(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- Eighty-three organizations are in the running for the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest recognition for organizational performance excellence through innovation and improvement. Applicants include three manufacturers, two service companies, seven small businesses, 10 educational organizations, 54 health care organizations, and seven nonprofit and governmental organizations. The number of applicants is up 20 percent over 2009 and marks the fifth consecutive year that there have been 70 or more organizations seeking the award. Additionally, the 54 health care applicants represent the largest number in that category since it was established in 1999.

The 2010 applicants will be evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; work-force focus; process management; and results. Examiners provide each applicant with 300 to 1,000 hours of review and a detailed report on the organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement.

The 2010 Baldrige Award recipients are expected to be announced in late November.

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