QASP-Attachment_6.doc

Attachment 6

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) For Ultra-High Pressure Water Jet Blasting Services

1. Purpose

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is a Government developed and applied document used to make sure the systematic quality assurance methods are used in the administration of the Performance Based Service Contract (PBSC) standards included in this contract and in subsequent task orders. The intent is to ensure that the contractor performs in accordance with the performance metrics and the Government receives the quality of services called for in the contract.

This contract requirement is for contractor services to provide Ultra-High pressure water blasting services necessary for paint removal on vessels in dry-dock or pier-side. Work on the vessels includes exterior surface areas and interior surfaces to be hydro blasted or mechanically cleaned. This includes underwater body surfaces (Condition “B” or Condition “C”), freeboards, superstructures, stacks, and weather decks of various vessels. The resulting vehicle will be a firm fixed price contract with a base year and four option years during which task orders may be placed. A properly executed QASP will assist the Government in achieving the objectives of this procurement.

2. Authority

Authority for issuance of this QASP is provided under PWS Section 1.5.1 – Quality Assurance, which provides for documentation called for in task orders, to be executed by the Contracting Officer or a duly authorized representative.

3. Scope

To fully understand the roles and responsibilities of the parties, it is important to first define the distinction in terminology between Quality Control Plan and the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. The Contractor, and not the Government, is responsible for management and quality.

Control actions necessary to meet the quality standards set forth by the contract and follow-on task orders. The Contractor develops and submits a Quality Control Plan (QCP) for Government approval in compliance with the contract. Once accepted, the Contractor then uses the QCP to guide and to rigorously document the implementation of the required management and quality control actions to achieve the specified results.

The QASP on the other hand, is put in place to provide Government surveillance oversight of the Contractor’s quality control efforts to assure that they are timely, effective and are delivering the results specified in the contract or task order.

4. Government Resources The following definitions for Government resources are applicable to this plan:

Contracting Officer - A person duly appointed with the authority to enter into contracts and make related determination and findings on behalf of the Government. The PCO for this contract is Susanna Wiedmann. The ACO will be designated in the resulting contract. Contracting Officers are designated via a written warrant which sets forth limitations of authority.

Contracting Officer Representative (COR) –Jason Grad is the designated COR and will be the PCO’s authorized representative to assist in administering the contract. The COR will be designated in the resulting contract and individual task orders. The limitations of authority are contained in a written letter of designation.

Alternate Contracting Officer’s Representative (ACOR) - An individual designated in writing by the PCO to act as their authorized representative to assist in administering the contract. The ACOR will be designated in the resulting contract. The limitations of authority are contained in a written letter of designation.

Technical Assistant (TA) – An individual designated in writing by the COR authorized to monitor and review contractor compliance with individual task order requirements. The limitations of authority are contained in a written letter of designation.

Competency Technical Authority (CTA) – An individual designated by the Competency Manager responsible to establish, monitor, and approve technical standards, tools, and processes in conformance with higher authority policy requirements, architectures and standards.

5. Responsibilities The following Government resources shall have responsibility for the implementation of this QASP:

Contracting Officer – The Contracting Officer ensures performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensures compliance with the terms of the contract and safeguards the interests of the United States in the contractual relationship. It is the Contracting Officer that assures the Contractor receives impartial, fair and equitable treatment under the contract. The Contracting Officer is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the Contractor’s performance

Contracting Officer Representative (COR) – The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and assures proper Government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any changes on the Government’s behalf. Any changes that the contractor deems may affect contract price, terms or conditions shall be referred to the Contracting Officer for action.

Technical Assistant (TA) – The TA is responsible for the technical review and contract compliance by the contractor to individual task orders. The TA is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any changes on the Government’s behalf. Any changes that the contractor deems may affect contract price, terms or conditions shall be referred to the Contracting Officer for action.

Competency Technical Authority (CTA) – The CTA is responsible to ensure that the execution of competency technical standards, tools, and processes adheres to standards and policy that provide a range of technically acceptable alternatives with risk and value assessments. Additionally, the CTA will be responsible for the following: definition of Contract tasks and subtasks, review of requested delivery order work orders, and sourcing concurrence for delivery orders; responsible for key position resume qualification review/approval; and identification by specific contract task and assigned to a Level 3 OBS, as approved by the Level 2 Department Director.

6. Methods of QA Surveillance

a. Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS) – The Government for this procurement will address the Quality of Service; Schedule; Business relations, Management of Key Personnel, and other important areas. As this information may affect future source selections throughout DHS, the annual Government will be used appropriately as a complementary performance oversight and communication tool with the QASP.

b. QASP - The below listed method of surveillance shall be used by the COR in the technical administration of this QASP. In addition to the below instruction, the form to be used for documentation QA surveillance is the Surveillance Activity Checklist provided as Enclosure (2) herein.

7. Identified QA Surveillance Tasks

Enclosures (1) and (2) set forth the performance standards and surveillance methods for the contractor and COR while enclosure (3) provides the checklist and means for the COR to document the results of the surveillance. Enclosure (3) will be provided to the Contracting Officer on a quarterly basis.

8. Documentation

In addition to providing quarterly reports to the Contracting Officer, the COR will maintain a complete Quality Assurance file. The file will contain copies of all reports, evaluations, recommendations, and any actions related to the Government’s performance of the quality assurance function, including the originals of the Quality Assurance Checklists. All such records will be maintained for the life of the contract. The COR/ACOR shall forward these records to the Contracting Officer at termination or completion of the contract.

9. Enclosures Enclosure (1) – Hydro Blasting Services Performance Standards

Enclosure (2) – Surveillance Activities Enclosure (3) - Surveillance Activity Checklist Enclosure

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Measure

100% acceptable on subsequent submission to Government 100% Inspection by Contracting Officers Representative (COR)

100% acceptable on subsequent submission to Government 100% Inspection by Contracting Officers Representative (COR)

100% acceptable on subsequent submission to Government 100% Inspection by Contracting Officers Representative (COR)

SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES

Schedule – Assess the contractor’s adherence to the required delivery schedule by assessing the contractor’s efforts during the assessment period that contribute to or effect the schedule variance. Also address significance of scheduled events (i.e., design reviews), discuss causes, and assess the effectiveness of contractor corrective actions.

Cost Control – Assess the contractor’s effectiveness in forecasting, managing, and controlling contract cost. Is the contractor experiencing cost growth or under run? If so, discuss the causes and contractor-proposed solutions for the cost overruns. For contracts where task or contract sizing is based upon contractor provided person-hour estimates, the relationship of these estimates to ultimate cost should be assessed. In addition, the extent to which the contractor demonstrates a sense of cost responsibility, through the efficient use of resources in each work effort should be assessed.

Business Relations – Assess the timelines, completeness and quality of problem identification, corrective action plans, proposal submittals, the contractor’s reasonable and cooperative behavior, effective business relations, and customer satisfaction.

Management – Assess the contractor’s success with timely award and management of subcontracts, including whether the contractor met small/small disadvantage and women-owned business participation goals. Discuss the extent to which the contractor discharges its responsibility for integration and coordination of all activity needed to execute the contract; identifies and applies resources required to meet schedule requirements; assigns responsibility for tasks/actions required by contract; communicates appropriate information to affected program elements in a timely manner. Assess the contractor’s risk mitigation plans. If applicable, identify any other management areas that are unique to the contract.

Other areas – Assess additional evaluation areas unique to the contract or that cannot be captured elsewhere.

The evaluation ratings are as follows:

Exceptional – Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds many to the Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the task and sub-task being assessed was accomplished with few minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor were highly effective.

Very Good - Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds some to the Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the task and sub-task being assessed was accomplished with some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor were effective.

Satisfactory - Performance meets contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the task and sub-task contain some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor appear or were satisfactory.

Marginal - Performance does not meet contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the task and sub-task being assessed reflect a serious problem for which the contractor has not yet identified corrective actions. The contractor’s proposed actions appear only marginally effective or were not fully implemented.

Unsatisfactory – Performance does not meet most contractual requirements and recovery is not likely in a timely manner. The contractual performance of the task or sub-task contains a serious problem(s) for which the contractor’s actions appear or were ineffective.

SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY CHECKLIST

Quarterly Surveillance:

The COR will perform a quarterly assessment of Quality, Schedule, Cost Control, Business Relations, Management, and Other Areas as applicable utilizing the CPARS evaluation rating definitions listed in enclosure 3.

Measure

Other

Progress Report

Safety Incidents