Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington, DC                    April 28, 2000
(Phone:  202/358-1600)

RELEASE:  00-68

NASA PRESENTS HIGHEST HONORS FOR QUALITY

     Commitment to innovative management, quality and customer 
service has earned four U.S. companies the George M. Low Award, 
NASA's highest honor for quality and technical performance.

     NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin presented the 2000 Low 
Award, the nation's oldest award for organizational quality, 
yesterday at the 15th Annual NASA Continual Improvement and 
Reinvention Conference on Quality Management in Alexandria, VA.

     "Each of these companies personifies the importance of 
continuous, quality, customer service and innovative management.  
Their commitment to quality and performance has been a great asset 
to NASA and the nation's industries," said Goldin.

      Advanced Technologies Incorporated, Newport News, VA, 
received the award for small-business product, and Jackson & Tull, 
Aerospace Engineering Division, Seabrook, MD, received the Low 
award for small-business service.  Computer Sciences Corporation, 
NASA Programs Division, Lanham-Seabrook, MD, was this year's 
winner in the large-business service category, and the Boeing 
Company, Delta II Launch Division, Huntington Beach, CA, took the 
award for large-business product.

     Goldin also presented the prestigious 1999 QASAR (Quality and 
Safety Achievement Recognition) Award to four individuals for 
their significant improvements to products or services for NASA.  
The award recognizes -- in addition to NASA employees -- personnel 
from other Government agencies, prime contractors and 
subcontractors for significant, quality improvement to products, 
programs, processes and management activities.  

     David B. King, Chief, Safety, Health, and Medical Service 
Office, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, received the 
QASAR award for most significant safety or mission assurance (SMA) 
contribution within the SMA organization. Greg S. Breznik, 
Electrical Systems Division, NASA Kennedy Space Center, FL, 
received the award for most significant safety or quality 
improvement, service improvement, or initiative from a NASA 
employee external to the SMA organization.  Steven Cronk, Chief, 
Air Force Flight Test Center Range Safety Office, NASA Dryden 
Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, took the award in the 
government but non-NASA category, and Christopher S. Strong, 
AverStar, Inc., Burlington, MA, received the honor for a NASA 
prime or subcontractor employee.

     More information on the awards can be found on the Internet 
at: 

       http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codeq/award.htm

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