Laboratories that participate in the A2LA Environmental Testing Accreditation Program are assessed to the requirements in ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and The NELAC Institute (TNI) standard requirements, through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP).
For laboratories that perform environmental testing on behalf of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Energy (DOE), accreditation requires additional compliance with the requirements in the DoD/DOE Quality Systems Manual (QSM). The DoD/DOE QSM is based on both the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 and TNI.
The DoD/DOE QSM Version 5.4 has been replaced by an updated version, QSM Version 6.0, which was published on December 13, 2023. The new version has been entirely rewritten and includes updated quality system, technical, and method specific requirements as found in the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and 2016 TNI standards. Labs are becoming familiar with the changes and must transition to the DoD/DOE QSM V6.0 no later than June 13, 2026.
Why did the QSM change?
The DoD/DOE updated the QSM to streamline the standard to make it easier to interpret and implement. They removed redundancies and unnecessary requirements and reorganized the information in a way that will assist with internal audits and assessments. Duplicate or unclear language was updated or removed from this revision. For example, phrases like “shall consider” have been changed to “shall” making requirements clear and definite.
How is QSM V6.0 different from QSM V5.4?
In addition to the updated structure and language, there were also updates to the technical standards.
- The requirements in Appendix A and E have been folded into Module 2
- The table in Appendix B has been reformatted
- Appendix C includes minor changes to the LCS recovery limits
- Appendix D has been removed
- An industrial hygiene section was added to Module 8
Additionally, Section 9 will cover hazardous and radioactive materials management (HRMM) as well as health and safety practices. This section only applies to DOECAP accredited labs. With this update, it was also clarified that if you perform radiochemical testing, your organization is required to have a radiochemical license. However, you don’t need to be a radiochemical laboratory to be DOECAP accredited.
What is the timeline for implementation?
Accreditation to QSM V6.0 is mandatory 30 months after its release, which will be on June 13, 2026. DoD and DOE contractors have been instructed not to require QSM V6.0 within their contracts during the transition period assigned.
How should my lab prepare for this change?
Laboratory personnel and quality managers should take time to become familiar with the changes to the document. Generally, the requirements have remained the same, but can be found in a different part of the standard.
If you have any questions, you can always reach out to your A2LA Accreditation Officer or contact Customer Care at 301-644-3248. During the transition period, A2LA will provide additional information to accredited DoD/DOE testing laboratories. You can read A2LA’s Transition Memorandum here.
Laboratory personnel are also encouraged to submit questions and concerns to the DOD Environment, Safety & Occupational Health Network and Information Exchange (DENIX), a digital platform used to report and distribute authoritative information to the DoD ESOH community. Submitting questions and concerns allows the organization to identify common areas of interest to address with labs and accreditation bodies.
A2LA is happy to help you and your organizations work through these changes, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your questions. If you’re ready to get the accreditation process started you can get a quote today!
To learn more about A2LA accreditation, visit www.A2LA.org or contact us at info@A2LA.org.