Pathways to Excellence

The Pathways to Excellence Program serves as a valuable resource for organizations seeking to enhance their performance and achieve excellence in their operations. Our structured framework, tiered assessment process, and emphasis on continuous improvement, the program helps organizations at all levels drive positive change and deliver greater value to their stakeholders.

Our program is a comprehensive framework designed to help organizations in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland improve their performance and achieve excellence. Pathways is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and aims to recognize organizations that demonstrate outstanding performance in various aspects such as leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, workforce focus, operations focus, and results.

Four Tiers: Pathways consists of four tiers based on the maturity of organizations in applying the Baldrige Framework. 

    1. Interest level targets organization new to the process. They are assigned a mentor to assist in completion of an organization profile.
    2. The next level is Commitment. Organizations build on the organization profile and complete a self-assessment with the help of a mentor.
    3. Discovery Program is the third level. Organizations complete a Baldrige based application addressing specific criteria areas. Feedback is provided on the application by a team of experienced examiners.
    4. The highest level is the annual Award Program. Organizations complete a full Baldrige based application and receive a site visit and feedback from an examiner team.

Criteria Framework: The program uses the Baldrige Framework for Excellence published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. The framework provides a structured set of criteria that organizations can use to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement. These criteria cover various aspects of organizational management and performance, providing a holistic framework for evaluation.

The Pathways to Excellence Program – Overall Benefits:

Assessment Process: Organizations participating in the program undergo a rigorous assessment process, which typically involves self-assessment followed by an external assessment conducted by trained examiners. These assessments help organizations gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities for improvement.

Feedback and Recognition: Organizations receive detailed feedback based on the assessment findings, highlighting areas of excellence and areas needing improvement. Those organizations that demonstrate exceptional performance may receive recognition in the form of awards or commendations, such as the Senate Productivity and Quality Award.

Continuous Improvement: The Pathways to Excellence Program emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement. Participating organizations are encouraged to use the assessment results as a roadmap for ongoing improvement efforts, striving for excellence in all aspects of their operations.

Learning and Knowledge Sharing: The program provides opportunities for organizations to learn from each other through networking events, workshops, and best practice sharing sessions. This collaborative approach fosters a culture of continuous learning and helps organizations stay abreast of the latest trends and practices in organizational excellence.

TIER 1: INTEREST

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 I Participants: Complete Organizational Profile responding to questions in the BEF.

SPQA will Provide: 

    • A mentor to work with your organization throughout the process
    • An Introduction to Baldrige concepts
    • Organizational Profile template
    • Baldrige Excellence Builder
    • Facilitated session to complete an Organizational Profile

Cost (based on organizational size):

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

How to Apply? Follow this link.  

TIER 2: COMMITMENT

Target Audience: Organizations that have a desire to continue their improvement journey andto 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 2 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: 

    • A mentor to work with your organization throughout the process
    • 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):

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

How to Apply? Follow this link.

TIER 3: DISCOVERY

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.

TIER 4: AWARD PROGRAM

Authorized in 1982 by Senate Resolution, SPQA (the United States Senate Productivity and Quality Award) pre-dates the National Baldrige Program. It is the oldest continuous state program of its type offering awards for performance excellence based on the national Baldrige Performance Excellence model. SPQA for Virginia, Maryland and the DC administers the Award Program on behalf of the US Senators who serve as Honorary Chairpersons. 

Applicants may earn any of 4 levels of the SPQA award and, if an organization has previously earned the top award (Medallion), it may apply for the Award for Continuing Excellence (ACE). Awards are determined by the feedback report of Examiners and the determination of an external panel of judges.

The Awards are:

    • Commitment to Performance Excellence 
    • Progress in Performance Excellence 
    • Achievement in Performance Excellence
    • Medallion of Excellence
    • Award for Continuing Excellence (ACE). (The application is the same as for the Medallion award).

View our past award winners by sector here.

Award Benefits

Organizations receive extraordinary learning by conducting a self-assessment using the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework. This effort, coupled with independent examiner feedback which highlights strengths and opportunities for improvement (OFIs), is a unique learning experience which if otherwise outsourced, could easily translate to significant consultant costs.

The SPQA Medallion Award acknowledges the recipient as being among the best performing organizations in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. In addition to improving organizational pride, SPQA Medallion winners use the Baldrige Excellence Framework as a management tool to improve relationships with customers, stakeholders, and employees. Winners also can use their award to validate excellent performance with rating agencies and other independent entities.

Businesses, large and small, and organizations in the public, private, nonprofit sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, education, and government are eligible to apply. Eligibility is intended to be as open as possible to all organizations. While SPQA primarily serves organizations located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, State of Maryland and the District of Columbia, organizations in other states or territories may apply.

Expectations of Award Participants:

    • Completion of full application by published due date.
    • Availability to meet with the examiner team throughout the process.
    • Participating in an online site visit to answer examiner questions and provide additional documents for review.
    • Hosting a 1.5-day onsite visit of representatives from the Examiner team.
    • Participating in a half-day post feedback report dialogue with the Examiner team

SPQA will Provide: 

    • Application materials and guidelines
    • Organizational contact with SPQA throughout the process
    • Examiner team to review application and provide feedback report
    • Virtual and in-person site visits
    • Concluding feedback session with the applicant

Cost:

Intent to Apply (deposit) Fee: $500

Application Fee (based on the organizational size):

        • $5,500 for Small Organizations (100 employees or fewer), and
        • $7,000 for Larger Organizations (greater than 100 employees)

Site-Visit Fee (a flat fee for all organizations receiving a site visit):

        • $2,500 Site Visit Fee

How to Apply: Follow this link.

Not ready to fully engage? Contact SPQA for additional information.

View our past award winners by sector here.