[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56818-56819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21239]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Laboratory Accreditation Program Approval

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announces that it 
will use the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) 
Recognition process for determining whether an accreditation program is 
comparable to the American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Accreditation Program for use in 
quality assurance procedures for laboratories performing sampling and 
testing of materials used in the construction of Federal-aid highways 
on the National Highway System. In order for the accreditation program 
to be considered comparable, the accreditation body must be recognized 
by NACLA with a scope that includes the ``Technical Requirements for 
Construction Materials Testing.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Rafalowski, Office of 
Pavement Technology (HIPT-10), (202) 366-1571; Mr. Harold Aikens, 
Office of Chief Counsel, (HCC-30), (202) 366-0791, Department of 
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., e.s.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem 
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing 
Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet 
users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's home page at 
http://www.archives.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing Office's web 
page at http://www.gpoaccess.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

    In order to meet the quality assurance requirements for 
construction found in 23 CFR 637.209(a)(2), (3), and (4), laboratories 
performing sampling and testing of materials used in the construction 
of Federal-aid highway projects on the National Highway System must be 
accredited by the AASHTO Accreditation Program or a comparable 
laboratory accreditation program approved by FHWA. This notice 
announces that the FHWA will use the NACLA Accreditation Body 
Recognition Procedure and Technical Requirements for Construction 
Materials Testing, NISTIR 7012, as the criteria for the approval of 
comparable laboratory accreditation programs. The NACLA Recognition 
procedures are available at the following URL: http://www.nacla.net/MRA/RecognitionProcedure.pdf. The Technical Requirements for Testing 
Construction Materials is available at

[[Page 56819]]

the following URL: http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/gsig/pubs/ir7012.pdf.
    Before accreditation bodies will be approved by the FHWA, these 
bodies will be evaluated against the NACLA recognition procedures, the 
Technical Requirements for Construction Materials Testing, and must be 
recognized by NACLA with the Technical Requirements for Construction 
Materials Testing listed in its scope. Additionally, to meet the 
quality assurance requirements in 23 CFR 637.209(a)(2), (3), and (4), 
the laboratories must have been successfully assessed using the 
technical requirements and the laboratories scope of accreditation and 
must indicate that the laboratory was assessed according to the 
requirements in NISTR 7012.
    The NACLA is a membership organization that has been incorporated 
since May 1998 for the purposes of recognizing the competency of 
laboratory accreditation programs. The FHWA has been a member of the 
organization from its inception and involved in the development and 
implementation of the recognition procedures and development of the 
Technical Requirements for Construction Materials Testing.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 109, 114, and 315; 23 CFR 637; 49 CFR 
1.48(b)

    Issued on: September 14, 2004.
Mary E. Peters,
Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-21239 Filed 9-21-04; 8:45 am]
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