1.1.4 NCMEC.QASP. 2023_ew_fv_6.21.2023.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Version – 6/15/2023

For: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Contract Number: TBD

Contract Description: The Time and Material (T&M) services contract to comply with Section

774 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-295), (“PKEMRA”), to support the search for displaced children and to reunify them with their parents/legal guardians through the operation of a turnkey call center(s); deployment of personnel to state and local jurisdictions to search for and reunite displaced children with their parents/legal guardians; and provision of technical assistance to state and federal agencies.

Contractor’s name: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (hereafter referred to as the contractor).

1. PURPOSE.

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provides a systematic method to evaluate performance for the stated contract. This QASP explains the following:

• What will be monitored.

• How monitoring will take place.

• Who will conduct the monitoring?

• How monitoring efforts and results will be documented.

This QASP does not detail how the contractor accomplishes the work. Rather, the QASP is created with the premise that the contractor is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. It is the Government’s responsibility to be objective, fair, and consistent in evaluating performance. In addition, the QASP should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

This QASP is a “living document” and the Government may review and revise it on a regular basis. However, the Government shall coordinate changes with the contractor. Updates shall ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. Copies of the original

QASP and revisions shall be provided to the contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The following personnel shall oversee and coordinate surveillance activities.

a. Contracting Officer (CO) - The CO shall ensure performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensure compliance with the contract terms, and shall safeguard the interests of the United States in the contractual relationship. The CO shall also assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract. The CO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance.

Assigned CO: Rashurn Harrison

Organization or Agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Telephone: 202.704.7819

Email: rashurn.harrison.dhs.gov

b. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) - The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and shall assure proper Government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The COR shall keep a quality assurance file. At the conclusion of the contract or when requested by the CO, the COR shall provide documentation to the CO.

The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf. The contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the CO for action.

Assigned COR: Carnelia Jackson

Telephone: 240-460-1600

Email: carnelia.jackson.dhs.gov

c. Other Key Government Personnel

Name: Patrick Comiskey

Title: Section Chief

Telephone: 940-891-8767

Email: patrick.comiskey@fema.dhs.gov

d. Task Monitor (TM) - The TM assists the COR in observing the progress of the contractor’s performance and reports findings to the COR in a timely, complete, and impartial manner. The

TM assists the COR in monitoring, assessing, recording, and reporting on the technical performance of the contractor. The TM will document all observations and provide a copy to the COR.

Assigned TM: TBD at the Task Order level.

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES:

The following employees of the contractor serve as the contractor’s representatives for this contract.

Task Manager – Richard Leonard

Title: Team Adam Program Manager

Telephone: 703-778-6476/703-474-2730

Email: rleonard@ncmec.org mailto:douglas.w.owens@dhs.gov mailto:patrick.comiskey@fema.dhs.gov mailto:rleonard@ncmec.org

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.

Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets, or does not meet these standards.

Provide efficient and effective management and administration of the overall project; ensure timely deployment of trained and qualified professionals; deliver high quality service, and exceptional customer service, while adhering to budget and schedule constraints.

In order to support the mission requirements, it is necessary for the Contractor to identify technical specialists within 48 hours of Government notification. Additionally, to ensure success of FEMA disaster operations and programmatic initiatives, it is necessary for the

Contractor to work cooperatively with all entities in which FEMA has entered into a partnership, including other FEMA contractors currently working under similar technical assistance contract awards.

5. METHODS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE.

Various methods exist to monitor performance. The COR shall use the surveillance methods listed below in the administration of this QASP.

Regardless of the surveillance method, the COR shall always contact the contractor's task manager or on-site representative when a defect is identified and inform the manager of the specifics of the problem. The COR, with assistance from the CO, if needed, shall be responsible for monitoring the contractor’s performance in meeting a specific performance standard/AQL.

a. 100% INSPECTION. (Evaluates all outputs. Most applicable to small quantity, but highly important services. May be used where there are written deliverables and stringent requirements such as tasks required by law, safety, or security.)

All activities under the contract activation will be monitored and inspected for quality assurance and timely delivery.

b. Progress or status meetings.

Progress and status updates must be presented in Weekly meetings with the Government.

c. Analysis of contractor's progress reports. (Evaluate cost, schedule, etc.)

Surveillance results may be used as the basis for actions (to include payment deductions) against the contractor. In such cases, the Inspection of Services clause in the Contract becomes the basis for the CO’s actions.

6. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE.

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

The Government shall document positive performance with FEMA’s Task Monitor Certification report and the contractor’s Monthly Progress Report. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for fixed fee payments, award fee payments, or other contractual actions.

b. UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

When unacceptable performance occurs, the COR shall inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the COR shall document the discussion and place it in the COR file.

When the COR determines formal written communication is required, the COR shall prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) and present it to the contractor's program manager or on- site representative. A CDR template is attached to this QASP.

The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing. The CDR will specify if the contractor is required to prepare a corrective action plan to document how the contractor shall correct the unacceptable performance and avoid a recurrence. The CDR will also state how long after receipt the contractor has to present this corrective action plan to the COR. The

Government shall review the contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability.

Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, award fee nonpayment, or other contractual actions deemed necessary by the CO.

7 QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN TABLE.

Performance

Standard

Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

Methods of

Surveillance

Task 2.2

Management and

Operation of Call

Center

Commence call center operations within Twelve

(12) hours of Notice to

Proceed (NTP).

Performance monitoring

Task 2.2

Management and

Operation of Call

Center

NCMEC shall deactivate all services provided under the

Task Order(s) within 48 hours of receipt and

Performance monitoring and/or customer input acknowledgement of a demobilization order.

Task 2.3 Reporting

Requirement

NCMEC shall provide a quarterly status report to the

Government

Routine inspection and performance monitoring and/or customer input.

Task 2.3 Reporting

Requirement

NCMEC shall provide an initial activation status report to the Government within 24 hours of Notice to Proceed

Routine inspection and performance monitoring and/or customer input

Task 2.3 Reporting

Requirement

NCMEC shall provide Daily status reports throughout the activation

Routine inspection and performance monitoring and/or customer input

Task 2.3 Reporting

Requirement

NCMEC shall prepare and submit to the Government an

Activation Closeout report to include the Programmatic

Closeout Report within 2 weeks of the end of the period of performance and the Financial Closeout Report within 4 weeks of the end of the period of performance.

Routine inspection and performance monitoring and/or customer input

8 FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT.

a. Frequency of Measurement.

During contract/order performance, the COR will periodically analyze whether the negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed.

b. Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings.

The COR shall meet with the contractor Weekly to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.

Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

PERFORMANCE REPORT

1. CONTRACT NUMBER:

2. Prepared by: (Carnelia Jackson)

3. Date and time of observation:

4. Observation:

Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT (CDR)

1. Contract Number:

2. TO: (Contractor Program Manager, Task Manager or on-site representative)

3. FROM: (Carnelia Jackson)

4. Date and time observed discrepancy:

5. DISCREPANCY OR PROBLEM:

6. Corrective action plan:

Contracting Officer’s Representative Date Received by:

Contractor Program Manager, Task Manager, or Date on-site representative