Excellence, Inc. is based on the Centers of Excellence (COE) program and was created, as a not-for-profit organization, to further COE’s efforts in supporting private sector- driven economic growth. The concept was derived from two years of experience working closely with government and private institutions in Jordan, and was further developed into a comprehensive system for working with government agencies to encourage them to aspire to excellence in leadership, management, and operations. Launched in 2002, the COE initiative developed a clientele of eight government and quasi-government institutions, assessed them, and gained their active participation in the implementation of the excellence methodology.

The COE program was created by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its highly successful economic opportunities project, AMIR Program. Excellence, Inc. was created to sustain the initiative beyond the AMIR Program and to broaden its target market to include private firms, business associations, and other institutions inside and beyond the borders of Jordan.

In addition, Excellence, Inc. provides technical assistance for the King Abdullah Award for Government Performance and Transparency (KAAGPT). The Award supports the public sector reform program focused on providing better service for the public.