About us     What is EPTIS and who are we

   EPTIS database

EPTIS helps you find a suitable proficiency testing (PT) scheme for your laboratory (a PT scheme is a coherent series of one or more proficiency testing rounds). For a large number of schemes we have produced data sheets and collected them in the PT scheme database. What is not included in the database is topical information on next PT rounds (a PT round is a single proficiency test, often carried out in the frame of a PT scheme). When is the next round, and what is the matrix material this time? This information is too dynamic as to be included in the database. But you can find such details for a selection of schemes in our PT calendar.

At present, a listing on the database is only open to PT providers from countries that are covered by our so-called coordinators. They check the plausibility of the data sheet submissions and decide on their publication. They speak the language and are ideally familiar with local PT providers and cultural peculiarities. This helps to safeguard a reasonable level of database quality. There is no cost for PT providers who follow this basic mechanism.

   EPTIS Consortium

The EPTIS database is a joint publication of a worldwide consortium of organizations. The members of this consortium are all involved in PT in one way or another and play a prominent role in national or international quality infrastructures. There are coordinating members, who play a more active role in EPTIS, and supporting members who provide a more intangible backup. Overall coordinator of EPTIS is the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Germany.

A peek into our history: the European PT Information System or EPTIS was the name of an EU project that aimed at making an inventory of regularly operated PT schemes in the participating countries. The project partners were major national laboratories and institutes. The project resulted in a database with 590 PT schemes called the EPTIS database which went online in 2000. After the project had ended, the 16 partners agreed to continue the development on a voluntary and not-for-profit basis. They laid down the rules of their cooperation in a Joint Protocol and invited further organizations to join. A large number of organizations has followed their invitation in the meantime: today, the EPTIS database lists around 5,000 PT schemes from around 40 countries worldwide - and it's still growing. So, who are our present members:

Africa

Pan African region

NMISA National Metrology Institute of South Africa | Contact: Mr. Donald Masuku

Americas

Argentina

OAA Organismo Argentino de Acreditación | Contact: Ms. Eliana Ditta

Bolivia

IBMETRO Instituto Boliviano de Metrología | Contact: Ms. Elizabeth Choque Mamani

Brazil

INMETRO Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia | Contact: Mr. José Ricardo Bardellini da Silva

Canada

SCC Standards Council of Canada | Contact: Mr. Vivekananthan Kulasingham

Chile

INN Instituto Nacional de Normalización| Contact: Mr. Manuel Navarrete Rossel

Colombia

ONAC Organismo Nacional de Acreditación de Colombia | Contact: Mr. Mauricio Rodríquez

Costa Rica

ECA Entidad Costarricense de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Humberto Mora

Cuba

ONARC Órgano Nacional de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Adalberto Collazo Palacios

Ecuador

SAE Servicio de Acreditación del Ecuador | Contact: Mr. Walter Pérez

Guatemala

OGA Oficina Guatemalteca de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Erik Alvarado

Honduras

OHA Oficina Hondureña de Acreditación | Contact: Ms. Liza Madride

Mexico

EMA Entidad Maxicana de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Luis Enrique Ortiz Martinez

Nicaragua

ONA Oficina Nacional de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Samuel Orogena

Panama

CNA Comisión Nacional de Acreditación | Contact: Mr. Jairo Valdese

Paraguay

ONA Organismo Nacional de Acreditación | Contact: Ms. Johana Lucía Blanco Benítez

Perú

INACAL Instituto Nacional de Calidad | Contact: ask Secretariat

El Salvador

CONACYT Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología El Salvador | Contact: Ms. Wendy Regaladoe

Uruguay

OUA Organismo Uruguayo de Acreditación | Contact: Ms. Liliana Somma

United States

Contact: Mr. George W. Latimer, Jr.

Asia

China

CNAS China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment | Contact: Mr. Ping He

Gulf region

GSO, the Standardization Organization of GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council | Contact: Mr. Ibrahim Alhashaf

South Korea

KOLAS Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme | Contact: Ms. Kyungok Yu

Thailand

Ministry of Public Health, Department of Medical Sciences | Contact: Ms. Patravee Soisangwan

Turkey

TSE Turkish Standards Institution | Contact: Mr. Ömer Faruk Altuntaş

Vietnam

AoV Accreditation of Vietnam | Contact: Mr. Nguyen Tu Tuan Anh

Australia

Australia

NMI National Measurement Institute | Contact: Ms. Luminita Antin

Europe

Austria

BMAW Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Wirtschaft | Contact: Mr. Heinz Fröschl

Belarus

BelGIM Belarussian State Institute of Metrology | Contact: Ms. Vera Naidenova

Belgium

VITO Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek | Contact: Mr. Rudy van Cleuvenbergen

Czech Republic

CMI Ceský Metrologický Institut | Contact: Ms. Simona Klenovská

Denmark

DMU Danmarcks Miljøundersøgelser | Contact: Ms. Pia Lassen

Finland

SYKE Suomen ympäristökeskus | Contact: Ms. Mirja Leivuori

France

LNE Laboratoire National d'Essais | Contact: Mr. Patrick Bironneau

Germany

BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung | Contact: Mr. Johannes van de Kreeke (Secretariat)

Greece

GCSL General Chemical State Laboratory | Contact: Ms. Vicky Nikou

Ireland

NMI National Metrology Laboratory | Contact: Mr. Paul Hetherington

and State Laboratory | Contact: Ms. Ita Kinahan

Italy

UNICHIM Associazione per l’Unificazione nel Settore dell’Industria Chimica | Contact: Ms. Laura Galli

Netherlands

VSL Dutch Metrology Institute | Contact: Mr. Peter van Otterloo

Norway

NIVA Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning | Contact: ask Secretariat

Portugal

RELACRE Associação de Laboratoriós Acreditados de Portugal | Contact: Ms. Ana Maria Duarte

Slovakia

SLM - Slovenská Legálna Metrológia | Contact: Ms. Laura Gruberová

Slovenia

MIRS - Urad RS za meroslovje | Contact: ask Secretariat

Spain

LGC Standards | Contact: Mr. Miquel Navarro

Sweden

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden | Contact: Mr. Bertil Magnusson

Switzerland

SAS Schweizerische Akkreditierungsstelle | Contact: Mr. Ian Mann

United Kingdom

LGC Standards | Contact: Mr. Savvas Xystouris

Ukraine

Ukrmetrteststandard | Contact: Mr. Andrey Glebov