ALCOAST 066/09
COMDTNOTE 5224
SUBJ: THE ALEXANDER HAMILTON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE, 2009
1. IN NOVEMBER 2008, I ANNOUNCED THE NEW ALEXANDER HAMILTON AWARD
FOR EXCELLENCE DURING MY CLOSING REMARKS AT THE USCG INNOVATION
EXPO. ON PAR WITH OUR REVERED INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS, THE
HAMILTON AWARD WILL RECOGNIZE AND HONOR ENTIRE COMMANDS AND STAFFS
THAT DEMONSTRATE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WHICH DELIVER EXCELLENT
RESULTS.
2. THE HAMILTON AWARD PURPOSES ARE TO:
  A. ENCOURAGE ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AND A CHANGE-CENTRIC
CULTURE. USING THE WORLD-CLASS BALDRIGE MODEL, THE AWARD PROCESS
ASSESSES PERFORMANCE, REVEALS STRENGTHS AND IMPROVEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, AND GIVES NOMINEES ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK TO CONTINUE
REFINING THEIR SYSTEMS.
  B. IDENTIFY AND DISSEMINATE ROLE MODEL PRACTICES FOR COAST GUARD-
WIDE USE AND LEARNING.
  C. EDUCATE AND SHOW COAST GUARD LEADERS AND MANAGERS THE BENEFIT
OF USING THE BALDRIGE CRITERIA TO ASSESS AND IMPROVE SYSTEM
PERFORMANCE.
  D. RECOGNIZE HAMILTON AWARD RECIPIENTS AS COAST GUARD ROLE MODELS
THAT DELIVER EVER-IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS AND CAPABILITIES, AND
EXCELLENT, SUSTAINED RESULTS.
3. NOMINEES WILL BE EVALUATED AND RECOGNIZED IN SIX CATEGORIES:
  A. OPERATIONS-AFLOAT (SMALL), 70 OR FEWER MEMBERS.
  B. OPERATIONS-AFLOAT (LARGE), 71 OR MORE MEMBERS.
  C. OPERATIONS-ASHORE (SMALL), 70 OR FEWER MEMBERS.
  D. OPERATIONS-ASHORE (LARGE), 71 OR MORE MEMBERS.
  E. SUPPORT (SMALL), 70 OR FEWER MEMBERS.
  F. SUPPORT (LARGE), 71 OR MORE MEMBERS.
4. COMMANDS/STAFFS THAT WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE AWARD MUST
SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION (RFC) TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CHAIN-
OF-COMMAND SENIOR FLAG OFFICER: VICE COMMANDANT (VCG), CHIEF OF
STAFF (CG-01), ATLANTIC AREA COMMANDER (CAA), PACIFIC AREA
COMMANDER (CPA), OR DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS (DCO). THE RFC
PACKAGE INCLUDES A COVER AND ENDORSEMENT WORKSHEET, PERFORMANCE
FACTORS PROFILE (PFP), COMPLETED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ELEMENTS
WORKSHEET, AND COMPLETED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RESULTS WORKSHEET.
5. RFC PACKAGE INFORMATION AND WORKSHEETS SHALL BE DOWNLOADED (SEE
PARA 10), COMPLETED, AND ELECTRONICALLY SENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF
COMMAND FOR ENDORSEMENT WITH A COPY TO COMDT (CG-0931). COMDT
(CG-0931) WILL COMPILE ALL RFC PACKAGES THAT RECEIVE ENDORSEMENT BY
THE 23FEB09 DEADLINE AND DELIVER TO EACH RESPECTIVE SENIOR FLAG
OFFICER FOR REVIEW AND NOMINATION. FLAG NOMINATORS MAY NOMINATE UP
TO FOUR COMMANDS/STAFFS.
6. THE VICE COMMANDANT WILL OVERSEE THE ENTIRE EVALUATION PROCESS,
INCLUDING EXAMINER TEAM VISITS TO THE MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED NOMINEE
SITES AND AN AWARD PANEL THAT WILL MAKE HAMILTON AWARD RECIPIENT
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMANDANT.
7. I ENCOURAGE EVERY COMMAND/STAFF TO REFLECT ON ITS ABILITY TO
DEMONSTRATE SYSTEMATIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND EXCELLENT RESULTS
AND CONSIDER PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. ALL COMMANDS AND STAFFS
ARE ELIGIBLE AS LONG AS THEIR SUPERIOR COMMAND/STAFF DOES NOT
SUBMIT ITS OWN REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A SECTOR
REQUESTS CONSIDERATION, ITS SUBORDINATE COMMANDS WILL BE INCLUDED
IN THE EVALUATION AND ARE THEREFORE NOT ELIGIBLE. HOWEVER, IF A
SECTOR DOES NOT, EACH OF ITS SUBORDINATE COMMANDS IS ELIGBILE TO
REQUEST CONSIDERATION.
8. HAMILTON AWARD SCHEDULE.
  A. 23FEB09 ENDORSED REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION (RFC) DUE TO COMDT
(CG-0931).
  B. 24FEB09 COMDT (CG-0931) TRANSMITS PACKAGES TO EACH FLAG
NOMINATOR.
  C. 03MAR09 FLAG NOMINATORS SUBMIT NOMINEES TO COMDT (CG-0931).
  D. MAR09 TRAIN EXAMINERS, BEGIN COMPETITIVE EVALUATION.
  E. APR-JUN09 CONDUCT MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED NOMINEE SITE VISITS.
  F. JUL09 CONVENE AWARD PANEL, RECOMMEND RECIPIENTS TO THE
COMMANDANT.
  G. AUG09 ANNOUNCE AWARD RESULTS VIA ALCOAST.
  H. NOV09 RECOGNIZE FIRST ANNUAL HAMILTON AWARD RECIPIENTS AT THE
2009 USCG INNOVATION EXPO.
9. HAMILTON AWARD EXAMINERS WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND INVITED FROM THE
POOL OF RECENT COMDTS PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE CRITERIA (CPEC)
ORIENTATION COURSE STUDENTS AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
CONSULTANT (OPC) CADRE. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL BENEFIT THE MBR AND HIS OR HER COMMAND/STAFF
BY BUILDING KNOW-HOW THROUGH FIRSTHAND EVALUATION OF A PROSPECTIVE
HAMILTON AWARD RECIPIENT. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CENTER STAFF WILL
EMAIL INVITATIONS AND DETAILS TO PROSPECTIVE EXAMINERS ON OR ABOUT
2FEB09.
10. HAMILTON AWARD INFO, THE RFC WORKSHEETS, OPC CONTACT
INFORMATION, AND THE 2008 BALDRIGE CRITERIA CAN BE FOUND ON
CGCENTRAL AT HTTP://CGCENTRALWEB.USCG.MIL/CLINK/2268. IF UNABLE TO
ACCESS CGCENTRAL CONTENT OR IF YOU HAVE ELIGIBILITY OR PROCESS
QUESTIONS, CONTACT THE HAMILTON AWARD POC, DR. DAVID KING,
DAVID.S.KING(AT)USCG.MIL OR 202-372-4584. FURTHER, THE OPC CADRE IS
A SUPERB RESOURCE TO ASSIST IN USING THE CRITERIA OR TO GUIDE YOU
IN PREPARING REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION WORKSHEETS.
11. ADM THAD W. ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
12. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.