Argonne’s Quality Policy

At Argonne, we deliver quality to our sponsors and customers by:
• knowing their requirements
• meeting their needs
• improving continuously 

Background

We use Argonne’s Core Values of Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork to advance science and technology for U.S. prosperity and security. We implement Argonne’s Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) with our Quality Management System (QMS) to plan and verify that Laboratory mission deliverables, products, and services meet or exceed expectations and to set quality objectives that meet the framework of this policy.  Argonne sponsors and customers include the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), other sponsors and partners, regulating authorities, employees, suppliers, communities, and the nation.

Argonne’s Quality Management System

The Quality Management System (QMS) defines the requisite criteria and provides the framework for quality management, quality assurance, and quality control, supporting Argonne’s commitment to continual improvement.

Fundamentals of the Argonne Quality Management System

• Our Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) is the Laboratory’s highest level quality management document and describes the Argonne approach to the integration of quality principles and methodologies into work planning and control processes to address contractual quality requirements and to achieve consistent success.
• Implemented to meet Prime Contract requirements conveyed by inclusion of DOE Order 414.1D, Quality Assurance, and 10 CFR 830 Subpart A, Quality Assurance Requirement, including selection and identification of consensus standards
• Consensus standards ISO9001:2015 Quality Management Systems, ANSI/ASQ Z1.13-1999 Quality Guidelines for Research, and ASME NQA-1 2008/NQA-1a2009 Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications are implemented in the QMS as appropriate for the activities being managed. Argonne’s QMS includes third party ISO9001 certification for the activities included in the ISO9001:2015 QMS scope.
• Structured with the flexibility to apply the requirements of these quality standards on a project- or process-specific basis based on potential risk factors and customer needs
• Common-sense application of QA principles and requirements to fit the needs of each activity, process, project, or program based on the DOE-mandated concept of a graded approach
• Conveyed to staff and management through the Laboratory Management System (LMS), Argonne’s institutional mechanism for ensuring that applicable laws, regulations, orders, policies, and best practices are adequately translated and incorporated into systems and controlled documentation