ATTCH 1 - QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN_ QASP.docx

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLENCE 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.

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 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 Contracting Officer (CO): Melanie Hawley, melanie.hawley@va.gov

· Assigned Contract Specialist: Michaela S. Brown, michaela.brown@va.gov

· Organization or Agency: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/RPO Central/Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16

b. The CNH Personnel/Social Worker designated by the CO as an Ordering Officer (OO) shall be responsible for technical administration of the contract and shall assure proper Government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The OO shall keep a quality assurance file. The OO is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf. Assigned OO(S): Thomas Hewett, 713-794-7141

c. Other Key Government Personnel - N/A

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Nursing Home Care

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

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

a. Primary: _______________________________

b. Alternate: ______________________________

4. 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. RATING STANDARDS

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.

Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine the level of Contractor performance to these standards. The Performance Requirements are listed below in Section 6. 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.

6. 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: (Evaluates all reports provided.)

b. PERIODIC INSPECTION. Inspections scheduled and reported quarterly per COR delegation or as needed. Ten (10) randomly selected patient files will be reviewed per inspection period. All inspections and reports will be conducted in compliance with VA Privacy and Information security standards.

c. VALIDATED USER/CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. Customer complaint data is compiled quarterly and reviewed by Service Chief – any validated complaints against a Contractor that are not resolved within the required seven-day period will be further investigated.

d. Will perform quarterly performance reviews for peers from MEDVA along with other VA facilities as needed.

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:

See above Acceptable Quality Level & Method of Surveillance located in QASP

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 OO shall work with the Contracting Officer (CO) who will inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case, the OO/VA Coordinator shall document the discussion and place it in the OO/VA Coordinator’s file. In order to assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract, the OO will work with the contractor to increase performance to an acceptable level.

When the CO determines formal written communication is required, the OO/VA Coordinator 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 OO/VA Coordinator. 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 OO and the CO will periodically analyze whether the negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed.

b. Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings.

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

Signature – Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

Signature – Contracting Officer – NCO 16

Signature – Contractor/CNH

Effective Date: 12/19/2022 Revision: 03 Page 1 of 5