We answer frequently asked questions here.

If you need further information, please contact us using the website form or send us an email to surveys@esfeqa.eu

A: You can register for an EQA program via the ESfEQA distributor in your country. If the distributor contact information is not known use the form on our website or by emailing us at info@esfeqa.eu.

A: ESfEQA offers programs with 2, 4 or 12 surveys per year. As a general rule, EQA programs are ordered until the end of the  calendar year. Participants can start at the beginning of any quarter during the year; for CASE and CASE-T programs, at any time of the year, as no sample shipment is required.

A: Please contact the ESfEQA distributor in your country about pricing information. If the distributor contact information is not known use the form on our website or by emailing us at info@esfeqa.eu.

A: Please contact your distributor for assistance with order cancellations.

A: Shipping to the end-users (laboratories) is primarily organized through distributors and follows the annual schedule published on our website under the “Home” section. Most monthly and quarterly programs are shipped semi-annually to reduce administrative workload and environmental impact, while ensuring timely delivery of survey samples.

In general, samples from the first and second quarters are shipped together, as are those from the third and fourth quarters. This applies to materials with a stability of at least six months. Samples with a shorter shelf life, as well as those from semi-annual programs, are shipped on a quarterly basis.

A: Please notify our support team immediately so we can track the shipment.

A: Results are submitted online in the TEQA 2.0 application. Home Page – TEQA Lab

If you do not have credentials for this web application contact your distributor.

A: In TEQA 2.0, your password must be at least 8 characters long and include:

  • At least one uppercase letter
  • At least one number
  • At least one special character (e.g., !@#$%^&*+,.?)

A: Please make sure there are no spaces before or after your username or password, as the system will treat them as characters and this may cause an error.
If you are still unable to log in, please contact us and we will assist you further.

A: You can add up to a maximum of three devices per laboratory code in your TEQA 2.0 profile if you like to analyse the survey samples on more than one devices. To do so, select your laboratory and click on “Register New Instrument” within your desired program. The provided sample volume may not be sufficient for 3 devices; in this case ask your distributor for a quote of an additional sample set.

A: Yes, you can correct your submitted results in TEQA 2.0 by the deadline. Simply log in to your TEQA 2.0 account, go to your laboratory profile and select the relevant program. Click on “Enter results”, modify the required result and then click “Save changes”.

If needed, you may also add a note or comment to document the change.

A: You can find video tutorials in English, German and Spanish on the “Home” section of our website: https://www.esfeqa.eu/

A: Use the “Forgot Password” option on the TEQA 2.0 login page and follow the instructions to create a new password.

A: It is not possible to directly modify laboratory or contact details within the system. If any changes are required, please inform your local contact person (preferably your distributor), who is authorised to update the information on your behalf. Alternatively, you may contact us directly on surveys@esfeqa.eu and we will make the necessary changes.

A: Yes, our support team is available to assist you with any technical or program-related questions. Please contact us via our website or email surveys@esfeqa.eu.

A: Our platform and support materials are available in English, German and Spanish.

A: You can access the Instructions for Use within your program in your TEQA 2.0 profile. Simply go to your program and click on “View IFU” next to the program name.

A: For BAC, CASE and CASE-T programs, reports are still generated in the old TEQA platform. For all other programs report generation is carried out in the new TEQA 2.0 platform.

Reports and certificates are available online as PDF files within 3 weeks after the result submission deadline (within 1 week for monthly programs). They can be stored electronically, forwarded and printed.

You can access them directly from your laboratory profile under the corresponding program in the section “Available reports”. On the right-hand side, click the grey dropdown arrow to select the desired sample name corresponding to the different survey dates. Once you have selected the required sample, click the arrow on the right to download the report.

A: You can access them directly from your laboratory profile under the corresponding program in the sections “Participation Certificates” and “Certifications”. On the right-hand side, click the grey dropdown arrow to select the desired sample name corresponding to the different survey dates. Once you have selected the required sample, click the arrow on the right to download the file.

A: No, ESfEQA does not assign a validity period to certificates.

This approach is in accordance with our accreditation under ISO 17043. Participation in an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme reflects the laboratory’s performance, or that of its test system, at a specific point in time. Therefore, results cannot be used to guarantee future performance, as this may be influenced by various factors (e.g. changes in reagent lots).

A: The z-score (ZS) is a statistical value used to evaluate how far a participant’s result deviates from the target (assigned) value, in relation to the permissible deviation. It therefore reflects the performance of a laboratory result compared to the group of participants.

The z-score (ZS) is calculated as follows:

ZS = (x − X) / σpt, where x is the participant’s result, X is the target value and σpt is the standard deviation for proficiency testing.

For results evaluated within different groups (e.g. overall group, instrument group, or reagent group), different target values (X) and therefore different z-scores may apply.

If any z-score within an evaluated group for an analyte is between −2.0 and +2.0, no warning symbol is displayed. If all z-scores for an analyte are between 2.0 and 3.0 or between −2.0 and −3.0, a warning symbol is shown in the summary page for that analyte. If all z-scores are above 3.0 or below −3.0, the analyte is marked with a critical alert symbol.

Interpretation:

  • ZS between −2.0 and +2.0: acceptable performance (no warning)
  • ZS between ±2.0 and ±3.0: warning level
  • ZS beyond ±3.0: critical deviation requiring review of results and potential causes

Participants are advised to carefully review elevated z-scores and investigate possible analytical or methodological reasons.