The Forward Award Evaluation Process

You’ve completed your application.  Now what?

While applicants have been busy finalizing their assessment responses, we’ve been training teams of examiners.  Once submitted, each application is rigorously evaluated by the Board of Examiners. Examiners review each application relative to the Baldrige Award Criteria and/or the Baldrige Excellence Framework. and identify strengths of the organization and areas for improvement. The review is composed of three distinct processes.

Independent Review

The application, including the intent to apply forms, is reviewed independently by a team of at least four members of the Board of Examiners.

Consensus Review

The application is reviewed jointly by a team of at least three members of the Board of Examiners. To the extent possible, consensus review is conducted by the same Examiner team that provides independent review. This review results in a consensus score that determines the level of recognition for which an applicant is eligible. The level of recognition identified through the consensus process determines whether a site visit is required, is optional, or will not be provided. The consensus review is also the time during which feedback reports to applicants are drafted.

Site Visits

The site visit occurs prior to final score determination and serves to clarify and verify the information received in the Application Report Package. A site visit is required for all organization with a consensus score at high Mastery or at the Forward Award of Excellence level. Site visits are also available at the applicant’s request for repeat applicants (who have submitted two or more applications in a three-year period) previously recognized at the Mastery level or above. Discretionary site visits may also be made to collect more data, more accurately decide recognition level or define strengths and opportunities for improvement for an applicant.

Our Key Deliverable:  The Feedback Report

Forward Award applicants at all application levels receive a written feedback report at the conclusion of the Forward Award process. The feedback report identifies strengths and opportunities for improvement relative to the Award Criteria. By identifying gaps in systems and improvement strategies, the feedback report can assist applicant organizations to improve in a more focused way, such as in the strategic and business planning process.

Every applicant organization is urged to request a post feedback meeting with Examiner representatives to clarify items in the feedback report. Both organizational teams and Examiner representatives find these sessions satisfying and worthwhile.