The Contractor Assurance System (CAS) is a suite of integrated management and assurance systems, processes and tools that monitor and help improve all aspects of Laboratory performance and anticipate and mitigate issues before they happen.  Modeled after the Plan-Do-Check-Act improvement cycle, CAS enables the Laboratory to continuously set priorities, identify and mitigate risks and issues, monitor performance, and identify and implement lessons learned. The Laboratory Director is responsible for implementing the CAS and is accountable to the Stanford University. The Director holds the Laboratory Senior Management Team, managers, and the workforce accountable for implementing assurance processes in their areas.  This Performance Assurance Center provides a suite of processes and tools that enables Laboratory management and staff to understand risk, analyze performance, and continuously improve with the goal of mission and operational excellence.