Presented annually, the Malcolm Baldrige Award is named in honor of the 26th Secretary of Commerce.

The Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) in Picatinny, New Jersey, became the first Department of Defense organization in history selected to receive the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

President George W. Bush and Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez announced ARDEC's selection in the nonprofit category on November 20.

"I am pleased to join President Bush in congratulating the five outstanding organizations that have been named to receive this year's Baldrige Award," Gutierrez said. "The organizations we recognize today have given us superb examples of innovation, excellence and world-class performance. They serve as role models for organizations of all kinds striving to improve effectiveness and increase value to their customers."

Named after the 26th Secretary of Commerce, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was established by Congress in 1987 to enhance the competitiveness and performance of U.S. businesses. Leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management and business results are among the criteria for the award. The program was expanded in 1998 to include education and health care organizations. Starting in 2007, the award was presented to six types of organizations: manufacturers, service companies, small businesses and education, health care and nonprofit organizations.

"We are absolutely thrilled by our selection as a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient," ARDEC Director Dr. Joseph Lannon said. "Each member of our workforce is responsible for bringing this honor to our organization.

"The men and women of ARDEC earned this award as a direct result of what they are doing for our warfighters," he said. "I couldn't be prouder of each and every ARDEC employee."

ARDEC officials will accept the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in early 2008.