develop consensus standards for use by TNI's programs. This group has a support role in assisting other programs with activities such as guidance and standards interpretation.
fosters the generation of data of known and documented quality is through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories.
is to establish and maintain a national PT program to support TNI’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, and other activities.
Field Activities Program (NEFAP) Executive Committee is to establish and implement an accreditation program for field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMOs).
Audit Sample Program is to develop consensus standards for the manufacture and analysis of audit samples for source emission testing.
on a variety of topics of interest to the environmental measurement community. TNI also hosts two regularly scheduled meetings per year, typically in January and August. Both are a week long and involve open meetings of TNI committees as well as training courses and other special sessions.How to Become an Accredited Laboratory
Review the Flow Chart TNI has developed to help you. Review the list of recognized NELAP Accreditation Bodies (NELAP AB) and Non-Governmental Accreditation Bodies (NGABs).
If your laboratory is located within a state with a NELAP-recognized Accreditation Body, you must go to that state for accreditation.
If your laboratory is in another state or country, you can choose to apply to any NELAP AB or a NGAB. Be careful of these facts:
- Some states only offer accreditation in some areas, e.g., only drinking water.
- Some states will not accredit out-of-state laboratories.
- Some states will not accept accreditations from NGABs.
Review the scope of the accreditation program of each AB relative to your scope of services and select an AB to apply to for primary accreditation.
Read the specific rules and regulations for how to apply.
Read the 2016 TNI Standard and implement a program to comply with the requirements. A good first step is to write your Quality Manual.
Do an internal gap analysis using the Quality Systems Checklist for the 2016 TNI Laboratory Standard.
Note: For laboratories that have never been accredited, this is usually a 12-18 month process.
The new TNI Quality Manual Template is a tool designed for laboratories to help prepare a Quality Manual in compliance with the 2009 or 2016 TNI Standard. The prefabricated sections of the Quality Manual follow the ISO/IEC 17025 outline, but are completely fluid so that you can put sections, examples, links or references anywhere. The Template includes helpful notes, examples and text that can be edited to match each laboratory's particular circumstances. It can be used by a laboratory to create a Quality Manual from scratch or ideas and sections can be used to update a current Quality Manual.
Note: A revised version of this template replaced the previous version on November 17, 2017. The primary change was combining the multiple files into one file to make the template easier to edit and replacing the reference to the 2009 standard to the 2016 standard. Since both the 2009 and 2016 standards have the same organization and very comparable content, anyone who purchased the 2009 version does not need to obtain the 2016 version.
View sample pages from the Quality Manual Template:
Section 3 - Introduction and Scope
Section 5 - Quality Systems
Section 27 - Quality Assurance for Environmental Testing
The template is available as a Microsoft Word document for $115 for members or $250 for non-members. Purchase of the Quality Manual Template includes copies of the Method SOP Template and the Admin SOP Template. If you are a TNI member, be sure to log in before ordering to ensure you receive your TNI member discounted price. If you do not see "TNI Member Price" next to the prices listed below, you are not logged in!
TNI Quality Manual Template |
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This document is intended to help explain the requirements of The NELAC Institute’s (TNI) 2016 Standard (EL-V1-2016-rev 2.1: Management and Technical Requirements for Laboratories Performing Environmental Analysis) and to provide environmental laboratories, especially small laboratories, with clear, simple guidance on how to develop the policies and procedures that will allow them to become accredited to the TNI Standard. This handbook is NOT a substitute for reading and understanding the TNI Standard. Keep in mind that the TNI Standard is not designed to tell you HOW you must do something. It is designed to tell you WHAT you must do. This document should provide you with examples of how you might comply with the TNI Standard. The examples provided are not requirements; they are recommendations that could help with compliance. Often, there are many options on what you can do to comply with the requirements of the TNI Standard. Each individual laboratory must decide what processes are the best for designing and implementing its quality management system.
View sample pages from the Small Laboratory Handbook:
Table of Contents (PDF)
Section 4.15 - Management Review (PDF)
View a presentation on the Small Laboratory Handbook (PowerPoint)
The handbook is available as a Adobe Acrobat PDF for $115 for members or $190 for non-members. TNI members may also purchase the Small Laboratory Handbook and the QAM Template together for $175, a savings of $35. If you are a TNI member, be sure to log in before ordering to ensure you receive your TNI member discounted price. If you do not see "TNI Member Price" next to the prices listed below, you are not logged in!
Small Laboratory Handbook |
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The TNI Technical Assistance Committee has developed two template models to aid laboratories in implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for analytical methods used in their laboratory, and for implementing Administrative SOPs (such as data integrity, corrective actions, or handling customer complaints). This document addresses the laboratory method SOPs. The requirements for these SOPs are included in NELAC (2003) 5.5.4.1.2, "Laboratory Method Manual(s)".
View sample page from the Method SOP Template
View sample page from the Administrative SOP Template
The templates are available as Microsoft Word documents for $10 each, and are free to anyone who purchases the Quality Manual template. If you are a TNI member, be sure to log in before ordering to ensure you receive your TNI member discounted price. If you do not see "TNI Member Price" next to the prices listed below, you are not logged in!
Method SOP Template |
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Admin SOP Template |
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The organizations listed below are all organizational members of TNI in good standing and have indicated to TNI that they perform training and consulting services to laboratories seeking accreditation. TNI receives no fees or revenue from these services. TNI has not evaluated the services, materials offered or technical knowledge of these individuals or companies. TNI does not endorse or warrant any of the services and a laboratory should do its own appropriate due diligence in selecting the service provider that is needed. TNI suggests that references be gathered to assist in the evaluation of these or any provider's services and client satisfaction. If you need further information, please contact the providers directly.
Note: The following list may be sorted by clicking on a column header.
| Company | Name | City | State | Phone | |
| Advanced Systems, Inc. | Marlene Moore | Newark | DE | 302-368-1211 | [email protected] |
| Analytical Excellence, Inc. | John Farrell | Altamonte Springs | FL | 407-331-5040 | [email protected] |
| ChemVal Consulting | John Gumpper | Manistee | MI | 231-723-4043 | [email protected] |
| Dynamic Technology Solutions, LLC | Michael Hintz | Austin | TX | 512-336-1900 | [email protected] |
| Enlightened Quality Analytics, LLC | Shannon Swantek | CORTE MADERA | CA | 831-295-1887 | [email protected] |
| Environmental Laboratory Consulting and Technology LLC | Silky Labie | Tallahassee | FL | 850-656-6298 | [email protected] |
| Labtopia Solutions, Inc. | Jeanne Mensingh | League City | TX | 281-619-2600 | [email protected] |
| Miller Quality Consulting | Mitzi Miller | Knoxville | TN | 509-531-0255 | [email protected] |
| NV5/Dade Moeller | Charles Newton | Richland | WA | [email protected] | |
| Quality Assurance Solutions, LLC | Diane Lawver | Lakeport | CA | 707-275-2039 | [email protected] |
| Red River Scientific | Donnie Cantu | TX | 713-418-9160 | [email protected] | |
| SAW Environmental | Tony Francis | Highland | UT | 801-999-8293 | [email protected] |
| Shepherd Technical Services, LLC | Mei Beth Shepherd | Austin | TX | 512-335-0906 | [email protected] |
| The Markay Consulting Group LLC | Mark Alessandroni | Lakeland | FL | 863-255-5856 | [email protected] |
| Wachtel Environmental Consulting | Adam Wachtel | Marina | CA | 831-596-2952 | [email protected] |
| William Ray Consulting LLC | William Ray | Martinez | CA | 925-300-3350 | [email protected] |
The individuals and organizations listed below are all members of TNI in good standing and have indicated to TNI that they are qualified assessors interested in working under contract to Accreditation Bodies, states or laboratories seeking contract assessors. TNI receives no fees or revenue from these services. TNI has not evaluated the services, qualifications or technical knowledge of these individuals or companies, and does not endorse or warrant any of the services. Any organization contracting these individuals or organizations should do its own appropriate due diligence in selecting the service provider that is needed. TNI suggests that references be gathered to assist in the evaluation of these or any provider's services and client satisfaction. If you need further information, please contact the providers directly.
ANAB
Contact: Patrick Douglass
414-501-5335
[email protected]
Statement of Qualifications (PDF)
Dynamic Technology Solutions
Contact: Michael Hintz
Austin, Texas
512-336-1900 ext. 101
[email protected]
Statement of Qualifications (PDF)
Matthew Sica
Matthew Sica Consulting
Vassalboro, ME
207-624-1532
[email protected]
Statement of Qualifications (PDF)
Michelle Wade
Wade Consulting & Solutions
Lawrence, KS
913-449-5223
[email protected]
Statement of Qualifications (PDF)
To add or update a listing, please complete the appropriate template (whether individual or organization) and submit it to the Laboratory Accreditation Body Committee Program Administrator.
Templates
Individual Statement of Qualifications for Third Party Assessor Contracts (Word .docx format)
Organizational Statement of Qualifications for Third Party Assessor Contracts
(Assessor Requirements) (Word .docx format)
