Quality Management Plans (QMPs) and Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) Danny France and Greg Noah EPA Region 4, SESD December 6, 2006

The Quality System A quality system is the sum total of the policies and procedures that are developed and implemented to ensure that quality is built into programs and work products. Thus a quality system covers both policy and process. A quality system is the sum total of the policies and procedures that are developed and implemented to ensure that quality is built into programs and work products. Thus a quality system covers both policy and process. This includes the Quality Management Plan and the Quality Assurance Project Plan. This includes the Quality Management Plan and the Quality Assurance Project Plan.

What is a Quality Management Plan? “A quality management plan (QMP) documents how an organization structures its quality system and describes its quality policies and procedures, criteria for and areas of application, and roles, responsibilities, and authorities. It also describes an organization’s policies and procedures for implementing and assessing the effectiveness of the quality system”. “A quality management plan (QMP) documents how an organization structures its quality system and describes its quality policies and procedures, criteria for and areas of application, and roles, responsibilities, and authorities. It also describes an organization’s policies and procedures for implementing and assessing the effectiveness of the quality system”.

What is a Quality Assurance Project Plan? A QAPP is a planning document for environmental data collection that describes the necessary quality assurance and quality control activities that must be implemented to ensure that the results of the study or investigation will be adequate to meet the established performance criteria. A QAPP is a planning document for environmental data collection that describes the necessary quality assurance and quality control activities that must be implemented to ensure that the results of the study or investigation will be adequate to meet the established performance criteria.

What’s the Difference Between a QMP and QAPP?? A QMP documents the organizations structure and overall quality system as it relates to their environmental program. A QMP documents the organizations structure and overall quality system as it relates to their environmental program. A QAPP is a project-specific document that details the project management, data acquisition, assessment/oversight and data verification/validation/review activities for an environmental project only. A QAPP is a project-specific document that details the project management, data acquisition, assessment/oversight and data verification/validation/review activities for an environmental project only.

“The QMP may be viewed as the ‘umbrella’ document under which individual projects are conducted. The QMP is then supported by project-specific QAPPs. The QAPP is the ‘blueprint’ by which individual projects involving environmental data collection are implemented and assessed and how specific quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities will be applied during a particular project”. “The QMP may be viewed as the ‘umbrella’ document under which individual projects are conducted. The QMP is then supported by project-specific QAPPs. The QAPP is the ‘blueprint’ by which individual projects involving environmental data collection are implemented and assessed and how specific quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities will be applied during a particular project”. In Other Words…

Are QMPs and QAPPs Good Forever?? QMP An EPA approved QMP is good for 5 years. When the five years are up, the grantee or consultant must resubmit a QMP for a new round of review and approval by EPA. QAPP An EPA approved QAPP is good forever!! Unless… If the project changes, (DQOs, design, data validation process, etc) a revision reflecting the changes must be submitted to EPA for approval Yes and No…

QAPPs and QMPs Are Required EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans – EPA QA/R-2 (March 2001). Requirement Document: USEPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations EPA QA/R-5 (EPA/250/B-01/003 – March 2001) Guidance Document: USEPA Guidance on Quality Assurance Project Plans, EPA QA/G-5 (EPA/240/R- 02/009 – December 2002) Guidance Document: USEPA Guidance on the Systematic Planning Process using the Data Quality Objectives Process EPA QA/G-4 (EPA/240/B-06/001 – February 2006)

Executive Order A2, May 5, 2000 Agency policy requires participation in an Agency- wide Quality System Agency policy requires participation in an Agency- wide Quality System It is EPA policy that all environmental programs performed by EPA or directly for EPA through EPA-funded extramural agreements shall be supported by individual quality systems that comply fully with the American National Standard ANSI/ASQC E4-1994, Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs It is EPA policy that all environmental programs performed by EPA or directly for EPA through EPA-funded extramural agreements shall be supported by individual quality systems that comply fully with the American National Standard ANSI/ASQC E4-1994, Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs

The OAQPS Stance In 2000, the Region was under the impression that the gaseous pollutants (O 3, SO 2, CO, NO) would be grandfathered into the Quality System, and no new QAPPs covering these activities would be required. However… OAQPS was audited by headquarters, and was told that agencies (state, local and tribal) that receive funding directly from EPA to operate gaseous pollutant monitoring programs DO REQUIRE QAPPs.

What Does This Mean? Agencies receiving EPA grants for monitoring programs must have Quality Assurance Project Plans for each type of monitoring that they conduct. Agencies receiving EPA grants for monitoring programs must have Quality Assurance Project Plans for each type of monitoring that they conduct.

QAPP Status in Region 4 SESD informed the agencies in spring of last year of this requirement SESD has assisted in this effort and sent out a template for the gaseous pollutants QAPP Contact Jerry Burger for the template. We presently have 7 out of 24 back

Closing Remarks Agencies that have not submitted a QAPP for approval are overdue and need to be submitted by February 1, 2007.

Contacts QA Section Chief Marilyn Maycock Region 4, SESD QAPPs Jerry Burger Region 4, SESD Grants Todd Rinck Region 4, APTMD