36C25719Q0589-003.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Special Mode Transportation services for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS)

CONTRACT DESCRIPTION: To provide special mode transportation within various counties within the State of Texas for eligible beneficiaries of the Department of Veterans Affairs, STVHCS. Special mode for the purposes of this requirement is defined as ambulance and wheelchair vans. The contractor shall be responsible for providing all vehicles and manpower necessary to meet all MICU, ALS, and BLS transport requirements.

1. PURPOSE

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provides a systematic method to evaluate performance for the stated contract. According to FAR Subpart 46.4, Government Contract Quality Assurance, quality assurance surveillance plans should be prepared in conjunction with the preparation of the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The plans should specify—

• What will be monitored?

o Timeliness of wait time, Pick Up Time, and Response Time o Certifications, Licensure, and Training o Timeliness of Reports o Ambulance Maintenance and Safety

• How monitoring will take place.

o 100% Inspection

• Who will conduct the monitoring?

o COR, Bryon Cherepes o Alternate COR, Kevin Crum

• How monitoring efforts and results will be documented.

o Incident/Accident Reports o Driving Records o Safety Documentation Maintained on File

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.

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. 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.

Solicitation 36C25719Q0589 Attachment 2 - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan 04/19/2019

a. Administering Contracting Officer (A/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 A/CO: Joseph A. Leyte

• Organization or Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 17 (NCO-

17)

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. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf.

Assigned COR: Bryon Cherepes

3. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

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

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix, found at Table 1 below, includes performance standards. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

Acceptable Surveillance Methods include the following:

• 100 Percent Inspection: With this method, performance is inspected/evaluated at each occurrence. This method is often costly but can be necessary due to health, safety and other considerations. The COR shall monitor each patient delivery and enter performance results into the Surveillance Activity Checklist.

• Random Sampling: Random sampling works best when the number of instances of the services being performed is very large and a statistically valid sample can be obtained.

http://www.sqconline.com/mil-std-105.html (web link to ANSI/ASQZ1.4LVLII)

• Periodic Inspection: This method, sometimes called “planned sampling,” consists planned sampling at specific dates or time intervals. It may be appropriate for tasks that occur infrequently, and where 100 percent inspection or random testing is not desired.

• Customer Input: Although usually not a primary method, this is a valuable supplement to more systematic methods. For example, in a case where random sampling indicates unsatisfactory service, customer complaints can be used as substantiating evidence. In certain situations where customers can be relied upon to complain consistently when the quality of performance is poor, e.g., dining facilities, building services, customer surveys and customer complaints may be a primary surveillance method, and customer satisfaction an appropriate performance standard.

In all cases, complaints should be documented, preferably on a standard form.

Solicitation 36C25719Q0589 http://www.sqconline.com/mil-std-105.html

TABLE 1: Performance Requirements Summary Matrix

SPECIAL MODE TRANSPORTATION QASP

"Does contractor perform the following functions in a satisfactory manner?"

NO TASK/SERVICE Performance Standard PWS

PARAGRAPHS

INCENTIVE /

DISINSENTIVE

ACCEPTABLE

QUALITY

LEVEL

SURVEILLANCE

METHOD

1 Ground Transports:

Wheelchair Van / Ambulance Service & Timeliness

Provide patient pick-up for trips within 45 minutes of notification for pre-scheduled pickups.

Scheduled patients need to be at their appointments no more than 45 minutes prior to the appointment and no later than the appointment time. Pick up for these patients need to be no more than 45 minutes after the Contractor has been notified of completion of the patient appointment.

The contractor shall provide non-critical transport services within 45 minutes of being notified of an unscheduled transport (e.g., discharges, transport to nursing homes, ED, or Texas State Veteran Home).

Paragraphs 7a – 7b.

Incentive: Positive past performance Rating

Disincentive:

Transport will be paid at ½ the contracted rate trip price for failure to meet transport timeframes.

95% of all monthly requests and no more than three (4) valid customer complaints

Random sample and valid customer complaints

2 Critical Transports:

Ground Wheelchair Van / Ambulance Service & Timeliness

Provide dialysis, hematology or oncology, radiation and oxygen patient pick-up for trips within 20-minutes for pre-scheduled pickups.

Paragraph 7b. Incentive: Positive past performance Rating

Disincentive:

Transport will be paid at ½ the contracted rate trip price for failure to meet transport timeframes.

95% of all monthly requests and no more than three (4) valid customer complaints

Random sample and valid customer complaints

2 Transplant Recipient Transports:

Wheelchair Van / Ambulance Service & Timeliness

Provide transplant recipient pick up within 30-minutes of notification and arrive at delivery location within 4-5 hours of notification.

Paragraph 8b.

Solicitation 36C25719Q0589

2 Certifications, Licensure and Training

Contractor/employee to maintain current proper licenses and ensure all attendants are properly trained and competent to provide service within 7 business days of award.

Refresher training will be provided within 7 business days.

The contractor shall ensure that all drivers are properly trained on safe transportation (includes TX driving regulations, securing patients, etc.).

Page 4, paragraph b. iii

Incentive: Positive Past Performance

Disincentive: 2% deduction of monthly payment if 1 or more employees do not have current licenses or > 1 customer complaint on attendant competence

100% 100% Inspection/Custo mer Complaint

Review driver records to ensure that they are meeting regulatory and training requirements of the contract.

3 Period performance requirements

All monthly or quarterly reports (i.e. run sheets) submitted within 5 calendar days of due date

Paragraph 6a – 6d.

Incentive: Positive Past Performance

Disincentive:

Negative past performance

100% 100% Inspection

4 Ground Wheelchair Van / Ambulance Maintenance and Safety

Ensure all wheelchair van/ambulances are in proper condition and fit for patient and public safety

Paragraph 6d, Incentive: Positive Past Performance

Disincentive: 5% deduction from monthly payment with 1 or more findings of unsafe conditions.

100% 100% Inspection

Provide documentation of maintenance records for each vehicle used to Contracting Officer.

4. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE: The Government shall document positive performance. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action.

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.

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 must 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 any contractual action deemed necessary by the CO.

Solicitation 36C25719Q0589

Signature – Contractor Program Manager

Signature – Contracting Officer’s Representative

Solicitation 36C25719Q0589