American Association for Laboratory Accreditation

Document Revised:
R103a – Annex: Proficiency Testing for
May 16, 2016
ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratories
Page 1 of 13

This annex has been developed and reviewed by the A2LA Technical Committees
(i.e. Construction Materials Advisory Committee (CMAC), Electromechanical
Advisory Committee (EMAC), Life Science Advisory Committee (LSAC),
Measurement Advisory Committee (MAC), Materials and Transportation Advisory
Committee (MTAC), and Forensics Examination Advisory Committee (FEAC)). This
annex provides the proficiency testing sub-discipline breakdown which is suitable to
adequately demonstrate the technical competence of the laboratory per field of
testing or calibration.

I. Acoustics and Vibration

There are currently no defined sub-disciplines under this scope of accreditation. In

lieu of the A2LA General Requirements for Proficiency Testing, laboratories
accredited under the Acoustics and Vibration field of testing will be required to
perform internal performance-based checks meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC
17025, clause 5.9.1.

II. Biological

Biological - General

Sub-disciplines include:

Sub-disciplines
Quantitative Bacteriology
Quantitative Mycology
Quantitative Virology

Qualitative Bacteriology
Qualitative Mycology
Qualitative Virology

Molecular Sub-typing
Serology
ELISA
PCR
Microscopy

Biological - Food Testing Program Requirements

Laboratories accredited to the A2LA Food Testing Program Requirements must meet
the proficiency testing requirements specified in the AOAC International Guidelines
for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food, Dietary
Supplements, and Pharmaceuticals – An Aid to the Interpretation of ISO/IEC

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17025:2005” (August 2015 revision). This document is available from AOAC

International (www.aoac.org).

To assist laboratories in formulating a PT Plan that meets the requirements of R103

and to facilitate an efficient means of tracking PT activities, A2LA requires that the
Food Program PT Plan be formulated in spreadsheet format so as to identify and
correlate each of the methods listed on the Scope of Accreditation to its
corresponding PT event over a rolling 4 year period. The PT plan/spreadsheet shall
then be updated with each completed PT and submitted with each submission of
data to A2LA. Please see the template form (F237) as an example of how this
information is to be conveyed.

III.Calibration

Disciplines/Sub-disciplines include:

Disciplines Sub-Disciplines
Acoustical - Dosimeters, mastoids, sensors
- Calibrators

Chemical - pH, conductance measuring devices, gas concentration

Dimensional - 1D – portable gauging and hand tools (calipers, height

gages, indicators, micrometers, rulers, etc.)
- 1D – artifacts, standards, and parts (angle blocks,
external/internal cylinders, gage blocks, lasers, length
bars, line scales, sine plates, sieves or mesh openings,
spheres, stage micrometers, step gages, measurement of
parts, etc.)
- 2D – portable/fixed gauging and hand tools (bevel
protractors, clinometers, levels, linear measuring
machines, measuring microscopes, optical comparators,
squareness testers, theodolites, etc.)
- 2D – artifacts, standards, and parts (angle block,
autocollimator, cones, cylinder squares, granite squares,
index tables, optical polygons, optical squares,
retroreflection prisms, sine bars, measurement of parts,
etc.)
- Form (external/internal cylinders, flatness standards,
lenses, magnification, standards, optical
flats/parallels/wedges, spheres, surface plates, etc.)
- 3D – gauging (CMMs, theodolites, laser trackers, etc.)
- 3D – artifacts, standards, and parts (ball plates, grid
plates, etc.)
- Other – (gears, groove depth standards, pitch masters,
profilometers, roughness, standards, threaded devices,
tip condition, etc.)

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Disciplines Sub-Disciplines

Electrical – DC/Low Frequency - Current

- Voltage
- Power
- Impedance
- Inductance
- Capacitance
- Resistance
- Oscilloscope functions
- Process calibrators

Electrical – RF/Microwave - Attenuation, AM/FM/PM modulation, power

- Adapters, antennas, CDNs, ferrite clamps, ESD
simulators, signal generators, LISNs, current probes,
EMI receivers, spectrum analyzers
- Insertion loss, VSWR
- Noise

Fluid - Volume, density, specific gravity, mass/volume flow

Ionizing Radiation & Radioactivity

- Dosimetry
- Radiation protection/health physics survey
instruments
- Radioactive source calibration

Mechanical - Hardness (direct verification, indirect verification,

geometry)
- Pressure, vacuum
- Torque, force, durometers, extensometers, strain
gauges
- Acceleration, speed, vibration
- Scales & balances, mass

Optical - Lasers, fiber optics

- Power, luminosity, radiance, irradiance, color
- Optical density
- Metallographs, photomicrographs

Thermodynamics - Thermometers, ovens, furnaces

- Temperature indicating systems/environmental
monitoring (RH, RTD’s, thermocouples)
- Black body/IR

Time & Frequency - Period, time, frequency

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Initial Accreditation Requirements: Calibration laboratories seeking A2LA

accreditation will normally be asked to complete a measurement audit before
accreditation is granted. Depending on the availability of measurement artifacts,
calibration laboratories may occasionally be granted accreditation before an audit
has been completed. In such cases, accreditation is granted with the understanding
that continued accreditation is contingent upon the successful completion of
measurement audits as artifacts become available.

Evaluation of Results: A laboratory’s participation in a given measurement audit

is usually evaluated based on the following equation:

Lab − Ref
En = (1)
(U 95 Lab) 2 + (U 95 Ref ) 2

where Lab and Ref indicate the laboratory and reference measurement values
respectively for the attribute in question and U95Lab and U95Ref represent the
expanded uncertainties expressed at the 95% confidence level for the laboratory and
reference laboratory respectively. En values greater than 1 indicate that a
laboratory’s measurement result and associated uncertainty deviate significantly
from the reference measurement result and associated reference uncertainty.

Remedial Actions: Laboratories obtaining one or more unsatisfactory results in a

measurement audit (i.e., measurements for which En>1) will be required to promptly
provide evidence of corrective action undertaken to correct the problem in the
measurement ensemble evidenced by the unsatisfactory measurement result. In the
event that a thorough investigation of the ensemble fails to identify an assignable
cause for the unacceptable measurement result, the laboratory will provide to A2LA
complete and detailed records of its investigation into the unacceptable
measurement. In either case, requested evidence will be provided to A2LA in the
time frame specified by A2LA. (In some cases, the measurand may change in the
course of a study. This is especially true in international ILCs (interlaboratory
comparisons) where artifacts are subjected to the rigors of extensive travel, or due to
the nature of the artifact itself (for example, standard capacitors).

In the event that an unacceptable measurement result is obtained in a measurement

audit, and upon receipt of the records of corrective action taken or investigation
conducted, the laboratory shall be subject, at the discretion of A2LA, to one or more
of the following actions:

• The calibration parameter in question, or any other parameter

dependent upon the parameter in question, may be removed from the
scope of accreditation. The parameter would be reinstated after

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successful completion of a technical assessment in that area as well as

successful completion of a measurement audit.

• The best uncertainty quoted on the scope of accreditation may be

enlarged sufficiently to render the En value for the measurement(s) in
question less than one.

• An on-site surveillance visit by an A2LA assessor to verify continued

amenability of the laboratory environment, personnel, and equipment
to the measurement in question.

• Recalibration of the same or similar artifact with acceptable results.

IV. Chemical

Chemical - General

Sub-disciplines and material/matrices include:

Sub-disciplines
Chromatography: GC, GC-MS, HPLC, IC, TLC
Combustion: LECO
Spectroscopy: AA, CVAA/GFAA, Fluorescence, ICP, IR/FTIR, MS (MSD,
MS/MS, etc.), OE, UV/Vis, XRF
Wet Chemistry

Materials/Matrices/Product Types
Ferrous Alloy Families: Cast Fe, Carbon/Low Alloy/Tool Steel, Stainless and
High Temperature Steel
Non-Ferrous Alloy Families: Cu Alloys, Ni/Co Alloys, Al Alloys, Ti Alloys, Mg
Alloys
Plastics
Rubber
Water
Food

Specific Program Requirements: Laboratories accredited for the Fertilizer,

Animal Drug Testing, or Food Testing programs under the Chemical field of testing
must meet the proficiency testing requirements outlined below.

Chemical - Fertilizers

Minimum Participation: Applicants under this program are required to

participate at least twice per year in a relevant proficiency testing program
administered by organizations acceptable to A2LA, but participation must be
sufficient to ensure that all testing sub-disciplines listed on a laboratory’s scope of

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accreditation is covered over a four year period. Please see the A2LA web site for
information on fertilizer proficiency testing programs.

Chemical - Animal Drug Testing

Minimum Participation: Applicants under this program are required to

participate in the proficiency and blind sample testing from any of the relevant
programs found on the A2LA web site. Participation must be sufficient to ensure
that all testing sub-disciplines listed on a laboratory’s scope of accreditation are
covered over a four-year period.

Chemical - Food Testing

Laboratories accredited to the A2LA Food Testing Program Requirements must meet
the proficiency testing requirements specified in the AOAC International Guidelines
for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food, Dietary
Supplements, and Pharmaceuticals – An Aid to the Interpretation of ISO/IEC
17025:2005” (August 2015 revision). This document is available from AOAC
International (www.aoac.org).

To assist laboratories in formulating a PT Plan that meets the requirements of R103

and to facilitate an efficient means of tracking PT activities, A2LA requires that the
Food Program PT Plan be formulated in spreadsheet format so as to identify and
correlate each of the methods listed on the Scope of Accreditation to its
corresponding PT event over a rolling 4 year period. The PT plan/spreadsheet shall
then be updated with each completed PT and submitted with each submission of
data to A2LA. Please see the template form (F237) as an example of how this
information is to be conveyed.

Chemical - Anti-Doping Testing

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratories are required to meet the
proficiency testing requirements as specified in the current International Standard
for Laboratories (ISL)). This document is available from WADA
(www.wada-ama.org).

V. Construction Materials

Minimum Participation: Applicants under the Construction Materials field of

testing are required to participate in a proficiency testing program in each of the
major areas of construction materials testing related to their Scope of Accreditation.
These programs must be administered by organizations acceptable to A2LA. In
addition, laboratories must participate in any proficiency testing mentioned in the
engineering standards (such as ASTM C1077, C1093, D3666, and D3740) for which
they are accredited. Participation in the Cement and Concrete Reference
Laboratory (CCRL) Programs: Concrete, Cement, and Masonry; and AASHTO
Materials Reference Laboratory (AMRL) Programs: Bituminous, Soils, and

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Aggregate, may satisfy the requirements for many of the tests identified in most
Scopes of Accreditation.

If there are other accredited test methods on the Scope of Accreditation that are not
covered by one of the AMRL or CCRL Proficiency Testing Programs, the laboratory
is required to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, Section 5.9.

Remedial Actions: If a laboratory’s results are deemed outliers or unacceptable

(ratings of “0”, “1”, or “2” for the above programs), then the laboratory shall
promptly investigate and determine the cause(s) for such unacceptable results,
correct any problems identified and promptly report to A2LA the outcome of such
investigations. Two successive failures, a pattern of erratic results or failure to
participate may be cause for revocation of accreditation for that parameter and/or a
required on-site surveillance visit.

VI. Electrical

Electrical - General

The following sub-disciplines have been defined under this scope of accreditation. If
there are other accredited tests on the Scope of Accreditation that do not fall under
these sub-disciplines, the laboratory is required to meet the requirements of
ISO/IEC 17025, Section 5.9. In years when not participating in commercial
proficiency testing programs for the disciplines below, A2LA urges laboratories to
continue to perform alternative quality control activities.

Sub-disciplines include:
Electromagnetic Compatibility – EMC (Radiated and Conducted Emissions
testing)
Lighting

Minimum Participation: Participation must be sufficient to ensure that all

testing sub-disciplines listed on a laboratory’s scope of accreditation are covered over
a four-year period. Please refer to A2LA I106 – Available Proficiency Testing
Programs for a list of programs of which A2LA is aware. Please see R103a section
XIII (Sustainable Energy) for IESNA LM-79 Lighting Testing Laboratory specific
requirements.

* Note: New and enrolled laboratories are expected to address the sub-disciplines in
the Electrical field on a documented proficiency testing plan as of November 1,
2014, in accordance with A2LA R103 - General Requirements- Proficiency Testing for
ISO-IEC 17025 Laboratories

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VII. Environmental

Environmental – NELAC

For laboratories pursuing compliance with the requirements of The NELAC

Institute (TNI), the applicable requirements of 2011 Environmental Laboratory
Sector Volume I, Module I, (EL-V1M1-20011) apply (http://www.nelac-institute.org/).

TNI NEFAP Field Sampling and Measurement Organizations (FSMO)

Laboratories seeking and maintaining accreditation under the Field Sampling and
Measurement Organizations Program shall receive, analyze, and achieve a passing
score on an applicable and available PT sample(s) from an approved PT provider for
each scope of accreditation being sought. The minimum amount of proficiency
testing and the frequency of participation shall be specified in cooperation with
interested parties and shall be appropriate in relation to other surveillance
activities. If an appropriate PT program is not applicable or available for the field
sampling or analytical method for which the FSMO is seeking accreditation, then
the accrediting body shall consider other evidence that demonstrates FSMO
proficiency, for example that the FSMO:

a) maintains a quality manual that meets the requirements of Clause 5 of this

Standard to demonstrate sampling and measurement procedure competency;
b) employs the use of other types of internal quality control check samples or
programs to demonstrate sampling/measurement procedure competency;
c) has conducted method detection limit studies, precision and accuracy studies
and demonstrations of analyst capability.
d) employs an internal self-monitoring and audit system (e.g., of processes,
procedures, field observations) to demonstrate sampling/measurement
competency;
e) participates in applicable inter-organization comparison studies such as
round robins; and
f) employs various combinations of the aforementioned examples or other
techniques to demonstrate competence in the requested scope of
accreditation.

Submittal of proficiency test sample results generated by another FSMO as its own,
failure to successfully complete applicable proficiency testing studies within any
interim accreditation period (twelve months), failure to complete at least one
applicable PT sampling program during the accreditation period (typically two
years) and failure to maintain a two out of three passing record on applicable PT
studies, or failure to demonstrate the required degree of competency in the absence
of applicable and available PT programs may result in suspension of accreditation in
total or in part. Accreditation shall be retained by the FSMO for those areas where it
continues to meet the PT requirements.

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Environmental - Lead (Pb)

Minimum Participation: To be accredited under the A2LA Environmental Lead

(Pb) program, enrollment and proficient performance in the Environmental Lead
Proficiency Analytical Testing (ELPAT) program (administered by AIHA and
NIOSH/EPA) is required. Sample sets for one or more of three matrices (paint chips,
soil and dust wipes) are supplied on a quarterly basis. Four concentration levels are
required for each of the three matrices. NIOSH supplies the results of participating
laboratories directly to A2LA each quarter.

Any laboratory performing field testing and/or sampling shall be required to

participate in suitable proficiency testing programs as they become available.

Initial Accreditation Requirements: Before initial Lead accreditation can be

granted, applicant laboratories shall attain a rating of “proficient” under ELPAT for
each matrix for which it seeks accreditation.

Ongoing Participation: Accredited laboratories must continue to participate in

all rounds of ELPAT for all matrices for which they are accredited. To maintain full
accreditation, each accredited laboratory must be at least 75% (12 out of 16 test
samples) “proficient” over the 4 most recent rounds for each matrix.

Remedial Actions: If a laboratory obtains less than 75% proficiency for the
previous four rounds in any matrix for which it is accredited, the laboratory’s Scope
of Accreditation shall be revised to delete that particular matrix. A2LA shall issue a
revised Scope of Accreditation to the laboratory with a copy to USEPA NLLAP
officials within 5 working days of receipt of the NIOSH ELPAT report.

Accreditation for a specific matrix may be restored in one of three ways: (1) If the
laboratory’s performance on the next ELPAT round is 100% (no outliers) and there
are no more than 25% (4 of 16 test samples) cumulative outliers over the 4 most
recent rounds; (2) If the laboratory performs at a level of zero outliers on the next
two ELPAT rounds; and (3) If the laboratory participates in an ELPAT “retest” (i.e.,
remedial) round with 100% performance (no outliers) and that, when substituted for
the last ELPAT round that resulted in a non-proficient rating, results in no more
than 25% (4 of 16 test samples) cumulative outliers over the 4 most recent rounds
(i.e., the 1 ELPAT “retest” round and the 3 ELPAT rounds prior to the one the
“retest” has replaced). (NOTE: A laboratory may only “retest” once for the most
recent regular round.)

Environmental (Kentucky UST Program)

Laboratories seeking and maintaining accreditation under the Kentucky

Underground Storage Tank Program must meet the proficiency testing program
requirements noted in the above Section of this requirements document for non-
NELAC laboratories for the parameters for which accreditation is sought and
maintained.

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Environmental (Wyoming LAUST Program)

Laboratories seeking and maintaining accreditation under the Wyoming Leaking

Aboveground and Underground Storage Tank (LAUST) Program must meet the
proficiency testing requirements noted in the above Section of this requirements document for
non-NELAC laboratories for the parameters for which accreditation is sought and maintained.

Environmental (Texas Department of Health Indoor Air Quality

Laboratory Accreditation Program (TXDOH IAQ))

Laboratories seeking and maintaining accreditation under the Texas Department of

Health Indoor Air Quality Laboratory Accreditation Program shall successfully
participate in and meet the requirements of the American Industrial Hygiene
Association Environmental Microbiological Proficiency Analytical Testing (EMPAT)
program.

VIII. Forensic

Minimum Participation: Laboratories accredited under the forensic field of

testing are required to participate in relevant and available commercial proficiency
testing or interlaboratory comparisons at a frequency of twice a year. In addition,
forensic personnel actively engaged in forensic inspection or testing shall participate
in commercial PT, intralaboratory or interlaboratory or round robin testing annually
for each discipline in which they are considered competent.

Sub-disciplines include:

Failure Analysis: Electrical Safety, See sections IV – Chemical, XI – Mechanical,

XII – Nondestructive and others as applicable

Forensic Biology: Extraction from substrates, Extraction from commercial

collection cards (i.e. FTA®GeneCards), Body fluid identification, Serology,
Human DNA (i.e. Mixtures, Semen, Blood, Buccal Swab, Lineage (YSTR and
Mito)), See also section II - Biological

Controlled Substances: Chemical Unknown (Solid), See also sections IV –

Chemical and VII – Environmental

Latent Prints & Impressions: Fingerprint, Palm Print

Firearms & Toolmarks*: Serial number restoration, Firearms examination /

identification, Toolmark examination, See also section XI - Mechanical

Trace Evidence*: Fiber / Hair analysis, Paint analysis, Glass, Tape Examination,
Bulb Examination, Gun Shot Residue Analysis, Low Order Explosives (i.e.

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Flammability, Flashpoint, Ignition Temperature, Fire-promoting characteristics,

Corrosion behavior), See also sections IV – Chemical and XI - Mechanical

Questioned Documents*: Document examination, Handwriting examination

Forensic Toxicology: Blood Alcohol analysis, Breath alcohol simulator solution

analysis, Urine testing, See also sections II – Biology and IV – Chemical

Digital Forensics: Digital media examination (i.e. Write protection, Media

imaging, Establishing a hash value of the original media, Creating a directory
listing, Recovery of all active files, Deleted file recovery, Metadata recovery from
documents, Text file recovery), Analog video examination, Digital video
examination

Crime Scene Inspection: Blood pattern analysis, Body fluid identification,

Computer simulated crime scene

*The listing of testing techniques under the above headings does not require that
they be listed this way on a Scope of Accreditation. It is recognized that forensic
disciplines perform similar analyses and the allocation of these job duties will vary.

IX. Geotechnical

Geotechnical - General

Minimum Participation: Laboratories accredited under the Geotechnical field of

testing are required to participate in at least one relevant and available proficiency-
testing program administered by organizations acceptable to A2LA. One such
acceptable program is the Soils Proficiency Sample Program (SPSP) of the AASHTO
Reference Materials (AMRL) Program. In order for a laboratory to maintain
accreditation for those test method standards defined on their Scope of
Accreditation it must participate in all rounds offered by SPSP per year for each
test.

If there are other accredited test methods on the Scope of Accreditation that are not
covered by one of the AMRL or CCRL Proficiency Testing Programs, the laboratory
is required to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, section 5.9.

Remedial Actions: If a laboratory’s results are deemed to be outliers or

unacceptable (ratings of “0”, “1”, or “2” for the above program), the laboratory shall
promptly investigate and determine the cause(s) for such unacceptable results,
correct any problems identified and report to A2LA the outcome of such
investigations. Two successive failures, failure to participate or patterns of erratic
results may result in revocation of accreditation or a required on-site surveillance
visit.

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Specific Program Requirements: Laboratories accredited for the Putting Green

Materials program under the Geotechnical field of testing must comply with the
specific proficiency testing requirements outlined below.

Geotechnical - Putting Green Materials

Minimum Participation: Applicants under this program are required to

participate in the triannual USGA Green Section Proficiency Testing Program
geared toward the putting green materials testing industry. Participation is
required for each accredited test method, if proficiency testing for that test method is
offered by the USGA Green Section Proficiency Testing Program. For testing on the
scope that is not covered by the USGA Green Section Proficiency Testing Program,
the laboratory must ensure that appropriate round robin programs or quality checks
(see clause 5.9 of ISO/IEC 17025) are completed in order to ensure that the entire
scope is covered over a four-year period.

X. Information Technology

There are currently no defined sub-disciplines under this scope of accreditation. In

lieu of the A2LA General Requirements for Proficiency Testing, laboratories
accredited under the Information Technology field of testing will be required to
perform internal performance-based checks meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC
17025, clause 5.9.1.

XI. Mechanical

Sub-disciplines and material/matrices include:

Sub-disciplines
Mechanical Tests: Tensile, Flexural, Compression
Impact Tests: Izod, Charpy
Thermal Tests: HDT, Vicat, DSC, Melt Flow, TGA, Ash Content
Hardness: Rockwell, Brinell
Microhardness: Knoop, Vickers
Hardness: Other - (e.g. Shore A)
Optical: Color, Gloss, Haze
Corrosion/Environmental Simulation 1
Metallographic Evaluation: Grain Size
Material Properties: Specific Gravity, Viscosity
Dimensional (please refer to the Dimensional section under III. Calibration)
Others: Coefficient of Friction, Volume and Surface Resistivity

1 Participation in available ASTM B117 salt spray testing programs is not mandatory.
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Materials/Matrices/Product Types
Plastic
Rubber
Metals
Textiles

XII. Nondestructive

There are currently no defined sub-disciplines under this scope of accreditation. In

lieu of the A2LA General Requirements for Proficiency Testing, laboratories
accredited under the Nondestructive field of testing will be required to perform
internal performance-based checks meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025,
clause 5.9.1.

XIII. Sustainable Energy

Applicant laboratories testing to IESNA LM-79 (2008) are required to demonstrate a

successful round of PT for LM-79 prior to applying for accreditation to this test
method. The PT program for LM-79 is currently offered by NIST Metrology Services
by Mr. Cameron Miller (c.miller@nist.gov, 301-975-4713). Future rounds of PT may
be performed by a local provider (in the event that the applicant laboratory is not
located in the United States), and participation is required on an annual basis.

All other laboratories accredited under the Sustainable Energy field of testing are
required to perform internal performance-based checks meeting the requirements of
ISO/IEC 17025, clause 5.9.

XIV. Thermal

There are currently no defined sub-disciplines under this scope of accreditation. In

lieu of the A2LA General Requirements for Proficiency Testing, laboratories
accredited under the Thermal field of testing will be required to perform internal
performance-based checks meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, clause 5.9.1.

Document Revision History

Date Description
08/18/2015  Part IV. Chemical: Defined examples of Ferrous and Non-
Ferrous Alloy Families to Chemical for
Materials/Matrices/Product Types.
05/16/2016  Part II: Updated title and date of AOAC document;
 Part IV: Updated title and date of AOAC document.
 2016 by A2LA
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by
any means without the prior written permission of A2LA.

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