Attachment D.3 - QASP.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Services Version – August 15, 2025

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 federal government’s responsibility to be objective, fair, and consistent in evaluating performance. In addition, the

QASP should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

This QASP is a “living document”, and the federal government may review and revise it on a regular basis. However, the federal government shall coordinate changes with the contractor. Updates shall ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. Copies of the original QASP and revisions shall be provided to the contractor and federal government officials implementing surveillance activities.

The following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses may apply depending on contract type:

52.246-4 Inspection of Services – Fixed-Price

2. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

(a) The following personnel shall oversee and coordinate surveillance activities: 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:

Kimberly Coakley

Organization or Agency: OCPO

Telephone: 202-664-9732

Email: kimberly.coakley@fema.dhs.gov

(b) Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) - The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and shall assure proper federal government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The COR shall keep a quality assurance file. At the conclusion of the contract or when requested by the CO, the COR shall provide documentation to the CO. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the federal government’s behalf. The contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the CO for action.

Assigned COR: TBD

Telephone:

Email:

(c) Other Key Personnel:

To be determined

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

The following employees of the contractor serve as the contractor’s representatives for this contract:

a. Program Manager: TBD

Telephone: TBD

Email: TBD

b. Task Manager: TBD

Telephone: TBD

Email: TBD

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Performance standards define desired services. The federal government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets, or does not meet these standards.

The Performance Requirements Summary (paragraph 1.8 in the Performance Work

Statement) includes performance standards. The federal government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) in sections 1.8 and 6.0 of the PWS and in this Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan.

5. INCENTIVES.

The federal government shall use CPARS Ratings as incentives. Incentives shall be based on exceeding, meeting, or not meeting performance standards. If stakeholder’s surveillance indicates non-compliance with performance standards as contained in the

QASP table, the sub-standard performance may be reflected in the contractor’s CPARS review.

6. METHODS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE

Various methods exist to monitor performance. The COR shall use the surveillance methods listed below in the administration of this QASP.

a. Periodic Inspection.

The COR will conduct scheduled inspections of contractor deliverables, such as readiness reports, maintenance logs, and mission reports, to ensure compliance with contract requirements.

b. 100% Inspection

The government will conduct inspections of all operations and deliverables to ensure compliance with contract requirements including operational readiness, data accuracy, and adherence to safety protocols.

c. Progress or Status meetings.

The COR will attend progress or status meetings, any follow-up documentation to ensure compliance with contract requirements, and the COR will monitor follow-up actions on issues or concerns raised during meetings to ensure timely resolution.

d. Performance Reporting.

The COR will track performance metrics, such as response times and availability rates, to evaluate contractor performance against the AQLs.

Regardless of the surveillance method, the COR shall always contact the contractor's task manager, on-site representative, or contractor’s project manager, when a defect is identified, and inform the manager of the specifics of the problem. The COR, with assistance from the CO, if needed, shall be responsible for monitoring the contractor’s performance in meeting a specific performance standard/AQL.

Surveillance results may be used as the basis for actions (to include payment deductions) against the contractor. In such cases, the Inspection of Services clause in the Contract becomes the basis for the CO’s actions.

7. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN TABLE

Service Output

Performance

Objective

Acceptable

Quality Level

(AQL)

Method of

Inspection

Positive

Incentive

Negative

Inspection

1. Mission

Availability

UAS (hardware systems, and personnel) operational readiness at all times

>95% availability during mission critical periods

Review of readiness reports, operational readiness checks, and performance data

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

If non-compliant as stated in the

PWS or as specified in the

Task Order, an

“Unsatisfactory”

CPARS rating will be earned

2. Flight

Operations

UAS must complete assigned missions with no more than 1% deviation from flight plan or mission parameters

99% adherence to flight plans

Review of flight logs and mission reports

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

If non-compliant with 2 or more occurrences, or as specified in the

Task Order, an

“Unsatisfactory”

CPARS rating will be earned

3. Data Collection

Accuracy

UAS must collect and transmit data with at least 98% accuracy

98% accuracy in data collection

Post mission data analysis and validation via requestor feedback

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

If non-compliant as stated in the

PWS or as specified in the

Task Order, an

“Unsatisfactory”

CPARS rating will be earned

4. Payload

Delivery

UAS must deliver payloads within 15 minutes of scheduled delivery time (or mutually agreed upon deviation based on operational considerations and issues)

95% on-time delivery rate

Review of delivery logs, mission reports, and requestor feedback

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

If non-compliant as stated in the

PWS or as specified in the

Task Order, an

“Unsatisfactory”

CPARS rating will be earned

5. Communication and Reporting

Contractor must provide mission status updates daily

(at COB) or within 2 hours of request

100% compliance with reporting timelines

Review of communication logs and response times

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

If non-compliant as stated in the

PWS or as specified in the

Task Order, an

“Unsatisfactory”

CPARS rating will be earned

6. Training and

Certification

All operators’ certifications must be current with all required training completed;

certifications and/or training records must be available within 2 hours of request

100% certification compliance

Review of training records and certifications

A positive

CPARS rating will be administered

Suspension of operations for non-compliance

8. 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:

EXCEPTIONAL:

Performance significantly exceeds contract requirements to the

Government’s benefit.

SATISFACTORY Performance meets contractual requirements.

UNSATISFACTORY Performance does not meet contractual requirements.

9. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. Acceptable Performance:

The federal government shall document positive performance. A report template is attached. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for fixed fee payments, award fee payments, or other contractual actions.

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 or on-site representative. A CDR template is attached to this QASP.

The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing within 3 business days.

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 federal government shall review the contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability.

Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, award fee nonpayment, or other contractual actions deemed necessary by the CO.

10. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

a. Frequency of Measurement.

During contract/order 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 weekly or as needed to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.

Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

PERFORMANCE REPORT

1. Contract Number: TBD

2. Prepared by: (Insert Name of COR Here)

3. Date and time of observation:

4. Observation:

<Examples of items to include in a report:

- Method of surveillance.

- How frequently you conducted surveillance.

- Surveillance results.

- Number of observations.>

Prepared by: Terri Wright

CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT (CDR)

1. Contract Number: TBD

2. TO: (Contractor Program Manager, Task Manager or on-site representative) TBD

3. FROM: (Name of COR)

4. Date and time observed discrepancy:

5. DISCREPANCY OR PROBLEM:

<Describe in detail. Identify any attachments.>

6. Corrective action plan:

A written corrective action plan < is / is not > required.

< If a written corrective action plan is required include the following. > The written Corrective

Action Plan will be provided to the undersigned not later than < # days after receipt of this

CDR. >

Prepared by: Terri Wright

Received by:

Contractor Program Manager, Task Manager or Date on-site representative

< The COR may initiate a CDR at any time, including whenever the number of monthly recorded defects for a performance standard exceeds the allowable number of defects;

anytime unacceptable performance is determined critical in nature and requires formal corrective action; and whenever an unfavorable trend is detected in contractor performance.>

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