#0693-0006-Description of Changes to MBNQA

Baldrige Eligibility Certification Form

Where

Proposed Change

Rationale

Throughout

2013 due dates changed to 2016 dates; all 2016 dates are TBD

To be current

5d

Text to change to “Is your organization submitting with this eligibility form additional materials (i.e., a completed Organizational Profile and two results measures for each of the five Criteria results items) as an alternative to the eligibility condition of having first achieved a top-tier award through an Alliance for Performance Excellence program?

No. Proceed to question 6.

Yes. In the box below, briefly explain the reason your organization chose not to work with an Alliance program. (This information may be shared in some form with the Alliance leadership for learning and improvement, without revealing your organization’s identity.) “

Baldrige Board of Overseers have recommended adding an eligibility rule to allow companies to bypass their state Baldrige-based programs and apply directly to the national program if they feel their results are mature enough.

6, 7, 8

Questions 6, 7, and 8 have been renumbered

Clarity

6d

Add “or its territories”: “If some of your organization’s activities are performed outside the United States or its territories and your organization receives a site visit, will you make available sufficient personnel, documentation, and facilities in the United States or its territories to allow a full examination of your worldwide organization?”

Provides clarity that U.S. territories are eligible

6h

Text on “more than 500 paid employees” deleted.

Baldrige Board of Overseers have recommended deleting the rule that an applicant has to have at least 500 employees. As along as a small organization can respond to the Baldrige Criteria, overseers decided that it didn’t matter how small the organization is.

6h.

Add: “Does your subunit have a clear definition of "organization" reflected in its literature? Does it function as a business or operational entity, not as activities assembled to write an award application?

Yes. Continue with 6i.

No. Your subunit probably is not eligible to apply for the award. Call the Baldrige Program at (877) 237-9064, option 3.”

The Baldrige Board of Overseers advised the program to eliminate its rule preventing more than one subunit of a parent organization to apply. The board also advised that subunits of all types of organizations, which might include individual plants and departments within larger organizations, be eligible as long as they function as a business. Language regarding subunits needs to be updated throughout this form.

6i.

Rewrite as follows: “Is your subunit in manufacturing or service?

Yes. Does it have 500 or fewer employees? Is it separately incorporated and distinct from the parent organization’s other subunits? Or was it independent before being acquired by the parent, and does it continue to operate independently under its own identity?

Yes. Your subunit is eligible in the small business category. Attach relevant portions of a supporting official document (e.g., articles of incorporation) to this form. Proceed to item 6k.

No. Continue with 6j.”

Based on advice from the Baldrige Board of Overseers, this question needs to be added to ensure that a subunit is correctly identified as a small business (for which it would then receive small business considerations).

6j.

Add: “Is your subunit self-sufficient enough to be examined in all seven categories of the Criteria?

• Does it have its own senior leaders?

• Does it plan and implement its own strategy?

• Does it serve identifiable customers either inside or outside the organization?

• Is it responsible for measuring its performance and managing knowledge and information?

• Does it manage its own workforce?

• Does it manage its own work processes and other aspects of its operations?

• Can it report results related to these areas?

Yes. Proceed to 6k (table below).

• No. Your organization probably is not eligible to apply for the award. Call the Baldrige Program at (877) 237-9064, option 3.”

Based on advice from the Baldrige Board of Overseers, this question needs to be added to ensure that a subunit is self-sufficient enough to be assessed for a Baldrige Award.

6k.

ReReplace current table with this one.
1. My organization has won the Baldrige Award (prior to 2011).	Yes	Your organization is eligible.	No	Continue with statement 2.
2. Between 2011 and 2015, my organization applied for the national Baldrige Award, and the total of the process and results band numbers assigned in the feedback report was 8 or higher.	Yes	Your organization is eligible. Year:       Total of band scores:      	No	Continue with statement 4.
3. Between 2011 and 2015, my organization applied for the national Baldrige Award and received a site visit.	Yes	Your organization is eligible. Year of site visit:      	No	Continue with statement 5.
4. Between 2011 and 2015, my organization received the top award from an award program that is a member of the Alliance for Performance Excellence.	Yes	Your organization is eligible. Award program:       Year of top award:      	No	Continue with statement 3.
5. More than 25% of my organization's workforce is located outside the organization’s home state.	Yes	Your organization is eligible.	No	Continue with statement 6.
6. There is no Alliance for Performance Excellence award program available for my organization.	Yes	Your organization is eligible.	No	Continue with statement 7.
7. My organization will submit additional eligibility screening materials (i.e., a complete Organizational Profile and two results measures for each of the five Criteria results items). The Baldrige Program will use the materials to determine if my organization is eligible to apply for the award this year (as described in the fact sheet at www.nist.gov/baldrige/publications/upload/2015-Baldrige-Eligibility-FAQs.docx).	Yes	The Baldrige Program will review the materials and contact your ECP after determining your eligibility.	No	Call 877-237-9064, option 3, if you have questions.

This table has been edited to make the eligibility process as user-friendly as possible. Based on advice from the Baldrige Board of Overseers, eligibility rules have been added to make more organizations eligible. For example, #7 is new and allows mature organizations to apply for the national award without first winning their state Baldrige-based awards.

7c.

Deleted: “Is your organization the only subunit of the parent intending to apply for the award? Based on the parent organization’s size, the program may accept multiple applications within or across award categories from subunits (see Is Your Organization Eligible? [http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/enter/eligible.cfm] on our Web site).”

Baldrige Board of Overseers recommended deleting this rule. The intent was not to limit subunits from applying.

12.

This text rewritten: “Please include the total for each column (sites, employees/faculty/staff, volunteers, and products/services). See the ABC HealthCare example below.

Please include a detailed listing showing all your sites. If your organization receives a site visit, an examiner team will use this information for planning and conducting its visit. Although site visits are not conducted at facilities outside the United States or its territories, these facilities may be contacted by teleconference or videoconference.

Example
	Sites (U.S. and Foreign) List the city and the state or country.	Workforce* List the numbers at each site.		List the % at each site, or use “N/A” (not applicable).
		Check one or more.  Employees  Faculty  Staff	Volunteers (no. or N/A)	Check one. % of  Sales  Revenue  Budget	Relevant Products, Services, and/or Technologies
	ABC Medical Center, Anytown, NY	1,232	147	77%	Admin. offices, inpatient care, ED, imaging services, lab
	ABC Hospital West, West Anytown, NY	255	78	14%	Inpatient services, ED, lab
	ABC Medical Group, Anytown, NY	236	N/A	6%	Primary & specialty physician care
	ABC Imaging Center, West Anytown, NY	11	N/A	1%	Imaging services
	ABC Hospice Services, West Anytown, NY	94	89	1%	On- and off-site hospice services
	ABC Urgent Care, West Anytown, NY	8	N/A	1%	Outpatient emergency and urgent care services
Total	6	1,836	314	100%

*“Workforce” refers to all people actively involved in accomplishing the work of your organization, including paid employees (e.g., permanent, part-time, temporary, and telecommuting employees, as well as contract employees supervised by the organization) and volunteers, as appropriate. The workforce includes team leaders, supervisors, and managers at all levels.”

The instructions and samples should be reworded as shown to make them more user-friendly. The sample now represents a health care organization, as the majority of Baldrige applicants now come from the health care sector.

14.

Rewritten: “If your organization is eligible to apply for the Baldrige Award in 2016, you may nominate one senior member from your organization to the 2016 Board of Examiners.

I understand that the nominee or the organization will cover travel and hotel costs associated with participation in Examiner Preparation. I also understand that if my organization is determined to be ineligible to apply for the Baldrige Award in 2016, this examiner nomination will not be considered for the 2016 Board of Examiners.”

This text has been rewritten to avoid confusion.

#1 on Checklist Page

Add: “For Organizations Submitting Additional Eligibility Screening Materials (to meet the new alternative eligibility condition no. 7 for question 6k; see the table on page E-4)

I have enclosed a complete Organizational Profile.

I have enclosed data for two results measures for each of the five Criteria results items.”

Text added based on guidance from the Board of Overseers to change eligibility rules and allow mature organizations to apply without first going through their state Baldrige-based programs.

#3 on Checklist Page

Rewritten: “ I have included proof of the mailing date. (See Application Form and Content instructions at http://www.nist.gov/baldrige/enter/format.cfm/.) “

This text has simply been reworded to direct applicants to the website for more information.

Examiner Application
Online system userability	When applicant tries for 2nd time to login, message will be a warning telling them to Click on “Forgot Password” so they can manage their own reset.	Usability and to help examiner applicants manage their own passwords, saving staff time doing password resets