36C26319Q0591-005.doc

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

For: MVAHCS Television Service Contract Contract Description: The Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS) seeks a multi-year renewable contract for television subscription. The contract shall begin on August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2020, plus each subsequent year through July 31, 2024.

Contract Number: TBD

Contractor’s name: TBD

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. 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: TBD

Organization or Agency: Black Hills, Network Contracting Office 23

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:

Benjamin Chang, Department of Veterans Affairs

One Veterans Drive, Biomedical Instrumentation Services

Minneapolis, MN 55417

c. Other Key Government Personnel:

Assigned Contracting Specialist: TBD Organization or Agency: Black Hills, Network Contracting Office 23

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

a. TBD

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.

Television Subscription

-Direct observation by the Biomedical Technician receiving the service.

-Exercise of option period.

-Favorable contractor performance evaluation.

-Favorable contractor performance evaluation.

-Favorable contractor performance evaluation

-Favorable contractor performance evaluation

5. Incentives The Government shall use exercise of option period and past performance as incentives. Incentives shall be based on exceptional, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory performance standards.

6. 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.

DIRECT OBSERVATION: Observations shall be conducted as needed.

VALIDATED USER/CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. (Relies on the user/customer to identify deficiencies. Complaints are then investigated and validated.)

7. Ratings Metrics and methods are designed to determine rating for a given standard and acceptable quality level. The following ratings shall be used:

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 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 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. 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 with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

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 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 negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed.

b. Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings.

Biomedical Technical or Administrative staff shall assess performance and provide a written assessment annually.

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

Signature – Contractor Program Manager

Signature – Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative