The Ministry of Trade and Industry, in conjunction with the Malawi Bureau of Standards, is pleased to call for applications for  a National Annual Quality Awards Competition, whose aim is to recognize and appreciate organizations and individuals who are contributing to quality advancement in all sectors in Malawi.

 

Objectives of the national quality awards

 

  • To recognize organizations that excel in continuous quality improvement;

 

  • To motivate organizations to adhere to proper quality business norms;

 

  • To encourage organizations to comply with local, regional and international quality standards;

 

  • To encourage application by organizations of quality assurance, quality control and quality management practices;

 

  • To enhance understanding of quality principles, business methods and national, regional and international standards that promote competitiveness; and

 

  • To recognize individuals that excel in their contributions to the Standardization, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) quality drive.

 

Benefit of participating in the national quality awards

 

Winning a National Quality Award can mean national recognition, media exposure, qualification to compete in the SADC Annual Regional Awards and enormous boost of pride for an entire organization.

 

Winners of the national quality awards will automatically qualify to enter the SADC Annual Regional Quality Awards.

 

Categories of the award

 

The National Annual Quality Awards Scheme has the following five categories of awards.

 

Category 1: Company of the Year – Two awards will be granted, one each to a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and a Large Enterprise (LE). This will be awarded to a company or organization that has pro-actively and effectively implemented quality principles.

 

Category 2: Product of the year – Two awards will be granted, one each to a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and a Large Enterprise (LE). This will be awarded to a product that best reflects a commitment to quality.

 

Category 3: Service of the year – Two awards will be granted, one each to a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and a Large Enterprise (LE). This will be awarded to a locally-delivered service that best reflects a commitment to local production and quality.

 

Category 4: Exporter of the year – Two awards will be granted, one each to a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and a Large Enterprise (LE). This will be awarded to a company or organization that has made significant progress in commencing or expanding exports to new or wider markets by introducing quality in their company.

 

Category 5: Individual award for quality – This award will be given to an individual who has made significant input into national Standards, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology efforts.

 

Process for the national annual quality awards 

 

  • The National Awards submission of entries process starts from the date of this Press Release and will close on Friday, 18th November 2022.

 

  • There shall be an adjudication by end of December 2022.

 

  • There shall be a panel of persons appointed as into a Judges Committee.

 

  • A panel of appointed persons into the judges committee shall determine three entries in each category as winners of the respective category in positions one, two and three.

 

  • The national awards shall be granted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry at a ceremony to be held at a date and time to be announced.

 

  • The entry of the winners in position one to three in each category shall be forwarded to participate in the SADC Annual Quality Awards Competition.

 

Call for applications

 

Interested companies, organizations and/or individuals can obtain Guidelines for the National Quality Awards entries and application forms by contacting the MBS using the details below:

 

Mrs E Kunje

Tel: 0888 894 418

E-mail: elizabethkunje@mbsmw.org

 

Terms and conditions of entry

 

  1. The closing date for entries is Friday, 18th November 2022 at 16h30.

 

  1. Entries submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

 

  1. Companies/organizations may enter as many categories as they wish.

 

  1. Only entries sent to the addresses stipulated in this form will be accepted for consideration.

 

  1. All entries become and remain the property of the competition organizers, and will not be returned to the entrant.

 

  1. Entrants should not disclose any confidential or price-sensitive information, as the confidentiality of such information cannot be guaranteed.

 

  1. The decision of the adjudicating panel is final. The National Quality Awards Steering Committee through its appointed judges reserves the right to determine the winners at its sole discretion, and is not obliged to divulge entrants’ scores or any other judging information.

 

Director General

Malawi Bureau of Standards

P O Box 946

Blantyre