Analytical Services Program

DOE Consolidated Audit Program (DOECAP) Managed by the DOE Office of Environmental Compliance and Radiation Protection, DOECAP seeks to reduce DOE’s risks and liabilities in the management of environmental services. The program provides support to DOE Program Offices and contractors by conducting audits and assessments that are designed to ensure contracted commercial environmental analytical laboratories and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) are operating in compliance with applicable federal, state and local environmental, safety, health, and transportation regulations. DOE entities can use DOECAP audits and assessments to satisfy DOE requirements of DOE Order 435.1 Chg 2 (AdminChg), Radioactive Waste Management, and DOE Order 414.1D Chg 2 (LtdChg), Quality Assurance.

In addition, DOECAP provides cost savings and efficiency of operations across the Department by eliminating or minimizing redundancy in audits and assessments that would otherwise be performed by each DOE entity as part of their environmental management and remediation programs.

DOECAP consists of two programs:

• DOECAP TSDF Audit Program; and
• DOECAP - Accreditation Program

For information on DOECAP TSDF or DOECAP-AP, please submit any inquiries to the DOECAP mailbox.

DOECAP TSDF Audit Program conducts audits of commercial TSDFs to evaluate a facility’s ability to treat, store, and dispose of DOE waste in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment. The audits evaluate the management systems and operational activities to assess if facilities meet applicable requirements for storing, handling, transporting, processing, and final disposition of DOE waste and material as outlined in DOE Order 435.1 Chg 2 (AdminChg), Radioactive Waste Management. The audits assess facilities to ensure they are managed in accordance with all applicable regulations and support the requirements of DOE Order 414.1E, Quality Assurance, in achieving quality work through performance and quality improvement, including implementation of rigorous assessments and effective corrective actions to address deficiencies. The TSDFs audit teams are comprised of DOE Federal and DOE contractor subject matter experts (SMEs) from throughout the Department.

TSDF audit results also support numerous contractor evaluation needs to include approved supplier list evaluations, quality assurance reviews, contract oversight, and DOE site-specific National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews. 

DOECAP-Accreditation Program (DOECAP-AP) provides accreditation to commercial analytical laboratories that are contracted or pursuing contracts with DOE sites. The DOECAP-AP requires third-party assessments to ensure that participating laboratories perform environmental sample analysis using established methods; provide valid, reliable, and defensible data; and manage sample waste streams responsibly. The assessments are conducted by one of four DOECAP-approved third-party accreditation bodies (ABs) and are accompanied by DOECAP-AP trained observers (DOE Federal and DOE contractor subject matter experts (SMEs)) from throughout the Department.  

Assessments are performed in accordance with the most recent version of the Department of Defense/Department of Energy Quality Systems Manual (QSM). Accreditation ensures that participating laboratories meet requirements set forth in the QSM, including standards from International Organization for Standardization (ISO),the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and other DOE-specific requirements.

DOECAP approved ABs are U.S.-based signatories to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The ABs must continue to meet program requirements, including submission of a documented management system conforming to ISO/IEC 17011, acceptance of Conditions and Criteria for Recognition, and completion of assessor training as required. 

For additional information, please review the DOECAP-AP Frequently Asked Questions or submit inquiries to the DOECAP mailbox.

Mixed Analyte Performance Evaluation Program (MAPEP) The Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory (RESL) has conducted the MAPEP since 1994, through a performance-based PE program that tests the ability of the laboratories to correctly analyze for radiological, stable organic and inorganic constituents representative of those at DOE sites. RESL is a government-owned and government-operated laboratory operated by the DOE Idaho Operations Office. It reports directly to the DOE-ID Assistant Manager for Technical Programs and Operations, and is located at the IRC in Idaho Falls, Idaho. RESL and its predecessor organizations have been part of the DOE-ID since 1949.

RESL provides an unbiased technical component to DOE oversight of contractor operations at DOE facilities and sites. As a reference laboratory, it conducts cost-effective measurement quality assurance programs that help assure that key DOE missions are completed in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. By assuring the quality and stability of key laboratory measurement systems throughout DOE, and by providing expert technical assistance to improve those systems and programs, it assures the reliability of data on which decisions are based. As a result, customers and stakeholders have greater confidence that those programs protect workers, the public, and the environment.

RESL’s core scientific capabilities are in analytical chemistry and radiation calibrations and measurements. The RESL staff includes professional chemists, physicists, health physicists, engineers, computer programmers, and technicians, many of whom have advanced degrees.

RESL provides for the conduct of semi-annual performance testing of laboratories managed by the DOE, other Federal agencies, and commercial analytical laboratories to determine capability and accuracy for the measurement of radiological and stable inorganics (i.e., mixed analytes) in blind samples. More information can be found at The Mixed Analyte Performance Evaluation Program.

Visual Sample Plan (VSP) Managed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, VSP is a software tool that supports the development of a defensible sampling plan based on statistical sampling theory and the statistical analysis of sample results to support confident decision making. VSP couples site, building, and sample location visualization capabilities with optimal sampling design and statistical analysis strategies.

VSP is a tool that helps ensure the right type, quality, and quantity are gathered to support confident decisions and provides statistical evaluations of the data with decision recommendations. Developed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control, and the United Kingdom. Many statistical sampling designs are available, from random and systematic, to sequential, adaptive cluster, and more.

The underlying methodology employs statistically defensible approaches and has strong data quality objective process underpinnings to ensure that the right type, quality, and quantity of data are gathered to support confident decisions.

• A multi-agency sponsored sampling design and statistical assessment toolkit
• Provides software to support the development of optimal sampling plans.
• Determines the number and location of samples while identifying the nature and extent of environmental contamination.
• Provides a statistical analysis of the sampling results to support decision-making.
• Provides a real-time systematic planning tool that assists in ensuring defensible sampling and statistical analysis.
• Free download available at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Department of Defense (DoD)/Department of Energy (DOE) Quality Systems Manual (QSM)forEnvironmental Laboratories was developed by the DoD Environmental Data Quality Workgroup (EDQW) and the DOE Consolidated Audit Program (DOECAP) Operations Team.  The QSM provides baseline requirements for the establishment and management of quality systems for laboratories performing analytical testing services for the DoD and the DOE.  QSM 6.0 was released in December 2023 and incorporates requirements from International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, NELAC Institute (TNI) EL-V1-2016 Rev.2.1, and DoD/DOE requirements.  Version 6.0 of the document can be found at (DoD/DOE) Quality Systems Manual (QSM) 6.0. Previous versions of the manual are based on Volume 1 of The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) Institute (TNI) Standards (September 2009) and International Organization for Standards (ISO)/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025:2005(E) and 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.  Version 5.4 of the document can be found at (DoD/DOE) Quality Systems Manual (QSM) 5.4.

DOE Data Quality Work Group (DQW) consists of DOE Complex subject matter experts (SMEs) to maintain the accreditation standards, procedures, and practices associated with generating high quality analytical data. The DQW also provides collective knowledge of SMEs from the DOE Complex to update and improve the QSM, and technical support to DOE PFAS Work Group.

ASP Training provides the DOE Complex with program updates, training for DOECAP auditors and observers, as well as laboratory methods, standards, environmental law, and regulation updates. Training is offered to DOE Complex ASP stakeholders through the ASP Annual Training Workshop and virtual training webinars. 

For information on ASP Training, please submit inquiries to the DOECAP mailbox.