WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 18, 2025 — The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (Baldrige Foundation) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Commerce and its National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), marking a defining moment in the evolution of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.
Under this new public-private partnership, the Baldrige Foundation will play a lead role in the private sector stewardship of various Baldrige Performance Excellence Program assets. NIST and the Department of Commerce will continue to oversee the nation’s standard for performance excellence. Beginning with the 2026 award cycle, the Baldrige Foundation and the Alliance for Performance Excellence will assume the lead operational roles to expand the program’s national reach and long-term sustainability.
The Baldrige Foundation will lead the ongoing efforts related to the Baldrige Excellence Framework®, including the formation of the Baldrige Framework National Technical Committee—a distinguished group of experts and leaders entrusted with safeguarding the technical accuracy, consistency, and evolution of the Framework. The Foundation will also oversee the Quest for Excellence® Conference, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards Ceremony, and the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program—ensuring these flagship initiatives continue to inspire and equip leaders across sectors. The Alliance for Performance Excellence will coordinate the operations of the Baldrige Awards Process.
“As we look to the future, this agreement honors the legacy of Mac Baldrige and empowers the private sector to take the lead,” said Josh Racette, President & CEO of the Baldrige Foundation. “In conjunction with key stakeholders, the Foundation is now positioned to expand access, modernize delivery, and lead a new era of innovation in performance excellence here in the United States and around the world. Together, we will strengthen America’s competitiveness, and globally we will build a more resilient, results-driven future.”
Now that the federal government shutdown has ended, an official release by NIST and the Baldrige Program is forthcoming.
NIST has completed the 2025 award cycle and anticipates announcing the award recipients in the coming weeks. Frequently asked questions about the transition can be found on the Baldrige Foundation website at www.baldrigefoundation.org/baldrige-transition-faqs. Questions may be sent to info@baldrigefoundation.org.
About the Baldrige Foundation
The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award exists to strengthen the competitiveness of organizations and improve community well-being through performance excellence. Guided by core values of visionary leadership, customer-focused excellence, valuing people, innovation, integrity, and partnership, the Foundation, through its Institute for Performance Excellence, equips leaders and organizations worldwide with knowledge, tools, recognition programs, and systems that drive improvement and results. Its long-term vision is a world where excellence is the expectation, and the Baldrige Framework® stands as the global standard for organizational performance excellence and leadership.
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