The Louisiana Performance Excellence Award (LPEA).
Louisiana Performance Excellence Recipients demonstrate their achievement of award criteria benchmarks that align with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria, an internationally recognized standard for performance excellence initiated in 1987. Awards are presented to all organizations that meet or exceed minimum achievement standards as established by judges. There are three (3) levels of participation, which are designed to support continuous improvement of applicant performance management systems, approaches and results. The level of applicant recognition is based on the applicant's demonstration of the criteria application at the selected award level. Award levels include I - Commitment to Performance Excellence, II - Achievement in Performance Excellence, and III - Louisiana Performance Excellence Award. Applicants submit a written application that is reviewed by a panel of LPEA examiners and judges. Level III applicants also receive an examiner site visit and are eligible to receive the Louisiana Performance Excellence Award.

Eligibility
Any legal organization domiciled in Louisiana is eligible to apply, organizations with facilities outside of Louisiana may apply if they have physical facilities within Louisiana.

Criteria
Louisiana's Performance Excellence Award criteria is the same as the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for business, education, and health care. First, review the information in the application booklet to decide at which level your organization should apply. Click on the link above for the criteria relevant to your organization.