1

Improving Customer Service Through Electronic Data

Management & Paperless Data Delivery~~~~~

The USEPA Region 2 Experience

Linda M. Mauel Chief, Hazardous Waste Support

Section

Jennifer FerandaCLP Project Officer/RSCC

May 2009

2

How Do You Improve

Customer Service

at the same time you are…

Going “Green” Reducing Resources

Increasing Productivity Saving the Superfund Program 1.5 Million Dollars

3

How Do You Improve

Customer Service ?

Improve

Timeliness in delivery of data

Data delivery medium

Assessment tools

Access to information

4

How To Make It Happen?

5

Electronic Data Management

& Paperless Data Delivery

6

Summary of R2 Initiatives

Required use of UPF-QAPP Policy Comprehensive Analytical Request Form Preliminary Electronic Data Deliverables Non-Routine Analytical Services EDDs CLP Data Assessment Tool (DAT) Editor Combined Electronic & Manual Data

Review Electronic Validated CLP Data Forms R2 Superfund Database Compatibility QA Data Lifecycle Access Database

7

Required Use ofUFP-QAPP Policy

All Superfund, Brownfields, RCRA projects Promotes Consistency

Reduces Amount of Text Electronic Worksheets

Faster Preparation/Review/Approval 4:1 reduction in # of revisions prior to

QAPP approval

8

Comprehensive Analytical Request Form

(ARF)

Used for all Superfund analytical services requests (Region 2 lab, CLP, non-routine, potential sub-contracted work, etc.) Replaces separate Region 2 Lab & Contract

Laboratory Program (CLP) request forms Provides info to monitor FASTAC compliance

Created in Excel Submitted electronically Exports info to Regional tracking database

9

R2 ARF Project Info Worksheet

10

R2 ARF Analytical Information Worksheet

11

Preliminary CLP Electronic Data

Deliverables (EDDs) Specialized EDDs processed through

Electronic data eXchange and Evaluation System (EXES) software Partially validated preliminary data

Resulting R2 customized EDDs provided in Excel superset spreadsheets To customer in 1–2 days of R2 receipt

from HQ Analyt. Services Branch (ASB) contractor

Delivered to customer by e-mail 50% reduced delivery time of data from

time of sample delivery to the lab

12

Data Assessment Tool (DAT)

Editor For CLP Developed for use with Regional

CLP Excel spreadsheets Easy review of preliminary & final

validated data in the same format Used to assist validators in

comparing EDD and hard copy validated data

Accessible to customers through the Region 2 Intranet and Internet Read-only version available to all CLP

data users

13

R2 DAT Editor Screen

14

EDDs ForNon-RAS Parameters

Analyses procured thru OSRTI national contract

R2, HQ & a national lab collaborated to produce dioxin EDDs

EDDs in a modified R2 format processed through EXES software

Efforts to be expanded to include Air (TO-15) and PCB congeners analyses Reduced data validation times Increased availability of less expensive,

more quality assured analytical services

15

Combined Electronic & Manual Data Review

Partially Validated CLP Data provided with EXES & Contract compliance Screening (CCS) reports

R2 performs streamlined manual validation and assessment of field & lab data using R2 data validation SOPs Customer turnaround times met, while

dramatically increased number of CLP analyses were procured & validated

$1.5 million savings to the Superfund program in data validation costs in FY’08

16

Have You Ever Felt All That Paper Closing In On

You ?

17

OrKeeping

You From Getting

Out FromUnder It?

18

Electronic Validated CLPData Forms

Data formatted for viewing by DAT Editor

Files merged & printed as .pdf files using Crystal software

Validated data forms delivered electronically Compliance with EMS and the Agency’s goal

toward paperless offices 50% reduction in copying costs and paper

copies of CLP data packages

19

Region 2 Superfund Database Compatibility

Direct input of CLP EDDs into the R2 Superfund Database (EQUIS V)

Region 2, HQ ASB, ASB contractor & EQUIS vendor collaboration

Compatibility with R2 Superfund Database

20

QA Data Lifecycle Access Database

Consolidates Region 2 QA tracking databases Permits collaborative inputting & information

retrieval Generates management & tracking reports

Improved centralized data entry Improved access to electronic QA data lifecycle

information from QAPP reviews to data archival Faster tracking of data status and information ARF & ANSETS comparisons for FASTAC compliance Larger source of information for report generation

21

Database Welcome Page

22

Database Form Selection Page

23

Database Input Form

24

Database Report

Access has a one-click option to easily export the report into a Word

document for additional editing and easy printing.

25

Summary

Development and implementation of these initiatives resulted in dramatic customer service improvements and efficiencies, and have increased DESA’s green practices.

These advances also: Support better implementation of the OSWER

FASTAC tiered analytical services procurement strategy

Encourage greater use of less expensive, more quality assured Region 2 & CLP analytical services as opposed to more costly subcontracted services with greater QA vulnerability

26

Jennifer Feranda, USEPA Region 2

feranda.jennifer@epa.gov(732) 321-6687

Linda Mauel, USEPA Region 2mauel.linda@epa.gov

(732) 321-6766

USEPA Region 2 Contacts

27

The End

Questions ?