01 45 00.10 20 Contractor Quality Control.doc

JBSF150006

SECTION 01 45 00.10 20

CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL

1.1

GENERAL

A.

References

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM)

ASTM D 3740

(2012) Evaluation of Agencies Engaged in the Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rock as Used in Engineering Design and Construction

ASTM E 329

(2014) Use in the Evaluation of Testing and Inspection Agencies as Used in Construction

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (USACE)

ER 1110-1-12

(2006) Quality Management B.

Payment

1. Separate payment will not be made for providing and maintaining an effective Quality Control program, and all costs associated therewith shall be included in the applicable lump‑sum prices contained in the Bidding Schedule for each Task Order.

C.

Submittals

1. Government approval is required for submittals with a "GA" designation; submittals having a "FIO" designation are for information only. When used, a designation following the "GA" designation identifies the office that will review the submittal for the Government. The following shall be submitted in accordance with Section 01 33 00 SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES:

SD-01 Contractor Quality Control Plan; GA.

1.2

PRODUCTS – NOT USED

1.3

EXECUTION

A.

General

1. The Contractor is responsible for quality control and shall establish and maintain an effective quality control system in compliance with the Contract Clause entitled "Inspection of Construction." The quality control system shall consist of plans, procedures, and organization necessary to produce an end product which complies with the contract requirements. The system shall cover all construction operations, both on‑site and off‑site, and shall be keyed to the proposed construction sequence.

B.

Quality Control Plan

1. General: The Contractor shall furnish multiple Quality Control Plans under this contract. The Contractor shall furnish one (1) plan for review by the Government, not later than 5 days after receipt of notice to proceed for the main contract and one (1) plan for each Task Order issued after contract award. The Contractor Quality Control (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. The Government will consider an interim plan for the first ten (10) days of operation. Construction will be permitted to begin only after acceptance of the CQC Plan or acceptance of an interim plan applicable to the particular feature of work to be started. Work outside of the features of 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.

2. Content of the CQC Plan: The CQC plan shall be in accordance with US Army Corps of Engineers Construction Quality Management for Contractors guide and include the following to cover all construction operations, both on‑site and off‑site, including work by subcontractors, fabricators, suppliers, and purchasing agents:

a. A description of the quality control organization, including a chart showing lines of authority and acknowledgment that the CQC staff shall implement the three phase control system for all aspects of the work specified. The staff shall include a CQC system manager who 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 production.

b. The name, qualifications (in resume format), duties, responsibilities, and authorities of each person assigned a CQC function.

c. 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. The CQC System Manager shall issue letters of direction to all other various quality control representatives outlining duties, authorities, and responsibilities. Copies of these letters will also be furnished to the Government. Procedures for scheduling, reviewing, certifying, and managing submittals, including those of subcontractors, off‑site fabricators, suppliers, and purchasing agents. These procedures shall be in accordance with SECTION 01 33 00 - SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES.

d. Control, verification, and acceptance 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 approved by the Contracting Officer.)

e. Procedures for tracking preparatory, initial, and follow‑up control phases and control, verification, and acceptance tests including documentation.

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

g. Reporting procedures, including proposed reporting formats.

h. A list of the definable features of work. A definable feature of work is a task which 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 section of the specifications may generally be considered as a definable feature of work, there are frequently more than one definable feature under a particular section. This list will be agreed upon during the coordination meeting.

3. Acceptance of Plan: Acceptance of the Contractor's 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 his CQC plan and operations including removal of personnel, as necessary, to obtain the quality specified.

4. Notification of Changes: After acceptance of the QC plan, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing a minimum of seven calendar days prior to any proposed change. Proposed changes are subject to acceptance by the Contracting Officer.

C.

Coordination Meeting

1. After the Preconstruction Conference, before start of construction, and prior to acceptance by the Government of the Quality Control Plan, the Contractor shall meet with the Contracting Officer or Authorized Representative 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, control 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. Minutes of the meeting shall be prepared by the Government and signed by both the Contractor and the Contracting Officer. 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 which may require corrective action by the Contractor.

D.

Quality Control Organization

1. The Contractor shall identify an individual within his organization at the worksite who 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 System Manager's absence. Period of absence may not exceed 1 1/2 weeks at any one time, and not more than twenty workdays during a calendar year. The requirements for the alternate will be the same as for the designated CQC Manager.

2. 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.

a. CQC Staff: Following are the minimum requirements for the CQC staff. These minimum requirements will not necessarily assure an adequate staff to meet the CQC requirements at all times during construction. The actual strength of the CQC staff may vary during any specific work period to cover the needs of the work period. When necessary for a proper CQC organization, the Contractor will add additional staff at no cost to the Government. This listing of minimum staff in no way relieves the Contractor of meeting the basic requirements of quality construction in accordance with contract requirements. All CQC staff members shall be subject to acceptance by the Contracting Officer.

b. CQC System Manager: The CQC System Manager shall be either: a graduate engineer, graduate architect, or a graduate of construction management, with a minimum of five years construction experience on similar type construction to this contract or an experienced construction person with a minimum of ten years experience in related work. The CQC System Manager shall be assigned as System Manager but may have duties as project superintendent in addition to quality control. The QCM shall be someone other than the CPM or CPS, except where the contractor’s TO volume is low and/or when approved by the CO.

c. Supplemental Personnel: A staff shall be maintained under the direction of the CQC System Manager to perform all CQC activities. The staff must be of sufficient size to ensure adequate CQC coverage of all work phases, work shifts, and work crews involved in the construction. These personnel may perform other duties, but must be fully qualified by experience and technical training to perform their assigned CQC responsibilities and must be allowed sufficient time to carry out these responsibilities. The CQC plan will clearly state the duties and responsibilities of each staff member.

3. Organizational Changes: The Contractor shall obtain Contracting Officer's acceptance before replacing any member of the CQC staff. Requests shall include the names, qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of each proposed replacement.

E.

Submittals

1. Submittals shall be made as specified in SECTION 01 33 00 – SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES. The CQC organization shall be responsible for certifying that all submittals are in compliance with the contract requirements.

F.

Control

1. The controls 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 approved.

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 approved shop drawings or submitted data, and are properly stored.

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

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 Contracting Officer.

10) The Government shall be notified at least 48 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 or other CQC personnel (as applicable), and the foreman responsible for the definable feature. 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 report. 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. 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. Compare with sample panels is appropriate.

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 48 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 which may be affected by the deficient work. The Contractor shall not build upon or conceal non‑conforming work.

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 is resumed after a substantial period of inactivity, or if other problems develop.

G.

Tests

1. Testing Procedure: The Contractor shall perform specified or required tests to verify that control measures are adequate to provide a product which conforms to contract requirements. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer’s representative 48 hours in advance of any testing. Testing includes operation and/or acceptance tests when specified. The Contractor shall procure the services of an approved (state certified) testing laboratory. The Contractor shall perform the following activities and record and provide the following data:

a. Verify that testing procedures comply with contract requirements.

b. Verify that facilities and testing equipment are available and comply with testing standards.

c. Check test instrument calibration data against certified standards.

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

e. 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 test will be given. If approved by the Contracting Officer, actual test reports may be submitted later with a reference to the test number and date taken. An information copy of tests performed by an off‑site or commercial test facility will be provided directly to the Contracting Officer. 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.

2. Testing Laboratories:

a. Capability Check: The Government reserves the right to check 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 and ASTM E 329.

b. Capability Recheck: If the selected laboratory fails the capability check, the Contractor will be assessed a charge of $250.00 to reimburse the Government for each succeeding recheck of the laboratory or the checking of a subsequently selected laboratory. Such costs will be deducted from the contract amount due the Contractor.

3. On‑Site Laboratory: The Government reserves the right to utilize the Contractor's control testing laboratory and equipment to make assurance tests and to check the Contractor's testing procedures, techniques, and test results at no additional cost to the Government.

4. Furnishing or Transportation of Samples for Testing Costs incidental to the transportation of samples or materials will be borne by the Contractor. Samples of materials for test verification and acceptance testing by the Government shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer. Coordination for each specific test, exact delivery location, and dates will be made through the 502CES/CEPM, as applicable.

H.

Completion Inspection

1. At the completion of all work or any increment thereof established by a completion time stated in the Special Clause entitled "Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work," or stated elsewhere in the specifications, the CQC System Manager shall conduct an inspection of the work and develop a "punch list" of items which do not conform to the approved drawings (shop drawings, manufacturer’s drawings or that provided by the Government) and specifications prior to covering up any deficient work. Such a list of deficiencies shall be included in the CQC documentation, as required by paragraph DOCUMENTATION 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 or any particular increment thereof if the project is divided into increments by separate completion dates.

I Documentation

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

a. Contractor/subcontractor and their area of responsibility.

b. Operating plant/equipment with hours worked, idle, or down for repair.

c. Work performed each day, giving location, description, and by whom.

d. 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.

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

f. Submittals reviewed, with contract reference, by whom, and action taken.

g. Off‑site surveillance activities, including actions taken.

h. Job safety evaluations stating what was checked, results, and instructions or corrective actions.

i. Instructions given/received and conflicts in plans and/or specifications.

j. Contractor's verification statement.

2. 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 statement that equipment and materials incorporated in the work and workmanship comply with the contract. The original and one copy of these records in report form shall be furnished to the Government daily within 24 hours after the date(s) covered by the report, except that reports need not be submitted for days on which no work is performed. As a minimum, one report shall be prepared and submitted for every seven 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. The report from the CQC System Manager shall include copies of test reports and copies of reports prepared by all subordinate quality control personnel.

J.

Notification of Noncompliance

1. The Contracting Officer 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 notification. If the Contractor fails or refuses to comply promptly, the Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or part of the work until satisfactory corrective action has been taken. No part of the time lost due to such stop orders shall be made the subject of claim for extension of time or for excess costs or damages by the Contractor.

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SECTION 01 45 00.10 20 CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL