Policy for the Reimbursement of Costs for Quality Assurance of Water-Quality Analytical Laboratories
In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 412
February 3, 2000
OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 2000.02
Subject: Policy for the Reimbursement of Costs for Quality
Assurance of Water-Quality Analytical Laboratories
Purpose of Memorandum
This memorandum provides a description of the process that will be used by
the Branch of Quality Systems (BQS) beginning in fiscal year 2001 to
recover costs directly related to the quality assurance/quality control
(QA/QC) of water-quality analytical laboratories used by the Water
Resources Division (WRD).
Background
All water-quality analytical laboratories that are used by WRD to provide
analytical data to a public accessible data base, published in
Open-File-Data Reports, or made available to the public without a method
description, must be evaluated and certified by BQS. This policy was
established in the Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 98.03 to
ensure that WRD data are of known and documented quality. This
certification must be done before the laboratory can analyze environmental
samples for WRD. Re-certification of laboratories in the program will be
done every three years. Regional Hydrologists are responsible for
enforcing this policy.
The laboratory evaluation and certification process covers the production
(non-research) activities of:
· The National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL), Denver, Colorado
· Laboratories under contract to the NWQL
· Laboratories under contract or Cooperative Agreement with Districts
· District laboratories including the Quality of Water Services
Unit (QWSU), Ocala, Florida
· National Research Program (NRP) laboratories
Laboratory activities not covered by this process include:
· Development of analytical techniques
· Analysis for research purposes
· Analysis for screening or reconnaissance purposes
Costs for Quality Assurance of Water-Quality Laboratories
There are two sources of funds to cover costs for the QA/QC of
water-quality analytical laboratories: (1) Division Technical Support
funds and (2) program funds. Division Technical Support funds will be used
for Division Good activities. Division Goods are defined in Shapiro and
others, 1999, as activities or products that benefit many customers and
offices simultaneously without detracting or diminishing from the benefits
received by any one customer and office. Division Good activities or
products for QA of water-quality laboratories are the general planning of
the QA process, management oversight, associated data base and WEB page
activities, and similar actions needed to report results of these
activities to the Division.
Program funds (primarily from Districts) will be used to reimburse the BQS
for all District Good activities. Shapiro and others, 1999, define
District Goods as those activities or products that benefit primarily the
District that purchases or pays for the activity or products. District
Good activities for QA/QC of water-quality laboratories are activities
needed to acquire written documentation required to review and evaluate
specific laboratory QA plans, analytical methods, historical and current
performance-evaluation data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
standard reference sample intercomparison, other non-USGS performance
testing, and any other pertinent QC data. Costs reimbursable to BQS
include salaries, travel (if necessary), and other expenses directly
related to laboratory reviews such as obtaining QC data, purchase of
standards, and participation in the Standard Reference Sample program.
Procedure
Districts will request laboratory certification by notifying BQS when use
of a new laboratory or method is planned. The BQS will develop a schedule
for evaluating and certifying the laboratory in conjunction with the
District and provide an estimate of the costs that will be charged to the
District.
Re-certification of laboratories already in the program will be scheduled
by BQS every three years. BQS will notify affected Districts in the
summer for the following fiscal year.
The evaluation will include a laboratory review and submission of a
proficiency sample for the methods used. General costs for a paper review
range from $800 to $1,500. Depending on the size and complexity of the
review, an on-site review also may be needed and would cost an additional
$1,000 to $5,000. The proficiency sample costs will range from $50 to
about $750. Proficiency samples for organic compounds will normally cost
more than $350. Districts will reimburse the BQS for the cost of the
review and proficiency sample upon receipt of the memorandum from BQS that
identifies the status of the laboratory (see OWQ Technical Memorandum
98.03). BQS will generate a standard voucher to the District for payment
of costs.
The BQS recognizes the need to do these reviews as economically as
possible and will respond to requests quickly to avoid delays in
approvals. The acquisition, submission, and laboratory analysis of the
proficiency sample frequently takes several weeks. District cooperation in
helping to ensure that USGS data are of known and documented quality is
appreciated.
References
Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 98.03 (Revised): Policy for
the Evaluation and Approval of Production Analytical Laboratories, April
16, 1998
Shapiro, C. D., Gebert, W. A., Goddard, K. E., Pederson, G. L., Pratt, L.
K., Yurewicz, M. C., 1999, The National Water Quality Laboratory—An
analysis of funding: U.S. Geological Survey, Admin. Report, p.23-24.
Janice R. Ward /s/
Acting Chief, Office of Water Quality
This memorandum refers to OWQ Technical Memorandum 98.03.
Distribution: All WRD Employees