Quality Management System for USGS Laboratories
The reputation of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for scientific excellence, integrity, and objectivity is one of the Bureau’s most important assets.
The Instructional Memorandum (IM OSQI 2022-01) establishes the Quality Management System (QMS) for USGS laboratories through 10 Core Elements. The QMS is a structured and documented management system describing the requirements, objectives, principles, organizational authority, responsibilities, accountability, and implementation plan of an organization for ensuring quality in its work processes, products (items), and services in laboratories. Through the implementation of the QMS, the resultant USGS laboratory data will be of known and documented quality, which will help to meet the strategic goals and mission of the Bureau, uphold the Bureau’s scientific reputation and Fundamental Science Practices, and underscore its mandate to provide reliable science to address pressing societal issues.
What is a QMS?
A QMS is a structured and documented management system describing the requirements, objectives, principles, organizational authority, responsibilities, accountability, and implementation plan of an organization for ensuring quality in its work processes, products, and services in laboratories.
Why does the USGS need a Bureau-wide QMS policy?
The reputation of the USGS for scientific excellence, integrity, and objectivity is one of the Bureau's most important assets. This reputation for reliable science is dependent upon consistent adherence to USGS FSP and Scientific Integrity (SM 500.25) requirements. The QMS policy is part of the FSP policies to ensure that USGS laboratories are producing data of known and documented quality in a structured, consistent manner that will result in laboratory data that are reproducible, reliable, defensible, transparent, and traceable.
