Medical_Support_Assistants_QASP.docx

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

1. PURPOSE

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is a Government developed and applied document used to facilitate systematic quality assurance methods in the administration of this contract. The intent of this document is to provide a tool that NIH Contracting Officer Representatives (COR) and Contracting Officers (CO) can use to monitor contractors' execution of tasks in accordance with the performance metrics and quality of services called for in the contract.

This QASP does not detail how the contractors accomplish the work. Rather, the QASP is created with the premise that the contractors are 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 Government should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

2. ROLES

The COR is responsible for monitoring performance. The contractor is responsible for delivering performance in keeping with the QASP, providing monitoring information upon which the Government can draw to help evaluate performance, and making recommendations for QASP performance improvement. The CO attends all meetings concerning performance review decisions.

3. APPROACH

This QASP is a “living document” and the Government may review and revise it on a regular basis.

However, the Government shall coordinate changes with the contractors. 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 contractors and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

The QASP will be executed using standard forms and procedures, as needed, to establish clear expectations, to provide notification of deficiencies, to define corrective actions, and to revise the QASP measures. These simple forms focus on performance improvement while limiting workload on CORs and CO’s. The two primary QASP forms are shown in the table below and are available as appendices to this document.

three performance measures:

Contract compliance, Administrative support personnel performance, Management performance

Notification of Unacceptable Service (NUS)

Document unacceptable service by contractor management and/or administrative support personnel.

The evaluation process is discussed below.

Perform Customer Surveys

QASP performance measures will be reviewed on a semi-annual basis using a simple customer survey.

The COR or customer familiar with the performance of the contractor rates the contractor in terms of the performance measures described in this document. This is attached as Appendix B.

Perform Exception Reporting (Document Notifications of Unacceptable Service, as needed)

The primary exception reporting mechanism that is available for the Government is the Notification of Unacceptable Service (NUS) form. COR’s will use this form to document and address significant service deficiencies that fail to meet acceptable quality levels for services. This complaint process will also enable COR’s to clearly document any expectations for corrective actions, if applicable. The COR should also document any corrective actions taken by the contractor on the NUS form. Discretion should be used when issuing a NUS because many issues may appear briefly and be resolved quickly in the course of daily operations. These types of issues may affect the customer survey score, but might not warrant a NUS.

Conduct Semi-Annual Review Meeting

The COR and the CO will meet with the contractor semi-annually to review performance. This review will utilize any NUS forms issued and customer survey results to determine an aggregate performance rating of "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory." These items will then be placed in a Quality Assurance File which is described in section 4 below. If all parties concur, this meeting may be deferred until the Annual Performance Evaluation.

Conduct Annual Performance Evaluation

On an annual basis, all key participants will meet to review overall performance. Contractor's performance will be assessed based on any NUS forms and customer survey results. The contractor will be rated either "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory" based on the assessment. The ratings are described below:

Satisfactory Satisfactory ratings indicate the contractor is performing within the performance guidelines set forth in the Statement of Work (SOW).

Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory performance ratings indicate the contractor has not delivered services in accordance with the performance guidelines set forth in the SOW.

The COR will contact the contractor if the delivery of performance is determined to be in conflict with contracted service guidelines. The contractor will be asked to provide a plan for addressing performance issues. The contractor will submit within 5 workdays a plan for remedial action. If the performance has not improved to satisfactory in 30 days, the COR will issue the contractor a report and seek potential contract action. ANY ISSUES OF CONDUCT WILL CONSTITUTE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL.

4. DOCUMENTATION

The COR will maintain a complete Quality Assurance file. The file will contain copies of all NUS forms, evaluations, recommendations, and any actions related to the Government’s performance of the quality assurance function. All such records will be maintained for the life of the contract. The COR shall forward these records to the Contracting Official at termination or completion of the contract.

5. ENCLOSURES

Appendix (A) - Performance Measures Appendix (B) - Customer Survey Appendix (C) - Notification of Unacceptable Service (NUS)

APPENDIX B: CUSTOMER SURVEY

The following survey is intended to aid in evaluating the contractor's performance on this task order. It should be administered semi-annually and be used as supporting documentation in the final evaluation of the contractor at the end of the year.

The following questions relate to contract compliance:

The employee(s) has completed all training as specified in the statement of work.

YES NO

The employee(s) has completed all security measures as specified in the statement of work.

YES NO

Invoices are submitted in a timely manner.

YES NO

The following questions relate to the performance of the medical support assistants:

You are pleased with the employee(s)' attendance record.

YES NO

Please rate the employee(s)' efficiency on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

Please rate the employee(s)' work quality on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

Please rate the employee(s)' professionalism on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

The following questions relate to the performance of the contractor management staff:

Please rate the management's availability on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

Please rate the management's efficiency on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

Please rate the management's professionalism on the following scale.

1 2 3 4 5 6 Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

If an employee needed to be replaced, management acted promptly.

YES NO

Please provide any additional comments:

What is the overall rating for this contractor's performance on this task order?

SATISFACTORY UNSATISFACTORY

APPENDIX C: NOTIFICATION OF UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE (NUS)

CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT

COR Findings:

COR (sign and date):

Contractor Response:

Contractor Project Manager (sign and date):

COR Determination/Recommendation:

COR (sign and date):

Contracting Officer Acknowledgement and Recommendation (sign and date):