B08-RFP-W81XWH-21-R-0004-PWS-Attach1-QASP-20210226.pdf

PWS Attachment 1: Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

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. In addition, the QASP should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

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. 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 Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. Government Roles and Responsibilities.

a. Contracting Officer (KO) - The KO 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 KO shall also assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract. The KO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance.

b. Contract Specialist (CS) – The CS 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.

c. 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. At the conclusion of the contract or when requested by the KO, the COR shall provide documentation to the KO. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf. The contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the KO for action.

d. Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). A COTR is a Government employee who is authorized to monitor the contractor’s performance under the contract, serve as technical liaison between the contractor and the COR, and perform other duties specified in this document. COTRs have no authority to change any of the terms or conditions of the contract.

3. Contractor Representatives. The contractor’s identified employee shall serve as the contractor’s Program Manager and Task Manager for this contract.

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.

Task Indicator Standard Acceptable Quality Level

Method of Surveillance Incentive

Program Operations – Section 5.2.1

Provide professional and quality service to the WIC Overseas participants.

Number of validated complaints in a six month period.

No more than five validated complaints in a six month period.

Written or oral complaints received.

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Program Operations – Section 5.2.6

Provide quality Nutritional

Counseling and Education to the WIC Overseas participants.

Number of validated complaints in a six month period.

No more than five validated complaints in a six month period.

Written or oral complaints.

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Management Reporting and

Quality Control

– Section 5.1.1

Monthly Progress Report

Ensure all sites are staffed at all times.

Administer the resources to support activities within scope.

All sites will be staffed at 90% or higher at all times.

MPR

Reviewed and

Verified (Deliverable 6)

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Managing WIC Overseas Drafts –

Section 5.3, 5.3.2

Financial Report

Provide a daily activity financial summary report.

Receiving the daily activity financial summary report every two weeks

100% of the time.

Financial Report

Reviewed and Verified

(Deliverable 10)

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Managing WIC Overseas Drafts –

Section 5.3, 5.4.3

Annual Audit Report

Provide an annual audit report.

Receiving the annual audit report by the anniversary date of the first report 100% of the time.

Internal Review Audit Reviewed and

Verified (Deliverable 8)

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Accounting for Government

Funds – Section 5.4, 5.4.8

Monthly Financial Reports

Provide a monthly financial report.

Receiving the monthly financial report by the 1st workday of the following month 95% of the time.

Financial Report – Daily

Operations Reviewed and

Verified (Deliverable 9)

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Information Systems –

Section 5.1.1, 5.5, 5.5.2, 5.6.2

Monthly Progress Report

Ensure PIMS is operational.

PIMS will be operations 95% or higher at all times.

MPR

Reviewed and

Verified (Deliverable 6)

Customer/

Organization Satisfaction

Positive Past Performance

Rating

Task Indicator Standard Acceptable Quality Level

Method of Surveillance Incentive

Software Management and Development – Section 5.1.1, 5.5.2, 5.5.3, 5.6

Track and maintain all

PIMS software releases.

Ensure certifications and accreditation of the PIMS software.

Configuration management document. All certifications and accreditation will be up to date for

PIMS.

All configurations will be recorded and all certifications and accreditations will be up to date for PIMS within 3 days of update release

95% of the time.

MPR

Reviewed and

Verified (Deliverable 6)

Customer, Organization Satisfaction.

Positive Past Performance

Rating

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix, paragraph 7.0 in the Performance Work Statement includes performance standards. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL). If the performance standards are not met in the performance requirement summary the government will document the contractor’s past performance, and may terminate the contract in accordance with FAR Clause 52.212-4 (m), Termination For Cause.

5. Incentives. The Government shall use past performance as incentives. Incentives shall be based on exceeding, meeting, or not meeting performance standards.

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.

Regardless of the surveillance method, the COR shall always contact the contractor's Program Manager and Task Manager when a defect is identified and inform the manager of the specifics of the problem. The COR, with assistance from the CS, shall be responsible for monitoring the contractor’s performance in meeting a specific performance standard/AQL.

a. Direct Observation. Can be performed periodically or through 100% surveillance.

• Periodically.

b. Management Information Systems (MIS). Evaluates outputs through the use of management information reports.

Best used for general surveillance and may need to be supplemented by periodic inspections.

• Provide Monthly Reports by 15th of each month.

• Ensure all sites are 90% staffed at all times. Administer the resources to support activities within scope.

• Ensure PIMS is operational 95% of the time.

• Configuration management document. All certifications and accreditation will be up to date for PIMS.

c. Periodic Inspection. Uses a comprehensive evaluation of selected outputs. Inspections may be scheduled [Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or annually] or unscheduled, as required.

• As requested or required.

d. Validated User/Customer Complaints. Relies on the user of the service to identify deficiencies. Complaints are then investigated and validated. Highly applicable to services provided in quantity and where quality is highly subjective.

• Program Satisfaction from WIC overseas participants.

• Satisfactory Delivery of Nutritional Counseling and education programs from WIC overseas participants.

f. 100% Inspection. Evaluates all outputs. Most applicable to small quantity, but highly important services. May be used where there are written deliverables and stringent requirements such as tasks required by law, safety, or security.

• Provide Monthly Reports by 15th of each month.

• Provide Monthly Financial Report by the 1st workday of the following month.

• Provide Audit Report annually.

• Provide Daily Financial Activity Report every two weeks.

g. Periodic Sampling. Variation of random sampling. However, sample is only taken when a deficiency is suspected. Good follow-up to MIS analysis. Sample results are applicable only for the specific work inspected.

Since sample is not entirely random, it cannot be applied to total activity performance.

h. Random Sampling. Designed to evaluate the outputs of the award requirement by randomly selecting and inspecting a statistically significant sample. Highly recommended for large quantity repetitive activities with objective and measurable quality attributes.

i. Progress or status meetings.

j. Analysis of Contractor's progress reports. Evaluate cost, schedule, etc.

• COR Review of Monthly Reports.

k. Performance reporting. Evaluate metrics for a specific time period. Develop metrics or use metrics found in

MIS.

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 KO’s actions.

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:

EXCEPTIONAL Performance significantly exceeds contract requirements to the Government’s benefit.

SATISFACTORY Performance meets contractual requirements.

UNSATISFACTORY Performance does not meet contractual requirements.

8. Documenting Performance.

a. Acceptable Performance. The Government shall document positive performance.

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 and Task Manager or on-site representative.

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 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 contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, award fee nonpayment, or other actions deemed necessary by the KO.

9. Frequency of Measurement.

a. Frequency of Measurement.

During contract performance, the COR shall take periodic measurements, as specified in the AQL column of the Performance Standards Summary Matrix, and shall analyze whether the negotiated frequency of measurement is appropriate for the work being performed.

b. Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings.

The COR shall assess performance and provide a written assessment, and upload the assessment to Surveillance and Performance Monitoring Module on a monthly basis, no later than the 15th day of the following month.

The COR at a minimum will meet with the contractor on a quarterly basis and conduct a performance meeting.

(End of PWS Attachment 1: QASP)