The quality management system as a tool for improving stakeholder confidence.

Abstract

The Corps of Engineers works with local restoration advisory boards (RAB) to exchange information and develop plans for restoration of closed military bases for civilian reuse. Meetings of the RAB to discuss progress in environmental assessment and restoration of former defense sites can be contentious due to the complex technical nature of the information to be shared and the personal stake that the members of the community have in ensuring that contentious areas are restored for safe use. A prime concern of community representatives is often the quality of the data used to make environmental decisions. Laboratory case narratives and data flags may suggest laboratory errors and low data quality to those without an understanding of the information's full meaning. RAB members include representatives from local, state, and tribal governments, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the local community. The Corps of Engineers representatives usually include project technical and management personnel, but these individuals may not have sufficient expertise in the project quality assurance components and laboratory data quality procedures to completely satisfy community concerns about data quality. Communication of this information to the RAB by a quality assurance professional could serve to resolve some of the questions members have about the quality of acquired data and proper use of analytical results, and increase community trust that appropriate decisions are made regarding restoration. Details of the effectiveness of including a quality assurance professional in RAB discussions of laboratory data quality and project quality management are provided in this paper.