This is a six-month program designed to introduce organizations and their leaders to a business improvement framework based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework; it often is the first step for an organization interested in applying for the SPQA Award program.

SPQA for Virginia, Maryland and DC provides Discovery participants assistance that is not provided to SPQA Award applicants. This assistance includes an introductory workshop on the Baldrige Excellence Framework and a trained and experienced mentor who will help the organization understand the Baldrige Framework and the SPQA Discovery process. We provide the template for you to enter your responses to the Baldrige criteria questions, which becomes your organizational self-assessment. The self-assessment is reviewed by a team of experienced examiners, who are trained in the Baldrige Criteria and Framework, conduct an objective evaluation and prepare a feedback report for the organization. This feedback report includes actionable comments resulting from the Examiner review. Discovery organizations also receive an optional post-Feedback teleconference with the Examiner team and the assigned mentor. Learning about and addressing opportunities for improvement identified in the feedback report, many organizations apply for the Award program in a subsequent year.

Target Audience: Entry at this Tier requires that organizations have completed an Organizational Profile, a Readiness Assessment, and prepared responses to the Basic level of the BEF.  Discovery is often used by organizations in preparation for an application to the Award Program (Tier 4).

Purpose: To receive objective feedback including opportunities for improvement on organization’s self-assessment prepared using Criteria at Basic and Overall levels of the BEF.   

Expectations of Tier 3 Participants:

    • Completed Discovery application.
    • One Day Coaching Visit (Optional) with Examiner(s), Mentor to help organization through the application completion process.

SPQA will Provide: 

    • Customized on-site Criteria training
    • Mentor to help organization complete the application
    • Access to Discovery application tools
    • Discovery Examiner Feedback report

Cost:

    • $1,750 Discovery Participation Fee
    • $1,250 On-Site Coaching visit (Optional for an additional fee)

How to Apply? Follow this link.