Data collection activities performed for the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are divided into four categories, depending on the intended use of the data. Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plans are written to ensure that project needs will be met and that quality control procedures are sufficient for obtaining data of known quality. The level of QA required, however, depends on the project category selected for a given project. Projects that are of sufficient scope and substance that their results could be used directly, without additional support, for compliance or other litigation are identified as Category I projects. Such projects are of critical importance to the Agency goals and must be able to withstand legal challenge. Accordingly, the QA requirements will be the most rigorous and detailed in order to ensure that such goals are met. To assist professional scientists and engineers in preparing QA Project Plans, separate guidance manuals in an easy-to-read format have been developed for each category. The Category I manual contains detailed descriptions of each of the 15 required elements of a Category I QA Project Plan. Also included are definitions and explanations of frequently used terms, examples of QA forms and charts, sample equations and numerous types of tables suggested for summarizing information.

"February 1991." Includes bibliographical references.