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The Partnership for Excellence (formerly the Ohio Partnership for Excellence) is a nonprofit organization that administers a state-level award program for performance excellence in Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia. The award is based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence which was developed and maintained by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, a program of the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST).

History
The Ohio Partnership for Excellence was incorporated as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization in 1998 to provide state level Baldrige assessment services and resources for interested organizations. In 2011, it was renamed The Partnership for Excellence (TPE) to reflect regional expansion that includes the states of Indiana and West Virginia.

The first award cycle was completed in 1999-2000.

In January 2008, Dr. Elaine D. Edgar was appointed to Executive Director. After retirement from the role in March 2011, she was replaced by Colonel Alfred C. Faber, Jr. who was appointed to the position of President/CEO.

Relationship with the Baldrige Community

 * TPE is a member of the Alliance for Performance Excellence – a national network of state and local Baldrige-based awards programs.
 * TPE Awards are based on the most recent Criteria for Performance Excellence – updated by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program every two years.
 * Starting in 2012, unless certain conditions are met, organizations from Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia are eligible to apply for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award only if they have been awarded TPE's Governor's Award of Excellence in the previous five years.

Membership
TPE is a membership organization composed of interested individuals and organizations throughout Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia. TPE collects annual membership dues for the January to December membership year.

Board of Examiners
TPE's Board of Examiners is composed of volunteer individuals who successfully complete annual training on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. Advisors and examiners used during the awards process are drawn from the Board of Examiners.

Product/Service
TPE’s main product is a feedback report to the partnering organizations that successfully complete the award process. The report contains strengths as well as opportunities for improvement (OFI) derived from both the submitted application and a site visit. This is a distinct difference from the national Baldrige Award process where only organizations with highly graded applications are granted a site visit.

TPE also provides Baldrige-related educational services such as conferences, seminars, and direct partnering with individuals and organizations.

TPE Awards Process
TPE provides three options for organizations wanting to improve their organizational performance:

Advising
One or two advisors from TPE Board of Examiners meet with the leadership team of the partnering organization to review the Criteria for Performance Excellence and assist in developing a 5-page Organizational Profile. After review of the organizational profile, TPE provides the organization with a list of strengths and opportunities for improvement. Upon successful completion of this process, the organization receives a "Spirit" recognition award at TPE's annual Quest for Success conference.

Partnering
One or two advisors from TPE Board of Examiners meet with the leadership team of the partnering organization to develop a 25-page application addressing the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence at the "overall" level. After review of this application, TPE provides the organization with a list of strengths and opportunities for improvement. Upon successful completion of this process, the organization receives a "Pioneer" recognition award at TPE's annual Quest for Success conference.

Examining
This is the traditional 50-page application assessment mirroring the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award's assessment cycle. Organizations participating in this option submit an Intent to Apply in October before the application due date in December each year. TPE assigns a team of 7 members from the Board of Examiners to review (independently and then by consensus) the application before a 3-day site visit is conducted. TPE then provides the organization with a list of strength and opportunities for improvement. Based on the recommendations of the examiners, TPE's Board of Trustees recognizes each organization with a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Award at the annual Quest for Success conference.
 * Platinum Level - Also called the Governor's Award for Excellence
 * Gold Level - Also called the Achievement of Excellence Award
 * Silver Level - Also called the Commitment to Excellence Award
 * Bronze Level - Also called the Pledge to Excellence Award
 * In 2007, TPE also recognized two organizations with the Executive Director's Special Distinction award.

Past Platinum Level - Governor's Award for Excellence Award Recipients
Note:
 * The Partnership for Excellence does not necessarily recognize an organization at the Plantinum level every year. Awards may have been given at the Gold, Silver, or Bronze Levels only (not listed here).