Attachment-QASP Plan.docx

American Embassy Tallinn QASP for CMR gardening services

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

For

CMR GARDENING SERVICES CONTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2.3 The Contractor……………………………………………………………………………………….4

ATTACHMENT 1: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY………………………………………….7

ATTACHMENT 2: SAMPLE QUALITY ASSURANCE MONITORING FORM…………………………….10

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

1 INTRODUCTION

This quality assurance surveillance plan (QASP) is pursuant to the requirements listed in the CMR Gardening Services performance work statement (PWS). This plan sets forth the procedures and guidelines the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will use in ensuring the required performance standards or services levels are achieved by the contractor.

1.1 Purpose

1.1.1 The purpose of the QASP is to describe the systematic methods that will be used to monitor the Contractor’s performance. The QASP provides a means for evaluating whether the contractor is meeting the performance standards/quality levels identified in the PWS and the contractor’s quality control plan (QCP), and ensure the government pays only for the level of services received.

1.1.2 This QASP defines the roles and responsibilities of all members of the project team, identifies the performance objectives, defines the methodologies used to monitor and evaluate the contractor’s performance, describes quality assurance documentation requirements, and describes the analysis of quality assurance monitoring results.

1.2 Performance Management Strategy

1.2.1 The contractor is responsible for the quality of all work performed. The contractor measures that quality through the contractor’s quality control (QC) program. QC is work output, not workers, and therefore includes all work performed under this contract regardless of whether the work is performed by contractor employees or subcontractors.

The contractor’s QCP will set forth the staffing and procedures for self-inspecting the quality, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and other performance requirements in the PWS. The contractor will develop and implement a performance management system with processes to assess and report its performance to the designated government representative. The contractor’s QCP will also set forth the staffing and procedures for self-inspecting the quality, timeliness, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and other performance requirements in the PWS. This QASP enables the government to take advantage of the contractor’s QC program.

1.2.2 The government representative(s) will monitor performance and review performance reports furnished by the contractor to determine how the contractor is performing against communicated performance objectives. The government will make determinations regarding incentives based on performance measurement metric data and notify the contractor of those decisions. The contractor will be responsible for making required changes in processes and practices to ensure performance is managed effectively.

2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1 The Contracting Officer (CO/KO)

The CO is responsible for monitoring contract compliance, contract administration, and cost control, and resolving any differences between observations documented by the (COR) and the contractor. The CO will designate one full-time COR as the government authority for performance management. The number of additional representatives serving as technical inspectors must be identified and designated by the CO.

2.2 The Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

The COR is designated in writing by the CO to act as their authorized representative to assist in administering a contract. The COR will ensure that the QA function is properly executed, plays a key role in contract administration, and performs contract surveillance and monitoring. Some key contract administration duties include, but are not limited to, performs surveillance as required by this QASP; make recommendations to the CO for issuance of Contract Discrepancy reports or letters of commendation and acceptance or rejection of completed work and for administrative actions based on unsatisfactory non-performed work, and revision or changes to the QASP; and assists the CO in identifying necessary contract modifications and preparing reports to contractor performance and cost.

COR limitations are contained in the written appointment letter. The COR will have the responsibility for completing QA monitoring forms used to document the inspection and evaluation of the contractor’s work performance.

2.3 The Contractor

The Contractor is responsible for delivering products or services in accordance with the contract. Implementing its QCP, which describes the contractor’s methods for ensuring all products and services under the contract meet established performance standards and AQLs. Maintaining and providing for audit, quality control records and reports and all records associated with the investigation and complaint resolutions. Appointing a single quality control point-of-contact to act as a central recipient of communication from the COR or CO.

1. IDENTIFICATION OF REQUIRED PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/QUALITY LEVELS

The required performance standards and/or quality levels are included in the PWS and Attachment 1, Performance Requirements Summary. A performance standard is the expected level of contractor performance. Performance of the contractor will be monitored through the surveillance methods described in Section 4: Methodologies to monitor performance.

If the contractor meets the required service or performance level, it will be paid the monthly amount agreed on in the contract.

1. METHODOLOGIES TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE

4.1 Surveillance Techniques

To minimize the performance management burden, simplified surveillance methods shall be used by the government to evaluate contractor performance when appropriate. Level of surveillance may be conducted on a monthly, quarterly or as-needed basis and an analysis of the results will determine if the contractor met the standards or did not meet the standards identified in the PWS/contract.

The primary methods of surveillance are:

· Government Inspections:

100% Inspection. The COR may conduct 100% inspections of the work defined in the performance work statement (PWS). The COR will also review information submitted in the required reports defined in the PWS (if applicable).

Periodic Inspection. The government may conduct periodic inspections monthly, quarterly, or on an as-needed basis. The periodic inspection shall be conducted by the COR.

Random Inspection. The government may conduct random monitoring by reviewing information/reports required and submitted in accordance with the contract. The random monitoring shall be performed by the COR.

· Customer complaints with verification by the COR (and CO)

· Review of Contractor’s Quality Control documentation

4.2 Customer Feedback

Customer satisfaction is the most significant external indicator of the success and effectiveness of all services provided and can be measured through customer complaints.

Customer complaints, to be considered valid, must set forth clearly and in writing the detailed nature of the complaint, must be signed, and must be forwarded to the COR. The COR will accept those customer complaints and investigate. A mutual effort will be made to resolve any problems/issues identified.

4.3 Acceptable Quality Levels

The acceptable quality levels (AQLs) included in Attachment 1 for contractor performance is structured to allow the contractor to manage how the work is performed while providing negative incentives for performance shortfalls. For certain critical activities, such as those involving maintenance and appearance of the grass, shrubbery, garden areas and trees, the desired performance level is established at 90 percent. Other levels of performance are keyed to the relative importance of the task to the overall mission performance.

1. QUALITY ASSURANCE DOCUMENTATION

1. The Performance Management Feedback Loop

The performance management feedback loop begins with the communication of expected outcomes. Performance standards are expressed in the PWS and assessed using the performance monitoring techniques shown in Attachment 1.

1. Monitoring Forms

The government’s QA surveillance, accomplished by the COR will be reported using the monitoring form in Attachment 2. The forms, when completed, will document the government’s assessment of the contractor’s performance under the contract to ensure the required results for service levels are being achieved.

1. The COR will retain a copy of all completed QA surveillance forms.

ATTACHMENT 1

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Required Services (Tasks)

Standards Acceptable Quality Levels Methods of Surveillance

PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE:

The Contractor shall maintain trees, shrubs, hedges, bushes, vines, ground cover and flowers and add support/binding to trees/bushes/branches in order to help them stand straight.

PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE:

The Contractor shall prepare a written schedule, as part of the Grounds Maintenance Plan, showing the method, frequencies, and timeframe of pruning

PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE:

The Contractor shall prune all shrubs, vines, bushes, ground cover, and trees to:

* direct and encourage plant growth in directions desired;

* remove dead and unsightly growth, and

* maintain a neat and attractive appearance and proper shape.

The Contractor shall prune according to the schedule in the Grounds Maintenance Plan to ensure that all heavy pruning is accomplished during the proper season according to best horticultural practice. The Contractor shall prune all hedges and shaped shrubs to maintain proper shape at all times.

PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE

The Contractor shall use wound dressing or grafting wax where necessary after removing winter-damaged branches/shrubs.

MAINTENANCE OF PLANTING AREAS

The Contractor shall maintain and tidy up planting areas according to the Grounds Maintenance Plan :

* release the iris bulbs from under the mulch in the spring and cover them with mulch again in late fall.

* cut down/remove the wilted flowers/dried stems of the tulips, narcissus, irises and crocuses after blooming.

* cut/remove wilted flowers/dried stems, unsightly branches from the perennial planting area.

* tidy up the rhododendron and rose bed. Remove dried leaves and stems.

* clean all planting areas around the house of plant remains.

* if necessary, divide perennial flower bushes

* clean the vegetable beds of plant remains in the fall season

WEEDING:

The Contractor shall weed the flowerbeds, under the bushes and hedges in the garden on a continuous basis to prevent the growth of weeds into landscapes. The Contractor may use weed-killing chemicals to prevent the growth of weeds to eliminate grass and weeds in the cracks and joints within or along sidewalks and curbs. The Contractor shall inform of the COR for all applications of weed killers

RAKING LEAVES:

The Contractor shall rake leaves from the base of trees and bushes, compost as much as possible and remove leaves and branches with signs of disease from premises.

RECYCLED MATERIALS:

The Contractor shall promote recycled uses for lawn and tree debris in meeting other gardening needs, such as mulch and compost

REMOVAL OF DEBRIS:

The Contractor shall remove foreign material, cuttings, grass, leaves, bark, limbs, dead vegetation, and trash directly resulting from the Contractor’s maintained areas including walkways, stairways and curbs within or adjacent to the area. The Contractor shall remove all debris and equipment from the work site before the end of each workday. Debris removal shall prevent unsightly accumulation. The Contractor shall promptly remove collected debris to an authorized disposal site.

WATERING:

The Contractor shall water flowerbeds, seasonal container flowers, shrubs, and trees to provide for moisture penetration to a depth of 7 centimeters. If natural precipitation is sufficient to fulfill this requirement, the Contractor may request the COR's permission to suspend watering

FERTILIZING:

The Contractor shall use fertilizers both in the fruit and berry garden and in the flower planting areas in order enhance the growth of the plants. Targeted seasonal fertilizers shall be used both in the spring and fall season.

PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL:

The Contractor shall maintain a program for controlling pests and plant disease so as to maintain flowers, shrubs, vines, trees and other planted areas in a healthy and vigorous condition. The Contractor shall obtain prior approval of the COR for all pesticides. No pesticide that is not listed in the Grounds Maintenance Plan shall be permissible for use.

ATTACHMENT 2

SAMPLE QUALITY ASSURANCE MONITORING FORM

SERVICE or STANDARD:

SURVEY PERIOD:

SURVEILLANCE METHOD (check):

Random Sampling 100% Inspection Periodic Inspection Customer Complaint LEVEL OF SURVEILLANCE (check):

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS:

Observed Service Provider Performance Measurement Rate: ______%

Narrative of Performance During Survey Period:

PREPARED BY: ___________________________________ DATE: _________________

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