The evaluation model for the FLATE project is based on the modified National Malcom Baldrige Ouality Award Program for Education. This will be a unique application of the program criteria as it will be used to assist in the development of the program rather than the traditional approach as a final program evaluation.

The objective is to create a sustainable program that will continue after the National Science Foundation funding cycle is completed. The approach helps create an organizational structure, program and delivery system that is successful and parallels the quality systems of FLATE's industrial partners.

The initial meeting is focused on the organizational profile of FLATE and the development of staff understanding of the evaluation model and how each fits in the the on-going evaluation process.

The Organizational Profile can be developed from a Rapid Self-Assessment Exercise. The Organizational Profile is a snapshot of an organization, the key influences on how it operates, and the key challenges it faces. The first section, Organizational Description, addresses the organizational educational environment and key relationships with students, stakeholders, suppliers, and other partners. The second section, Organizational Challenges, calls for a description of the organization's competitive environment, its key strategic challenges, and its system for performance improvement. In the process, topics identified for which conflicting, little, or no information is available can be used for action planning with no further assessment.

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