Ensuring Confidence and Advancing Quality in Construction Materials Testing

AASHTO re:source collaborates with industry partners to provide trusted services that ensure the integrity of the materials in our nation’s infrastructure. Through our core programs, Laboratory Assessment Program (LAP), the Proficiency Sample Program (PSP), and the AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP), we evaluate testing competency, promote continual improvement, and instill confidence in the laboratories, specifiers, and project owners across the construction materials testing and inspection industry.

Our Vision for Quality

Our vision is to lead a quality management revolution in the construction materials testing and inspection industry, advancing excellence beyond conformance to continual improvement and collaboration.

Guided by our 2024–2027 Strategic Roadmap, AASHTO re:source is focused on strengthening quality systems, expanding stakeholder engagement, and helping the industry move from meeting requirements to achieving sustained performance excellence

Who We Are

AASHTO re:source is a technical service program of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), an international leader in the development of transportation standards and guides.

AASHTO represents all fifty states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico and serves as a liaison between the state departments of transportation and the federal government. AASHTO re:source supports this mission by helping laboratories, agencies, and project owners ensure the quality and reliability of construction materials testing.

Why AASHTO re:source?

Whether you are a construction materials testing laboratory, a project owner, or an agency that specifies accreditation, AASHTO re:source delivers trusted, responsive, and forward-looking services.

With more than 60 years of experience, we are widely recognized as a leader in the CMT industry and proudly serve over 3,000 customers, making each of our programs the largest of its kind.

Our core programs are formally recognized for conformance with ISO 9001, reflecting our commitment to effective quality management and customer satisfaction. Beyond conformance, we focus on helping our customers build stronger systems, reduce risk, and improve performance.

Why organizations choose AASHTO re:source:

• Proven technical expertise and industry leadership
• Unmatched scale and reach of assessment, proficiency testing, and accreditation programs
• ISO 9001-recognized quality management systems
• A collaborative, customer-focused approach with responsive support

Supporting Construction Materials Testing Laboratories

AASHTO re:source partners with laboratories to support both technical competence and long-term quality improvement.

• Laboratory Assessments
  Independent, expert evaluations of laboratory testing competence that support improvement, not just conformance.
• Proficiency Sample Program
  Proficiency testing materials used to evaluate equipment performance, technician proficiency, and system consistency.
• Accreditation and Quality Management Support
  Guidance and expertise to help laboratories achieve and maintain accreditation to meet project and agency requirements.

Ready to get started?
Register your laboratory to gain full access to AASHTO re:source’s programs and services.

Partnering with Specifiers of Accreditation

AASHTO re:source works closely with a broad range of federal, state, and local agencies, including every state DOT, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), California Department of General Services, and the New York City Department of Buildings, among others.

We help specifiers:

• Understand the structure and value of the AASHTO Accreditation Program
• Specify accreditation requirements that support consistent, reliable testing outcomes
• Strengthen quality oversite while reducing risk

Our approach emphasizes collaboration and transparency, supporting agencies as partners in advancing industry-wide quality.

Apply to be a specifier to learn how AASHTO re:source can support your program goals.

Leadership, Engagement, and Strategic Direction

AASHTO re:source serves as a leader in the CMT community, bringing together laboratories and agencies to strengthen quality management practices across the industry.

We actively contribute to standards development and technical forums, including AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements (COMP), ASTM International, Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Rocky Mountain Asphalt User-Producer Group (RMAUPG). Beyond technical participation, we engage the industry through events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing initiatives that promote peer learning, collaboration, and continual improvement.

Guided by our 2024-2027 Strategic Roadmap, these efforts support a focus on:

• Advancing quality management beyond conformance
• Strengthening collaboration with laboratories, agencies, and industry partners
• Expanding education, engagement, and knowledge sharing

This strategic direction shapes how we deliver services today, and how we lead the industry forward.

History

AASHTO re:source was established in 1965 as the AASHTO Materials Reference Laboratory (AMRL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD (then the National Bureau of Standards).

The Laboratory Assessment Program and Proficiency Sample Program were introduced in 1966, initially covering soil, aggregate, and bituminous materials. Over time, these programs expanded significantly to meet the evolving needs of the construction materials testing industry.

In 1988, the AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP) was launched to formally recognize laboratories that meet the requirements of AASHTO R 18. Today, accreditation is available for most of the tests covered in the scope of AASHTO re:source programs, as well as those covered by the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL), including hydraulic cement, Portland cement concrete, and unit masonry.