J-5 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) .docx

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) Mowing and Trimming Southern New York Local Flood Protection Projects

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

1.1. Purpose. The role of the government in quality assurance is to ensure contract standards are achieved. The purpose of the QASP is to identify the methods and procedures the government will use to evaluate contractor actions while performing the requirements in the contract specifications. It is designed to provide an effective surveillance method by monitoring contractor performance for each service listed in the contract specifications for the subject contract.

1.2. The QASP provides a systematic method to evaluate the services the contractor is required to provide. The QASP is based on the premise that the government desires to maintain a high quality standard for services for which it has contracted.

1.3. This QASP has been developed by the requiring activity, Canisteo, Corning, and Hornell, New York LFPPs and Almond Lake. It is designed to provide direction to personnel performing “on the ground” contract administration and quality assurance. Personnel monitoring the contract terms, conditions, and specifications will periodically review the QASP throughout the life of the contract.

2.0. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

2.1. Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The COR is responsible for quality assurance guidance and to ensure that contract quality requirements, specifications, standards, and thresholds are defined, practical, enforceable, necessary, and verifiable.

2.2. The COR evaluates and documents contractor performance in accordance with the QASP and contract specifications. The COR may utilize Quality Assurance Evaluators (QAE) to perform the hands on day to day quality surveillance of the contractor. QAE’s are nominated by the COR, subject to Contracting Officer approval and designation. COR’s may utilize other surveillance support personnel as authorized in AR 70-13.

2.3. The COR informs the contractor of the names, duties, and limitations of authority for all quality assurance personnel assigned to the contract.

2.4. The COR notifies the Contracting Officer of any significant performance deficiencies.

2.5. The COR maintains surveillance documentation and recommends improvements to the QASP throughout the life of the contract.

2.6. Contracting Officer (KO). The Contracting Officer is responsible to safeguard the interests of the United States in contractual relationships. Only the contracting officer is authorized to bind the government and then, only to the extent of the authority delegated to them through the issuance of a warrant.

2.7. The KO delegates authority for inspection and/or acceptance in accordance with terms of the contract.

3.0. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES:

3.1. Scope of Work. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, vehicles, supervision, and other items necessary to provide mowing services at the Southern New York Local Flood Protection Projects.

4.0. QUALITY REQUIREMENTS:

4.1. Quality Control Program. The contractor, not the government, is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract.

4.2. The quality control program is the driver for quality. The contractor is required to develop a comprehensive program of inspections and monitoring actions. The first major step to ensuring a “self-correcting” contract is to ensure that the quality control program, discussed and agreed to at the beginning of the contract, provides the measures needed to lead the contractor to success.

4.3. Once the quality control program is accepted, careful application of the process and standards presented in the remainder of this document will ensure a consistent quality assurance program.

5. SURVEILLANCE:

5.1. Surveillance Schedule. The Government Representative (COR) will work with assigned quality assurance evaluators to develop a surveillance schedule. Changes to the surveillance schedule will be discussed in advance with COR. Surveillance documentation will be kept in the official electronic contract file and/or the official hardcopy contract file.

a) Surveillance Methods. This QASP will incorporate 100% inspections as the approach to ensure the contractor complies with the contract requirements. Re-performance is the preferred method of correcting any unacceptable performance.

b) Validated Customer Complaint. This contract will be inspected for quality assurance using the validated customer complaint surveillance method. Anyone who observes unacceptable services, either incomplete or not performed, should immediately contact the COR. The COR will conduct an investigation to determine the validity of the complaint. If the COR determines the complaint to be valid, the COR will document the findings and notify the customer and the contractor. The COR will retain a copy of the written complaint for the government’s files. If the complaint is valid, the contractor will be given the opportunity to correct the defect.

c) 100% Inspection: 100% inspection will be utilized for this contract and will be noted as follows: 100% inspections will be utilized for all projects. This type of surveillance overrides periodic surveillance. However, validated customer complaints are still utilized. Under the 100% surveillance method all contract performance requirements are inspected for quality assurance at every occurrence within the contract schedule.

d) Surveillance Team. The surveillance team consists of the following key players: Contracting Officer Representative, Contracting Officer, Contract Administrator, and Quality Assurance Evaluators.

e) Unacceptable Performance. If the number of complaints/defects exceeds the performance threshold for any requirement, the COR will determine the possible cause of this unacceptable performance. Government-caused complaints/defects shall not be counted against the contractor. The same applies to any other requirement of the contract when Government-caused complaints/defects are the cause of unacceptable contractor performance. If the contractor’s performance is judged unacceptable by the COR for any requirement, the COR will inform the contractor’s on-site representative, and request acknowledgement of the unacceptable performance. Unacceptable performance will normally result in the contractor being required to re-perform the unacceptable work. If the work is not able to be re-performed according to specification, the COR will consult with the Contracting Officer to determine the appropriate resolution. If the contractor disputes the results of surveillance, the COR must refer the contractor to the contracting officer for resolution.

f) Revisions. Revisions to this QASP are the responsibility of the requiring activity. However as a result of partnering with the contractor, surveillance checklists may be revised jointly by COR personnel and contractor personnel. The Contracting Officer must approve any revisions that are significant enough in nature to impact the quality expectations of the contractor.

6. DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:

6.1 The COR is responsible for maintaining a Surveillance Folder at a designated location either hardcopy or electronic, which may also be a part of the Project Office’s official contract file. The following information should be contained in the Surveillance Folder:

a. QASP

b. Contractor’s Quality Control Plan, if required.

c. Contract Documents, to include the contract, specifications, modifications, and delivery orders.

d. Appointment Letters and Training Certificates of the COR and other Surveillance Personnel if applicable.

e. Surveillance Checklists/Inspection Forms.

f. Quality Assurance Surveillance Schedules, if applicable.

g. Corrective Action Notes/Log

h. Invoice and payment documents

i. Meeting Minutes/Memo’s/Miscellaneous Correspondence

7. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY: This summary identifies critical success factors for the contract. It identifies both the performance objectives for those factors and the performance threshold required for each performance objective. The Government reserves the right to inspect all services called for in the contract to determine whether or not the performance objectives and goals were met. The Performance Requirements Summary is an integral part of the QASP.

Performance Objective

Performance Standard Performance Threshold

Disincentive

Incentive

take safety precautions

*The absence of any contract requirement from the PRS shall not detract from its enforceability nor limit the rights or remedies of the Government under any other provision of the contract including the clauses entitled “Inspection of Services” and “Default”.*

7.1 Performance Evaluation and Re-Performance. Performance of a service will be evaluated to determine whether or not it meets the performance threshold. Re-performance is the preferred method of correcting any unacceptable performance. The contractor shall provide the Government written or verbal response why the performance threshold was not met, how performance will be returned.