Performance Test Phase

DOE-STD-1112-98

Administrator through the appropriate DOE field office. To expedite the process, a designated

representative of the applying facility management should complete the application as

thoroughly as possible and sign it. The designated representative(s) should be familiar with all

DOELAP requirements. There may be a separate representative for each of the direct and

indirect radiobioassay programs. The representative reviews all documents and acts as liaison

between the radiobioassay laboratory and the Performance Evaluation Program Administrator.

Other staff members may be designated to perform specific activities (e.g., handling

proficiency testing or receiving assessors). However, only one designated individual should be

responsible for requesting a change in the scope or nature of the accreditation of a

radiobioassay type (either direct or indirect bioassay).

The application requires each DOE Contractor facility to indicate in which testing categories,

matrices and analytes accreditation is desired. The application is used to:

enroll the DOE/DOE contractor facility in the program;

determine the appropriate matrices and analytes for test categories desired for

accreditation;

determine the cognizant DOE Field Offices or Operations Office for which the

radiobioassay service laboratory provides services; and

select on-site assessors with the appropriate technical background.

Other uses for the application information are found in the DOELAP Administration Technical

Standard, DOE-STD-1111-98.

5.2.2 Performance Test Phase . Performance testing is the initial phase of the DOELAP

accreditation process. If DOE contractor-specific calibration factors and data-reduction

algorithms are used for routine evaluations, they shall also be used for the analyses of test

unknowns and shall be made available to the performance testing laboratory. ANSI N13.30-

1996 is used as the technical basis for performance testing. The recommendations contained in

ANSI N13.30 are briefly highlighted in this section for direct and indirect radiobioassay.

5.2.2.1 Direct Radiobioassay. A DOE Contractor facility may choose to be accredited in one

or more of the categories or radionuclides shown in Table I. Accreditation in a category is