The U.S. Senate Productivity Award is given to the organization or business in the state that best exemplifies the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence - a management philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement in the constant pursuit of excellence. Baldrige organizations empower their leaders to take ownership and responsibility for performance, extensively use data in an effort to improve, and value the input of stakeholders when making decisions.

A ceremony to announce this year's winner will take place on Monday, March 14, at 12:00 p.m. at the Kossiakoff Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

To be considered for this award, organizations must submit an extraordinarily detailed application answering more than 200 questions, as well as participate in an arduous interview process.

The awards program is managed by the University of Maryland Center for Quality & Productivity. More information about the awards program is available at the link below.

U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes will present the award to the winner. Among those attending the awards luncheon to support MCPS will be County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, Members of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast, and several other local officials.

When:
Monday, March 14, 2005 at 12 p.m.

Where:
Kossiakoff Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
11100 Johns Hopkins Road
Laurel, Maryland


Contact:
Brian K. Edwards, director
MCPS Public Information Office
Tel.: 301-279-3391
or
Trin Intra
University of Maryland
Tel: 301-403-4413