The Participant Process
The following is the process you should expect, when you sign up to participate in a proficiency test offered by HN Proficiency Testing, Inc.
Booking
You can book a proficiency test via e-mail, fax or phone. Your booking will be preliminary until we have received payment. You can pay by check or major credit card. We require payment within a week of booking.
Confidentiality Agreement
The first time you sign up for a proficiency test with us, we will send you a confidentiality agreement, which we require you to sign and return. We will keep this confidentiality agreement on file.
Payment
Send your payment, so it reaches us within one week of booking. If you pay by credit card, we can take the information over the phone, when you make your booking. If you need us to invoice you, please indicate so at the time of booking.
Information Form
Send us a filled out information form, indicating your laboratory name and address, contact information etc. including information on the overnight shipping service you intend to use.
Confirmation Letter
We will send you a confirmation letter indicating the package and week you have booked, when you have completed the steps above.
The letter will also contain the measuring instructions for the particular proficiency test you have booked. You should review these instructions right away, to ensure that you fully understand the instructions and have the equipment necessary to perform the measurements.
If you have any questions, they should be raised at this stage, so they can be clarified before the package reaches you. It is our experience that time will be tight, when it is time for the measurements.
Previous Participant Contact Information
We will send you information indicating who you should expect to receive the proficiency testing package from approximately one week before you are scheduled to receive the proficiency test.
We will also remind you to review the measuring instructions at this time.
Next Participant Contact Information
We will send you information indicating where you shall send the package at the end of your allotted time shortly before you are due to receive the proficiency testing package.
Receive Tracking Information
On the Thursday before your test week, you will receive shipping information and a tracking number for the proficiency testing package from the previous participant.
Receive Proficiency Testing Package
On the Friday before your test week you will receive the proficiency testing package.
Acknowledge Receipt of Proficiency Testing Package
When you receive the proficiency testing package, you shall inspect it immediately to determine if anything has been damaged in shipping.
When you have inspected the package, you shall contact us and acknowledge the receipt of the package. We will expect to receive you acknowledgement on the Friday before your test week.
Make Measurements
Finally! You have Monday - Wednesday of your test week to perform your measurements.
Ship Proficiency Testing Package
On the Thursday of your test week, you are required to send the proficiency testing package to the next participant by overnight mail (e.g. UPS or FedEx), requiring a signature by the recipient.
Communicate Shipping Information
Once you have shipped the proficiency testing package, communicate the shipping information including the tracking number to HN Proficiency Testing, Inc. and the next participant immediately.
We will expect to receive this information on the Thursday of your test week.
Submit Results
Submit your results to HN Proficiency Testing, Inc. In most cases, there will be a form, which we will request you to use.
Receive Preliminary Report
When we receive your results, we will process them and send you a preliminary report.
Review Preliminary Report
We request that you review the preliminary report to ensure that it is accurate and return either a marked-up copy (if there are changes) or an acknowledgement that it is accurate.
Receive Final Report
We issue a final report for each round of participants for a proficiency test. Each round contains about 10 participants and the delay before you receive the final report will depend on where you are in the round.
