Seventy Apply for 2009 Baldrige Award

Seventy organizations have taken the first step toward the 2009 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest recognition for innovation and performance excellence. Applicants include two manufacturers, four service companies, five small businesses, nine educational organizations, 42 health care organizations and eight nonprofits/governmental organizations.

The 70 applicants will be evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. Examiners provide each applicant with 300 to 1,000 hours of review and a detailed report on the organization’s strengths and opportunities for improvement.

The 2009 Baldrige Award recipients are expected to be announced in late November.

Advanced Technologies & Oceanic Procedures (ATOP)

Advanced Technologies & Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) replaces the current oceanic air traffic control systems

• Fully integrates flight and radar data processing
• Detects conflicts between aircraft
• Provides satellite data link communication and surveillance capabilities
• Removes the need for paper flight strips
• Automates the manual processes used today

ATOP provides a fully modernized oceanic air traffic control automation system that allows our customers to take further advantage of investments made in cockpit digital communications.

With ATOP, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) significantly reduces the intensive manual processes that today limit the ability of controllers to safely handle airline requests for more efficient tracks or altitudes over long oceanic routes. It allows the FAA to meet international commitments of reducing aircraft separation standards thereby dramatically increasing capacity and efficiency for our customers.