Established in 1987, the Baldrige Program is credited with making quality and performance excellence a national priority. Administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Program and Award recipients are admired worldwide. Many states and countries have programs modeled after Baldrige. The Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework is widely used as an assessment and improvement tool. The site provides information on how to apply for an award along with useful assessment and planning tools for organizations interested in improving performance.