Certified Reference Materials

5 Questions to Consider When Buying Certified Reference Materials

		Is the Vendor Guide 34 Accredited and how many of their products are covered under their scope? Sometimes a vendor is not accredited for all of their products. Verify the ones you need are.
		What kind of customer service and support does the vendor have if there is a problem or a question? A vendor should be able to help whenever you encounter a problem with a standard.
		How experienced is the vendor? How long have they been in business, and do they have the expertise for your calibration needs?
		What resources do they have available? Technical assistance, laboratory instrumentation, customer service, etc.
		Does your vendor have synthesis capabilities? If you require an uncommon chemical, sometimes the only way to obtain it is to have it custom synthesized. A full service vendor will be able to provide synthesized chemicals for specialized applications.

5 Problems People Encounter When Using Certified Reference Materials and How to Avoid Them

	Having expired standards on the shelf and having to dispose of them and buy new. Can your vendor recertify the standards? Sometimes this can be an option and can avoid disposal costs and buying new materials.
	Settling for a Standard that isn’t exactly what your application requires. Sometimes a custom standard can be a time savings for a specific application.
	Having to go to multiple vendors to supply your lab. Find a vendor that has a broad line and can supply all of your needs with one purchase order.
	Having to reorder commonly used materials. Find a vendor that can set up a standing order for items like internal standards that you order on a regular basis. It will save time and ensure you have the materials when you need them.
	Record-keeping. Having an easy way to label transfer vials and record information into your lab notebook with preprinted labels will save time and provide a strong audit trail.