The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program will receive its 1,000th application in 2005, a milestone award administrators will celebrate all year long. Between 1998 and 2004, there have been 343 manufacturing applications (25 award recipients), 164 service applicants (13 recipients), 326 small business applicants (15 recipients), and 83 health care applicants (4 recipients). To date, the total number of applicants is 999.

The program will refund the Stage 1 application fee to the 1,000th applicant. For more information, visit www.baldrige.nist.gov.

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