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Lead/Healthy Homes – QuanTech Inc.

In 2005-2006, QuanTech conducted the American Healthy Homes Survey for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The purpose of the survey was to measure the presence of lead, arsenic, allergens and pesticides in housing nationwide. A total of 1,131 homes were surveyed; a random subsample of 500 of those homes were sampled for pesticides. QuanTech continues to provide analytical support to HUD to investigate trends in the data collected. QuanTech has been involved in LBP work for EPA and HUD since the founding of the firm. The Environmental Sciences Group is managed by Dr. Gary Dewalt, who is active in the environmental testing industry. Dr. Dewalt served as project leader for most QuanTech lead-based paint studies involving field and chemical analysis activities, and was the task leader for field and laboratory portions of the EPA/HUD field study: Field Test of Lead-Based Paint Testing Technologies. This study, a joint effort conducted by QuanTech and Midwest Research Institute, was designed by Dr. David Cox, the President of QuanTech. Dr. Cox was also the author of Chapter 4, "Testing for Lead-Based Paint", in the 1990 HUD Guidelines, and of EPA's Model Lead Inspector Course published in 1993. QuanTech was involved in designing and conducting follow-on activities to the Field Test of Lead-Based Paint Testing Technologies, including operation of a testing archive formed from samples collected in the field study. This testing archive is used to develop Performance Characteristic Sheets (PCSs) for XRF testing as directed by the 1995 HUD Guidelines. QuanTech also designed and developed paint film standards for the National Lead Abatement Council (NLAC) in support of the National XRF Operators Registry through a grant funded from HUD. QuanTech produces leaded film standards for XRF and Test Kit applications.

Large Pelagics Survey – QuanTech Inc.

QuanTech's Fisheries Research Group conducts the Large Pelagics Survey (LPS) for the US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Fisheries, Office of Science and Technology. Since 1992, the National Marine Fisheries Service has administered the LPS to collect information about the recreational fishery directed at large pelagic species (e.g., tunas, billfishes, swordfish, sharks, wahoo, dolphinfish, and amberjack) in the offshore waters from Maine through Virginia. Participation in this survey is greatly appreciated and is an important step toward fulfilling mandatory reporting requirements as an Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit holder. The authority to collect LPS data comes from the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The collection of catch and effort information on large pelagics also fulfills U.S. obligations to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The LPS includes two independent, yet complementary, surveys which provide the effort and average catch per trip estimates needed to estimate total catch by species. The Large Pelagics Intercept Survey (LPIS) is a dockside survey of fishing access sites, primarily designed to collect catch data from private and charterboat captains who have just completed fishing trips directed at large pelagic species. LPIS data are used to estimate the average recreational catch per large pelagic boat trip by species. The LPIS involves intensive field interviewing in the coastal areas from Virginia through Maine. In Maine, the LPIS is conducted by State personnel. QuanTech conducts the LPIS from Virginia through New Hampshire. The LPIS involves: Revision and refinement of all field survey instruments and data collection procedures in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries; Creation and maintenance of a sampling frame of large pelagic fishing access sites; Detailed training of field interviewers in the methodology and procedures to be used in the field interviewing process; and, Procedures to verify and enhance the quality of the data collected using comprehensive field management techniques, and in-house SAS data checking programs. To meet the requirement of delivery of LPIS data files to NOAA Fisheries, data collected in the field is sent within 24 hours of interviewing assignment completion and checked for completeness and consistency. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software is used to capture data from field forms. During data capture each entry on the form is verified by an OCR operator. A SAS dataset meeting NOAA Fisheries' specifications is prepared and delivered to NOAA Fisheries each month. The Large Pelagics Telephone Survey (LPTS) is conducted from QuanTech Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland using a custom-designed Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing system. The LPTS collects data used to estimate the total number of boat trips on which anglers fished with rod and reel or handline for large pelagic species. For-hire boats are covered by a weekly survey, and private boats are covered by a biweekly survey. The Charter/Headboat LPTS is a survey of charter and headboat fishing for HMS. The Private LPTS covers both commercial fishing by vessels with General category HMS permits, and true recreational fishing by vessels with Angling category HMS permits.

In-Person Surveys – QuanTech Inc.

QuanTech specializes in in-person intercept surveys to collect various types of survey data. We have a network of experienced field supervisors that oversee highly trained interviewing staff. Our interviewing staff is trained on how to approach potential respondents in a manner that results in a high level of participation; they are also trained to convert soft refusals into participating respondents. Depending on our clients’ needs we collect the data using two methods; paper survey responses and electronic field data collection. Paper surveys are filled out by our interviewers and sent to QuanTech's headquarters where advanced image capturing software is used to convert handwritten responses into electronic text which is then validated by our office staff. QuanTech is also using cutting edge computer assisted personal interviewing systems to easily collect survey responses in the field. QuanTech employs experienced programming staff to design, develop and program electronic surveys that are deployed to laptops or sunlight readable tablets. Our field staff are trained to use electronic devices to efficiently collect responses from participants. A major benefit of electronic field data collection is the ability to incorporate complex skip rules and error checks that ensure the highest quality data is delivered to our clients in a timely manner.