Attachment_2_-_QASP.docx

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

For OCONUS Responder Support Camp (OCONUS RSC) Contract Number: < TBD upon Contract Award> Contract Description: OCONUS Responder Support Camps Contractor’s name: < TBD upon Contract Award > (hereafter referred to as the contractor).

1. INTRODUCTION

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is pursuant to the requirement listed in the Performance Work Statement (PWS), entitled “OCONUS Responder Support Camp,” and sets forth procedures and guidelines the Contracting Officer will use in ensuring the required performance standards or service levels are achieved by the contractor.

2. PURPOSE

This QASP describes how FEMA will evaluate and document the contractor’s performance by providing a systematic method to evaluate performance for this 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 as deemed necessary. 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.

2.1 Performance Management Approach

The PWS structures the acquisition around “what” service or quality level is required, as opposed to “how” the contractor should perform that work (i.e. results, not compliance). This QASP will define the performance management approach taken by the Contracting Officer to monitor and manage the contractor’s performance to ensure the expected outcomes or performance objectives communicated in the PWS 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 represents a significant shift from the more traditional quality assurance (QA) concepts in several ways. Performance management focuses on assessing whether outcomes are being achieved and to what extent. This approach migrates away from scrutiny of compliance with the processes and practices used to achieve the outcome. A performance-based approach enables the contractor to play a larger role in how the work is performed, as long as the proposed processes are within the stated constraints. The only exceptions to process reviews are those required by law (federal, state, and local) and compelling business situations, such as safety and health. A “results” focus provides the contractor flexibility to continuously improve and innovate over the course of the contract as long as the critical outcomes expected are being achieved and/or the desired performance levels are being met.

2.2 Performance Management Strategy

The contractor is responsible for the quality of work performed. The contractor measures that quality through the contractor’s own quality control program (QCP). Quality is measured by 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 management system with processes to assess and report its performance to the designated government representative. 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 a determination regarding performance evaluations 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.

3. 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, and ensure compliance with the contract terms and conditions to 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.

Contracting Officer Name: Rahsaan Edwards Telephone: 202-646-5786 Email: Rahsaan.Edwards@fema.dhs.gov

b. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) – The COR is designated in writing by the CO and will act as his/her representative. 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 CO, the COR shall provide documentation to the CO that details the surveillance conducted and the results. 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 CO for action.

Contracting Officer’s Representative Name: Jamie Fleischhacker Telephone: 202-212-4867 Email: Jamie.Fleischhacker@fema.dhs.gov

4. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES:

The following employees of the contractor serve as the contractor’s Program Manager and Task Manager for this contract.

a. Program Manager - <upon award, enter name> Telephone: <enter number> Email: <enter address>

b. Task Manager - <upon award, enter name> Telephone: <enter number> Email: <enter address>

c. Other Contractor Personnel - <upon award, enter name or delete these lines if not applicable> Title: <enter title> Telephone: <enter number> Email: <enter address>

5. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets or does not meet these standards.

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix, paragraph C.19 Contract Data Requirement List in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) includes performance standards. The details of each deliverable are provided in the PWS. The Government shall use these standards to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

The table below will be used by the Government as a method of evaluation to determine if the contractor is meeting the contract performance.

Accuracy

Adherence

Transition Plan

· Phase-In:

o With transition plan

· Phase-Out:

Seven days prior to camp closing

· Needed to monitor RSC construction - Evaluation

CO/COR

Camp Site Requirements and Layout

· Initial Task Order Proposal evaluation

· Each time RSC expansion or reduction takes place

Validated Customer Complaints

COR/QAS

COR/QAS

6. INCENTIVES

6.1 Positive Incentives: Performance will impact Annual Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS)

6.2 Negative Incentives

6.2.1 Annual report of contractor performance in CPARS

6.2.2 Since this is a FFP contract the payment will be made upon Inspection and Acceptance, and the complete compliance with the Performance Requirements Summary Matrix

7. 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.

Regardless of the surveillance method, the COR shall always contact the contractor's task manager or on-site representative when a defect is identified and inform the manager of the specifics of the problem. The COR, with assistance from the PM, 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.)

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.)

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

d. USER SURVEY. (Combines elements of validated user complaints and random sampling. Random survey is conducted to solicit user satisfaction. These surveys will also be used to determine a customer’s level of satisfaction regarding the quality of services being provided (e.g. MWR Room, Shower and Bathroom facilities, Billeting, Dining Facility). Appropriate for high quantity activities that have historically been satisfactory. May also generate periodic and 100% inspections.)

e. 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.)

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.)

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.)

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 CO’s actions.

8. 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 and will be provided to the respective contractor(s) at the periodic meetings:

9. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE.

9.1 Acceptable Performance

The Government shall document positive performance. A Performance Report template is attached. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for the Annual CPARS Report.

9.2 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 task manager or on-site representative. A CDR template is attached to this QASP.

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.

10. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

10.1 Frequency of Measurement.

During contract/task order performance, the CO/COR shall take periodic measurements, as specified in 1) PWS, 2) Key Performance Parameters/Standards 3) as determined necessary by the COR. The measurement will be reflected in the COR report in accordance with elements of Key Performance Parameters/Standards. The government may analyze whether the frequency of measurement is appropriate for the work being performed.

10.2 Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings

The COR shall meet with the contractor weekly during the duration of the task order to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.

PERFORMANCE REPORT

1. CONTRACT NUMBER: <insert number>

2. Prepared by: (Name of COR) <insert name>

3. Date and time of observation:

4. Observation:

<Examples of items to include in a report are:

- Method of surveillance.

- How frequently you conducted surveillance.

- Surveillance results.

- Number of observations.>

Prepared by:

CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT (CDR)

1. Contract Number: <insert number>

2. TO: (Contractor Task Manager or on-site representative) <insert name>

3. FROM: (Name of COR) <insert name>

4. Date and time observed discrepancy:

5. DISCREPANCY OR PROBLEM:

<Describe in detail. Identify any attachments.>

5. Corrective action plan:

A written corrective action plan < is / is not > required.

< If a written corrective action plan is required include the following. > The written Corrective Action Plan will be provided to the undersigned not later than < # days after receipt of this

CDR. >

Prepared by: <

Received by:

HSFE80-16-R-0004, Attachment 2