Quality_Assurance_Surveillance_Plan.dot

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

DEPLOYMENT STORAGE

1. Purpose: This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) has been developed to provide the standard of surveillance for monitoring the Deployment Storage contract and to provide a systematic approach for conducting the surveillance. The Distribution Management Officer will appoint a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for this contract. COR contact information: As the COR Mr. Prewett will also serve as the Quality Assurance Evaluator (QAE) and will use this QASP to ensure the standards of the contract are being met. The COR/QAE will be referred to as COR throughout this QASP.

2. Performance Standards. The QASP provides a systematic method to evaluate the service the Contractor is required to furnish. The COR will assess the Contractor’s performance to ensure the Contractor is performing up to the specified standards. The performance standards for this Performance Work Statement (PWS) are stated in the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) included in this QASP. The standards for this procurement are subjective since specific metric-driven standards are not appropriate.

3. Management and Oversight. The QASP is based on the premise that the Contractor and not the Government, is responsible for the management and Quality Control action required to meet the terms of the contract. The performance requirements recognized that the Contractor’s is not a perfect manager and that unforeseen requirements and uncontrollable problems do occur. Good management and use of an adequate Quality Control Plan will allow the Contractor to operate within specific performance requirements. QASPs are designed to be objective, fair and consistent in evaluation Contractor performance against the provided standards.

4. Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs). AQLs have been established in the PRS and provide performance standards that the Contractor will meet in performing the contract. In the event the Contractor doe not meet the establishment. AQLs, the Contracting Officer has the right to exercise the negative incentives stated in this QASP.

5. Primary Method of Surveillance/Evaluation. The COR will perform evaluation based on using one of the various methods outlined in the PRS table included in this QASP. The following methods may be incorporated into the PRS to monitor contract performance.

6. 100% Inspection. Inspection where specified characteristics of performance are examined and tested to determine conformance with requirements in Section C.5 of the performance work statement.

7. Random Inspection. Sampling method in which each unit of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

8. Customer Surveys and Feedback. A review method where customers and end users are surveyed to provide input on specific service levels.

9. Negative Incentives. If any of the performance requirement does not meet the AQL set in the PRS table, the COR shall document the discrepancy(s) and shall notify the Contractor promptly, and the Contracting Officer, on a monthly basis, for appropriate action. When the performance is below the AQL standard, the Government may implement a negative incentive that includes increased surveillance and/or Contractor reporting, as well as, documentation on the Contractor’s Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS).

10. Notification. The COR will notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, of unacceptable quality levels. The Contracting Officer will promptly provide written notification of discrepancies on a monthly basis, or immediately if the situation significantly affects the well-being of the project. The Contractor will be given the opportunity to respond, in writing, to each discrepancy.

11. Response. The Contractor shall provide a written response to the cause and the corrective actions to prevent recurrence within 10 working days after receipt of Contracting Officer’s notification. The Contractor should cite specific quality assurance program procedures or new procedures instituted to prevent recurrence.

12. Records. The COR will maintain contract surveillance files as directed by the Contracting Officer Surveillance files will include, in part the following documentation for this contract;

a. COR designation and appointment letters

b. A copy of the contract and all contract modifications

c. Copies of all Task/Delivery Orders.

d. QASP and any other tools, checklists, etc.

e. All Correspondence including Contracting Officer notifications and the Contractor’s responses.

f. Contractor monthly status reports.

g. Evidence of satisfactory performance.

h. Evidence of cost monitoring; invoices certified and tracked against any contract and /or order ceilings.

i. Evidence that all material/equipment obtained under any task order is accounted for and remains in Government possession.

j. Quarterly technical reviews.

k. Surveillance reports and a summary of the Surveillance Logs will be prepared by the COR, and submitted to the Contracting Officer annually.

l. Out-of-cycle reports may be submitted in support of unacceptable performance identified during the performance period by the COR, or when there is a significant change in performance that alters the assessment in one or more evaluation areas.

m. Annual in-progress reviews will be conducted and entered into CPARS.

13. Ratings. The following criteria will be used for performance evaluations: Exceptional, Satisfactory, Marginal, or Unsatisfactory. Upward or downward arrows may be used to indicate and improving or worsening trend insufficient to change to the assessment status.

a. Exceptional. Indicates performance clearly exceeds contractual requirement. The area of evaluation may contain a few minor problems for which corrective action appears highly effective.

b. Satisfactory. Indicates performance clearly meets contractual requirements. The area of evaluation contains some minor problems for which the corrective actions appears satisfactory.

c. Marginal. Indicates performance meets contractual requirements. The areas of evaluation contains one or more serious problems for which corrective actions have not yet been identified, appears only marginally effective, or have not been fully implemented.

d. Unsatisfactory. Indicates the Contractor is in danger of not being able to satisfy contractual requirements and recovery is not likely in a timely manner. The area of evaluation contains one or more serious problems for which the corrective actions appear ineffective.

Documentation. Documentation used and referenced to perform surveillance will consist of monthly reports, Contractor plans and procedures, schedules, customer feedback and contract data requirements.

a. Recording Observations. Use Surveillance Logs to record information on scheduled observations and deficiencies noted. Each observation is recorded on the log. The documents then become a formal record for reference. The Contractor is to be told each time that a deficiency is found during scheduled observations. The COR makes a notation on the surveillance Log of the date and time the deficiency was discovered, and subsequently requests that the Contractor initial the notation, documenting notification of the deficiency only.

b. Potential Unacceptable Performance. The COR must identify the specific service that is unacceptable and the possible causes, and ask a number of questions which if answered, will probably pinpoint the source of the problem.

c. Documenting Unacceptable Performance. The COR must attempt to resolve the problem with the Contractor. The original log and the attempted solution (along with an evaluation of results) are forwarded to the Contracting Officer through the COR.

Based on the severity of the discrepancy and the success of the solution, the COR will notify the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall complete a response to the unacceptable evaluation if requested by the Contracting Officer or by its own choice.

Course of Action. For positive ratings in quality, the contractor will have positive feedback in the CPARS system and, if necessary, become the vendor if an extension to the contract is necessary.

If the Contractor is unable to meet any of the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) outlined in paragraph 13 of this QASP, the following corrective actions will be utilized in descending order of severity;

1. COR Warning

Counseling via email

2. Contracting Officer Warning Counseling via letter

3. Program Review

Contractor submission of corrective action plan

4. Negative CPARS

Annotation of negative actions

5. Cure Notice/Termination for Default

Performance Requirement Summary (PRS). The Performance standards for this PWS are stated in the PRS below.

c. Claims Filed

1. Timeliness

2. Number of Claims

cl. See Section C.522 of the Performance Work Statement c2. No more than 2 claims per month

cl. In accordance with (IAW) Section B.7.f of attachment 5 (DTR).

C2. 100% inspection of all claims

cl. 100% of claims filed on time.

c2. No more than 2 claims per month