As less experienced responders join spill response operations, concurrent with the loss of experienced responders to retirements and fewer large spills, the need for tools that capture and promote the best practices of spill response functions becomes imminently critical. Better, more practical tools help less-experienced responders assimilate not only the basics of the planning assignments but also provide them with guidance gained from seasoned responders. The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) program within the Incident Command System (ICS) is one assignment that often sees a number of less experienced participants. In many instances, responders participate on SCAT Field Teams and are not adequately exposed to planning or managing the overall SCAT program. Most SCAT tools are oriented towards field work, or focus only on single components of the SCAT process (e.g. treatment recommendations, endpoints). Comprehensive guidance that unites the elements of planning for SCAT, that highlights timing, integration into ICS and best management practices has previously not been available. The Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States created a SCAT Task Force in 2012, comprised of Federal and State agencies, industry and experienced consultants, to develop “smarter” checklists and innovative tools that assist responders from “pre-SCAT” activities through the Treatment Endpoints and Sign Off process, within the ICS framework. Through a collaborative process, this Task Force developed a suite of unique products designed to guide new and less experienced responders to walk through the process of establishing a comprehensive SCAT program and empower them with best practices learned over many years of spill response experience, including those gleaned from some of the larger responses around the United States in the last ten years. This paper will describe this NWAC suite of SCAT checklists and products in greater detail, and describe how they might be used in other regions to help less experienced responders expedite their working knowledge in performing the range of SCAT program tasks, responsibilities and functions.