Twelve U.S. organizations have reached the next step on the road to possibly achieving a silver anniversary Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige Award is the nation’s highest recognition for organizational performance excellence. The Baldrige panel of judges has selected one organization in the manufacturing category, one in service, two in small business, one in education, five in healthcare, and two in nonprofit for the final review stage for the 2012 award. Starting this month, teams of experts will make site visits to these organizations to clarify questions and verify information submitted in award applications.

This is the second time since the Baldrige Award categories were expanded that organizations in all six categories will receive site visits. The first occurrence was in 2010.

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