Applying for a Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence Award is an effective way to look at your organization from a systems perspective, energize employees, and increase the focus on business results using the comprehensive feedback report that details your organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement. Successful organizations use this low-cost consultation as a key strategic planning input.
The TNCPE Award program is open to companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations throughout Tennessee (some out-of-state organizations are also eligible). Whether you’re large or small, established or start-up, the program is scalable to fit your organization’s unique profile.
Recipients of the Interest Award are in the beginning stages of applying performance improvement principles by defining the organization’s most important plans and resources.
Recipients of the Commitment Award have demonstrated progress by identifying and putting into place some key process improvements that are directly attributable to a fact-based improvement process.
Recipients of the Achievement Award have demonstrated significant progress in building systematic, well-deployed processes that are aligned throughout and demonstrate cycles of learning.
Recipients of the Excellence Award have demonstrated, through their processes, practices and results, the highest level of performance excellence.
A great way to get started is by ordering a copy of the TNCPE Baldrige Excellence Framework. This book is the foundation of the TNCPE program and provides details regarding application and eligibility requirements, as well as the Criteria for Performance Excellence on which to base your self-assessment. Order your copy of the framework online here or by emailing the TNCPE office at contact@tncpe.org.
The TNCPE Award program is based on a proven excellence framework published annually by TNCPE. Using questions posed in the Criteria, you’ll create a self-assessment that is analyzed by a team of TNCPE Examiners. This self-assessment can range from five to 55 pages, depending on the award level sought.
After analyzing your self-assessment, TNCPE Examiners will make a site visit to your workplace to gain a thorough understanding of your organization. Based on its findings, the examiner team will prepare a detailed feedback report that identifies your strengths and opportunities for improvement. The TNCPE Panel of Judges will review the examiners’ work and determine your organization’s recognition level.
We chose to do it because we wanted to be excellent, not ordinary. It’s helping build credibility while also improving who we are.
– Alan Lovelace, RPM Pizza, LLC –
The {assessment} process was very well laid out, and we had lots of resources to use in submitting our application.
– Tina Reisedge, First Horizon –
It gave us a framework for all of the different types of things we were trying to accomplish.
– Elaine Boyd, TN Department of Environment and Conservation –
How do I learn more about the criteria?
Check out our #ExcellenceAtADistance series for more information about the criteria and how to apply it to your organization.
How many pages should we allocate to each Category?
How do we learn more about writing an application?
No matter where you are on your excellence journey, TNCPE has a workshop to help you improve performance. We can provide tailored instruction at your workplace on various topics:
Should we skip Level 2?
Based on the more detailed Baldrige Excellence Framework and Criteria for Performance Excellence, the Baldrige Excellence Builder helps you assess your organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement against the most important features of organizational performance excellence. By completing and acting on this assessment, you will be better positioned to accomplish your mission, improve your results, and become more competitive.
The Criteria Commentary provides summaries of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence categories and items.
You can download the Criteria Commentary for free:
Category | Points | Level 4 50 pgs. | Level 3 35 pgs. | Level 2 15 pgs. |
1 | Leadership | 120 | 7 | 4.2 | |
2 | Strategic Planning | 85 | 4 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
3 | Customer Focus | 85 | 5 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
4 | Measurement, Analysis, Knowledge Management | 90 | 4 | 3.2 | 1.3 |
5 | Workforce Focus | 85 | 4 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
6 | Operations Focus | 85 | 6 | 2.9 | 1.3 |
7 | Results | 450 | 20 | 16 | 6.7 |
Totals | 1,000 | 50 | 35 | 15 |
The Criteria response must be submitted with the Organizational Profile, Application Form, and Application Fee.
Glossaries, title pages, organizational charts, and tables of contents are not counted in the page limit. All remaining pages should be consecutively numbered from start to finish. Electronic materials must be saved in one PDF file and emailed to contact@tncpe.org by the deadline on the Application Form. Please do not send a PDF of a scanned document.
Assessment Level | Number of Employees | Site Visit/Workshop Fee* - Member | Site Visit/Workshop Fee* - Non-Member |
Excellence Award (Level 4) | Less than 100 | $2,160 | $2,700 |
100-500 | $3,120 | $3,900 | |
501-1,500 | $5,040 | $6,300 | |
More Than 1,500 | $6,000 | $7,500 | |
Achievement Award (Level 3) | Less than 100 | $1,920 | $2,400 |
100-500 | $2,640 | $3,300 | |
501-1,500 | $4,080 | $5,100 | |
More Than 1,500 | $5,280 | $6,600 | |
Commitment Award (Level 2) | Less than 100 | $1,680 | $2,100 |
100-500 | $2,400 | $3,000 | |
501-1,500 | $3,840 | $4,800 | |
More Than 1,500 | $5,040 | $6,300 | |
Interest Award (Level 1) | Less than 100 | $680 | $850 |
100-500 | $920 | $1,150 | |
501-1,500 | $1,400 | $1,750 | |
More Than 1,500 | $1,880 | $2,350 |
*Applicants outside of Tennessee must pay an additional $1,000 travel fee. Applicants will be invoiced for the Site Visit Fee following completion of the site visit.
Number of Employees (Full-Time Equivalent) | Workshop Fee (L1) / Application Fee (L2,3,4) Member | Workshop Fee (L1) / Application Fee (L2,3,4) Non-Member |
Less than 100 | $920/$1,600 | $1,150/$2,000 |
100-500 | $1,640/$3,040 | $2,050/$3,800 |
501-1,500 | $2,600/$4,960 | $3,250/$6,200 |
More Than 1,500 | $3,800/$7,360 | $4,750/$9,200 |
*This application fee table applies to Levels 2, 3, & 4.
Assessment Level | Number of Employees | Intent to Apply / Administration Fee | Application/Workshop Fee - Member / Non-Member | Site Visit/Workshop Fee* - Member / Non-Member | Total with 20% Member Discount | Total at Regular Rate |
Excellence Award (Level 4) | Less than 100 | $250 | $1,600/ $2,000 | $2,160/ $2,700 | $3,610 | $4,450 |
100-500 | $250 | $3,040/ $3,800 | $3,120/ $3,900 | $6,010 | $7,450 | |
501-1,500 | $250 | $4,960/ $6,200 | $5,040/ $6,300 | $9,850 | $12,250 | |
More Than 1,500 | $250 | $7,360/ $9,200 | $6,000/ $7,500 | $13,210 | $16,450 | |
Achievement Award (Level 3) | Less than 100 | $250 | $1,600/ $2,000 | $1,920 / $2,400 | $3,320 | $4,150 |
100-500 | $250 | $3,040/ $2,000 | $2,640/ $3,300 | $5,480 | $6,850 | |
501-1,500 | $250 | $4,960/ $6,200 | $4,080/ $5,100 | $8,840 | $11,050 | |
More Than 1,500 | $250 | $7,360/ $9,200 | $5,280/ $6,600 | $12,440 | $15,550 | |
Commitment Award (Level 2) | Less than 100 | $250 | $1,600/ $2,000 | $1,680/ $2,100 | $3,130 | $3,850 |
100-500 | $250 | $3,040/ $3,800 | $2,400/ $3,000 | $5,290 | $6,550 | |
501-1,500 | $250 | $4,960/ $6,200 | $3,840/ $4,800 | $8,650 | $10,750 | |
More Than 1,500 | $250 | $7,360/ $9,200 | $5,040/ $6,300 | $12,250 | $15,250 | |
Interest Award (Level 1) | Less than 100 | $250 | $920/ $1,150 | $680/ $850 | $1,850 | $2,250 |
100-500 | $250 | $1,640/ $2,050 | $920/ $1,150 | $2,810 | $3,450 | |
501-1,500 | $250 | $2,600/ $3,250 | $1,400/ $1,750 | $4,250 | $5,250 | |
More Than 1,500 | $250 | $3,800/ $4,750 | $1,880/ $2,350 | $5,930 | $7,350 |
Workforce size is based on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees working for the applicant. FTEs are defined as those who regularly work 37.5 or more hours a week and are entitled to benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, and insurance coverage. Each instance of job sharing, where multiple individuals fulfill the responsibilities of a single position that require 37.5 or more hours per week, is counted as one FTE.
Requirement | Commitment Award (Level 2) | Achievement Award (Level 3) | Excellence Award (Level 4) |
Intent to Apply/Eligibility Form | REQUIRED FOR ALL Submit by May 31 Intent to Apply due with $250 non-refundable fee | ||
Organization Profile | REQUIRED FOR ALL 5-page maximum The Organizational Profile is submitted along with the Application Form, Application Fee, and Criteria Response. (see below) | ||
Application Form & Fee | REQUIRED FOR ALL Submit by July 15 Applicants must use the Application Form via tncpe.org. | ||
CEO Signature | REQUIRED FOR ALL | ||
Criteria Response | 1. Organizational Profile 2. Basic Item Questions 15-page maximum One electronic copy saved in PDF format | 1. Organizational Profile 2. Overall Item Questions 35-page maximum One electronic copy saved in PDF format | 1. Organizational Profile 2. Multiple Item Requirements 50-page maximum One electronic copy saved in PDF format |
Site Visit* | One day, plus half-day workshop** | Two days | Three days |
Recognition Eligibility | Commitment or Interest | Achievement, Commitment, or Interest | Excellence, Achievement, Commitment, or Interest |
Applicant Responsibilities | Provide at least one TNCPE examiner***
| Provide 2 or more TNCPE examiners† (a balanced combination of new and experienced)
Participation in annual Conference |
* Applicants must pay a site visit fee to cover site visit costs. See table below for details.
** After receiving their Feedback Report, Level 2 applicants host a half-day workshop that will help them understand and prioritize the examiners’ feedback.
*** Examiners are provided for the next application cycle.