You require your laboratory staff to annually perform manual lupus anticoagulant profiles on a set of plasmas with known values. This exercise is known as:

The practice of requiring laboratory staff to annually perform manual lupus anticoagulant profiles on a set of plasmas with known values is classified as proficiency testing. This is a quality control measure designed to assess the skill and accuracy of laboratory personnel in performing specific tests. By using known values, the laboratory can evaluate whether the staff can achieve expected results consistently, which is crucial for maintaining high standards in laboratory testing.

Proficiency testing typically involves comparison between laboratories or individuals to ensure that they can generate similar and accurate results, alongside providing an opportunity to identify areas where improvement may be necessary. This process enhances the reliability of lab results, particularly for critical assays like those related to lupus anticoagulant detection.

In this context, while assay validation refers to the process of confirming that a particular test produces reliable results in a specified context, proficiency testing is broader, focusing on the performance of testing processes in routine laboratory settings. External quality assessment refers to the evaluation of laboratory performance against predetermined criteria, typically involving inter-laboratory comparisons, which is not specified in this scenario. The term "pre-pre-analytical variable assay" does not accurately capture the intent of evaluating skill using known plasma samples.