PROGRAMS AND PLANS--Sources of Funding for the National Water Quality Laboratory

 In Reply Refer To:                              August 27, 1993
 Mail Stop 412


 OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM No. 93.13

 Subject:  PROGRAMS AND PLANS--Sources of Funding for the 
           National Water Quality Laboratory

 The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the Water     
 Resources Division (WRD) policy on sources of funding accepted 
 by the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL).  The NWQL 
 will accept money only from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
 sources, primarily the Districts and the National Research 
 Program.  The NWQL provides analytical services to the WRD, and 
 mechanisms are in place to facilitate receiving funds from USGS 
 cost centers.  Outside groups can use the NWQL by working with
 and transferring funds to USGS cost centers.

 The NWQL has recently received several requests from other 
 Federal agencies, States, and even private groups to accept 
 money directly from them for analytical work.  The NWQL will  
 not directly accept money from any group outside the USGS 
 because:

   1.  The NWQL could be put in direct competition with 
       private labs, and

   2.  A precedent would be set for other groups to directly 
       obtain NWQL analytical results, bypassing District 
       involvement.

 If District involvement is bypassed, samples may not be 
 collected and prepared to WRD standards.  Proper sample 
 collection and preparation are part of the overall WRD quality 
 assurance plan for producing analytical data.  In addition, 
 NWQL analytical results are most efficiently provided by 
 electronically transferring data to USGS cost centers.

 Therefore, the NWQL will only accept funds directly from USGS
 cost centers.  Other groups wanting analytical services must
 set up an agreement with a District or other USGS sponsor.
 The sponsoring USGS cost center is then responsible for
 ensuring that (1) samples are appropriately collected and 
 prepared, and (2) all funds are collected to cover costs 
 associated with the analytical request, including any USGS 
 assistance provided to the other agency, and any interpretation 
 of the analytical data.




                                David A. Rickert
                                Chief, Office of Water Quality

 This memorandum does not supersede any previous Office of 
 Water Quality Technical Memorandum.

 Key Words:  National Water Quality Laboratory, Funding

 Distribution:  A, B, S, FO, PO