Contacting CTS
Q: What are your business hours?
A: CTS staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm eastern time, exclusive of holidays.
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Q: How can I reach CTS?
A: CTS staff are available by telephone, fax, mail, and e-mail. Please refer to the
Contact List for complete information.
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Enrollment
Q: What are acceptable payment methods for my CTS subscription?
A: Payment may be made by VISA/MasterCard/AMEX or checks (in US dollars, drawn on a US bank). We do accept purchase orders; however, we invoice upon receipt of the purchase order, and our terms are Net Due as samples cannot be shipped until invoices are paid in full. International customers may opt to pay by wire transfer. Instructions are provided to customers who select that option.
We recommend that you read our
Subscription Information and Policies before ordering.
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Q: How will I know when my order is complete?
A: CTS confirms all subscriptions in writing. The confirmation includes the complete shipping schedule for the year as well as other enrollment information. Please note this confirmation only indicates your order has been received. Your subscription is not complete until payment is made. If you pay by credit card or wire transfer you will receive a receipt via mail unless an e-mail version is requested. You are also welcome to contact CTS to verify that we have received payment and that your order has been processed.
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Q: I can't find an Order Form on this Web site. What happened to that document?
A: CTS is transitioning to online ordering. The Order Form has been replaced by an electronic "Store". Customers are able to see which tests are available, how many testing rounds remain (if applicable), enrollment deadlines (if applicable), and pricing.
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Q: Can I renew my subscription online?
A: No. Please use the Renewal Form that was mailed to you by CTS. This is the best way to ensure that your Renewal is processed accurately. Contact CTS if you require another copy of the Renewal Form.
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Q: Is my subscription automatically renewed?
A: No, a subscription will NOT be automatically renewed. CTS sends Renewal information each year to all subscribers. Customers have the opportunity to renew, add, or delete tests from the subscription.
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Online Account
Q: If I create an Account on collaborativetesting.com, can I access information re: my CTS subscription and Lab Code?
A: No. At this time you cannot access information about an existing subscription or about a Lab Code using the Online Account function.
The Online Account allows you to order new tests from CTS online and to see the order details.
As additional functionalities become available online, CTS will notify its customers.
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Q: I tried to create an Online Account and received the following message: >Entered lab code has been already taken. Is this an error?
A: That message indicates that another user has entered your Lab Code during his registration process. This is not a problem. It means that one of your colleagues has created an Online Account or another user entered incorrect Lab Code information. CTS verifies all Lab Codes and other shipping details prior to processing orders placed online. Please continue with the Online Account registration process and leave the Lab Code field blank. You can send an e-mail to subscriber services to alert them to the problem with the Lab Code.
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Q: I have been assigned a Lab Code by CTS. Do I have to create an Online Account as well?
A: No. At this time it is not necessary to create an Online Account unless you wish to order online. All customers, whether a current participant, former participant, or new customer must create an Online Account to order new tests.
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Q: Can I renew my subscription online?
A: No. Please use the Renewal Form that was mailed to you by CTS. This is the best way to ensure that your Renewal is processed accurately. Contact CTS if you require another copy of the Renewal Form.
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Test Data Submission
Q: How do I submit my test data to CTS?
A: Data for all programs except Agriculture may be faxed or mailed to CTS.
Fax your data sheets to 1-571-434-1937 (or 1-866-329-2287 toll free within the US).
Remember to include a cover sheet.
Mail your data sheets to
Collaborative Testing Services, Inc. (CTS)
PO Box 650820
Sterling VA 20165-0820
USA
Remember to include sufficient postage and allow enough time for data to be received at CTS on or before the data due date. Do NOT mail your data on the data due date as it will be received late and not included in any report.
Laboratories with
Agriculture Program test data should e-mail their Excel file to
ALP@cts-interlab.com. If you are unable to e-mail your results, CTS will accept your data by fax or mail. Please contact CTS for instructions.
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Q: Will CTS confirm receipt of test data?
A: CTS does NOT automatically acknowledge receipt of test data. If you require confirmation that your data sheets were received at CTS, please call CTS at 1-571-434-1925 during regular business hours or e-mail the appropriate program to inquire. A list of e-mail addresses can be found on the
Contact Us page.
The most efficient way to confirm receipt of faxed data sheets is to fax those pages during our regular business hours and then call CTS immediately after faxing.
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Q: Will CTS submit test results to accreditation bodies?
A: CTS submits test results to the following Accreditation Bodies (AB's):
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB)
Forensic Quality Services-International (FQS-I)
National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP)
State Agricultural Regulators
All forensic proficiency test data sheets include an accreditation agency release form. Completion of this form allows those laboratories accredited by ASCLD/LAB or FQS-I to authorize the release of their test results to the appropriate Proficiency Review Committee (PRC).
NVLAP informs CTS of its accredited labs and requests results.
ALP data is submitted by CTS to the various state agricultural regulators in accordance with the agencies' requirements.
CTS does not routinely submit results to other Accrediting Bodies; these AB's may have policies for self-submittal of results or review during assessment. Please contact your AB for further instructions.
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