N.M. Admin. Code § 20.11.100.30 - VPMD QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDITS OF AIR CARE STATIONS AND AIR CARE INSPECTORS

VPMD's quality assurance audits and data analysis are designed to: discover, correct and prevent fraud, waste and abuse; determine whether emissions testing procedures are being correctly performed; assess whether emissions analyzers are measuring accurately; and find any existing problems that could impede program performance.

A. The program shall conduct announced and unannounced overt quality assurance audits of each certified air care station as ordered by the program manager. The duties of the VPMD auditor shall include but not be limited to the following:

(1) verify that the equipment, reference materials and staffing agree with the information on file with the program manager and are sufficiently maintained to meet the intent of the VPMD program;

(2) check the accuracy of data entry and production of the final inspection reports furnished to motorists;

(3) perform a complete quality assurance survey on the analyzer, the calibration gas system, and automatic zero-span performance in relation to the specifications and requirements of 20.11.100 NMAC;

(4) the field audit gases for standardizing approved analyzers used for inspections shall conform to the provisions specified in 40 CFR, Part 86, Subpart B, Section 86.114-94, Analytical Gases, for automotive exhaust emissions testing; those gases shall be of "precision" quality, certified to be within + (plus-or-minus) 1% of the labeled concentration, and certified by the NIST; and

(5) examine the service contract for the analyzer to assure proper lockout controls, data record capture and response in case of trouble.

B. The program shall perform covert quality assurance audits without offering official credentials or identification by submitting motor vehicles for inspection in order to examine the station operation under actual conditions. Covert audit vehicles may be offered at random times in a condition resulting from intentional maladjustment, or with emissions control components intentionally removed or rendered inoperative by VPMD. The results of covert audits by the program will provide data for assessing the performance of certified air care stations and certified air care inspectors and their adherence to the requirements of 20.11.100 NMAC.

C. VPMD shall perform covert quality assurance audits of the air care stations and air care inspectors by observing their activities unannounced from a remote off-site area.

D. VPMD shall perform data analysis of information contained in the VID to audit the performance of air care stations and air care inspectors. The criteria for the data analysis will be selected by VPMD in response to VPMD investigations, complaints, certification renewals or other triggers, or may occur at random times on randomly-selected stations and inspectors.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 20.11.100.30

20.11.100.30 NMAC - Rn & A, 20.11.100.24 NMAC, 1/1/12