Department of Defense BEST PRACTICES FOR DATA QUALITY OVERSIGHT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND TESTING ACTIVITIES - Acknowledgements and Executive Summary

Final Report

Prepared by:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Environmental Data Quality Workgroup
Department of the Navy, Lead Service

May 1999

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report documents Best Practices identified by the DoD EDQW, Best Practices Subgroup. The subgroup was chaired by the Army, first by Mr. Kevin Coats and finally by Mr. Larry Becker of the Army Corps of Engineers. Principle contributors to report preparation included Mr. Steve Eikenberry, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center; Ms. Jackie Sample, Chief of Naval Operations and Naval Sea Systems Command; Ms. Maude Bullock, Chief of Naval Operations, and Dr. Mollie TeVrucht, Army Corps of Engineers. The report has been coordinated with DoD components. The point of contact is Ms. Jackie Sample, CNO N4571, Chair of the DoD EDQW. She may be reached at 843-764-7337 ext. 11 or by e-mail at samplejh@navsea.navy.mil.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report documents several best practices identified by the Department of Defense (DoD) to assure that data collected to support decisions in the environmental program are of known and documented quality and can be used as intended. This report was developed by the DoD Environmental Data Quality Workgroup (EDQW), which is tasked to develop and coordinate environmental sampling and testing policy. The report was prepared in partial response to a request dated July 2, 1997 by the Director of the Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, this report responds to issues raised in the February 21, 1997, DoD Inspector General Report No. 97-098 and provides a framework for finalizing the DoD EDQW Strategy. These best practices are in use, in part, by one or more of the DoD Components (Army, Navy, Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency). Best practices discussed in the report include:

• Using Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)

  • Use A Systematic Planning Process for Data Collection Activities Involve Regulators

• Improving Policy, Guidance, and Documentation

  • Develop DoD Policy and Guidance Documents

  • Implement IS0 Guide 25

  • Implement IS0 Guide 58

  • Implement ANSVASQC E4

• Improving Laboratory Oversight Practices

  • Perform Laboratory Audits

  • Include Proficiency Testing Samples

  • Require Standard Electronic Data Deliverables

  • Validate Data

  • Institute the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program

• Improving Management and Contracting Processes

  • Share Laboratory Performance Data

  • Use Standard Performance Based Laboratory QA/QC Contracts

  • Maintain DoD Core Capability in Environmental Analysis

  • Use a Quality Assurance Officer

DoD has tasked the EDQW to identify best practices that add quality, save time, and reduce costs throughout the Department’s environmental cleanup and compliance programs and to make recommendations regarding their implementation. Accordingly, each of these best practices is rated by the EDQW against the criteria:

• Increases Quality

• Saves Time

• Reduces Cost

Generation of the right quantity of quality data will reduce costs and allow decisions to be made with greater speed and better accuracy. The recommendations contained in this report will be used by the EDQW as a strategic framework to help DoD achieve these goals.

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