STATE OF OHIO

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SUPPLEMENT 1022

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURAL SEED

July 19, 2002April, 18, 2008

1022.01 Scope

1022.02 Specification Requirements

1022.03 General Requirements

1022.04 Certification Procedure

1022.05 Quality Control Plan

1022.06 Quality Control Plan Acceptance

1022.07 Shipping

1022.08 Quality Assurance

1022.09 Loss of Certification

1022.10 Re-Certification

1022.01 Scope. Suppliers providing agricultural seed meeting the Department’s 2002 Construction and Materials Specifications 659.07 Seeds, 659.08 Legumes, 659.09 Native Grasses and Wildflowers the Department’s 1997 Construction and Materials Specifications, and, Appendix A, and this supplement may directly ship the product for immediate use on construction projects. This Supplement applies to materials supplied under the Department’s 1997 Construction and Materials Specifications under Items 659 and SS-870. Only agricultural seed supplied by suppliers certified under this program will be accepted for use. A certified supplier may be the original producer or an intermediate supplier. This supplement does not change or revise any ODOT requirements.

1022.02 Specification Requirements. Individual seeds or mixtures listed in 659 will meet those requirements. Seeds not listed in 659 will meet the requirements of Appendix A. Seeds or mixtures not listed in either 659 or Appendix A require certified test data. Those seeds listed in Appendix A may be three (3) percent lower than the given value for either Purity or Germination if the Pure Live Seed meets the specification requirements.

1022.03 General Requirements. Certified supplier’s of agricultural seeds will be responsible for the following requirements:

  1. Provide only agricultural seeds conforming to specifications.
  2. Perform any tests required by the Department’s specifications and Ohio Seed Law and assure that certified test results are complete, accurate and meet specification requirements.
  3. Use the Department’s electronic shipping form (TE-24) to ship certified seed to Department projects.
  4. Retain all records for a period of five (5) years. Include certified test data, quality control records and shipping documents.
  5. Furnish quarterly reports on materials shipped to ODOT projects to OMM. The report will include type of seed, quantity shipped, and a copy of all test results.
  6. Establish a quality control system to ensure that only materials meeting the specifications are shipped to ODOT projects. See 1022.05.

1022.04 Certification Procedure. The certified supplier will submit a letter to the Chemical Section, Office of Materials Management (OMM) requesting inclusion into the program. Sign the letter by a company representative having the legal authority to bind the company to the requirements of this certification program and include:

  1. The legal name and address of the company.
  2. A statement that the company representative has read and understands the responsibilities required by this supplement.
  3. A Quality Control Plan (QCP) as detailed in 1022.05.
  4. The name of the Quality Control Representative (QCR) that will be accountable for complying to the QCP and will be the Department’s point of contact.

1022.05 Quality Control Plan. The certified supplier will submit a Quality Control Plan (QCP) to OMM for approval. Include the procedures and processing for ordering, testing, accepting, verifying, controlling, storing, shipping, documenting, and recording materials complying to specifications. The QCP will include at least the following procedures for assuring that materials meet all applicable State of Ohio requirements:

  1. Certify all test results after evaluating test results against specifications to assure materials meet specifications whether the supplier performed or had the tests performed by a laboratory.
  2. Evaluate certified test data of sub-suppliers for compliance with specification requirements.
  3. A certified supplier is responsible for acceptability of all materials shipped under their TE-24 certification program. See 1022.07.
  4. Have a system of records documentation including tests, test results and shipping records that document program compliance. Describe the record system used for conforming to and meeting the five (5) year documentation period.
  1. Assure complete and accurate shipments. Provide defined QC procedures to assure shipments are not made until test results are complete documented, and accepted by the QCR.
  2. Describe tracking, controlling and processing methods to associate test results and certified test data to the TE-24 shipment.
  3. Furnish the quarterly reports to the OMM.
  4. Describe the QCR responsibilities in the QCP as well as other employee’s responsibilities when multiple employees will be involved in certification.

1022.06 Quality Control Plan Acceptance. The supplier will submit the QCP to OMM for review. OMM will review the QCP within 30 days and accept, reject or accept as noted. Revise and re-submit rejected QCPs. Revise and forward accepted as noted QCPs for the record.

ODOT has no standard quality control plan. Each supplier will develop their own plan. ODOT will not provide standard plans for use. Providing QCPs above minimum is encouraged to assure quality operation.

1022.07 Shipping. The supplier will ship certified materials to projects using the electronic TE-24 program. The supplier will provide a TE-24 with the correct Reference Number, Quantity shipped, and Sample ID number for the type of seeds shipped. Where a shipment includes more than one reference number for the same material type, the TE-24 will have separate entries for each reference number. Include a bill of lading with any material shipped.

TE-24 system instructions are accessible at the Department’s web site.

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Agricultural seed material includes seeds, legumes, and native grasses and wildflowers.

Material transfers to other suppliers for shipment to ODOT will not be accepted. The company providing the shipment to the ODOT project must be a certified supplier and maintain all records of acceptance of the material as described in the QCP.

1022.08 Quality Assurance. ODOT will perform periodic inspections to check test procedures, QCP compliance, and documentation. Random samples from a certified company’s facilities or a project may be obtained and tested by OMM. ODOT materials and labeling information will be easily accessible.

Certified materials not conforming to the specification will be investigated. Suppliers following an accepted QCP and showing specification compliance will not be held responsible for materials not conforming to the specifications. Sample failures may require the supplier to modify it’s QCP. Suppliers not following an accepted QCP are responsible for replacement of materials not meeting the specification and may lose their certification status under 1022.09.

1022.09 Loss of Certification. Suppliers not complying with their QCP or specification requirements may lose certification. Criterion for loss of certification are:

  1. Three (3) non-compliance items in a single QA inspection of a supplier.
  2. Any single non-compliance item repeated three (3) times in any six (6) month period.
  3. Two (2) non-compliance points in two (2) consecutive QA inspections.
  4. QAI validation of improper testing, incomplete test results or false test data will mean loss of certification.
  5. Loss of a supplier’s QCR.

The QAI may define non-compliant in 1022.09.A thru 1022.9.C as non-critical or unusual. Based on that recommendation OMM may require the supplier to revise their QCP, provide additional training for their QCR, and re-demonstrate understanding of the QCP process.

Suppliers who lose their certification under 1022.09.D will also be responsible for replacement of all non-compliance materials.

Suppliers will lose certification under 1022.09.E until a replacement meets this supplement’s requirements.

Criteria in 1022.09.A thru 1022.09.C may be appealed, however 1022.09.D and 1022.09.E are not subject to appeal. There will be no grace period for removal.

1022.10 Re-Certification.Minimum removal period is 180 days. Suppliers may re-apply for certification after that period.

APPENDIX A

GRASSES AND CEREALS

Grasses and Cereals
Common name
(Botanical) / Weed Seed
(maximum) / Purity
(minimum) / Germination
(minimum) / Pure Live Seed
(minimum)
Red Top (Agrostis alba) / 1.25 % / 90.0 % / 85.0 % / 76.50 %
Brome (Bromas inermis) smooth / 0.50 % / 90.0 % / 80.0 % / 72.0 %
Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra bar. creeping strain) / 0.50 % / 97.0 % / 85.0 % / 77.60%
Pennlawn Fescue
Festuca rubra bar.
Pennlawn) / 0.50 % / 97.0 % / 80.0 % / 77.60 %
Kentucky 31 Fescue
(Tall) Festuca arundincea var. Ky. 31) / 0.85 % / 97.0 % / 85.0 % / 82.45 %
Kentucky Bluegrass
(Poa pratensis) / 0.75 % / 85.0 % / 80.0 % / 68.0 %
Annual Ryegrass
(Lolium multiflorum) / 0.50 % / 98.0 % / 85.0 % / 88.20 %
Perennia; Ryegrass
(Lolium perenne ) / 0.50 % / 98.0 % / 85.0 % / 88.20 %
Reed Canary
(Phalaris arundinacea) / 0.50 % / 96.0 % / 60.0 % / 57.60 %
Fine/Hard Fescue / 0.75 % / 85.0 % / 85.0 % / 68.0 %

LEGUMES

Legumes
Common name (Botanical) / Weed Seed (minimum) / Purity (minimum) / Germination (minimum) / Hard Seed (maximum) / Pure Live Seed (minimum)
Alsike Clover
(Trifolium hybridum) / 0.50 % / 98.0 % / 90.0 % / 20.0 % / 88.20 %
Red Clover
(Trifolium pratense, domestic grown) / 0.50 % / 99.0 % / 90.0 % / 15.0 % / 89.10 %
YBS Clover
Scarified
(Melilotus officinalis)
(Sweet Yellow Clover) / 0.50 % / 99.0 % / 80.0 % / 20.0 % / 79.20 %
White Clover (Trifolium repens) / 0.50 % / 98.0 % / 90.0 % / 40.0 % / 88.20 %
Alfalfa
(Northern produced) (Medicago sativa) / 0.50 % / 99.0 % / 90.0 % / 25.0 % / 89.10 %
Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus
corniculatus) / 0.40 % / 97.0 % / 75.0 % / 25.0 % / 72.75 %
Crownvetch
(Coronilla varia) / 0.40 % / 98.0 % / 80.0 % / 40.0 % / 78.40 %
Hairy Vetch / 0.50 % / 95.0 % / 82.0 % / 20.0 % / 77.90 %

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