From January to March 2010 the Marine Institute, Ireland, will conduct a proficiency test amongst laboratories, for Phytoplankton Assemblage. This will be broken down into two main areas and each participant will be asked to return results for each.

The two areas are:

Identification – in the form of a “Taxonomic Quiz”, whereby analysts will identify phytoplankton from images and will have to answer relevant taxonomical questions.

This year the identification exercise is an updated version of the 2008 exercise and it is designed to test those analysts who have not taken part in this exercise before. Those analysts who have participated in the last 2 years do not have to complete this part of the exercise for 2010.

Enumeration – a number of seawater samples spiked with phytoplankton cultured material will be sent to each laboratory.  The number of samples will be 6 samples per analyst. This year the samples are spiked with one species and our interest is on the cell counts more than the identification of the one species. This should reduce the sample time greatly compare to last year.

Also, this year for the first time we will be sending a wild sample to be analysed as this was one of the recommendations coming out of last years’ workshop. This sample will not be compulsory for labs to do. Those labs that are interested in taking on this extra sample on top of the 6 samples will have to request this. This sample will be a concentrated, homogenised and lugol’s preserved wild sample and a total phytoplankton cell count will be carried out, that is all species whether toxic or not to the highest taxonomic level possible.

Programme Schedule

Registration Package

The fee for the proficiency test is £484.

This covers: sample preparation, verification, packing and shipping, receiving and verifying data results, calculation when needed, overall data processing, statistical calculations, preparation of final report, a Statement of Performance.

On registration, participants will receive:

• Samples couriered to individual analysts in each laboratory.
• Relevant protocols and instructions
• Electronic summary report of laboratories performance in the inter-calibration exercise
• Confidential statement of performance
• Invitation to a training/wash-up workshop where participants are presented with the draft report, and have the opportunity to share experiences, discuss general results, and make suggestions for future exercises.

PLEASE NOTE that registration does NOT cover flights to and from the workshop and accommodation during the workshop.

Registration and Payment

Cefas Technology Ltd (CTL) is a wholly owned company of Cefas, and will manage registration and payment administration of the Community (Phytoplankton) component of the BEQUALM QA/QC programme using the on-line ordering and payment system available on the CTL website.

This is to keep administration to a minimum and costs to participants as low as possible. A booking receipt is generated by the on-line ordering system automatically once you have placed your order.

Various payment options are available (see below).

BEQUALM COMMUNITY COMPONENT - PAYMENT OPTIONS and VAT LIABILITY

The following payment options are available:

Credit card payments are acceptable for payments in £GB

BACS payments and bank credit transfers are acceptable. Please ensure that your payment includes all bank charges incurred for transferring fees. Cefas Technology Ltd will not be liable for these charges and will aim to recover costs incurred from participants.

The liability for Value Added Tax (VAT) on the services provided is as follows:

UK & The Isle of Man: participants are liable to UK VAT

EU (not UK) participants who are not registered for VAT are liable for UK VAT. Participants who are registered for VAT and who receive the supply for business purposes are not liable for UK VAT and should account for any tax locally. You will be asked to supply your VAT number during the on-line ordering process.

CANCELLATION No refunds are available on cancellation.

CONFIRMATION. Your order will be confirmed via the on-line ordering system.

BEQUALM COMMUNITY COMPONENT - Terms and Conditions

Laboratories participating in the scheme do so on the basis of accepting the Special Terms and Conditions for the Products and Services provided by CTL, acting through Cefas under the Community Component of the BEQUALM QA/QC programme, and should be read in conjunction with the CTL Standard Website Terms and Conditions of Sale.

In order to register for the BEQUALM Community component each Participating Laboratory ("Buyer") will be asked to confirm their agreement to these terms and conditions as provided by CTL ("The Seller")