36C26119Q0688-002.docx

The contractor will be evaluated in accordance with the following:

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.

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 through contract modification. 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: Durell Salaz, Contacting Officer, 916-923-4546, durell.salaz@va.gov Organization or Agency: NCO 21

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: Frank Flores, COR, 559-225-6100 x5764, frank.flores@va.gov Organization or Agency: VA Central California Health Care System

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

The following employee(s) of the contractor serve as the contractor’s program manager(s) for this contract.

Primary:

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

The contractor is responsible for performance of ALL terms and conditions of the contract. CORs will provide contract progress reports quarterly to the CO reflecting performance on this plan and all other aspects of the resultant contract. The performance standards outlined in this QASP shall be used to determine the level of contractor performance in the elements defined. Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine the level of Contractor performance to these standards.

The Performance Requirements are listed below in Section 6. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the standard and assign a rating. At the end of the performance period, these ratings will be used, in part, to establish the past performance of the contractor on the contract.

5. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE

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

a. DIRECT OBSERVATION. Direct observation shall be performed periodically or through 100% surveillance. Analysis of the referral paperwork and Veterans health care record which is sent by referring parties, including interagency, and self-referrals. Analysis of the entry and exit reports sent to the COR from the Contractor. (Evaluates outcomes on a quarterly basis)

· Total Number of Veterans Served

· Discharge Outcomes (e.g. # or % of veterans discharged to more stable housing, increased income/ benefits, occupancy, etc.)

b. PERIODIC INSPECTION. Inspections scheduled and reported annually per COR delegation or as needed.

c. VALIDATED USER/CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. Complaints from veterans served, and agency personnel shall be passed to the Contractor’s quality control inspector (QCI) for correction.

d. RANDOM SAMPLING. Verification and/or documentation provided by Contractor. The contractor shall be expected to utilize nightly sign-in bed logs for the purpose of verifying a Veteran’s attendance in the program on a daily basis. These logs are to be submitted to the VA Liaison monthly, along with invoices reflecting total bed nights for a given month and the corresponding amount that the Contractor is owed, to ensure accuracy in billing practices. All excused and unexcused absences will be clearly documented on the monthly attendance log including reason for any excused absence (e.g. medical needs). No payment will be made without the nightly sign-in bed logs and invoice having first been approved by the identified VA Liaison or designee.

6. QASP PERFORMANCE REPORT

Reference

Method Met AQL/DID NOT MEET AQL-

CPAR RATING/ADD COMMENTS

Occupancy

Review of NEPEC data and monthly billing.

The Government may, at its discretion, choose any time, announced or unannounced, to have VA personnel inspect the Contracted Program’s records.

Outreach:

Contractor will be expected to engage in community outreach efforts for the purpose of identifying homeless veterans who may be eligible and in need of this offender re-entry program.

Care Planning:

The program will engage the veteran in a collaborative assessment of needs, including barriers to stable housing, and create an initial written care plan.

Recovery:

The Contractor is expected to support the Veteran in gaining and applying knowledge of the recovery process, and to provide individual and group sessions focusing specifically on the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, as well as providing other supports as needed to facilitate progress in the individual’s overall recovery effort.

Medication Management:

Medications and narcotics shall be properly stored, controlled, issued and recorded in compliance with physician orders.

Contractor shall submit their plan to ensure safe and effective management of medications within the facility as an element of their proposal in response to this solicitation.

100% of veterans served will have proper storage and monitoring of medications.

Medication management plan will be available for review.

100% during quarterly rating period

Plan addresses storage, control, and issuance of medications

· Review of medication log

· Review of plan

Case Management:

Individual case management and/or professional counseling efforts are expected to flow from the initial written care plan. At a minimum, Veterans are expected to engage in individual case management/counseling meetings three or more times per month. Case management and/or counseling is expected to be substantive work focusing on the needs identified during the initial assessment and care planning process. Progress notes documenting case management/counseling activities should demonstrate, at a minimum, consistent focus on housing stabilization, increased income and financial planning, and engagement in physical and mental health care services as indicated.

100% of Veterans who remain in the program 72 hours will have an intake and written Care Plan. Care Plan must be completed within 5 days of admission.

75% of Veterans will engage in individual case management meeting 3 x per month; all Care Plans are documented in the client file.

· Care Plan reviews

· Interview with veterans

The Government may, at its discretion, choose any time, announced or unannounced, to have VA personnel inspect the Contracted Program’s records.

Treatment:

Ongoing VA substance abuse treatment will be required of all veterans in Contract Substance Abuse Transitional Living program.

Financial Planning:

Structured activities should be provided to support Veterans in developing a short and long- term plan to understand and effectively deal with their current financial situation and how to possibly improve it.

All Veterans should be referred to apply for any and all financial resources for which they may be eligible, including (but not limited to): VA Benefits (Service Connected Compensation/NSC Pension), Social Security/SSI. etc.

Group Activities:

Structured group activities should be available to Veterans admitted to the program. At a minimum, Veterans should plan to attend two or more such activities per week. Examples of appropriate group activities include: group therapy (Cognitive Behavioral, Motivational Interviewing), relapse prevention, life skills training, social skills training, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, vocational counseling, and permanent housing search groups.

· Care Plan reviews

· Interviews with Veterans

The Government may, at its discretion, choose any time, announced or unannounced, to have VA personnel inspect the Contracted Program’s records.

Permanent Housing Search:

Specific assistance should be provided in identifying and developing potential housing resources for successful housing placement at discharge.

75% to Permanent Housing, Grant & Per Diem or other Transitional Living Program

15% to other HCHV Contract or Emergency Housing service

10% to unknown/Streets

· VA notes shortly after exit

· Client reports, or other information sources

The Government may, at its discretion, choose any time, announced or unannounced, to have VA personnel inspect the Contracted Program’s records.

7. CPAR RATINGS ASSIGNED TO QASP ITEMS:

Metrics and methods are designed to determine rating for a given standard and acceptable quality level. The following ratings shall be used (Reference: CPARS User Manual https://www.cpars.gov/pdfs/CPARS-Guidance.pdf p. A2-1):

Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed was accomplished with few minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor were highly effective.

Note: To justify an Exceptional rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT. However, a singular event could be of such magnitude that it alone constitutes an Exceptional rating. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify a Very Good rating, you should identify a significant event in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify a Satisfactory rating, there should have been only minor problems, or major problems the contractor recovered from without impact to the contract. Also, there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

Note: To justify Marginal performance, you should identify a significant event in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. A Marginal rating should be supported by referencing the management tool that notified the contractor of the contractual deficiency (e.g. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency Report or letter).

Note: To justify an Unsatisfactory rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. However, a singular problem could be of such serious magnitude that it alone constitutes an unsatisfactory rating. An Unsatisfactory rating should be supported by referencing the management tools used to notify the contractor of the contractual deficiencies (e.g. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency Reports, or letters).

8. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. The Government shall document positive and/or negative performance. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action and preparing annual past performance using CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT (CPAR).

b. If contractor performance does not meet the Acceptable Quality level, the CO shall inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the CO shall document the discussion and place it in the contract file. When the COR and the CO determines formal written communication is required, the COR shall prepare a Contract Report (CR), and present it to CO. The CO will in turn review and will present to the contractor's program manager for corrective action.

c. The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CR in writing. The CR 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 CR will also state how long after receipt the contractor has to present this corrective action plan to the CO. The Government shall review the contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability. The CO shall also assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment. The CO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance and the acceptability of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

d. Any CRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action deemed necessary by the CO. See Sample CR on the following page.

9. COR AND CONTRACTOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF QASP

SIGNED:

COR NAME/TITLE DATE

SIGNED:

CONTRACTOR NAME/TITLE DATE

CONTRACT REPORT

5. DATES

a. CR PREPARED

6. Issue Identified (Describe in detail. Include reference to PWS Directive; attach continuation sheet if necessary.)

10. CONTRACTOR RESPONSE AS TO CAUSE AND ACTIONS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE. (Cite applicable quality control program procedures or new procedures. Attach continuation sheet(s) if necessary.)

12. GOVERNMENT EVALUATION.

13. GOVERNMENT ACTIONS

14. CLOSE OUT

CONTRACTOR NOTIFIED

COR

CONTRACTING OFFICER