During the SGP site audit conducted in April 2005, a member of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program team is accompanied by a local jackrabbit at the Ringwood Extended Facility.

The Continuous Quality Improvement Program (CQIP) implemented by the ARM Program in 1998 requires annual audits and inspection visits to each of the ACRF Southern Great Plains (SGP) site’s 27 field facilities located in Oklahoma and Kansas. A small team of scientists and engineers conduct the inspections each year to evaluate the field facilities from several different perspectives, including science, engineering, operations, and safety. To cover all the facilities at the SGP site, the inspections are divided into two trips, each trip involving half of the facilities. The most recent CQIP inspection trip took place April 11-14, 2005 at all the southern SGP “satellite” facilities (extended, intermediate, and boundary facilities). Overall, the team found the facilities to be in good condition, which they credited to the quality efforts of the technicians who perform routine maintenance throughout the SGP site. The SGP northern satellite facilities will be inspected this coming fall.

Site audits ensure that instruments and facilities are in compliance with established ACRF procedures and the ARM Program’s scientific expectations. The inspections encompass each facility’s grounds, instruments, and equipment, plus maintenance procedures, technician proficiency, and other work quality measures. Analysis of each measure provides feedback for planning and implementing improvements in instrument performance and maintenance, site maintenance, and future site development. Summary reports, containing the CQIP team findings from the recent audit, will be completed in the next few weeks.