Exhibit E - FMSS III QASP.pdf

Final RFP: 80LARC23R0015

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) Force Measurement Support Services (FMSS)

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) was prepared and approved by the following:

NAME: TBD after Contract Award

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

Advanced Measurements and Data Systems Branch (D304)

NAME: TBD after Contract Award

Contracting Officer (CO)

NASA Office of Procurement (B102)

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DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY

Date Revision Description

April 6, 2023 -- Initial release

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

1.2 General Policies

1.3 Performance Management Approach

1.4 Performance Management Strategy

2 Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 The Contracting Officer

2.2 The Contracting Officer's Representative

2.3 Technical Direction (NFS 1852.242-70)

3 Surveillance Approach and Methods

3.1 Methods of Surveillance

3.2 Inspection

3.3 Documentation of Surveillance

3.4 Customer Feedback

3.5 Contractor Performance

4 Risk Assessment

5 Appendix 1: Performance Requirements Summary Matrix

1 Introduction

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is pursuant to the requirements listed in the Statement of Work (SOW) entitled Force Measurement Support Services. This plan sets forth the procedures and guidelines the Government will use in ensuring the required performance standards and service levels are achieved by the Contractor.

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of the QASP is to describe the systematic methods used to monitor contractor performance and to identify the required documentation and the resources to be employed by the Government. The QASP provides a means for evaluating whether the Contractor is meeting the performance requirements, standards, and quality levels identified in the contract, task order, and the Contractor's Quality Control Plan (QCP). Additionally, the QASP ensures the Government pays only for the level of service received.

This QASP defines the roles and responsibilities of the members of the integrated 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 General Policies

It is the Government's general policy to ensure that it receives the contracted products and services. In addition, three (3) basic tenets are the foundation for the entire quality assurance program:

1. Foster a teamwork atmosphere between the Contractor and the Government.

2. Ensure that performance concerns are resolved timely and at the lowest practical level.

3. Ensure the Contractor maintains adequate quality control procedures to verify compliance with contract and task order requirements.

In addition, the Government’s surveillance approach will focus on insight versus oversight.

Quality assurance is built into the program from the start and should focus on verifying the Contractor's quality control documentation, where possible. Because service contract requirements are outcome-based, the Government's surveillance focuses on the desired results versus evaluating if each task is performed.

1.3 Performance Management Approach

The SOW structures the acquisition around what service or quality level is required, as opposed to how the Contractor should perform the work (i.e., results, not compliance). This QASP will define the approach taken by the Government to monitor and manage the Contractor's performance to ensure expected outcomes or performance objectives communicated in the contract and task order SOWs are achieved. Performance management rests on developing a capability to review and analyze information generated through performance assessment. The ability to make decisions based on the analysis of performance data is the cornerstone of performance management; this analysis yields information that indicates whether expected outcomes for the project are being achieved by the Contractor.

Performance management focuses on assessing whether outcomes are being achieved and to what extent. The Government will still assess the Contractor's compliance with processes and practices for certain aspects of the contract (e.g., metrology); however, the performance-based approach enables the Contractor to play a large role in how the work is performed, if the Contractor's proposed approach is within constraints within the contract and task order SOWs.

The only exceptions to process reviews are those required by law (federal, state, and local) and compelling business situations, such as safety and health. The Government's focus on results provides the Contractor flexibility to continuously improve and innovate over the course of the contract if critical outcomes expected are being achieved and the desired performance levels are being met.

1.4 Performance Management Strategy

The Contractor shall be responsible for the quality of all work performed. The Contractor shall measure quality through the Contractor's own QCP. Quality control 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 by 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 contract.

The Contractor shall develop and implement a performance management system with processes to assess and report its performance to the Government.

The Government will monitor performance and review performance reports furnished by the Contractor to determine how the Contractor is performing against communicated performance objectives and deliverables. The Contractor shall be responsible for making the required changes in processes and practice to ensure performance is effectively managed.

2 Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 The Contracting Officer

The Contracting Officer (CO) is the only person authorized to direct the Contractor’s performance or obligate the Government under this contract. The CO is ultimately responsible for the acceptance of products and services received under this contract.

The CO is responsible for monitoring contract compliance, contract administration, and cost control and for resolving differences between the observations documented by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and the Contractor. The CO will delegate a COR as the Government authority for performance management. The number of additional representatives serving as technical inspectors depends on the complexity of the services performed, as well as the Contractor's performance, and must be identified and delegated in writing by the CO in accordance with agency procedures.

The CO may also delegate specific contract administration and quality assurance responsibilities, if required, to the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), and other organizations as determined by the CO.

2.2 The Contracting Officer's Representative

The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and ensures proper Government surveillance of the Contractor’s performance. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf. Any changes that the Contractor deems may affect contract price, terms, or conditions shall be referred to the CO for action. The specific surveillance and monitoring duties of the COR are formally delegated by the CO. Personal Services and Inherently Governmental Functions

During the performance of this contract, the CO and COR must:

• Ensure that contracts for services are managed so as not to result in the performance of personal services. Personal services contracts must be specifically authorized by statue.

See also FAR 37.104 and NFS 1837.104.

• Remind the contract management that Contractor employees must never identify themselves as representing NASA (as opposed to being under contract to NASA), nor perform inherently Governmental functions.

• Report any suspected violations of the above policies to the Procurement Officer.

2.3 Technical Direction (NFS 1852.242-70)

Contract section G.6 provision, technical direction is defined as a directive to the Contractor that approves approaches, solutions, designs, or refinements; fills in details or otherwise completes the general description of work or documentation items; shifts emphasis among work areas or tasks; or furnishes similar instruction to the Contractor. Technical direction includes requiring studies and pursuit of certain lines of inquiry regarding matters within the general tasks and requirements in Section C of this contract.

The COR does not have the authority to, and shall not, issue any instructions purporting to be technical direction that

• Constitutes an assignment of additional work outside the statement of work.

• Constitutes a change as defined in the changes clause.

• In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the total estimated contract cost, the fixed fee, or the time required for contract performance.

• Changes any of the expressed terms, conditions, or specifications of the contract

• Interferes with the Contractor's rights to perform the terms and conditions of the contract.

The COR will issue all technical direction in writing. The Contractor shall proceed promptly with the performance of technical direction duly issued by the COR in the manner prescribed by this clause and within the COR's authority. If, in the Contractor's opinion, any instructions or direction by the COR falls within any of the categories defined in paragraph above, the Contractor shall not proceed but shall notify the CO in writing within 5 working days after receiving it and shall request the CO to take action as described in this clause. Upon receiving this notification, the CO shall either issue an appropriate contract modification within a reasonable time or advise the Contractor in writing within 30 days that the instruction or direction is

• Rescinded in its entirety, or

• Within the requirements of the contract and does not constitute a change under the changes clause of the contract and that the Contractor should proceed promptly its performance.

A failure of the Contractor and CO to agree that the instruction or direction is both within the requirements of the contract and does not constitute a change under the changes clause, or a failure to agree upon the contract action to be taken with respect to the instruction or direction shall be subject to the Disputes clause of this contract. Any action(s) taken by the Contractor in response to any direction given by any person other than the CO or the COR shall be at the Contractor's risk.

3 Surveillance Approach and Methods

The Government maintains full confidence of above satisfactory performance by the Contractor based on past performance. The Government is also aware that no Contractor is perfect, and there may be times that corrective actions may be required. The Government relies on the Contractor's QCP to resolve any issues internally once made aware of the issue.

The Government reserves the right to request re-performance or other considerations to correct performance. The Government's performance requirements and acceptable quality levels are listed in Appendix 1. Additional performance requirements may be listed in a task order.

3.1 Methods of Surveillance

The Government will measure Contractor performance against the standards established in this QASP. In accordance with FAR 46.401(a)(2), the Government will utilize the following surveillance methods:

• 100 percent inspection

• Random sampling

• Periodic inspection

• Regularly scheduled meetings

• Customer feedback

• Contractor self-assessment

3.2 Inspection

The Government’s contract quality requirement and right to inspect performance is provided in the contract clauses in FAR 52.246-4 entitled “Inspection of Services – Fixed Price (AUG 1996)” and FAR 52.246-5 entitled “Inspection of Services – Cost Reimbursement (APR 1984)”.

3.3 Documentation of Surveillance

The Government will document all surveillance activities, including specific status on performance relative to objective criteria stated in the contract and task orders. Surveillance documents will be stored electronically.

3.4 Customer Feedback

The Contractor shall ensure its employees always maintain professional communications with the Government. The primary objective of this communication is customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction is a significant indicator of the success and effectiveness of all services provided and can be measured through customer feedback. The Government will utilize LASIRS to collect input on the Contractor's performance for each task order. The results of each survey will be shared with the Contractor. The Government expects the Contractor to utilize the survey results to implement process improvement, especially in situations of negative feedback.

3.5 Contractor Performance

The CO and COR are responsible for performing an annual review of the Contractor's performance using the Government-wide Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). This evaluation will utilize customer feedback collected in task order surveys and surveillance of the performance requirements listed in Appendix 1. The Contractor shall retrieve the assessment from the CPARS website (https://cpars.gov).

4 Risk Assessment

The Government has identified and assessed the potential risks so that mitigation efforts can be employed. Risk management will be a continuous process through the period of performance where risks will be tracked, controlled, and reported. Any efforts that surface requiring additional risk mitigation efforts will be addressed and plans for accomplishing the mitigation will be developed. Risk identification and mitigation actions are documented below in Table 1.

Customer Service

Timely response to Government correspondences and requests; no significant customer complaints received regarding Contractor's performance; professional and effective communications.

Contractor responds to all correspondences within 1 business day; no more than one minor complaint per quarter; no major complaints per year.

Customer feedback;

periodic inspection.