Innovations+in+Government+Award

=** Innovations **** in American Government Award, **= =** sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard ** University's John F. Kennedy School of Government = Subj: Thanks! Date: 97-10-08 12:25:07 EDT From: jcarlsto@bangate.fda.gov Reply-to: jcarlsto@bangate.fda.gov To: cwaaleco@aol.com

Aleco --

I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you and your team for all the work you have done with FDA over the years which contributed to FDA/CDER winning the award noted below. The process expertise, stamina, and intellectual horsepower that CWA brings has helped in ways that we have only begun to fully appreciate. Please join us in celebrating as part of our winning team. Please forward this to all of your team.

From the heart and soul of FDA, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Julie

Folks throughout CDER --

It is with much excitement and pride that I announce this morning that FDA has been selected as one of the ten winners in the highly prestigious Innovations in American Government Award, sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. This honor is especially exciting for CDER as this award is for innovations in the new drug review process: the PDUFA program, including different performance goals for prioritized applications, and the Subpart H programs for serious and life-threatening illnesses. We were first selected from over 1500 applications from around the nation. This award is of such significance that Secretary Shalala made special arrangements to accept the award on behalf of FDA this morning.

The announcement of our selection came this morning following a day in which all 25 finalists presented their programs to the selection committee. Our program was presented by Mike Friedman and Janet Woodcock. The selection committee was chaired by David Gergen, former Counselor to Presidents Clinton, Reagan, Ford, and Nixon and former editor of U.S. News. In addition to Mr. Gergen, the selection committee consisted of William Clinger, former US Representative from Pennsylvania; former US Representative Thomas Downey of NY; Mrgaret Gordon, Dean of the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington; Richard Hatcher, former Mayor of Gary, Indiana; Antionia Hernandez, President of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Lynn Martin, former Secretary of Labor; Donald McHenry, former US Ambassador to the United Nations; Luis Nogales, former president of UNIVISION; Dorothy Ridings, President and CEO of the Council on Foundations; Barbara Roberts, fomer governor of Oregon; Jack Rosenthan, Editor of the New York Times Magazine; Max Sherman, Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas; and Vin Weber, former US Representative from Minnesota.

Considered to be among the nation's most prestigious public-service prizes, (analagous to the Baldridge Awards for private industry) Innovations in American Government Awards recognize governmental initiatives that provide creative solutions to pressing social and economic problems. The winners of this award are chosen because they exemplify new models of government working effectively to produce results for the American people.

I really wish all of you could have been at the presentations yesterday. The remarkable innovations and impact all the 25 finalist programs are making on lives throughout the country was just so impressive. As we are all so aware of the cynacism about and bashing of government that seems to be a daily part of our lives, it was so refreshing and invigorating to be able to hear about and talk with these other people who have chosen a career in government service and who are using their careers to better our society so remarkably. To be one of the winners from this group is even more exciting, because the competition was extremely keen!!

Over the Innovations program's 10 year history, the Ford Foundation has awarded $12 million to 180 governmental initiatives. Each winner receives a $100,000 grant that is intended to be used to recognize, document, and help disseminate to other jurisdictions information about these creative approaches to government. The program has focused on innovations in federal, state, and local governments. More than 85% of the award winning programs have been replicated or have influenced legislation that, in turn, has spurred similar programs in other areas of government.

All of you should be so very proud of this award and the very special impact it represents: your role in bringing new safe and effective drugs to the American people as quickly as possible. Without all of you, it simply would not have happened.

For more information about this award, please see our WWW homepage and also take a minute and listen to the new Desktop Talks message from Janet on CDERnet.

Congratulations to all of CDER for this extraordinary accomplishment!!

Mac