We have discovered that some testing laboratories have sought laboratory accreditation for facilities that primarily serve as sample transfer depots rather than fully-operational testing laboratories.  AASHTO Accreditation is strictly reserved for testing laboratories and does not extend to sample transfer depots.  The AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP) has been actively identifying and removing such facilities from the program as they are discovered.

While we recognize that project and mobile facilities may experience workload fluctuations, we have found that the sample transfer depots are not working laboratories at all.

If your testing firm is engaged in this practice, you must immediately withdraw accreditation for any facility that meets this description.  Failure to comply may result in a refusal of service for your entire company, including all currently accredited locations.

If you know of a state, county, or local agency that has inadvertently promoted or facilitated this practice through its policies, we will welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them on policy adjustments to prevent this issue moving forward.  If you know of a situation like this, please let us know so we can reach out to them.

We also want to stress that you cannot claim to maintain accreditation at any mobile, project, or fixed laboratory locations based on your primary facility's accreditation.  If you have claimed to maintain accreditation in this manner, you are making a false claim of accreditation.

For any questions, please contact AASHTO Accreditation Program Director, Brian Johnson via email at bjohnson@aashtoresource.org.