Quality Assurance Services
Data Quality Objectives
Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) have been widely applied to environmental problems, such as urban air monitoring and investigating contamination in soil or water. We support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others during the planning and application of the DQO process to data gathering operations. DQOs address a broad range of applications, such as exploratory research, environmental monitoring, and estimation problems. A full description of the DQO process is available on the EPA Web site.
Contact: Jim Flanagan
Quality Assurance Project Plans
We are well grounded in EPA quality assurance (QA) requirements. Our QA scientists develop and review Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), which are necessary for the creation and implementation of reliable environmental programs and models. We helped EPA prepare its general guidance documentation that describes the QAPP process. In addition, we originate and implement our own rigorous quality system based on the same criteria that inform the EPA Quality System. We develop QAPPs by following EPA/R-5 guidelines and by using the collaborative efforts of data users, QA staff, and data gatherers.
Contact: Cynthia Salmons, Constance Wall
Technical Systems Audits
We have more than 30 years of experience planning and conducting third-party technical assessments of environmental measurements for government and industry. We conduct technical systems audits, performance evaluations, surveillance, and readiness reviews in the laboratory and in the field. Examples of our experience in conducting assessments include emissions monitoring programs, environmental monitoring programs, environmental research programs, environmental reference standards, and analytical instrumentation, as well as helping EPA prepare its guidance for technical systems audits.
Contact: Jim Flanagan, Cynthia Salmons
Calibration Services
We offer calibration services for gaseous monitoring instruments and particulate samplers, including: calibrating ozone instruments; using gas dilution systems and compressed gas calibration standards; calibrating flow meters and temperature and pressure sensors in particulate samplers; and organizing the annual recertification of calibration standards for monitoring networks.
Contact: Jeff Nichol
Performance Evaluations
We conduct independent performance evaluations of overall measurement systems and individual instruments such as monitors for criteria pollutants, particulate matter samplers for PM2.5 and PM10 (temperature, pressure, flow rate), balances (general, analytical, microbalances), gas chromatographs, ion chromatographs, high-pressure liquid chromatographs, mass spectrometers, UV/VIS spectrophotometers, and temperature and dew point sensors. Our laboratories prepare or obtain evaluation samples and place them into the analysis queue during visits to client laboratories or through agreement with the client's project or quality assurance manager.
Contact: Cary Eaton, Jeff Nichol
Third-Party Data Reviews
Our staff have extensive experience conducting data reviews of different types of projects, including laboratory analysis, field studies, risk assessment, environmental modeling, and geospatial data analysis. Our experts can tailor this service to meet specific project needs. We can perform data reviews concurrently with a program's ongoing data validation and verification operations or in conjunction with a technical systems audit.
Contact: Cynthia Salmons, Jim Flanagan
Data Quality Assessments
We perform data quality assessments (DQAs) in accordance with EPA guidance (EPA QA/G-9), which RTI helped to develop. We have the expertise needed to apply the process to a broad range of different environmental problems and data sets.
Contact: Jim Flanagan
Quality Assurance Training and Workshops
Our quality experts design and conduct training workshops on a variety of environmental measurements and quality assurance (QA) topics. Our scientists have prepared and presented training on the following subjects: systematic planning of environmental data operations using DQOs; site selection and assessment for ambient air monitoring, sampling protocols, sampler operation, maintenance, and QA; development of QAPPs for environmental data operations, environmental modeling, and geospatial data projects; hands-on workshops on the latest instruments for air measurements; data validation training for those who ensure the quality of data sets; and data quality assessments to help project managers, scientists, and engineers evaluate their results.
Contact: Jeff Nichol
Guidance and Technical Assistance Documents
We have over 30 years of experience in preparing detailed QA guidance and technical assistance documents for both government and private-sector organizations. We produce accurate, clear, and attractive documents in traditional hard-copy or online formats. We prepare documents that comply with the federal government's plain language initiative and that make technically complex subjects understandable for broad audiences.
Contact: Cary Eaton, Constance Wall
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