%%EOF Samples collected in some media might be representative of contamination over very small areas, while samples from other media might be representative of contamination over broad ranges. Provides a high level of assurance that validation was done correctly, Increased cost and length of investigations, Performed on a regular or as needed basis, Apply to all programs in the Region Requires one single blind PE Sample per batch of 19 or fewer samples, per analytical parameter, matrix, and concentration level PE samples are linked to the tiered data validation system Potential cost savings if failed PE samples result in reduced payment or non-payment to laboratory, Limited range of PE samples available (in terms of matrices, analytes, and concentrations), Provides data quality information on each sample batch Provides lab performance data, Only contains lab performance data for labs that have analyzed Region 1 samples, Laboratory Prequalification for Analytical Services, Method for evaluating contracted and/or subcontracted lab qualifications and ensuring technical capability before obtaining analytical services, Provides for assessment of lab capabilities for specific programs, projects, and/or methods, Cost savings from reduced payments for poor data Means for rejecting unusable data, Performance Evaluation (PE) Samples - Region requires use of PEs for air and water, whenever available, Provide assurance that lab analysis is acceptable, On-site Technical Lab Audit for Air and Water, SOP for Laboratory Technical System Audit, Ensures conformance with lab portion of QAPP, Audits are expensive (both time and money, Ensures labs can adequately perform analysis, Time and resources needed to arrange for, obtain, ship, and interpret PEs, Method for evaluating lab qualifications and ensuring technical capability before obtaining analytical services, Provide for assessment of lab capabilities for specific programs, projects, and/or methods, Ensures prompt resolution of problems as they are encountered Enhances communication between Region, CLASS contractor, and labs Ensures regional TPO is aware of lab performance issues, Primarily used for CLP (i.e., for split samples, Review Laboratory Quality Management Plans, certification status, and method detection limit studies to assess lab capabilities in meeting needs of project/program, Limited to "paper" audit due to limited resources, Onsite performed by Contract Laboratory Program to ensure lab capabilities, Limited resources prevent on-site visits to non-CLP laboratories, Communication of Laboratory Problems - For BRAC sites, Region requests that the Federal Facility communicate lab problems during the process, not after the fact, Alerts EPA of lab problems earlier Can involve EPA in determining corrective actions and, therefore, reduce the need for re-sampling, Federal Facility does not always cooperate, In standard use since 1996 for problem sites only, The subject document was published by the Chemical Data Quality/Cost Reduction Process Action Team in March 1997; hundreds of copies have been distributed at National Federal Facilities Conferences. A method to analyze the results of all your groups. Provides assurance validation was done correctly, Reduced data validation costs Validation level selected based on data quality objectives (need), Use of CADRE reduces redundancy and cost Easier upload to CARDE Electronically can/send data summary forms with appropriate qualifiers to RPMs for easy upload to project file, Only applicable to volatile and semivolatile organic CLP data Dependent on accuracy of electronic data from laboratory CADRE does not incorporate all regional modifications; manual data validation must also be performed Not applicable to non-CLP data or data in non- Agency standard format, Shorter TAT for data validation Reduced costs for data validation, Region 4 Office of Quality Assurance Standard Operating Procedures for Contract Laboratory Program Routine Analytical Services. In some cases, you may end up using a portion of the sampling data when characterizing exposures (e.g., you might exclude onsite data with a secure perimeter when examining community members exposures to contaminated surface soils). Purpose of the meeting is to define project objectives and potential quality assurance problems. Sampling concepts in a single audit Evaluating results of testing Single audit reporting requirements under Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR 200 (UG or Uniform Guidance) Single audit quality and best practices Resources to facilitate a single audit 6 While approaches will vary from one site to another, this section explains the basic steps you should follow for evaluating whether sampling data can be used for evaluating exposures in the PHA process. The number of questions you can address depends largely on the time and resources available. When available, QAPPs outline specific quality acceptance criteria that relate to measures such as precision, accuracy, sensitivity, completeness, comparability, and representativeness of data. Tracking of media mentions (by yourself or through a service). Keep in mind that environmental contamination will vary both with location (spatially) and time (temporally). The health assessor must determine whether the data collected for differing objectives are sufficient to evaluate a sites exposure pathways and exposure units. Health assessors should review data quality narratives and other documentation, because this is where you can learn about missing samples, abnormal results, instances where field teams deviated from standard operating procedures, and instances where field or laboratory staff applied non-standard methodologies. Focus group firms often rent their facilities for this purpose. As early as possible, decide when you will start work on collecting feedback. Sampling will characterize contaminant concentrations at specific locations and times, and generally not for every location and time in an exposure unit. U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). %PDF-1.6 % In Producer's risk (Alpha), enter 0.05. In all other cases, health assessors should be able to discern objectives from the sampling reports and plans or through conversations with the sampling programs principal investigators. The following are important data quality assessment steps: EPAs ExpoBox identifies many of the agencys commonly used environmental sampling and analytical methods. . Focus groups with less literate community members. For instance, a laboratory might have used a cleaning solvent containing a volatile organic compound that was being tested for, and this practice could contaminate all measurement results. Many report sponsors contract with consultants to conduct the analysis and report their findings. deciding to evaluate all timber sales in a given watershed would be targeted sampling. A detailed description of the study plan, Lagrangian-style sampling approach, selected analytes, sampling methods and protocols are provided . Statistical sampling offers a cost-effective, practical alternative to complete-coverage mapping for the objective of estimating gross change in land cover over large areas. 3.2 Acceptance Sampling and Testing - Sampling and testing performed by the agency, or its designated agent, to evaluate acceptability of the final product. When necessary, EPA also re-reviews or performs oversight data validation on raw data packages originally validated by other government agencies or their contractors. This could involve splitting samples, having an outside laboratory run concurrent analyses, and comparing results. What will you consider a successful result? Summary Table of Contents. In some focus groups, participants complete a brief survey at the beginning to capture their demographic characteristics or other information. This may include a qualitative data analysis software program. The group argues that the filtering step removed metals that are contaminants of concern for private wells. A health assessor who encounters a unique situation (e.g., only has soil samples collected at 12 inches or greater) should contact the ADS group for guidance. An interview protocol with primarily or exclusively open-ended questions. Has anyone (e.g., EPA, state agencies) investigated the site? Staff who have skills in qualitative data analysis. Simple random sampling is the most basic What would count as success in reaching your audience? Title: Sampling and Analysis Plan - Guidance and Template v.4 - General Projects - 04/2014 Subject: This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) guidance and template is intended to assist organizations in documenting the procedural and analytical requirements for one-time, or time-limited, projects involving the collection of water, soil, sediment, or other samples taken to characterize areas of . Access to a pool of people from whom you can recruit focus group participants who fit your criteria (often provided by a private vendor that specializes in commercial and/or academic focus group research). If you are evaluating your results, you may also need to start early if you hope to collect data on the situation before your report is issued. PDF document, endstream endobj 211 0 obj <> endobj 212 0 obj <> endobj 213 0 obj <>stream Health assessors need to understand those objectives before using sampling data. Some of your primary data will be qualitative in nature; some will be quantitative. Given these and other potential problems, you should never assume that all sampling data are accurate. You might find that clarifying your criteria leads to useful, if sometimes thorny, discussions about exactly what you are trying to achieve, for whom, in your initiative. A facility to hold the focus group session(s) that is convenient, neutral, and attractive without being too plush. This step is important for health assessors to follow whenever reviewing sampling data. However, these basic steps will apply to most situations: Health assessors should form a conceptual modelfor the sites they evaluate. For some media, environmental contamination levels are known to vary seasonally or even daily and these variations are important to consider when assessing representativeness. In both cases, this understanding would inform your assessment of whether sampling at a given site is representative of the exposures that might occur. In general, the results from an unspecified technique can be presented and discussed, but you should acknowledge that the data are of unknown quality. A statistical sampling plan follows the laws of probability, allowing you to make valid inferences about a population from the statistics of the samples taken from it. Assessing the representativeness of data is subjective, drawing from your professional judgment and technical understanding of a sites conceptual model, exposure pathways, and fate and transport of environmental contaminants. For sampling programs conducted for EPA and some other environmental agencies, this information will typically be found in a QAPP. To properly evaluate your efforts, develop specific criteria for success. The analysis of qualitative data is less familiar to most people, but there are systematic and rigorous ways to analyze transcripts from interviews and focus groups. This step is important because community members may be aware of the data sources that you exclude. P 7W}] |_'UY. Developing an Effective Evaluation Plan is a workbook provided by the CDC. If you are evaluating your processes, you need to move quickly to gather the data you need. When sampling data do not meet all the quality criteria, health assessors should do the following: Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registration, Public Health Assessment Guidance Manual (PHAGM), completed and potential exposure pathways. Survey teams. Whether or not sampling reports include DQOs, health assessors need to understand why sampling occurred and what the sampling intended to accomplish. Planning your evaluation as early as possible makes it easier to start on your assessment when you want to. Developing an Evaluation Plan offers a sample evaluation plan provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When you develop your plan, answer these questions: Analysis methods vary by how you collect the data. How does the contamination move through the environment? Who will monitor the evaluation process to see whether midcourse corrections are needed? 6.2.3.1. Measured by standard laboratory techniques or rigorously tested field methods (e.g., EPA reference methods for particulate matter). MEASURE Evaluation is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the 2,848 kB (2,917,086 bytes). Consider these factors when forming a conceptual model and understanding site conditions: Having answers to these questions and identifying potential and completed exposure pathways and exposure units will help health assessors evaluate data, as health assessors do not need to spend time evaluating data for incomplete exposure pathways or from outside site-specific exposure units. Some reports will have data quality narratives that provide an overall data quality assessment, followed by original laboratory data packages (which may be hundreds of pages). A detailed moderator guide, with primarily or exclusively open-ended questions. Additionally, temporal variations are an important consideration when reviewing sampling data. Key issues include: Since your resources are sure to be limited, answering these questions will help to set priorities for learning. In Units for quality levels, choose Percent defective. Semi-structured interviews are more common; in such interviews, interviewers can reword the questions to fit the situation and change the order of questions. Behavioral intentions (what they intend to do in the future). The USP Stimuli article provides approaches that can be taken for devising such a sampling plan, such as applying the ASTM E2709 and E2810 standards. Did your outreach efforts reach those who are less literate? The survey instrument, preferably one that has gone through some initial testing. Health assessors will also examine other data quality information in the QA/QC package to determine if appropriate QA/QC measures were taken, for example specifics on the sampling handling procedures, such as holding times, chain-of-custody requirements, and Method Detection Limits (MDLs).