36C26318Q0116-002.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

The contractor shall be evaluated in accordance with the following QASP.

For: Iowa City ,IA VA Health Care System (VAHCS)

Contract Number: < Upon award, Government shall enter contract number>

Contract Description: Lab Courier Service

Contractor’s name: _____________________________________________

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 shall be monitored?

How monitoring shall take place?

Who shall conduct the monitoring?

How monitoring efforts and results shall 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 at least 30 calendar days prior to changes taking place. Copies of the original QASP and revisions shall be provided to the contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The following personnel shall oversee and coordinate surveillance activities.

i. 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 Contract Officer

Scott Morrison

Department of Veterans Affairs

Attention: Branch Chief

2011 W26TH St. Rm 103

Sioux Falls, SD 57105

ii. 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

To be listed after contract award

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

Other Key Personnel

To be listed after contract award, if applicable.

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

a. The following contractor employee is assigned as the supervisor for this contract.

Assigned Supervisor

b. Other Contractor Personnel

Other Key Personnel

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 are listed below. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable

Quality Level (AQL).

ID

Performance

Objective

Performance

Threshold

Method of

Surveillance Incentive/Disincentive

The Contractor shall provide sufficient qualified staff to ensure operations in accordance with the contract.

The Contractor maintains qualified personnel IAW the contract

CO/COR Periodic

Surveillance

Periodic surveillances will be conducted on a scheduled basis

(daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annually) and may be adjusted, based on quality trends.

Incentive:

Favorable contractor performance evaluation.

Disincentive:

A Contract Discrepancy

Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service

Two or more combined

CDRs may result in an unfavorable performance evaluation.

The Contractor shall adhere to requirements listed in the contract

The Contractor successfully performs the required services throughout the period of performance

CO/COR Periodic

Surveillance

Incentive:

Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance

Five or more combined unfavorable performance evaluation.

The Contractor shall provide timely and accurate invoicing as specified in the contract

The Contractor successfully performs the required invoicing throughout the period of performance

CO/COR Periodic

Surveillance

Incentive:

Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance

Five or more combined unfavorable performance evaluation.

5. INCENTIVES/DISINCENTIVES

a. The Government shall use favorable contractor performance evaluations as incentives. The

Government shall report unfavorable contractor performance as disincentives. Disincentives shall include documentation of any performance issues. If repetitive or consistent the government shall take further corrective action or begin termination procedures.

b. Incentives/disincentives shall be based on exceeding, meeting, or not meeting performance standards.

6. PROCEDURES/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. (Can be performed periodically or through 100% surveillance.)

b. Complaints. Any complaint data is reviewed by the CO/COR – any validated complaints against a contractor will be further investigated.

c. USER SURVEY. (Combines elements of validated user complaints and random sampling.

Random survey is conducted to solicit user satisfaction. May also generate inspections and sampling.)

7. 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:

a. POSITIVE OUTCOME: No more than three (3) CDR issued due to the failure of the contractor to meet the performance standard during the period of performance.

b. NEUTRAL OUTCOME: Four (4) CDR issued due to the failure of the contractor to meet the performance standard during the period of performance.

c. NEGATIVE OUTCOME: More than four (4) CDR issued due to the failure of the contractor to meet the performance standard during the period of performance.

8. 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 Contracting Officer (CO).This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the COR and the CO shall document the discussion and place it in their respective 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 CO. The CO will in turn review and submit to the contractor's program manager for corrective action.

d. The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing. The CDR shall 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 shall also state how long after receipt the contractor has to present this corrective action plan to the CO and

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

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

9. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

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

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

After contract award, both the contractor’s Program Manager and the COR shall sign this document.

Signatures to be completed prior to award of a contract.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

Printed Name:

Title:

Phone:

Email:

Contractor Program Manager

Printed Name:

Title:

Phone:

Email: