Pathways to Excellence

SPQA is now offering Pathways to Excellence! We’ve created four pathways in which our team can interact with your organization in order to create a platform for success. Our goal is to promote continual improvement strategies and to provide training, mentoring and recognition to organizations in pursuit of performance excellence.

TIER 1: INTEREST Level

Target Audience: Organizations new to the Baldrige Excellence Framework (BEF).

Purpose: Learn about the BEF including concepts, the Criteria and the Organizational Profile.

Expectations of Tier Participants: Complete Organizational Profile responding to questions in the BEF.

SPQA will Provide:

      • An Introduction to Baldrige concepts
      • Baldrige Excellence Builder
      • Brainstorming session to facilitate completion of Organizational Profile

Cost (based on organizational size):

      • $500 (< or = 50 FTE)
      • $1,000 (>50 FTE);

How to Apply? Complete our Interest Level Intent to Apply form.

TIER 2: COMMITMENT Level

Target Audience: Organizations that have a desire to continue their improvement journey and to better understand the BEF. This Tier requires organizations to previously have completed their Organizational Profile.

Purpose: To gain a better understanding of the organization and to complete an organizational self-assessment responding to the BEF Criteria and framed by the Organizational Profile (Tier 1).

Expectations of Tier Participants:

      • Self-evaluation of organizational readiness using Baldrige “Are we Making Progress?” survey.
      • Completion of organizational self-evaluation using Baldrige Excellence Builder

SPQA will Provide:

      • An Introduction to Baldrige concepts
      • Analysis and discussion of results of the Baldrige survey with organizational leadership
      • Discussion about Baldrige Excellence Builder self-assessment

Cost (based on organizational size):

      • $600 (< or = 50 FTE)
      • $1,200 (>50 FTE);

How to Apply? Complete our Commitment Level Intent to Apply form.

TIER 3: DISCOVERY Program

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 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:

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

How to Apply? Complete our Discovery Program Intent to Apply form. For more information on the program details, visit our Discovery Program page.

TIER 4: AWARD Program

Target Audience: Organizations that have demonstrated the capability to complete an Organizational Profile and respond to questions at the Multiple level. Requirements to enter this Tier include a solid understanding of the BEF Criteria and eligibility for recognition at one of the award levels.

Purpose: To receive objective feedback including opportunities for improvement on organization’s self-assessment prepared and then reviewed using the BEF.

Expectations of Tier Participants:

      • Complete assessment Document
      • Site Visit (Additional Fee)

SPQA will Provide:

      • Examiner and site visit teams to review organization self assessment
      • Panel of Judges to review team feedback report and determine award level

Cost:

      • $5,500 (< 100 FTE)
      • $7,000 (> or = 100 FTE)
      • Site Visit Fee: $2,500
AWARD Levels

How to Apply? Complete our Award Program Intent to Apply form. For more information on the program details, visit our Award Program page.

Need More Information?

Contact us at programs.services@spqa-va.org.