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VDC Laboratory and Quality Assurance Program

Objective

The goal of the VDC Quality Assurance Program is to develop and ensure specifications for the procurement of products and to respond quickly and accurately to customer inquiries and concerns related to product integrity.

Developing Specifications

The VDC Specification Analyst and Laboratory Specialist Senior develop specifications according to customer needs with the goal of procuring high quality goods at the lowest possible price.  Communicating and understanding customer needs is essential in developing product specifications.  The VDC QA Program incorporates USDA and Federal Specifications and establishes dialogue and rapport with relative industries to validate product availability at an acceptable cost.  Specifications must be broad enough to encourage adequate competition from the vendor community, yet still incorporate the relevant and most important characteristics that customers require.

Laboratory Equipment

The VDC Lab includes state of the art testing equipment.  Click here  to learn about some of the VDC Lab equipment and how it is used to ensure quality products at the lowest prices.

Random Sampling

The VDC random sampling program allows for evaluation of commodities when received into the warehouse to ensure compliance and consistency to specifications and delivery requirements.  Of the over 1,000 items in the VDC inventory, items purchased on contract are tested once a year, and spot purchased items are tested twice a year.  Items are also evaluated and tested based on customer comments related to quality.

Other Laboratory Functions

The Laboratory Specialist Senior manages the VDC Laboratory, performs all product evaluations and compiles detail reports for all evaluations.  Other responsibilities include; maintaining all lab supplies, specification and report files, test methods, and researching new test methods to improve procedures and validate testing results.