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The National Housing Quality (NHQ) Awards give the highest recognition in the housing industry for quality achievement. Unlike many award programs, though, the greatest benefit of the NHQ Awards may not be the recognition — it is the application process.
Patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the 14th annual NHQ Awards are sponsored by the NAHB Research Center and Professional Builder magazine. Entries are judged by panels of experts who evaluate the role that customer-focused quality plays in construction, business management, sales, design, and warranty service.
Winners of the National Housing Quality Awards are featured in Professional Builder. All applicants receive a valuable feedback report containing suggestions for improvement from the judging panel.
The NHQ Awards program has two divisions:
The NHQ Home Builder Awards are open to all U.S. companies that build residential homes for sale using light construction methods.
The NHQ Trade Contractor Awards are open to all U.S. independent contractors that provide construction services to home builders or remodeling companies.
Winners are recognized in three categories:
Gold – Awarded to companies that have attained a national benchmark level within each area of evaluation. Gold award-winners have mature quality management principles that are fully integrated, and consistently demonstrate high-level and sustained financial results.
Silver – Awarded to companies that are industry leaders in most evaluation areas. Silver award-winners have many refined business practices, including key measures for continual improvement, and exhibit good financial results.
Honorable Mention – Recognizes companies that demonstrate an understanding of quality management principles and show a sound fact-based improvement process. Key measures are in place and good financial results are achieved in most areas.
NHQ Awards JudgingA panel of judges evaluates the applications and selects finalists that demonstrate high levels of quality achievement.
Finalists will meet NHQ Awards examiners for an on-site review.
Additional information requested during the judging process may include lists of customers for a satisfaction survey to be performed by the NAHB Research Center, company references and other information related to the judging criteria.
Companies may enter a division or the company as a whole. Multiple winners in each category may be selected. Previous Gold Award winners are eligible to apply in the third year after they have won.
Company Profile: Provide a brief history of your company, types of products and services offered, market and geographic areas served, competitive situation, new business directions, and other relevant information. If submitting a division of a larger corporation, describe the operating relationship to the parent company.
Judging Criteria- Leadership. How do senior leaders guide the organization toward a common purpose with shared values and priorities?
- Strategic Planning Process. How do you create and carry out a strategic plan to achieve a future vision, enhance competitive position and improve overall performance?
- Performance Management. How are business processes developed, managed and improved to achieve performance excellence?
- Customer Satisfaction. How do you manage the design and delivery of products and services that lead to high levels of customer satisfaction?
- Human Resources. How do human resource practices contribute to the growth of the organization by looking at employee selection and development, as well as staff performance management, well being, motivation, satisfaction and compensation?
- Construction Quality. The purpose of this section is to check the key drivers of quality in the home construction process and how you ensure high-performing, trouble-free products and services.
- Trade Relationship. How do you create high-performance relationships with independent contractors you hire?
- Business Results. High performance business practices are effective only if they result in business benefits as defined by tangible financial, operational, customer satisfaction and product/service quality measures.
- Request a Free Application Kit
Free NHQ Awards Application Kits are available from the NAHB Research Center by email to rknab@nahbrc.org or by phone at (301) 430-6225. The kit contains application forms and helpful reference materials.
Application Feesand DeadlinesDeadline:
Applications for the 2007 NHQ Awards must be received by March 31, 2006.
Fees:
$925 for businesses completing 100 or fewer homes annually
$1,225 for businesses completing more than 100 homes annually
$600 for each additional site visit, if required
Send to:
NAHB Research Center
400 Prince George's Blvd.
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-8731
Phone: (301) 430-6225
Fax: (301) 430-6180
Email: rknab@nahbrc.org
www.nahbrc.orgThe 2007 National Housing Quality Awards will be presented at the Professional Builder Benchmark Conference September 26 – 29, 2006 at the Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas.
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