Fort Worth, Texas, April 5th, 1999 -- Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation, has nominated Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems in Fort Worth, Texas, to receive the Computerworld Smithsonian Award for its Quality Assurance Document System (QADS).

QADS is an automated software program used for documenting non-conforming parts for the F-16, F-22 and F-2 tactical aircraft. It replaces a manual, paper-based process with an instantaneous electronic notification to a large number of users, thereby significantly reducing cycle time. QADS eliminates a five-ply paper form, uses fewer personnel for administration and greatly improves data accuracy.

As a result of this prestigious award nomination, a case study of the QADS project will become part of the Smithsonian Institution Permanent Research Collection on Information, Technology and Society in Washington, D.C. Each nomination is studied by an award committee comprised of executives from various information technology companies. QADS was nominated in the manufacturing category, one of 10 categories for the award. Five nominees from each category will be selected as award finalists in June.

For nominees, a presentation ceremony will be held on April 12 at the Smithsonian Castle, where the QADS case study will be formally presented to the Smithsonian Institution.

Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant produces the F-16 for the U.S. Air Force and a number of foreign countries and is leading Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter team. The company also produces the F-22's mid-fuselage section, is responsible for various subsystems of the air dominance fighter and is participating in the production of Japan's F-2 fighter, which incorporates extensive use of advanced materials technologies.

For additional information on the Computerworld Smithsonian Award, visit the following web site: http://innovate.si.edu