1.1 This practice establishes minimum qualifications for agencies engaged in the testing and inspection of soil and rock. Minimum requirements for field and laboratory personnel are defined. The practice also covers the establishment and maintenance of a quality system. 1.2 Criteria are provided for evaluating the capability of an agency to properly perform designated tests on soil and rock, and for establishing essential characteristics pertaining to an agency's organization, personnel, facilities, and quality system. This practice may be supplemented by more specific criteria and requirements for particular projects. 1.3 This practice can be used as a basis to evaluate testing and inspection agencies, or both, and is intended for use for the qualifying or accrediting, or both, of testing or inspection agencies, public or private, engaged in the testing and inspection of soil and rock as used in engineering design and construction. 1.4 To qualify for accreditation to this standard, the agency must include at least five standards relating to testing methods, inspection methods, or both, from the standards covered under the jurisdictions of Committee D18, in its certificate of accreditation. 1.5 This practice is applicable to all standards which include a reference to Practice D3740. 1.6