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MERC maintains an agreement for analytical services with CBL/UMCES Nutrient Analytical Services
Laboratory (NASL). MERC and NASL communicate their requirements through annual negotiations and
interim meetings.
Participation agreements are used to establish relationships between MERC and ballast treatment
developers that would like to receive MERC testing services. In this situation, non-disclosure agreements
may also be drafted between the parties. Example of a MERC and vendor agreement is provided as
Appendix B.
6.
DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS
MERC has established procedures for maintaining and controlling documents and records. The MERC
Director is responsible for developing, approving, and communicating these procedures and processes to
users.
6.1.
Quality Management Documents
ANSI/ASQ E4-2004 states that documents may be any media that contains information describing,
defining, specifying, reporting, or certifying activities, requirements, procedures, or results. Quality
management documents consist of policy statements, operating procedures, and work instructions needed
to control work processes and outcomes.
6.1.1.
Controlled Documents
Some documents require control to ensure that the most current versions are available to document users.
Quality-related documents requiring control include:
•
QMP for MERC;
•
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
•
Program QAPP and Test/QA Plans, including amendments and deviations;
•
Technical System Audits;
•
Data Audits.
Document control is maintained by implementing the following steps:
•
Formal signature approval block within the document (QMP and SOPs, only);
•
An effective date;
•
A specific version number or designation as a permanent part of the document;
•
Retention of the document with original signed page(s) in a limited access storage area (QMP,
QAPP, Test Plans, and SOPs);
•
Notification of document publication or revision as MERC announcement and email to applicable
distribution list (QMP and SOPs, only);
•
Availability of only the current version of each document on the MERC web site;
•
Revision only by the originator/author of the document or as assigned by the MERC Director.
Controlled document identification will be assigned by the person primarily responsible for the document
(typically the originator/author). The MERC Director will maintain a distribution list for the QMP and
any program or project-specific SOPs and is responsible for ensuring that these individuals are notified if
the documents are updated. The Program Coordinator has this responsibility for the QAPP and Test Plans,
amendments, and deviations. The current, approved versions of the documents are made available on the