01 46 00 QC-QA.pdf

Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project – Interior Floodways Rehabilitation of North Floodway (North and South Levees) and Arroyo Colorado Floodway (North Levee) Hidalgo and Cameron Counties, Texas

QUALITY CONTROL / QUALITY ASSURANCE

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 1

SPECIFICATION 01 46 00

This specification includes administrative and procedural requirements for quality control of the Work and Materials, and includes the following:

1.1 Related Documents, Contract Clauses, & Specifications

1.2 Testing References

1.3 Contractor Overall Responsibility

1.4 Quality Control Submittals

1.5 Quality Control Plan

1.6 Quality Control Coordination Meeting

1.7 Quality Control Organization

1.8 Control

1.9 Testing

1.10 Completion of Work Inspections

1.11 Documentation

1.12 Notification of Non-Compliance

2.0 Materials and Equipment (Not Applicable to this Specification)

3.0 Construction Methods (Not Applicable to this Specification)

4.0 Measurement and Payment

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 RELATED DOCUMENTS, CONTRACT CLAUSES, & SPECIFICATIONS

The following may not include all related documents, contract clauses, & technical specifications, and does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility of performing work associated with this specification in accordance with all terms of the Contract herein.

A. Related documents: As described in paragraph 1.2 of SPECIFICATION 01 01 00.

B. Contract: Section I, 52.236-21“Specifications and Drawings for Construction”

C. Technical Specifications: 01 33 00 Submittals

01 57 00 Temporary Erosion, Sedimentation, and Environmental Controls

01 77 00 Contract Close-Out

1.2 TESTING REFERENCES

Testing methods and references related to Work to be performed under this Contract are identified under the technical specifications within Divisions 01, 31 / 33, 35, 50 and 60 hereof.

1.3 CONTRACTOR OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The Contractor is responsible for quality control and shall establish and maintain an effective quality control system in compliance with the contract clause in SECTION E of the Contract, entitled "Inspection of Construction." The quality control system shall consist of plans, procedures, and organization necessary to produce an end product that complies with the contract requirements. The system shall

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 2 cover all construction operations, both on-site and off-site, and shall be keyed to the proposed construction sequence.

1.4 QUALITY CONTROL SUBMITTALS

Submittals shall be transmitted by the Contractor in accordance with the requirements of SPECIFICATION 01 33 00. The Contractor Quality Control (CQC) organization shall be responsible for certifying that all submittals are in compliance with the Contract requirements.

1.5 QUALITY CONTROL PLAN

A. General. The Contractor shall furnish for review by the Government, not later than seven (7) calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed, the Contractor Quality Control Plan (CQC Plan) proposed to implement the requirements of the Contract Clause entitled "Inspection of Construction." The plan shall identify personnel, procedures, control, instructions, test, records, and forms to be used. Construction will be permitted to begin only after acceptance by the Government of the CQC Plan or acceptance of an interim plan applicable to the particular feature of the work to be started. Work outside of the features of the Work included in an accepted interim plan will not be permitted to begin until acceptance of a CQC Plan or another interim plan containing the additional features of Work to be started.

B. Content of the CQC Plan. The CQC Plan shall include, as a minimum, the following to cover all construction operations, both on-site and off-site, including work by subcontractors, fabricators, suppliers, and purchasing agents:

(1) A description of the quality control organization, including a chart showing lines of authority and acknowledgment that the CQC Plan shall implement the three (3) phase control system, as described in Section 1.8 of this Specification, for all aspects of the work specified. The CQC System Manager shall report to the project manager or someone higher in the Contractor’s organization. Project manager in this context shall mean the individual with responsibility for the overall management of the project including quality and construction.

(2) A copy of the letter to the CQC System Manager signed by an authorized official of the firm which describes the responsibilities and delegates sufficient authorities to adequately perform the functions of the CQC System Manager, including authority to stop work which is not in compliance with the Contract. A copy of this letter will be furnished to the Government.

(3) Procedures for scheduling, reviewing, certifying, and managing submittals, including those of subcontractors, off-site fabricators, suppliers, and purchasing agents. The procedures shall be in accordance with SPECIFICATION 01 33 00.

(4) Control, verification, and acceptance of testing procedures for each specific test to include the test name, specification paragraph requiring test, feature of work to be tested, test frequency, and person responsible for each test. (Laboratory facilities will be compliance-confirmed by the Government CO).

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 3

(5) Procedures for tracking preparatory, initial, and follow up control phases and control, verification, and acceptance tests including documentation.

(6) Procedures for tracking construction deficiencies from identification through acceptable corrective action. These procedures will establish verification that identified deficiencies have been corrected.

(7) Reporting procedures, including proposed reporting formats.

(8) A list of the definable features of work. A definable feature of Work is a task that is separate and distinct from other tasks and has separate control requirements. It could be identified by different trades or disciplines, or it could be work by the same trade in a different environment. Although each technical specification may generally be considered as a definable feature of work, there is frequently more than one definable feature under a particular technical specification. This list will be agreed upon during the coordination meeting.

(9) The Government may supplement the CQC testing with independent assurance tests and inspections (Quality Assurance). Acceptance of the Work by the CQC System Manager does not mean the Government accepts the Work.

C. Acceptance of the CQC Plan. Acceptance of the Contractor’s CQC Plan is required prior to the start of construction. Acceptance is conditional and will be predicated on satisfactory performance during the construction. The Government reserves the right to require the Contractor to make changes in the CQC plan and operations including removal of personnel, as necessary, to obtain the quality specified.

D. Notification of Changes. After acceptance of the CQC Plan, the Contractor shall notify the

Government CO in writing a minimum of seven (7) calendar days prior to any proposed change.

Proposed changes are subject to acceptance by the Government.

1.6 QUALITY CONTROL COORDINATION MEETING

After the Preconstruction Conference, before start of construction, and prior to acceptance by the Government of the CQC Plan, the Contractor shall meet with the Government CO or COR and discuss the Contractor’s quality control system. During the meeting, a mutual understanding of the system details shall be developed, including the forms for recording the CQC operations, activities, testing, administration of the system for both on-site and off-site work, and the interrelationship of Contractor’s management and control with the Government’s Quality Assurance (QA). Minutes of the meeting shall be prepared by the Government and signed by both the Contractor and the Government CO or COR. The minutes shall become a part of the contract file. There may be occasions when subsequent conferences will be called by either party to reconfirm mutual understandings and/or address deficiencies in the CQC system or procedures that may require corrective action by the Contractor.

1.7 QUALITY CONTROL ORGANIZATION

The Contractor shall identify an individual within his organization, as the CQC System Manager, who

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 4 shall be responsible for overall management of CQC and have the authority to act in all CQC matters for the Contractor. This CQC System Manager shall be on the site at all times during construction and will be employed by the Contractor, except as noted in the following. An alternate for the CQC System Manager will be identified in the plan to serve in the event of the CQC System Manager's absence.

Period of absence may not exceed three (3) weeks at any one time, and not more than thirty (30) workdays during a calendar year. The requirements for the alternate will be the same as for the designated CQC System Manager.

A. CQC Organizational Staffing. The Contractor shall provide a CQC staff which shall be at the worksite at all times during progress, with complete authority to take any action necessary to ensure compliance with the contract.

B. CQC System Manager. This individual shall be a graduate engineer with a minimum of five (5) years construction experience on similar type construction to this contract. The CQC System Manager will be responsible for implementation of the CQC Plan outlined above and shall have no other duties.

C. Organizational Changes. The Contractor shall obtain the Government CO’s acceptance before replacing any member of the CQC staff. Requests shall include the names, qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of each proposed replacement.

1.8 CONTROL

The CQC Plan shall include at least three phases of control to be conducted by the CQC System Manager for all definable features of Work, as follows.

A. Preparatory Phase. This phase shall be performed prior to beginning work on each definable feature of work and shall include:

(1) A review of each paragraph of applicable specifications.

(2) A review of the contract drawings.

(3) A check to assure that all materials and/or equipment have been tested, submitted, and compliance-confirmed.

(4) A check to assure that provisions have been made to provide required control inspection and testing.

(5) Examination of the work area to assure that all required preliminary work has been completed and is in compliance with the contract.

(6) A physical examination of required materials, equipment, and sample work to assure that they are on hand, conform to compliance-confirmed shop drawings or submitted data, and are properly stored.

(7) A review of the appropriate activity hazard analysis to assure safety requirements are met.

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 5

(8) Discussion of procedures for constructing the work including repetitive deficiencies.

Document construction tolerances and workmanship standards for that phase of work.

(9) A check to ensure that the portion of the plan for the work to be performed has been accepted by the Government CO or COR.

(10) The Government shall be notified at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of beginning any of the required action of the preparatory phase. This phase shall include a meeting conducted by the CQC System Manager and attended by the superintendent, other CQC personnel (as applicable), and the foreman responsible for the definable feature of work.

The results of the preparatory phase actions shall be documented by separate minutes prepared by the CQC System Manager and attached to the daily CQC reports. The Contractor shall instruct applicable workers as to the acceptable level of workmanship required in order to meet contract specifications.

B. Initial Phase. This phase shall be accomplished at the beginning of a definable feature of Work, and the following shall be accomplished:

(1) A check of preliminary work to ensure that it is in compliance with contract requirements;

review minutes of the preparatory meeting.

(2) Verification of full contract compliance. Verify required control inspection and testing.

(3) Establish level of workmanship and verify that it meets minimum acceptable workmanship standards.

(4) Resolve all differences.

(5) Check safety to include compliance with and upgrading of the safety plan and activity hazard analysis. Review the activity analysis with each worker.

(6) The Government shall be notified at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of beginning the initial phase. Separate minutes of this phase shall be prepared by the CQC System Manager and attached to the daily CQC report. Exact location of initial phase shall be indicated for future reference and comparison with follow up phases.

(7) The initial phase should be repeated for each new crew to work on site, or any time acceptable specified quality standards are not being met.

C. Follow-up Phase. Daily checks shall be performed to assure continuing compliance with

Contract requirements, including control testing, until completion of the particular feature of work. The checks shall be made a matter of record in the CQC documentation. Final follow-up checks shall be conducted and all deficiencies corrected prior to the start of additional features of work that may be affected by the deficient work. The Contractor shall not build upon or conceal non conforming work.

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 6

D. Additional Preparatory and Initial Phases. As determined by the Government, additional preparatory and initial phases may be conducted on the same definable features of work if the quality of on-going work is unacceptable, if there are changes in the applicable CQC staff, on site production supervision or work crew, if work on a definable feature of work is resumed after a substantial period of inactivity, or if other problems develop.

1.9 TESTING

A. Testing Procedures. The Contractor shall perform specified or required tests to verify that control measures are adequate to provide a product which conforms to contract requirements. Testing includes operation and or/acceptance tests when specified. The Contractor shall procure the services of a compliance-confirmed testing laboratory. The Contractor shall perform the following activities and record and provide the following data to the Government:

(1) Verify that testing procedures comply with contract requirements.

(2) Verify that facilities and testing equipment are available and comply with testing standards.

(3) Check test instrument calibration data against certified standards.

(4) Verify that recording forms and test identification control number system, including all of the test documentation requirements, have been prepared.

(5) Results of all tests taken, both passing and failing tests, will be recorded on the CQC report for the date taken. Specification paragraph reference, location where tests were taken, and the sequential control number identifying the rest will be given. If compliance-confirmed by the Government, actual test reports may be submitted later with the reference to the test number and date taken. Copies of results of tests performed by an off site or commercial test facility will be provided directly to the Government. Failure to submit timely test reports as stated may result in nonpayment for related work performed and disapproval of the test facility for this Contract.

B. Testing Laboratories. The Government reserves the right to check the laboratory equipment in the proposed laboratory for compliance with the standards set forth in the contract specifications and to check the laboratory technician's testing procedures and techniques. Laboratories utilized for testing soils, concrete, asphalt, and steel shall meet criteria detailed in ASTM D 3740 (1999) and ASTM D 329 (1998).

1.10 COMPLETION OF WORK INSPECTIONS

A. Contractor Inspection. At the completion of all work or any increment thereof established by a completion time stated in the special clause in SECTION F.1 FAR Clause 52.211-10, entitled "Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work," or stated elsewhere in the Contract Documents, the CQC System Manager shall conduct an inspection of the work and develop a "Contractor’s Punch List" of items of work which do not conform to the Contract Documents.

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 7

Such a list of deficiencies shall be included in the CQC documentation, as required by Section

1.11 below, and shall include the estimated date by which the deficiencies will be corrected. The CQC System Manager or staff shall make a second inspection to ascertain that all deficiencies have been corrected and so notify the Government. These inspections and any deficiency corrections required by this paragraph will be accomplished within the time stated for completion of the entire work.

B. Contractor and Government Pre-Final Inspection. The CQC System Manager, his superintendent, or other primary management person and the Government will be in attendance at this inspection.

The Pre-Final Inspection will be formally scheduled by the Government based upon notice from the Contractor. This notice will be given to the Government at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the Pre-Final Inspection. The notice must include the Contractor’s assurance that all deficiencies listed in the “Contractor’s Punch List” developed during the Contractor Inspection phase have been corrected and all Contract Work is complete and acceptable by the date scheduled for the Pre-Final Inspection. Failure of the Contractor to have all Contract Work acceptably complete will be cause for the Government to cancel the inspection and bill the Contractor for the Government’s additional inspection costs in accordance with the contract clause entitled, "Inspection of Construction." At this inspection the Government will develop a “Government’s Punch List” of incomplete and/or unacceptable work performed under the contract and will subsequently furnish this list to the Contractor. Failure of the Government to detect and list all incomplete and/or unacceptable work during this inspection will not relieve the Contractor from acceptably performing all work required by the Contract Documents. The Government, at its option, may accept this inspection as the final acceptance inspection if in its opinion, the completion status of the inspected facilities and other work performed under the Contract, warrant this consideration.

C. Contractor and Government Final Acceptance Inspection. The CQC System Manager, his superintendent or other primary management person and the Government will be in attendance at this inspection. The final acceptance inspection will be formally scheduled by the Government based upon notice from the Contractor. This notice will be given to the Government at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the final acceptance inspection. The notice must include the Contractor’s assurance that all items in the “Government’s Punch List” developed during the Contractor and Government Pre-Final Inspection phase have been corrected. Failure of the Contractor to have all Contract Work acceptably complete for this final acceptance inspection will be cause for the Government to cancel the inspection and bill the Contractor for the Government’s additional inspection costs in accordance with the contract clause in SECTION E.1 FAR Clause 52.246-12, entitled "Inspection of Construction." This inspection will be considered another Contractor and Government Pre-Final Inspection and the Contractor must schedule another Contractor and Government Final Acceptance Inspection after all items have been corrected. Otherwise, this inspection will be considered a Contractor and Government Final Acceptance Inspection if all items in the “Government’s Punch List” and all other work are considered acceptably complete by the Government.

1.11 DOCUMENTATION

A. The Contractor shall maintain current records providing factual evidence that required quality

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 8 control activities and/or tests have been performed. These records shall include the work of subcontractors and suppliers and shall be on an acceptable form that includes, as a minimum, the following information:

(1) Contractor/subcontractor and their area of responsibility.

(2) Operating plant/equipment with hours worked, idle, or down for repair.

(3) Work performed each day, giving location, description, and by whom.

(4) Test and/or control activities performed with results and references to specifications/drawings requirements. The control phase should be identified (Preparatory, Initial, Follow up). List deficiencies noted along with corrective action.

(5) Quantity of materials received at the site with statement as to acceptability, storage, and reference to specifications/drawings requirements.

(6) Submittals reviewed, with contract reference, by whom, and action taken.

(7) Off site surveillance activities, including actions taken.

(8) Job safety evaluations stating what was checked, results, and instructions or corrective actions.

(9) Instructions given/received and conflicts in plans and/or specifications.

(10) Contractor’s verification statement.

B. These records shall indicate a description of trades working on the project; the number of personnel working; weather conditions encountered; and any delays encountered. These records shall cover both conforming and deficient features and shall include a statement that equipment and materials incorporated in the work and workmanship comply with the contract. The original and one (1) copy of these records in report form shall be hand carried to the Government daily within twelve (12) hours after the date(s) covered by the report, except that reports need not be submitted for calendar days on which no work is performed. As a minimum, one (1) report shall be prepared and submitted for every seven (7) calendar days of no work and on the last day of a no work period. All calendar days shall be accounted for throughout the life of the Contract. The first report following a day of no work shall be for that day only. Reports shall be signed and dated by the CQC System Manager and submitted to the COR. The report from the CQC System Manager shall include copies of test reports and copies of reports prepared by all subordinate quality control personnel.

1.12 NOTIFICATION OF NON-COMPLIANCE

The Government will notify the Contractor of any detected noncompliance with the foregoing requirements. The Contractor shall take immediate corrective action after receipt of such notice. Such notice, when delivered to the Contractor at the worksite, shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 9 notification.

PART 2 – MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT (Not Applicable To This Specification)

PART 3 – CONSTRUCTION METHODS (Not Applicable To This Specification)

PART 4 – MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

The Work performed by the Contractor under this specification shall not be paid for directly, but shall be considered subsidiary to the various Bid Items under this Contract.

- END OF SPECIFICATION -

USIBWC Contract No.: IBM09B0004 Page 01.46.00 - 10

This Page Intentionally Blank