Media
Contact:
Michael
E. Newman, (301) 975-3025
Technology Partnerships
Commerce Secretary
Releases Proposals for Improving the ATP
Commerce
Secretary Don Evans has announced the release of The Advanced Technology
Program: Reform with a Purpose, a report that presents six recommendations
for improving NISTs 12-year-old Advanced Technology Program
(ATP) to accelerate the development of innovative technologies for
broad national benefit by partnering with the private sector.
The proposed reforms
would:
1. Recognize the
significant value of the resources that institutions of higher education
offer by allowing universities to lead ATP joint ventures;
2. Offer universities
increased incentive to participate in developing commercially relevant
technologies by allowing them to negotiate with joint venture partners
over the rights to hold the intellectual property that results from
research;
3. Limit large
companies participation in ATP to joint ventures;
4. Reinvest a
percentage of revenues derived from awards back into ATP to fund additional
high-risk research and help stabilize the program;
5. Identify the
scientific or technological barrier to product development during
deliberation on funding decisions and explain why the removal of that
barrier will allow the technology to move forward without further
government support; and
6. Determine,
where appropriate, whether additional private-sector, non-proprietary
input would improve the ability of ATPs selection boards to
assess funding requests.
The report may
be reviewed in full at http://www.atp.nist.gov/atp/secy_rept/.
Media
Contact:
Jim
Dyke, Dept. Commerce, (202) 482-4883
Quality
Are You Ready
to Go for the Gold? Baldrige Gold, That Is!
Its
that time of year when many people are thinking about going
for the gold. Not by shooshing down a mountainside or doing
a triple lutz, but by submitting an application for the 2002 Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award, the nations premier award for
performance excellence and quality achievement. Last year, 37 organizations
submitted applications and fiveincluding the first education
winnerswere named as 2001 Baldrige Award winners.
All organizations
that apply receive a comprehensive review and a detailed feedback
report based on an independent, external assessment conducted by a
board of specially trained experts. In addition, all organizations
that submit an eligibil-ity form will get a guaranteed seat on the
board of examiners.
There is
no better assessment of your organizations performance available
than applying for the Award. The Baldrige Award criteria for performance
excellence are unique in addressing all the critical elements of your
performance system, says Bruce Woolpert, president and CEO,
Graniterock, a 1992 Baldrige Award recipient.
Organizations
that are not ready to apply can use the criteria to assess performance
on a wide range of key indicators, including satisfaction of customers,
employees and stakeholders (such as students and patients); process
management; leadership; and results. The criteria can help any organization
align resources, improve communication, productivity and effectiveness;
and achieve strategic goals.
Businesses and
education and health care organizations are eligible to apply. Eligibility
forms are due by March 18, 2002. Applications must be received by
May 30, 2002.
The Baldrige performance
excellence criteria, the application package, a beginners guide
to Baldrige and other materials are available free of charge by calling
(301) 975-2036 or can be downloaded from www.quality.nist.gov.