QASP 36C24421Q1097.pdf

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

Contract Description: Contractor shall provide Indigent Burial and Cremation Services 24/7 for Veterans of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) in Pittsburgh, PA.

Contractor’s Name: To Be Determined

1. Purpose:

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provides a systematic method to evaluate performance for the stated contract. This QASP explains the following:

• What will be monitored?

• How monitoring will take place.

• Who will conduct the monitoring?

• How monitoring efforts and results will be documented.

This QASP does not detail how the contractor accomplishes the work. Rather, the QASP is created with the premise that the contractor is 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.

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 contractor through contract modification. Copies of the original QASP and revisions shall be provided to the contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. Authority:

Authority to issue this QASP is provided under Federal Acquisition Clause (FAR) 52.212-4(a) Inspection and Acceptance, which provided for inspections and acceptance of the articles, services, and documentation called for in the contract to be accomplished by the contracting officer or a duly appointed representative.

3. Scope:

The contractor, and not the government, is responsible for management and quality control actions necessary to meet the quality standards set forth by the contract. The QASP is put in place to provide government surveillance oversight of the contractor’s quality control efforts to assure that they are timely, effective, and delivering the results specified in the contract. The QASP is not a part of the contract, nor is it intended to duplicate the contractor’s quality control plan. The performance standards are listed below in Section 5.

4. Government Roles and Responsibilities:

The following personnel shall oversee and coordinate surveillance activities.

a. Contracting Officer (CO) – The CO shall ensure performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensure compliance with the contract terms, and shall safeguard the interests of the United States in the contractual relationship. The CO shall also assure that the contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract. The CO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance.

Assigned CO: Maureen Jordan Organization or Agency: Network Contracting Office (NCO) 04, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

b. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) – The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and shall assure proper Government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The COR shall keep a quality assurance file. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf.

Assigned COR: Will be determined after award Organization or Agency: VAPHS

5. Methods of Surveillance:

The below listed methods of surveillance shall be used in the administration of this QASP.

100% Inspection - The VAPHS Health Administration Service (HAS) Registration Chief will visit the vendor to perform an inspection of the veteran prepared for burial and the establishment appearance for every veteran burial performed under this contract. The Funeral Home Facilities Inspection Checklist will be completed by the HAS Registration Chief and signed by them as well as the Mortuary Officer.

These will then be reviewed by the COR.

6. Identified QA Surveillance Tasks:

The following PBSA items are identified within the contract performance work statement and will be monitored under this QASP.

Performance Objective/PWS Ref

Standard Acceptable Quality Level

Method of Surveillance

Incentive/Penalty

1) Timeliness of funeral services Ref: Paragraph 1, Description of Service

Services shall be provided within 96 hours from initial contact from

VAPHS.

100% Compliance 100% inspection

Negative Past Performance Rating for Failure to Comply

2) Appropriate preparation of body Ref:

Paragraph 1

Caring for Treatment of Remains

Negative Past Performance Rating for Failure to Comply

3) Inspection Paragraph 1.8

Casket and remains shall be inspected by a VA representative prior to remains leaving the funeral home.

100% Compliance

100% inspection Negative Past Performance Rating for Failure to Comply

4) Transport and Storage

Ref. Paragraph 1.10

Pick up, transport deceased Veteran within three (3) hours of notification by the VA

Negative Past Performance Rating for Failure to Comply

7. Documentation

The COR will, in addition to providing documentation to the contracting officer, maintain a complete quality assurance file. The file will contain copies of all reports, evaluations, recommendations, and any actions related to the government’s performance of the quality assurance function, including the originals of all surveillance activity checklists. All such records will be retained for the life of this contract. The COR shall forward these records to the contracting officer at termination or completion of the contract.