If you’ve ever wanted to be a Baldrige Award examiner, this may be your shot. The Baldrige National Quality Program is now accepting applications to fill positions for 2005 award examiners in each of five categories: manufacturing, service, small business, health care and education. Notification letters for those selected will be sent by March 29. Applications for new and repeat applicants, as well as returning examiners, are available at www.baldrige.nist.gov.

In other Baldrige-related news, the Baldrige National Quality Program recenlty released its “Criteria for Performance Excellence for 2005.” The criteria provides a system’s perspective for understanding performance management and examines several leading-edge management practices that other organizations might find helpful. The booklet also includes a Baldrige application self-analysis worksheet.

Download a copy of the criteria at www.baldrige.nist.gov.