36C26119Q0209-002.docx

D.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

For: First Step Program Health Technician

Contract Number: <Government will enter number upon award>

Contract Description: The Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) requires a Contractor to provide a full-time first step program health technician to perform direct care services primarily in the First Step Program (FSP) in the Domiciliary Service located at Menlo Park Division (MPD) of the VAPAHCS at 795 Willow Road, Building 347, Menlo Park, California, 94025.

Contractor’s name: _________________ (hereafter referred to as the contractor).

1. PURPOSE

a. 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

b. 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.

c. 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.

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: <Upon award, Government will enter name>

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: <Upon award, Government will enter name>

c. Other Key Government Personnel – <Upon award Government will enter name, if applicable. This may include Performance Monitors, Clinical Quality experts, etc. who act on behalf of the COR to monitor performance.>

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

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

a. Program Manager - <Offeror will enter name.>

b. Other Contractor Personnel - <Offeror will enter name(s) or delete these lines if not applicable> Title: <Enter title(s) or delete these lines if not applicable.>

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

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

b. The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix 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) on a quarterly basis.

c. Contractor will be held to the same standard as VA personnel through quality assurance and performance monitoring to ensure compliance under this Contract. The Quality Assurance and Performance Monitoring will be governed by the appointed COR who will be responsible for verifying compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract. After the contract is awarded, any incidents as evidenced by the monitoring procedures will be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer. In addition, the COR will forward the summary evaluation of the contractor performance to the Contracting Officer once performance ends.

Review

Records and Reports

Review

Periodic Review Direct Observation

5. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE

Various methods exist to monitor performance. There will be quarterly meetings held with the Contractor to discuss any issues. In addition, the COR shall use the following surveillance methods in the administration of this QASP:

a. Direct Observation. (Can be performed periodically or through 100% surveillance (items 1, 2, 3).

b. Periodic Review. Evaluates outcomes on a periodic basis. Inspections may be scheduled weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, or unscheduled, as required (items 1, 2, 3).

c. Validated User/Customer Complaints. VA staff relies on the Veteran to identify deficiencies. Veterans will be queried as to the services being provided to them. Any identified concerns or complaints are then investigated and validated (item 4).

6. RATINGS

Metrics and methods are designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given standard and acceptable quality level. A rating scale shall be used to determine a positive, neutral, or negative outcome. The following ratings shall be used:

The rating method may depend on the monitoring techniques you select. One rating method may be used for all standards or multiple methods may be used.

7. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

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

b. 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.

c. 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.

d. 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 CO shall review the contractor's corrective action plan with the COR to determine acceptability.

e. Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action deemed necessary by the CO.

7. FREQUENCY OF SURVEILLANCE.

a. Frequency of Surveillance. During contract performance, the CO will periodically analyze whether the frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed with the COR.

b. Performance Assessment Meetings. The COR shall meet with the contractor Quarterly to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.

Printed Name/Signature – Contractor Representative

Printed Name/Signature – Contracting Officer’s Representative

Attachment 1 - Contract Performance Report

1. Contract Number:

2. Prepared by:

3. Date:

4. Summary of Performance:

5. Performance Rating

Printed Name/Signature – Contracting Officer’s Representative

Attachment 2 - Contract Discrepancy Report

TO:

FROM:

1. Contract Number:

2. Date of observed discrepancy:

3. Discrepancy/Problem/Issue:

4. Corrective action plan:

5. A written corrective action plan (is/is not) required. The written Corrective Action Plan will be provided to the undersigned not later than ( # ) days after receipt of this CDR.

Contracting Officer’s Representative Contractor Program Manager

The COR may initiate a CDR at any time, including whenever the number of monthly recorded defects for a performance standard exceeds the allowable number of defects; anytime unacceptable performance is determined critical in nature and required formal corrective action; and whenever an unfavorable trend is detected in contractor performance. Insert performance standard(s) or delete this method.