Attachment A - QASP.docx

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

RFQ 36C24623Q0382

ATTACHMENT A

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

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

For: Wheelchair Van Transportation Service for the Fayetteville VA Medical Center, Health Care Centers (HCC), and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) within the Fayetteville Medical Center Enterprise

Contract Number:

Contract Description: Wheelchair van transportation service

Contractor’s name:

1. PURPOSE

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provides a systematic method to evaluate performance for the stated contract. This QASP explains the following:

1. What shall be monitored.

1. How monitoring shall take place.

1. Who shall conduct the monitoring.

1. How monitoring efforts and results shall 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:

Branch Chief Stephanie Patterson, CO Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 6 Network Contracting Office 100 Emancipation Drive, Building 27 Hampton, Virginia 23667 Telephone: 757-315-3935 / 757-940-9279 Stephanie.patterson2@va.gov

B. Dawn Darden, Contract Specialist Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 6 Network Contracting Office 100 Emancipation Drive, Building 27 Hampton, Virginia 23667 Telephone: 757-617-9417 Beverly.darden@va.gov

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:

TBD

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

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

Program Manager – TBD

4. 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: 100% surveillance Action required via daily reporting. Surveillance results must be able to support action taken by the COR/Contracting Officer when nonperformance or unacceptable performance occurs.

b. PERIODIC / RANDOM INSPECTION: Inspections scheduled and reported quarterly per COR delegation or as needed.

c. VALIDATED USER / CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS: Customer complaint data will be obtained via Custer feedback and will be compiled weekly and reviewed by Service Chief. Any validated complaints against the Contractor which are not resolved within seven (7) business days will be further investigated.

d. VERIFICATION AND/OR DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED BY CONTRACTOR: Contractor provided documentation will be reviewed via required daily action reporting.

5. INCENTIVE/DISINCENTIVES FOR ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL)

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 issues are repetitive or consistent, the Government shall take further corrective action or begin termination procedures. Incentives and Disincentives shall be based on exceeding, meeting, or not meeting performance standards.

a. Positive and negative performance will be documented locally (contract file) and/or in the appropriate contractor performance assessment report system/database.

b. Noncompliance to contract standards will be corrected at no cost to the Government. The Government reserves the right and may elect to measure/document negative performance through utilization of a performance report and/or a contract discrepancy report.

c. The Contractor shall respond in writing to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) regarding all notifications or failure to meet acceptable quality levels within 5 days of issuance by the COR and/or the Contracting Officer. The Contractor’s response shall include the corrective action taken to rectify the problem and the proposed measure to preclude the recurrence of the problem.

6. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS (MEASURES)

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. The performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the Contractor exceeds, meets, or does not meet these standards.

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix is listed below in Table 1. 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. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare Contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

The Performance Requirements are listed below in Table 1. 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. The Government shall use these standards to determine Contractor performance and shall compare Contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

Table 1-Performance Requirements Summary Matrix Acceptable Quality Level of Performance

Contractor employees shall ensure patient safety adhering to General Requirements IAW PWS Section 4

95% 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.

Incentives: Favorable contactor performance evaluation.

Disincentive: Unfavorable contractor performance evaluation.

A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) will be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service. Two or more issued CDRs may result in reduction of the monthly invoice of 5%.

95%

CO/COR review logs semi-annually

Incentives: Favorable contactor performance evaluation.

A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be issued on the first instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service

A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be issued on the first substantiated instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service

The Contractor’s performance shall ensure patient satisfaction

A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be issued on the first substantiated instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service

The Contractor shall provide service within the specified time frame 4

A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) may be issued on the first substantiated instance of failure to provide the acceptable level of service

5. INCENTIVES/DISINCENTIVES

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. The COR may receive customer complaints about the quality of services. The COR will make a determination if the complaint involves services provided by the Contractor, and if so, will make a determination if the complaint is a minor or major complaint. Contractor shall maintain less than five (5) complaints per quarter.

i. Minor complaints – (i.e., complaints about timeliness, customer service, or vehicle cleanliness. Isolated incidents of minor complaints will be addressed by the COR at the task order level. The COR will be notified of the complaint and the Contractor will work with the COR to ensure the complaint is addressed or resolved.

c. CO/COR Random checks. Random inspections may occur at any time and location.

d. CO/COR Inspections. Periodic quality assurance and safety inspections may occur on a monthly basis as predetermined by the COR.

e. CO/COR Performance. Required response times per level of service ordered will be evaluated. At least five (5) trips will be reviewed monthly to determine contractor’s response times in order to accurately measure performance.

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:

Positive outcome: No more than 1 incident of not meeting the performance standard during the period of performance.

Neutral outcome: No more than 3 incidents of not meeting the performance standard during the period of performance

Negative outcome: More than 3 incidents of not meeting 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.

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.

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.

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.

Contractor Program Manager

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)