Baldrige Program External Review

About the Review  |  News and Updates   |  Available Products and Services

About the Review

The program review assessed how BPEP can best advance U.S. competitiveness and address the challenges most relevant in today’s business environment, as well as examined how its impact and accessibility could be increased. The output of this process informed how the program can best be positioned for maximal future impact to our nation.

To conduct the external assessment, Rios Partners was selected following a request for quotations from small businesses through the GSA eBuy process. The process included an extensive review of the proposals by a technical evaluation team consisting of BPEP and Department of Commerce (DOC) representatives and a final assessment performed by the NIST contracting officer and legal staff.

NEWS AND UPDATES

NIST Director Announces Proposal Approval

September 18, 2023
Dear Friends of Baldrige,

As Bob Fangmeyer has shared with all of you, I am very pleased that the Baldrige Reimagined proposal has been approved. We are fully supportive of the changes and look forward to a new class of Baldrige Award recipients in 2024. NIST and the Department of Commerce appreciate the robustness of the external review, the engaged and constructive participation of the Baldrige community, and the thoughtfulness of the Baldrige Program’s proposal to address the recommendations. I am excited for the work and opportunities ahead of us.

Dr. Laurie E. Locascio
Undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director

Learn more about changes to the Baldrige Award process. 

Baldrige Program External Review Complete

June 22, 2023 
Rios Partners has completed its six-month review to (1) examine how the Baldrige Program can best advance U.S. competitiveness and address the challenges most relevant in today’s environment, and (2) examine how to increase impact and accessibility of the program and its offerings. 

Rios Partners engaged with all key Baldrige stakeholder groups, including users, non-users, and former-users; Baldrige Award applicants, recipients, and “drop-outs”; examiners, judges, overseers, and Baldrige consultants; Alliance for Performance Excellence member programs, ASQ/ASQE, and the Baldrige Foundation. Key findings came from document reviews, approximately 250 survey responses, more than 60 interviews, and 15 focus groups. 

In response to Rios Partners recommendations, the Baldrige Program has developed a proposal to align the program to national priorities, lower barriers to participation in the Baldrige Award, simplify and enhance the accessibility of educational offerings, and strengthen partnerships. The Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and Under Secretary for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio both have approved the proposal, and shared their great appreciation for the Baldrige community’s support and participation in the study. 

The program continues to engage with NIST, the Department of Commerce, the Baldrige community, and industry representatives as we finalize plans with an eye to officially announce and launch Baldrige Reimagined soon.

Baldrige Program External Review Task 1 Status Update

January 31, 2023
Over the past three months, Rios Partners has been engaging with all our key stakeholder groups through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Based on their key findings and input from an ideation session that included a cross section of those stakeholders, Rios Partners has provided BPEP with a Task 1 Report, which is focused on recommendations related to the framework and the award. We are now working with NIST and the Department to determine the most appropriate path forward based on those findings. Meanwhile, Task 2 is getting under way and it will involve significant engagement with the Baldrige community as it focuses on other program offerings, our public-private partnership, and the program overall.

Baldrige Program's External Review Kicks Off

OCTOBER 31, 2022
The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) is pleased to announce that a firm has been selected and will soon begin the planned comprehensive

Baldrige Program Update

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
We have more good news to share! Read on for several important announcements. External Review The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program is pleased to announce

Baldrige Program Update: Several New Initiatives Under Way

JULY 25, 2022
The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP) is currently planning and implementing several new initiatives, including an external, program-wide review

Available Products and Services

Stay engaged with us during the program review! Learn more about Baldrige Products and Services being offered.

2023-2024 Baldrige Excellence Framework®

For more than 30 years, the Baldrige Excellence Framework® has empowered organizations to accomplish their missions, improve results, and become more competitive. The Baldrige Excellence Framework® includes the Criteria for Performance Excellence®, core values and concepts, and guidelines for evaluating your processes and results.

Three versions available (business, education, and health care).

Baldrige Executive Fellows Program®

The only ​nationwide hands-on leadership development program that is based on the world-emulated Baldrige Excellence Framework®. Learn from senior decision makers from Baldrige Award recipient organizations and emerge with a broader perspective on how to achieve performance excellence for your organization, stimulate innovation, and build the knowledge and capabilities for leadership in today’s challenging landscapes.

Learn More Today!

The Quest for Excellence Conference®

April 7–10, 2024
National Harbor, MD
(near Washington, D.C.)

The 35^th Quest for Excellence Conference will feature nationally recognized thought leaders, former Award recipients, and representatives from high-performing organizations.

Learn More

2023-2024 Baldrige Excellence Builder®

This brief guide to organizational performance excellence helps you understand how well you are accomplishing what is important to your organization.

Now Available

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Job Quality Toolkit

The Job Quality Toolkit is an actionable tool that organizations can use to improve the quality of the jobs they offer. 

The Job Quality Toolkit is rooted in the Baldrige Excellence Framework®.

View All Improvement Tools

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Foundations for a Successful Business

Beginner framework tool that helps you identify and leverage your strengths and prepare to face your challenges. Describes organizational success in seven fundamental areas.

View All Improvement Tools