[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 160 (Friday, August 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47777-47778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13676]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)


Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Request for nominations of members to serve on the Judges Panel 
of

[[Page 47778]]

the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

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SUMMARY: NIST invites and requests nomination of individuals for 
appointment to the Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National 
Quality Award (Judges Panel). The terms of some of the members of the 
Judges Panel will soon expire. NIST will consider nominations received 
in response to this notice for appointment to the Committee, in 
addition to nominations already received.

DATES: Please submit nominations on or before September 5, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Harry Hertz, Director, National 
Quality Program, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1020, Gaithersburg, 
MD 20899-1020. Nominations may also be submitted via FAX to 301-948-
3716. Additional information regarding the Committee, including its 
charter, current membership list, and executive summary may be found on 
its electronic home page at: http://www.quality.nist.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harry Hertz, Director, National 
Quality Program and Designated Federal Official, NIST, 100 Bureau 
Drive, Mail Stop 1020, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1020; telephone 301-975-
2361; FAX--301-948-3716; or via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Judges Panel Information

    The Judges Panel was established in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 
3711a(d)(1) , the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app.2), The 
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act of 1987 (Public Law 
101-107).

Objectives and Duties

    1. The Judges Panel will ensure the integrity of the Malcolm 
Baldrige National Quality Award selection process by reviewing the 
results of examiners' scoring of written applications, and then voting 
on which applicants merit site visits by examiners to verify the 
accuracy of quality improvements claimed by applicants.
    2. The Judges Panel will ensure that individuals on site visit 
teams for the Award finalists have no conflict of interest with respect 
to the finalists. The Panel will also review recommendations from site 
visits, and recommend Award recipients.
    3. The Judges Panel will function solely as an advisory body, and 
will comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    4. The Panel will report to the Director of NIST.

Membership

    1. The Judges Panel is composed of at least nine, and not more than 
twelve, members selected on a clear, standardized basis, in accordance 
with applicable Department of Commerce guidance. There will be a 
balanced representation from U.S. service, manufacturing, education, 
health care industries, and the nonprofit sector including government. 
The Panel will include members familiar with the quality improvement 
operations of organizations representing manufacturing, service, small 
business, education, health care, and the nonprofit sector. No employee 
of the Federal Government shall serve as a member of the Judges Panel.
    2. The Judges Panel will be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce 
and will serve at the discretion of the Secretary. The term of office 
of each Panel member shall be three years. All terms will commence on 
March 1 and end on February 28 of the appropriate year.

Miscellaneous

    1. Members of the Judges Panel shall serve without compensation, 
but may, upon request, be reimbursed travel expenses, including per 
diem, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.
    2. The Judges Panel will meet four times per year. Additional 
meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the NIST Director or by 
the Chairperson. Meetings are one to four days in duration. In 
addition, each Judge must attend an annual three-day Examiner training 
course.
    3. Committee meetings are closed to the public pursuant to Section 
10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, as 
amended by Section 5(c) of the Government in the Sunshine Act, Pub. L. 
94-409, and in accordance with Section 552b(c)(4) of title 5, United 
States Code. Since the members of the Judges Panel examine records and 
discuss Award applicant data, the meeting is likely to disclose trade 
secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person 
may be privileged or confidential.

II. Nomination Information

    1. Nominations are sought from all U.S. service and manufacturing 
industries, education, and health care as described above.
    2. Nominees should have established records of distinguished 
service and shall be familiar with the quality improvement operations 
of manufacturing companies, service companies, small businesses, 
education and health care organizations. The category (field of 
eminence) for which the candidate is qualified should be specified in 
the nomination letter. Nominations for a particular category should 
come from organizations or individuals within that category. A summary 
of the candidate's qualifications should be included with the 
nomination, including (where applicable) current or former service on 
Federal advisory boards and Federal employment. In addition, each 
nomination letter should state that the person agrees to the 
nomination, acknowledge the responsibilities of serving on the Judges 
Panel, and will actively participate in good faith in the tasks of the 
Judges Panel. Besides participation at meetings, it is desired that 
members be able to devote the equivalent of seventeen days between 
meetings to either developing or researching topics of potential 
interest, reading Baldrige applications, and so forth, in furtherance 
of their Committee duties.
    3. The Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity in 
the workplace and seeks a broad-based and diverse Judges Panel 
membership.

    Dated: August 14, 2006.
James E. Hill,
Acting Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E6-13676 Filed 8-17-06; 8:45 am]
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