The Quality Assurance Project Plan Review Process

       

This document defines the process and criteria for the review and
approval of Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) by the
Regional Quality Assurance Office (RQAO).

All Region VII organizations that are involved either directly or
indirectly in the collection and analysis of environmental data
are governed by the EPA quality assurance Order 5360.1.  This Order
requires that the results of planning for environmental operations be
documented in a QAPP and approved by authorized personnel.  Region
VII's Quality Management Plan delegates the QAPP approval
authority to the Regional Quality Assurance Manager (RQAM).

The QAPP Review Process

1.   The organization requesting the review submits a transmittal
     memorandum with the QAPP to the RQAO.  The QAPP should include a
     cover page for review and approval. The preparer, project
     officer, RPM/OSC, and/or an organizational reviewers of the QAPP
     should sign and date the document.  Any QAPP received for review
     without this part of the document will be returned prior to
     review.

2.   The QAPP is received from the submitting organization and
     its receipt is documented with a date stamp.  The due date for
     completion for the initial review is determined as 20
     working days from date of receipt.

3.   The RQAM assigns a reviewer for the QAPP.

4.   The reviewer sends an E-mail acknowledgment note to the
     project manager, typically the project officer or work assignment
     manager, that indicates the expected completion date for the
     review.  The reviewer will inform the project manager of any
     delays in meeting the expected completion date.

5.   The review of the QAPP is conducted according to the
     criteria contained in "EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance
     Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations"; EPA QA/R-5 and
     SOP 1330.2B.  If technical questions arise during the review, the
     reviewer will contact the project manager for clarification of
     the questions.

     The written results of the review shall include, as
     appropriate, a list of specific deficiencies (and the rationale
     for them).  General observations on the content of the QAPP, will
     be provided only upon request by the project manager.  The
     reviewer will prepare a transmittal memorandum for the RQAM's
     signature to the project manager to convey the results.

6.   The response memorandum and review comments will be
     processed as described below:

       a. If approval is recommended, the RQAM will sign and date
          the QAPP cover page.  The response memorandum and review comments
          with the signed cover page will be provided to the project
          manager.

       b. If further work by the project manager is needed to
          correct deficiencies, the memorandum and detailed review comments
          are prepared for signature by the RQAM and will be provided to
          the project manager.  The RQAO will retain the QAPP.

          Upon successful resolution of deficiencies, the RQAM
          will sign and date the QAPP cover page.  The signed cover page
          will be provided to the project manager.

The RQAO will maintain copies of the following documents: The
original transmittal memo, signed cover page, review comments,
and final transmittal.  Copies of QAPPs themselves will only be
kept on a limited basis.

Please call the RQAM at extension 5194 if you have any questions
concerning the above procedures.
The Quality Assurance Project Plan Review Process

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