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Purpose. This manual provides details on the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) procedures for the design, production, certification, and use of Performance Evaluation (PE) samples in the USACE Environmental Quality Assurance (QA) Program. PE samples are an important part of laboratory validation to ensure that quality data are obtained according to proper Chemical Data Quality Management (CDQM) activities. Quality of chemical data is critical to decision making for USACE environmental compliance and restoration programs. (See USACE 200-1-1, "Validation of Analytical Chemistry Laboratories," for details on lab validation and EM 200-1-6, "Chemical Quality Assurance for HTRW Projects," for CDQM information.)

Applicability. This manual applies to Headquarters USACE (HQUSACE) elements, major subordinate commands (MSC), districts, laboratories, and field operating activities (FOA) having responsibility for in-house or contracted projects involving chemical testing of environmental media or chemical wastes. This includes, but is limited to, execution of the following programs: Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP), Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), Installation Environmental Compliance, Military Construction, Superfund, Civil Works, work for others including Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Department of Energy (DOE), etc., and any other construction projects involving hazardous, toxic, and/or radioactive wastes.