Contents

2. Planning

Effective Date: 08/06
Point of Contact: Quality Engineer for Regulatory Programs

The client is responsible for communicating the data quality requirements associated with a particular scope of work.

This communication will allow the laboratory to understand and successfully meet the client data quality requirements and comply with applicable regulations.

This section discusses the necessary items to be agreed upon between the client and the laboratory before work begins.

The project manager discusses with identified project staff the scope of work stated by the client.

Based on these discussions, the project manager and the client reach agreement on the following:

• the required precision, accuracy, and sensitivity (e.g., IDL, MDL, MDC) for each analyte and analytical method
• the necessity of applying regulatory holding times before sample collection. Note: The project manager and client negotiate scheduled delivery, and the client is notified of the need for prompt delivery of samples to accommodate short holding times (e.g., the project manager may negotiate that if the client is requesting a 48-hour hold time, the sample must be received at the laboratory within 12 hours from sample collection)
• the necessity for the laboratory to provide notice within 24 hours of samples received
• specifications for storage, disposal and/or return of excess sample, sample extracts, and laboratory wastes generated during sample preparation and analysis
• the necessity for delivery of a data package that may be validated (if so, then relevant information such as who will validate the data, what data will be validated, who will write the validation procedure, and how the data will be sent to the validator may be needed)
• the requirements of this plan are applied to all analytical work except as modified by client- or project-specific DQOs/DQRs. In this case, clear written instructions must be received from the client and project concurrence must be obtained before submission of samples.
• the need for unique chain of custody requirements above and beyond those stated in this plan and the required forms. See the recommended Chain of Custody Form
• data turnaround times including the type of information, level of approval, data reporting format and means of delivery
• the necessity for using regulatory methods. Note: Where a site activity requires using a specific regulatory method (e.g., permits, NPDES), and the regulatory method is in conflict with this plan, the calibration and QC requirements in the regulatory method take precedence.
• if a regulatory-based method is not applicable to the sample matrix, a method based on proven technology and agreed upon between the project and the client before the start of work is used.
• in the absence of an existing method, the necessity of developing a Test Plan or adapting a regulatory method.

These agreements are documented in the Project Management Plan (PMP) or other project documentation and communicated to all project staff (an example method for communicating to staff is the Analytical Service Request form).

The Project Planning Checklist shall be used to document management decisions and actions associated with the implementation of this plan.