36C77620Q0042-019.pdf

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

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.

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.

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.

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.

5. INCENTIVES/RATING STANDARDS

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

6. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE

Various methods exist to monitor performance.

a. DIRECT OBSERVATION

b. PERIODIC INSPECTION

c. PROGRESS OR STATUS MEETINGS

d. ANALYSIS OF CONTRACTOR’S PROGRESS REPORTS

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:

8. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

The Government shall document positive OR NEGATIVE 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 work with the Contracting Officer (CO) 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. In order to assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract, the COR will work with the contractor to increase performance to an acceptable level.

When the COR and CO determines formal written communication is required, the COR and CO 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 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.

The Government will utilize a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) throughout the life of the contract to ensure that the Contractor is performing the services required by this PWS in an acceptable manner. The Government reserves the right to alter or change the surveillance methods in the QASP at its own discretion.

The Contractor shall perform the tasks and complete the associated deliverables under this task order by the scheduled due dates within the overall period of performance. If the Contractor cannot deliver those deliverables specified by this task order by the required due date, then the Contractor shall provide a written explanation to the Contracting Officer (CO) within one (1) business day of the deliverable due date. This written transmittal shall include the reasons for the delay; when the Contractor knew or should have known a delay would incur; due diligence taken to mitigate the problems, the impact on the overall project; and a firm commitment of when the work is to be completed.

The Government will have ten (10) business days to review each deliverable and provide feedback/comments. The contractor shall have five (5) business days to incorporate feedback/comments

See above Acceptable Quality Level & Method of Surveillance located in QASP and make appropriate revisions. The contractor shall provide the revised version of each deliverable to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and VA Program Manager (VA PM). The COR will review and determine final acceptance by the Government. The COR will notify the contractor of final acceptance within five (5) business days.

The contractor shall be responsible for adhering to all pertinent VA standards including but not limited to ensuring that all documentation and deliverables are stored on appropriate VA servers within one week of their completion. The contractor shall use the VA Nationwide Teleconferencing System (VANTS) for all pertinent conference calls, and the VA Exchange server for all pertinent email. Upon assignment of VA email accounts, use of external email accounts for the purpose of VA communications and business will be prohibited. The contractor shall be responsible for adhering to all pertinent VA information technology policies and procedures, which will be made available at the contractor’s request on award.

Late Deliverables and/or Significant Errors or Omissions shall be handled in the following manner:

1st Attempt Meets or exceeds all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable

2nd Attempt Does not meet all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable: 5 days to remedy and resubmit.

3rd Attempt Does not meet all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable: 3 days to remedy and resubmit with 5% deduction off line item price

4th Attempt Does not meet all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable: 1 day to remedy and resubmit with 10% off line item price

5th Attempt Does not meet all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable: The

Government may not accept a deliverable that does not meet all acceptable quality levels and expectations of task/ deliverable after the 5th round of revisions from a Contractor.

The contract in whole or part may be terminated for cause for failure to perform.

The above QASP is only a sample and may change based on what the Contractor(s) submit in their proposed PWS.

Late deliverables:

a. Deliverables must be provided on the dates specified. Any changes to the delivery date must have prior approval (in writing) by the PM/CO or designate at least five business days prior to the deliverable due date

b. If the deliverable cannot be provided within the scheduled time frame, the Vendor is required to contact the Project Manager/Contract Manager in writing with a reason for the delay and the proposed revised schedule. The request for a revised schedule must include the impact on related tasks and the overall project

c. A request for a revised schedule must be reviewed and approved by the PM/CO before placed in effect. Contract Terms and Conditions may dictate penalties, costs, and other actions based on the facts related to the request for a revised schedule

Note 1: Significant errors or omissions are defined as deliverables not meeting the intent of the task and the work considered to be within scope of this order.

Note 2: Continued repetitive errors may result in an unacceptable rating on performance report to be used as part of the evaluation criteria on future order competition.

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.

The COR shall meet with the contractor as needed to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.