Attachment 5 EST QASP DRAFT.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

For Internal Revenue Service

RFQ # 8298 Enterprise Systems Testing (EST) Contractor Support Services

Attachment 2 - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) Technical Support for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Enterprise Services (ES), Enterprise Systems Testing (EST) February 26, 2024

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This performance-based Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) sets forth the procedures and guidance that the IRS will use to evaluate and reward the performance of the Contractor in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Award Order.

Whereas the IRS and the Contractor have entered into a partnership with shared objectives to achieve the Outcomes indicated in Attachment 1, the QASP consolidates two historically separate documents into one: The Contractor Quality Control Plan (QCP) and the QASP (historically an IRS-only document). Accordingly, this document shall be contractually binding.

The QASP shall be used as an IRS document to enforce the inspection and acceptance of the Award Order. The QASP describes the mechanism for documenting noteworthy accomplishments or discrepancies for work performed by the Contractor. Information generated from the IRS Project Management Office (PMO) surveillance activities will directly feed into the PMO performance discussions with the Contractor.

The QASP can be changed/updated, etc. It is intended to be a “living” document that should be revised or modified as circumstances warrant. Either the Contractor or the IRS may initiate changes to the QASP. Bilateral changes may be made to the plan at any time during contract performance. Such changes shall not entitle the Contractor to any equitable adjustments or to any other compensation for performance in a prior period.

The Contractor is responsible and shall manage and ensure that quality controls meet the terms of the Task Order.

1.1 Purpose of the QASP

The QASP provides the IRS Project Manager (PM), the COR, and the Contracting Officer the ability to conduct surveillance activities of Contractor performance during the life of this Award Order. The QASP details how and when the IRS PMO will monitor, evaluate, and document Contractor performance with regards to the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The QASP is intended to accomplish the following:

1) Define the role and responsibilities of participating IRS officials.

DRAFT

2) Define the key deliverables that will be assessed.

3) Describe the rating elements and the evaluation method that will be employed by the IRS in assessing Contractor performance.

4) Provide copies of the performance assessment form(s) that the IRS will use in documenting and evaluating the Contractor’s performance.

5) Describe the process of performance assessment documentation.

1.2 Roles and Responsibilities of IRS Officials

The QASP is a guide to be used by IRS personnel to conduct surveillance activities of the Contractor after Award Order. The IRS PMO will review technical documents and products generated by the Contractor. IRS contract managers (e.g., Contracting Officers (CO) and Contract Specialists (CS)) will also conduct review of contract specific Reports of Works such as invoices, monthly status reports and work plans. The PM and the CO will use the QASP, as a tool, to evaluate if the Contractor-provided service meets the performance standards in the contract and it will be the basis for determining incentives involving additional work earned for the Contractor.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) is responsible for technical administration. Although principally responsible for administration of this surveillance plan, the COR relies upon the Project Manager and his/her assigned Technical Point of Contacts to perform and document many of the detailed surveillance activities required by the plan.

The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on behalf of the IRS. Any changes that the Contractor deems may affect contract price, terms or conditions shall be referred to the Contracting Officer for action.

The Contracting Officer (CO), and/or the COR, will have overall responsibility for overseeing the Contractor’s performance. The CO will also be responsible for the day-to-day monitoring of the Contractor’s performance in the area of contract compliance, contract administration, cost control; reviewing the PM or COR assessment of the Contractor’s performance and resolving all differences between the IRS and the Contractor. The CO may call upon the technical expertise of other IRS officials as required.

1.3 Key Deliverables for Assessment

The IRS and the Contractor have entered into a partnership with shared objectives to achieve the Outcomes indicated in Section 3.0 of the PWS. Each Outcome is to successfully complete the tasks.

2.0 Rating Elements and Standards of Performance for Key Deliverables

The Contractor’s performance shall be evaluated using the following three (3) Performance Standards: Cost, Schedule, and Quality. These Performance Standards are weighted for each Outcome. Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) for each Performance Standard are summarized in Attachment 1.

3.0 Surveillance Methodology

Surveillance methodology (i.e., Monitoring Method) is shown below.

Monitoring Methods include:

• The IRS and the COR shall attend the Orientation Briefing on the date specified in the award as stated in Task 1 of the PWS and document validation of attendees. The Contractor shall take meeting minutes and create a sign-in sheet to document attendees, activities, and action items. Meeting minutes will be evaluated against the elements of Documentation Quality as stated in Attachment 1. This briefing is a one-time only occurrence.

• The IRS will inspect all intermediate products/artifacts and/or documentation, and instruction as they are presented to minimize the effects of any misunderstandings to determine if the Contractor has provided the necessary information, artifacts and documentation to meet this requirement. Each work product/artifact and/or documentation shall be accompanied by a Contractor Vendor Task Deliverable/Work Product Receipt (TDR) and Task Deliverable/Work Product Acceptance Form (TDPAF). Upon receipt of the TDPAF, the COR will sign the TDR and return it to the Contractor certifying that the IRS has taken possession of the work product/artifact, and/or documentation and will review it for deficiencies.

Any work product/artifact and/or documentation will be reviewed by the COR or assigned designee within five (5) working days of receipt of the TDPAF.

• The IRS will inspect all deliverables and work products to minimize the effects of any misunderstandings to determine if the Contractor has provided the necessary information to meet this requirement. The IRS will review and accept or reject deliverables in accordance with all of the elements of Documentation Quality and the requirements identified in Attachment 1.

4.0 Process of Quality Assurance Assessment

A determination of the Contractor’s overall performance will be on an annual basis. The IRS will provide annual customer feedback to the Contractor by summarizing the past year’s surveillance activities under the Contractor Performance System (CPS). In addition, the IRS will provide immediate and annual performance customer feedback from IRS personnel involved in the use or management of the project. As soon as a discrepancy is identified with a deliverable associated with this Award Order, the PM and/or CO will notify the Contractor.

5.0 Performance Requirements Summary

The development of a Performance Requirements Summary presents the tasks under surveillance; presents the deliverables to be monitored; gives the surveillance methodology for each task, provides the acceptable performance rating for each task, gives the frequency of each deliverable being monitored; and, describes the type of monitoring to be performed by IRS personnel.

6.0 Surveillance Documentation

A Development Performance Standards Checklist will be used by IRS personnel conducting the monitoring of the Contractor’s performance on this Task Order.

Performance evaluations associated with the performance categories of cost, schedule, and quality for the award will be documented. The Performance Standards Checklist will be submitted by the PM and/or COR to the CO for appropriate action. Also, the Contractor Performance Evaluation Form will be used to document findings for the past year’s surveillance activities regarding the Contractor’s performance under this Award Order and will be the basis for an annual performance discussion between IRS personnel and the Contractor representative under the CPS.

7.0 Information Required from the Contractor After Award

7.1 Quality Control Plan

In this section, the Contractor that is awarded the Award Order shall establish and maintain a complete Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure that the requirements of the Award Order are provided as specified. The QCP shall describe the methods for identifying and preventing problems before the level of performance becomes unacceptable. The QCP shall be submitted as agreed upon by the IRS COR and the Contractor.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Form

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE FORM

(Additional pages may be added)

SERVICE or STANDARD:

MONITORING PERIOD:

SURVEILLANCE METHOD (Check):

COR Monitoring Inspection Testing Random Sampling Report

User/Customer Observations/Complaints

LEVEL OF SURVEILLANCE (Check):

Weekly Monthly Quarterly As needed

CRITERIA/DOCUMENTATION USED FOR SAMPLE:

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS:

Contractor’s Performance (Check): Meets Standards Does Not Meet Standards

Narrative of Performance During Survey Period:

PREPARED BY: DATE:

Attachment 2 - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)