CO 80903
• Ph. 719-636-5076 ext. 111
• Fax 719-636-5078
• www.coloradosprings.bbb.org

The award recognizes and promotes excellence in customer service. Independent evaluators review applications based on these categories: collecting and analyzing data; action on data; customer service results; valuing customer service; and employee involvement, commitment and empowerment.

Categories: Any profit or nonprofit business in the Pikes Peak region or in southern Colorado. Must have been in business for two years.

Schedule: Mar.--applications of intent due. May--award applications due. Sept.--awards presentation.

Connecticut

Connecticut Award for Excellence

• Walter T. Cederholm
• Connecticut Award for Excellence
• P.O. Box 67
• Rocky Hill, CT 06067
• Ph. 800-392-2122 Fax 860-285-4763

The Connecticut Award for Excellence is a nonprofit venture between public and private sectors. There are three levels of recognition: the Nutmeg Award, for organizations beginning their quality journey; the Charter Oak Award, for those that have made substantial progress; and the Genius Award, which mirrors the Baldrige Award.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, state and local government, health care, and educational institutions

Schedule: Sept.--eligibility applications due. Dec.--award applications due. May--awards ceremony.

Connecticut Breakthrough Quality Award

• Sheila Carmine
• Connecticut Quality Improvement
• Award Partnership
• P.O. Box 1396
• Stamford, CT 06904
• Ph. 203-322-9534 Fax 203-329-2465
• www.ctqualityaward.org

This award utilizes a "bare-bones" version of the Baldrige Award criteria and process. It's for all Connecticut organizations that are ready to launch their first rigorous quality improvement, measurement and business-impact initiative.

Categories: All organizations located in Connecticut

Schedule: March--intent to apply forms due. May--applications due. July--site visits. Sept.--feedback returned. Dec.--awards banquet.

Connecticut Innovation Prize

• Sheila Carmine
• Address: Same as previous
• This award recognizes accomplishments during the first stages of the quality journey for all Connecticut-based organizations.

Categories: All organizations located in Connecticut

Schedule: March--applications due. Oct.--awards ceremony.

Connecticut Quality Leadership Award

• Sheila Carmine
• Address: Same as previous

All manufacturing and service organizations located in Connecticut may apply for this award, which recognizes demonstrated quality improvements as a strategy for performance excellence. Uses the Baldrige Award criteria.

Categories: All organizations located in Connecticut

Schedule: March--intent to apply forms due. May--applications due. July--site visits. Sept.--feedback returned. Dec.--awards banquet.

Delaware

Delaware Quality Award

• Zena Tucker
• Delaware Quality Consortium
• 99 Kings Highway
• Dover, DE 19901
• Ph. 302-739-4271 Fax 302-739-2028

The Delaware Quality Award recognizes organizations that excel in meeting quality challenges.

Categories: Small (fewer than 100 employees) and large (100 or more employees) manufacturing or nonmanufacturing organizations, nonprofit of any size

Schedule: Nov.--applications available. May--applications due. Oct.--winners announced.

Florida

Governor's Sterling Award

• John A. Pieno Jr.
• The Florida Sterling Council
• P.O. Box 13907
• Tallahassee, FL 32317
• Ph. 850-922-5316 Fax 850-488-7579
• www.floridasterling.com

The Sterling Award recognizes organizational performance excellence in all sectors. Applicants compete against a world-class standard of excellence.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, education, health care and public. Each category is divided into large (250 or more employees) and small/medium (fewer than 250 employees).

Schedule: Sept.--applications of intent due. Nov.--award applications due. May--awards ceremony.

Georgia

Georgia Ogelthorpe Award Process

• Victoria Currie Taylor
• Georgia Oglethorpe Award Process
• 148 International Blvd. N.E., Ste. 650
• Atlanta, GA 30303
• Ph. 404-651-8405 Fax 404-651-9377

The Georgia Ogelthorpe Award Process drives continuous improvement, recognizes performance excellence and celebrates achievements. The process offers a high-value, low-cost assessment, and all applicants receive a detailed feedback report.

Categories: Business, industry, government, education, health care, nonprofit, sub-unit organizations. Large organizations (more than 1,000 employees); medium organizations (501 to 1,000 employees); small organizations (up to 500 employees).

Schedule: July 30--applications due. Training conducted in May and during the last two full weeks of June.

Hawaii

Hawaii State Award of Excellence

• Rona Suzaki
• Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
• 1132 Bishop St., Ste. 402
• Honolulu, HI 96813
• Ph. 808-545-4394 Fax 808-545-4369

This award is open to all organizations. More than 50 percent of the applicant's employees and 50 percent of its physical assets must be located in Hawaii.

Categories: Any public or private, profit or nonprofit organization

Schedule: Dec.--applications available. March--eligibility applications due. June--award applications due. Nov.--awards ceremony.

Idaho

Idaho Quality Award

• Cliff Long
• Idaho Department of Commerce
• 700 W. State
• Boise, ID 83720
• Ph. 208-334-2470 Fax 208-334-2631
• www.idahoworks.com

Applicants may apply in any of the following four categories: quality management system, quality in the marketplace, quality in the workplace and quality in the community. Additional recognition is available at the quality interest and quality commitment levels.

Categories: Any organization that employs people in Idaho

Schedule: Call

Illinois

The Lincoln Awards for Excellence

• Donna Connolly
• The Lincoln Foundation for Business Excellence
• 820 W. Jackson Blvd., Ste. 775
• Chicago, IL 60607
• Ph. 312-258-5301 Fax 312-258-4066

There are three levels offered in the Lincoln Awards for Excellence: Commitment to Excellence (for efforts to adopt and apply continuous improvement principles); Progress Toward Excellence (for demonstrating sound and notable continuous improvement processes); and Achievement of Excellence (for demonstrating exemplary approach, deployment and results in overall quality systems).

Categories: Education, government, health care, industry and service

Schedule: Feb.--award cycle timeline and applications available.

Kansas

Kansas Award for Excellence

• John Shoemaker
• Kansas Award for Excellence Foundation
• P.O. Box 128
• Tecumseh, KS 66542
• Ph. 800-743-6767 Fax 785-379-5047
• www.kae.myassociation.com

This award program has three levels: Commitment to Excellence (for organizations just beginning the quality journey); Performance in Quality (for organizations that demonstrate their commitment and practice of quality principles); and the Kansas Excellence Award, the highest award, presented for outstanding achievement.

Categories: Any organization, profit or nonprofit; public or private; government, military, education or health care

Schedule: Jan.--applications available. June 1--applications are due. Oct. 23--2001 awards ceremony.

Kentucky

Commonwealth of Kentucky Quality Award

• Andy Downs
• Kentucky Quality Council
• P.O. Box 1342
• Frankfort, KY 40602
• Ph. 502-695-0066 Fax 502-695-6824
• www.kqc.org

Organizations can apply at one of four levels: Quality Interest, Quality Commitment, Quality Achievement and Governor's Gold Quality Award. All applicants receive recognition at one of the four levels.

Categories: Large and small manufacturing and service companies, educational institutions, health care providers, government agencies

Schedule: July--applications of intent due. Aug.--award applications due. Dec.--awards banquet.

Louisiana

Louisiana Quality Award

• Corinne Dupuy
• Louisiana Quality Foundation
• Louisiana Productivity Center
• P.O. Box 44172
• Lafayette, LA 70504
• Ph. 337-482-6767 Fax 337-262-5472

The Louisiana Quality Award is a Baldrige-based award with three award levels.

Categories: For-profit manufacturing and service, nonprofit, government and education.

Schedule: Aug.--applications due. Oct.--site visits. Dec.--awards presentation.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Performance Excellence Award

• Tyler Fairbank
• MassExcellence, Center for Industrial Competitiveness
• 600 Suffolk St., Fifth Floor
• Lowell, MA 01854
• Ph. 978-934-2733 Fax 978-934-4035
• www.massexcellence.com

The Massachusetts Performance Excellence Award has three levels: a noncompetitive organizational self-assessment; a facilitated assessment where the senior team of an organization goes through several days of an introspective process led by a MassExcellence facilitator; and a competitive state-level quality award. All levels are open to all organizations within the state.

Categories: Service, manufacturing, small business and nonprofit

Schedule: Dec.--applications due. May--recognition ceremony.

Maine

Margaret Chase Smith Quality Award

• Andrea Jandebeur
• Margaret Chase Smith Quality Association
• 7 University Drive
• Augusta, ME 04336
• Ph. 207-621-1988 Fax 207-282-6081
• www.maine-quality.org

This Baldrige-based award is open to any organization in Maine that employs five or more people. The award is offered at three different levels: commitment, progress and excellence.

Categories: Any organization with five or more employees

Schedule: Level I: quarterly applications. Levels II and III: April--applications of intent due; May--award applications due; Jan.--awards ceremony.

Maryland

Governor's Quality Awards

• Ande Sutton
• Center for Continuous Quality Improvement,
• Dept. of Budget and Management
• 301 W. Preston St., Room 507
• Baltimore, MD 21201
• Ph. 410-767-4754 Fax 410-333-7456

This award is presented to state agencies or units of state agencies that excel in productivity and quality achievement. Examiners evaluate and score applicants on seven categories: leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, information and analysis, human resource development, process management, and performance results.

Categories: State agencies--small (fewer than 500 employees), medium (500 to 1,499 employees) and large (1,500 or more employees)

Schedule: April--applications available. July--applications due. Sept.--site visits. Nov.--awards ceremony.

Maryland Quality Awards

• Karina Korenczuk
• University of Maryland Center for Quality
• and Productivity
• 4511 Knox Road, Ste. 102
• College Park, MD 20740
• Ph. 301-403-4101 Fax 301-403-4478
• www.umcaps.umd.edu/umcqp

The award criteria and process is identical to U.S. Senate Productivity Awards. Award levels include certificate of recognition, bronze, silver and gold to recognize applicants at various levels of achievement.

Categories: All organizations

Schedule: May--eligibility determination. June--applications due. Oct.--awards presentation.

U.S. Senate Productivity Awards

• Karina Korenczuk
• University of Maryland Center for
• Quality and Productivity
• Address: Same as previous

The awards honor Maryland organizations that have made significant progress in quality and productivity improvement. All applicants receive detailed written feedback.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, public sector, education and health care

Schedule: Same as previous

Michigan

Michigan Quality Leadership Award

• Bill Kalmar
• Oakland University
• 523 O'Dowd Hall
• Rochester, MI 48309
• Ph. 248-370-4552 Fax 248-370-4628
• www.michiganquality.org

This Baldrige-based award does not limit the number of awards in each of its four categories: the Lighthouse Level, for completion of the MQC Quality Starter Guide; the Navigator Level, for a 20-page application using the Baldrige criteria at the item level; the Honor Roll; and the Leadership Award, the highest award level.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, health care, education, small business and the public sector

Schedule: March--eligibility applications due. May--award applications due. Oct.--winners announced.

Minnesota

Minnesota Quality Award

• Minnesota Council for Quality
• 2850 Metro Drive, Ste. 519
• Bloomington, MN 55425
• Ph. 612-851-3181 Fax 612-851-3183

The Minnesota Council for Quality offers a variety of Baldrige-based self-assessments ranging from a customized learning system survey to the traditional Minnesota Quality Award. All sectors of enterprise are encouraged to participate. Award participants receive recognition at one of four levels: commitment, advancement, achievement and role model excellence.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, education, government, health care and nonprofit

Schedule: Spring--workshops. July--evaluator training. July/Aug.--assessments due. Nov.--site visits. Jan.--recognition ceremony.

Missouri

Missouri Quality Award

• Brenda Hatfield
• Excellence in Missouri Foundation
• P.O. Box 1085
• Jefferson City, MO 65102
• Ph. 573-526-1727 Fax 573-526-1729
• www.mqa.org

The Baldrige-based Missouri Quality Award is designed to stimulate continuous improvement in the quality of products and services, customer satisfaction and global competitiveness. The categories vary slightly from the Baldrige. Missouri also has a recognition for teams with the Missouri Team Quality Award and at the individual level with the Governor's Quality Leadership Award.

Categories: Profit and nonprofit manufacturing, service, education, health care and public-sector organizations can apply to one of three categories: small (fewer than 100 employees), medium (100-499 employees) and large (500 or more employees).

Schedule: April--eligibility determination due. June--award applications due. Jan. 2001--awards ceremony.

Mississippi

Mississippi Quality Award

• Duane Hamill
• State Board for Community and
• Junior Colleges
• 3825 Ridgewood Road
• Jackson, MS 39211
• Ph. 601-432-6349 Fax 601-432-6363
• www.sbcjc.cc.ms.us/QUALITY.HTM

This Baldrige-based award focuses on education and economic development rather than on competition. Four levels of awards are possible: Quality Interest, Quality Commitment, the Excellence Award and the Governor's Award. Companies at all levels of quality achievement are encouraged to apply; any public or privately held organization of any size located in the state of Mississippi is eligible.

Categories: Any company

Schedule: Jan.--applications available. July--applications due. Dec.--winners announced.

New Hampshire

Granite State Quality Award

• Tom Raffio
• Granite State Quality Council
• P.O. Box 29
• Manchester, NH 03105
• Ph. 603-223-1312 Fax 603-223-1299
• www.gsqc.com

The award uses the Baldrige criteria and recognizes manufacturing and service organizations that embrace technological change to achieve maximum productivity at the lowest cost; utilize continuous improvement methods; stimulate business growth; upgrade public and private education to promote quality awareness; promote environmental awareness; and improve living and working conditions. Awards may be presented for excellence in any of the seven Baldrige categories, and level awards recognize companies at different stages of their quality journey.

Categories: Manufacturing and service, divided into two size categories: small (fewer than 200 employees) and large (200 or more employees)

Schedule: Dec.--applications due. June--awards ceremony.

New Jersey

Governor's Award for Performance Excellence

• Quality New Jersey
• 20 W. State St.
• Trenton, NJ 08625
• Ph. 609-777-0940 Fax 609-777-2798
• www.qnj.org

The New Jersey Governor's Award for Performance Excellence has three recognition approaches: Interest in Performance Excellence, an examiner-facilitated self-assessment; Involvement in Performance Excellence, an internal organizational self-assessment; and Progress to Performance Excellence, a mini-application and examiner-assessed approach. Award levels include the Governor's Award for Performance Excellence at the gold, silver and bronze levels for overall excellence.

Categories: Manufacturing and service, small business-200 or fewer employees, government, education, health care and nonprofit

Schedule: April--eligibility forms due. June--award applications due. Nov.--award winner notification. Dec.--awards conference.

New Mexico

New Mexico Quality Awards

• Julia K. Gabaldon
• New Mexico Quality Awards
• P.O. Box 25005
• Albuquerque, NM 87125
• Ph. 505-944-2001 Fax 505-944-2002
• www.qualitynewmexico.org

In its seventh year, Quality New Mexico administers the New Mexico Quality Awards in accordance with the Governor's Executive Order. Applicants use the Baldrige criteria for self-assessment and award application at three levels: commitment, progress and performance excellence. There is no limit to the number of awards at each level.

Categories: Any New Mexico organization, public or private, with five or more employees

Schedule: March--applications available. Sept.--applications due. April--conference and awards ceremony.

New York

The Empire State Advantage

• Barbara Ann Harms
• Excelsior Award Inc.
• 11 Computer Drive W., Ste. 212
• Albany, NY 12205
• Ph. 518-482-1747 Fax 518-482-2231

This program focuses on four newly evolved frameworks that contain the new leadership and management systems for the year 2000 and beyond. There is a leadership and management framework for each of our sectors. The program to deliver the systems within each of the frameworks has four levels of entry: educational services and three consultative services (process capability, systems integration and validation of excellence of entire systems). The consultative services focus on mentoring, coaching, assessing and recognizing organizations interested in improving their leadership and management systems. Recognition is offered at the bronze, silver and gold levels, or at the highest level of excellence with the Governor's Award for Excellence.

Categories: Private, education, health care, government sectors and not-for profit

Schedule: At present, permanent program cycles have not been established.

Ohio

Dayton Area Quality Excellence Award

• George Kloos
• Dayton Reliable Tool and
• Manufacturing Co.
• 681 Greenmont Blvd.
• Dayton, OH 45419
• Ph. 937-298-7391

The award provides four organizational levels: serious commitment, exemplary progress, significant achievement and excellence. A new award for team excellence has also been added. Application and evaluation based on Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria.

Categories: Any type of organization in the defined geographic area can apply.

Schedule: April--letters of intent due. July--award applications due. Dec.--winners notified.

Ohio Award for Excellence

• Tom Casperson
• Ohio Award for Excellence
• 1700 S. Patterson Blvd.
• Dayton, OH 45479
• Ph. 937-445-6556 Fax 937-445-7336
• www.oae.org

This annual performance excellence award has four participation levels: Pledge Toward Excellence, Commitment to Excellence, Achievement of Excellence and Governor's Award for Excellence.

Categories: Large and small businesses, manufacturing, service, education, government, health care, and nonprofit.

Schedule: Intent to apply--July. Nov.--applications due. May--feedback report. Late May--winners selected.

Team Excellence in the Public Sector

• John Yesso
• Ohio Office of Quality Services
• 77 S. High St., Seventh Floor
• Columbus, OH 43215
• Ph. 614-728-2584 Fax 614-644-6763

This award demonstrates the value of teamwork and employee involvement in the public sector. Teams showcase what they have accomplished through the use of quality tools and improvement processes.

Categories: Teams employed by townships, counties, municipalities, or state or federal agencies

Schedule: April--applications due. Sept.--showcase presentations. Dec.--awards presentation.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Quality Award

• Mike Strong
• Oklahoma Quality Award
• P.O. Box 26980
• Oklahoma City, OK 73126
• Ph. 405-815-5295 Fax 405-815-5205

The Oklahoma Quality Award has no limit on awards given in a category. The award has three levels: commitment, achievement and excellence. Eligible organizations must have operated in Oklahoma for three years.

Categories: Three categories for organizations in manufacturing, service, health care, education and government. Category 1: 1-50 employees; category 2: 51-250 employees; category 3: more than 250 employees.

Schedule: May--applications due. Oct.--awards ceremony.

Pennsylvania

Lancaster Chamber Performance Excellence Award

• Betty Rose
• The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• P.O. Box 1558
• Lancaster, PA 17608
• Ph. 717-397-3531 Fax 717-293-3159
• www.lcci.com

Any organization doing business in the Lancaster County Region may apply. The four award levels are excellence, leadership, achievement and commitment.

Categories: Publicly or privately held organizations of any size, government agencies, academic or educational institutions, health care, banking, service, manufacturing and nonprofits

Schedule: Call

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Quality Awards

• Brian M. Knight
• RACE for Performance Excellence
• P.O. Box 6766
• Providence, RI 02940
• Ph. 401-454-3030 Fax 401-454-0056
• www.rirace.org

The Rhode Island Quality Awards are available to Rhode Island organizations of all sizes and sectors. There are three levels of recognition, varying on the applicant's degree of readiness.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, nonprofit, health care, education, government and retail

Schedule: Call

South Carolina

South Carolina Governor's Quality Award

• Jeanette Reeves
• South Carolina Quality Forum
• 800 University Way
• Spartanburg, SC 29303
• Ph. 888-231-0578 Fax 864-503-5995
• www.scquality.com

The Governor's Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the development and implementation of quality management systems that address the Baldrige criteria at the category and item levels. A Gold Achiever award recognizes outstanding progress, a Silver Achiever award recognizes significant progress and a Bronze Achiever Award recognizes progress.

Categories: Public and private organizations, manufacturing, service, government, education, health care and nonprofits

Schedule: Jan.--intent to apply. Mar.--application due. Oct.--awards ceremony.

Trident Area Quality Awards

• Gloria Palmer-Long
• CareAlliance Health Services
• 125 Doughty St.
• Charleston, SC 29403
• Ph. 843-724-2251 Fax 843-973-3058
• www.taqac.org

The Trident Area Quality Award program seeks to promote, encourage and recognize team quality improvement efforts and provide public recognition for successful programs and organizations. The program, which is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, is a team award. The team award program recognizes three specific levels of achievement. Organizational awards will be handled by the South Carolina Governor's Quality Award.

South Dakota

South Dakota Business Excellence Awards

• Mary Anne Boyd
• South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• P.O. Box 190
• Pierre, SD 57501
• Ph. 605-224-6161 Fax 605-224-7198

These awards are presented every two years, with the next event to be held in 2002. They are presented in eight categories: community awareness, environmental awareness, innovative marketing/customer service, job creation, manufacturing/production, new South Dakota product/venture, quality, and workplace environment and safety. An overall business of the year is selected from all category entrants.

Categories: Any private-sector, nongovernment or for-profit business in South Dakota

Schedule: Feb.--applications available. July--applications due. Oct.--awards ceremony.

Tennessee

Greater Memphis Award for Quality

• James C. Lippy
• The Greater Memphis Association for Quality
• 213 Alumni Center
• Memphis, TN 38152
• Ph. 901-678-4268 Fax 901-678-4301

This award is open to all companies in the Greater Memphis region. There are three levels for applicants. All applicants are recognized and receive an award appropriate for their level of achievement. The Pyramid of Excellence is awarded to a level III recipient that surpasses a threshold decided by the panel.

Categories: Any organization

Schedule: Sept.--applications due

Tennessee Quality Award

• Marie B. Williams
• Tennessee Economic Development Center
• 333 Commerce St.
• Nashville, TN 37201
• Ph. 800-453-6474 Fax 615-214-8933

This award has four levels: quality interest, quality commitment, quality achievement and the Quality Excellence Award.

Categories: Any public or private organization

Schedule: July--applications of intent due. Aug.--award applications due. Feb.--awards ceremony.

Texas

Greater Austin Quality Award

• Jim Nelson
• Greater Austin Quality Council
• P.O. Box 1967
• Austin, TX 78767
• Ph. 512-322-5603 Fax 512-478-2324
• www.gaqc.org

This regional program has three levels of application to permit beginners, intermediates and advanced level organizations to learn and to grow their quality management system into worldwide competitiveness. Four awards are available: commitment, progress, significant merit and highest achievement.

Categories: Any organization may apply

Schedule: May--applications due. Oct.--awards presentation.

Texas Award for Performance Excellence

• Catherine D. Schanafelt
• Quality Texas Foundation
• P.O. Box 684157
• Austin, TX 78768
• Ph. 512-477-8137 Fax 512-477-8168
• www.texas-quality.org

This Baldrige-based process provides three application options, all of which receive feedback, including Option I--Commitment, Option II--Achievement, and Option III--The Texas Award for Performance Excellence. The Texas Award process is the next logical step in the progression of organizations from the local award programs to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, small organization, public sector, education and health care

Schedule: May--Criteria and applications available; Oct.--Option III and Option II (round 1) eligibility requests due; Dec.--Option III and Option II (round 1) applications due; Feb.--Option II (round 2) applications due; Option II (round 3) eligibility requests due; April--Option II (round 3) applications due. Option I applications are accepted at any time during the award cycle.

Utah

Utah Quality Awards

• Don Hall
• Utah Quality Council
• P.O. Box 271367
• Salt Lake City, UT 84127
• Ph. 801-825-3336 Fax 801-538-3337
• www.utahqualityaward.org

The Utah Quality Award is a service provided to businesses and institutions that wish to share in the value and achievements associated with continuous improvement. The program was developed to provide opportunities for all eligible organizations to measure their progress in the quality improvement journey.

Categories: Manufacturing companies, service businesses, schools, colleges, universities, health care providers, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations.

Vermont

Vermont Program for Performance Excellence

• Wendy Steager
• Champlain Mill
• One Main St.
• Winooski, VT 05404
• Ph. 802-655-1910 Fax 802-655-1932

Recognizing excellence in all Vermont organizations and presenting the Governor's Award for Performance Excellence and the U.S. Senate Productivity Award.

Categories: Any employer organization including profit and nonprofit, manufacturing, education, health care, government and service

Schedule: Ongoing assessments, site visits, training and education year-round. Recognition ceremony in May and September.

Virginia

U.S. Senate Productivity Award

• Bob Bowles
• SPQA Executive Director
• 8601 Partridge Point Road
• Suffolk, VA 23436
• Ph. 757-523-6762 Fax 757-523-6030

spqa.gmu.edu

All Virginia organizations in the public sector are eligible to apply for this award. There are three levels of recognition: a medallion for each category's outstanding organizations, a plaque for each category's nonmedallion finalists and a certificate of merit for honorable mention status.

Categories: Manufacturing, service, education, health care and government

Schedule: Jan.--applications available. April--applications due. Oct.--awards ceremony and conference.

Washington

Washington State Quality Award

• Judith Gustin
• Washington State Quality Award
• P.O. Box 11669
• Olympia, WA 98508
• Ph. 800-517-8264 Fax 360-455-1357
• www.wsqa.wa.gov

The Washington State Quality Award recognizes organizations that have achieved a high level of performance excellence.

Categories: Private, government, nonprofit, health care and education. The categories are further divided by organization size: small (fewer than 200) and large (200 or more)

Schedule: April--applications available. Aug.--eligibility forms due. Nov.--award applications due.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Forward Award

• Andrea Weiss
• Wisconsin Forward Award Inc.
• 14 W. Mifflin St., Ste. 205
• Madison, WI 53703
• Ph. 608-663-5300 Fax 608-663-5302
• www.forwardaward.org

The Forward Award annually recognizes Wisconsin organizations for achievements in quality improvement and performance.

Categories: All organizations, including profit and nonprofit, manufacturing, education, government and service

Schedule: June--applications due. Nov.--awards banquet.