1 Improving Customer Service Through Electronic Data Management & Paperless Data Delivery ~~~~~ The USEPA Region 2 Experience Linda M. Mauel Chief, Hazardous Waste Support Section Jennifer Feranda CLP Project Officer/RSCC May 2009

2 How Do You Improve Customer Service at the same time you are… Going “Green” Reducing Resources Increasing Productivity Saving the Superfund Program 1.5 Million Dollars

3 How Do You Improve Customer Service ?  Improve  Timeliness in delivery of data  Data delivery medium  Assessment tools  Access to information

4 How To Make It Happen?

5 Electronic Data Management & Paperless Data Delivery

6 Summary of R2 Initiatives  Required use of UPF-QAPP Policy  Comprehensive Analytical Request Form  Preliminary Electronic Data Deliverables  Non-Routine Analytical Services EDDs  CLP Data Assessment Tool (DAT) Editor  Combined Electronic & Manual Data Review  Electronic Validated CLP Data Forms  R2 Superfund Database Compatibility  QA Data Lifecycle Access Database

7 Required Use of UFP-QAPP Policy  All Superfund, Brownfields, RCRA projects  Promotes Consistency  Reduces Amount of Text  Electronic Worksheets  Faster Preparation/Review/Approval  4:1 reduction in # of revisions prior to QAPP approval

8 Comprehensive Analytical Request Form (ARF)  Used for all Superfund analytical services requests (Region 2 lab, CLP, non-routine, potential sub-contracted work, etc.)  Replaces separate Region 2 Lab & Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) request forms  Provides info to monitor FASTAC compliance  Created in Excel  Submitted electronically  Exports info to Regional tracking database

9 R2 ARF Project Info Worksheet

10 R2 ARF Analytical Information Worksheet

11 Preliminary CLP Electronic Data Deliverables (EDDs)  Specialized EDDs processed through Electronic data eXchange and Evaluation System (EXES) software  Partially validated preliminary data  Resulting R2 customized EDDs provided in Excel superset spreadsheets  To customer in 1–2 days of R2 receipt from HQ Analyt. Services Branch (ASB) contractor  Delivered to customer by  50% reduced delivery time of data from time of sample delivery to the lab

12 Data Assessment Tool (DAT) Editor For CLP  Developed for use with Regional CLP Excel spreadsheets  Easy review of preliminary & final validated data in the same format  Used to assist validators in comparing EDD and hard copy validated data  Accessible to customers through the Region 2 Intranet and Internet  Read-only version available to all CLP data users

13 R2 DAT Editor Screen

14 EDDs For Non-RAS Parameters  Analyses procured thru OSRTI national contract  R2, HQ & a national lab collaborated to produce dioxin EDDs  EDDs in a modified R2 format processed through EXES software  Efforts to be expanded to include Air (TO-15) and PCB congeners analyses  Reduced data validation times  Increased availability of less expensive, more quality assured analytical services

15 Combined Electronic & Manual Data Review  Partially Validated CLP Data provided with EXES & Contract compliance Screening (CCS) reports  R2 performs streamlined manual validation and assessment of field & lab data using R2 data validation SOPs  Customer turnaround times met, while dramatically increased number of CLP analyses were procured & validated  $1.5 million savings to the Superfund program in data validation costs in FY’08

16 Have You Ever Felt All That Paper Closing In On You ?

17 Or Keeping You From Getting Out From Under It?

18 Electronic Validated CLP Data Forms  Data formatted for viewing by DAT Editor  Files merged & printed as.pdf files using Crystal software  Validated data forms delivered electronically  Compliance with EMS and the Agency’s goal toward paperless offices  50% reduction in copying costs and paper copies of CLP data packages

19 Region 2 Superfund Database Compatibility  Direct input of CLP EDDs into the R2 Superfund Database (EQUIS V)  Region 2, HQ ASB, ASB contractor & EQUIS vendor collaboration  Compatibility with R2 Superfund Database

20 QA Data Lifecycle Access Database  Consolidates Region 2 QA tracking databases  Permits collaborative inputting & information retrieval  Generates management & tracking reports  Improved centralized data entry  Improved access to electronic QA data lifecycle information from QAPP reviews to data archival  Faster tracking of data status and information  ARF & ANSETS comparisons for FASTAC compliance  Larger source of information for report generation

21 Database Welcome Page

22 Database Form Selection Page

23 Database Input Form

24 Database Report Access has a one-click option to easily export the report into a Word document for additional editing and easy printing.

25 Summary  Development and implementation of these initiatives resulted in dramatic customer service improvements and efficiencies, and have increased DESA’s green practices.  These advances also:  Support better implementation of the OSWER FASTAC tiered analytical services procurement strategy  Encourage greater use of less expensive, more quality assured Region 2 & CLP analytical services as opposed to more costly subcontracted services with greater QA vulnerability

26 Jennifer Feranda, USEPA Region 2 (732) Linda Mauel, USEPA Region 2 (732) USEPA Region 2 Contacts

27 The End Questions ?