QASP.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

1. INTRODUCTION

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan has been developed to evaluate Contractor performance while implementing and executing Statement of Work (SOW) required services for this requirement. It is designed to provide an effective surveillance method for monitoring and evaluating the Contractor’s performance for the requirements listed in the Statement of Work (SOW).

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 will accomplish the work that is required by the SOW. Rather, this QASP has been 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. In addition, the QASP should recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable situations may occur.

This QASP is a “living document” and the Government may review and revise it on a regular basis to ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. However, the Government will coordinate changes with the Contractor (if changes are required).

Copies of the original QASP and revisions will be provided to the Contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

2. OBJECTIVE

The foundation of this Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is derived from the Objective of this requirement which is the following: Contractor shall provide the following services for the facility: Backflow Preventer Maintenance and Inspections to ensure continuous operation of this equipment in support of facility operations at the VA New Jersey Healthcare System. Such an effort will be supported through preventive and corrective maintenance and repairs that are performed on the equipment while the contract is active.

3. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following Government personnel are responsible for overseeing and coordinating surveillance activities.

a. Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and is responsible for ensuring proper Government surveillance of the Contractor’s performance. The COR is responsible for keeping a quality assurance file and after the contract, or when requested by the CO, providing corresponding documentation to the CO. The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government’s behalf. The Contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the CO for action.

Upon award or before the performance period start date of the Contracting Officer Representative who will be involved in the execution of this Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) will be identified.

b. Contracting Officer (CO): The CO is responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the contract terms, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in the contractual relationship. The CO is responsible for ensuring 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 Contract Specialist: Tiffany Vazquez-Simon Network Contracting Office 2 2094 Albany Post Road Montrose, NY 10548 Phone: 914-737-4400 Email: tiffany.vazquez-simon@va.gov

Assigned Contracting Officer: Natalie Acevedo Network Contracting Office 2 130 west Kingsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10468 Phone: 718-584-9000 Email: Natalie.acevedo@va.gov

Organization or Agency: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

4. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES:

The following employees of the contractor serve as the contractor's program manager for this contract.

a. Primary –

b. Alternate -

5. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (MEASURES). Contractor performance will be rated/evaluated by the COR or other authorized designee using the following metrics in the table below. The contractor’s performance under the terms and conditions of this contract will be based on how successfully the contractor executes the required services listed in the Statement of Work (SOW). At a minimum, the contractor must complete the required services that are contained within the Statement of Work for this requirement.

mailto:tiffany.vazquez-simon@va.gov mailto:Natalie.acevedo@va.gov

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP) – PERFORMANCE METRICS

Factor No.

Performance Indicators

Performance Standards

Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

Method of

Surveillance Incentive

(Positive &/or Negative)

Quality of Service Annual and quarterly testing and inspection

Services shall meet or exceed SOW requirements.

100%**

Direct or Periodic

Observation by COR.

Positive: Acceptable performance rating in

Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting

System (CPARS)

Negative: Deduct up to % of service not accomplished, reperformance until performance standard is met, and/or adverse CPARS.

Schedule Contractor adheres to schedule

Contractor to perform services during normal business hours in accordance with agreed schedule.

100%**

Direct or Periodic

Observation by COR

Positive: Acceptable rating in

CPARS

Negative: May result in adverse CPARS

Management Key Employees Trainings & Certifications

Contractor to provide and maintain employee listing, training and certifications throughout contract.

100%

Direct or Periodic

Observation by COR

Negative: May result in adverse CPARS

Invoicing Prompt & accurate invoice submission

Contractor shall submit electronically a properly prepared invoice in accordance with invoicing instructions.

98% Certification of invoice(s) for payment by the COR

Negative: May result in delay of payment processing &/or adverse CPARS.

**(Unless there are issues and/or mitigating circumstances which includes actions by the government that prevents or limits contractor performance)

The Performance Requirements Summary Matrix includes performance standards. The Government will use these standards to determine Contractor performance and will compare Contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

Performance below the AQL shall be immediately addressed upon notification of failure to meet a prescribed standard as outlined within the SOW and QASP. The Contractor shall have 48 hours to provide a response which includes an improvement strategy for addressing the issue. A Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) shall be generated for Contractor failure to consistently meet standards and/or failure to correct performance deficiencies. Failure to meet the Acceptable Quality Levels may result in a negative Contractor Evaluation in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) which may limit a contractor’s ability to receive future Government contracts. Repeated failure to meet the AQL may also result in contract termination for default.

Incentive/Disincentives for Meeting/Not Meeting AQL:

1. Positive and negative performance will be documented locally (contract file) and/or in the appropriate contractor performance assessment reporting system/database (i.e. CPARS).

2. Noncompliance to contract standards will be corrected at no cost to the government. The government reserves the right and may elect to measure/document negative performance through utilization of a performance report and/or a contract discrepancy report

3. The contractor shall respond in writing to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to all notifications of failure to meet acceptable quality levels within 2 days of issuance by the Contracting Officer Representative and/or the Contracting Officer. The contractor’s response shall include the corrective action taken to rectify the problem and the proposed measure to preclude the recurrence of the problem.

6. RATINGS

Metrics and methods are designed to determine rating for a given standard and acceptable quality level. Metrics and methods are also designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given standard and acceptable quality level. The following ratings shall be used:

EXCEPTIONAL: Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds many to the

Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed was accomplished with few minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor were highly effective.

Note: To justify an Exceptional rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT.

However a singular event could be of such magnitude that it alone constitutes an Exceptional rating. Also there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

VERY GOOD: Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds some to the Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed was accomplished with some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor were effective.

Note: To justify a Very Good rating, you should identify a significant event in each category and state how it was a benefit to the GOVERNMENT. Also there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

SATISFACTORY: Performance meets contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element contains some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor appear or were satisfactory.

Note: To justify a Satisfactory rating, there should have been only minor problems, or major problems the contractor recovered from without impact to the contract. Also there should have been NO significant weaknesses identified.

MARGINAL: Performance does not meet some contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed reflects a serious problem for which the contractor has not yet identified corrective actions. The contractor’s proposed actions appear only marginally effective or were not fully implemented.

Note: To justify Marginal performance, you should identify a significant event in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. A Marginal rating should be supported by referencing the management tool that notified the contractor of the contractual deficiency (e.g,. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency Report or letter).

UNSATISFACTORY: Performance does not meet most contractual requirements and recovery is not likely in a timely manner. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed contains serious problem(s) for which the contractor’s corrective actions appear or were ineffective.

Note: To justify an Unsatisfactory rating, you should identify multiple significant events in each category that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted the GOVERNMENT. However, a singular problem could be of such serious magnitude that it alone constitutes an unsatisfactory rating. An Unsatisfactory rating should be supported by referencing the management tools used to notify the contractor of the contractual deficiencies (e.g. Management, Quality, Safety or Environmental Deficiency)

7. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

If contractual terms and conditions are being met and/or exceeded documentation is not necessarily required. However positive performance by the contractor will be referenced and/or documented if/when the Quarterly Contractor Performance and Quality Control Meeting is held. If the total contract cost exceeds the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) a CPAR’s (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) report is required where contractor performance information will be recorded.

b. UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE.

When unacceptable performance occurs, the COR will inform the Contractor. This notification will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. Formal reporting may be done through generation of a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) if the issue cannot be rectified by other means.

When the COR determines that formal written communication and reporting is required the COR will prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR) and will present it to the appropriate Contractor representative.

The Contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the CDR in writing. The CDR will specify if the Contractor is required to prepare a corrective action plan to document how the Contractor shall correct the unacceptable performance and avoid a recurrence. The CDR will also state how long after receipt the Contractor must present this corrective action plan back to the COR. The Government will review the Contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability.

Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, other non-payment actions, or other actions deemed necessary by the CO.

The government reserves the right to document negative performance as stipulated above if/when a Quarterly Contractor Performance and Quality Control Meeting is held. If a CPARS report is required contractor performance will also be annotated in this database.

8. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

During contract performance, the COR will take periodic measurements as specified in the AQL column of the Performance Standards Summary Matrix and will analyze whether the negotiated frequency of measurement is appropriate for the work being performed.

a. DIRECT OBSERVATION. (Can be performed periodically or through 100% surveillance.)

b. PERIODIC INSPECTION. (Evaluates outcomes on a periodic basis. Inspections may be scheduled [Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or annually] or unscheduled, as required.)

9. COR AND CONTRACTOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF QASP

SIGNED:

COR NAME/TITLE DATE

SIGNED:

CONTRACTOR NAME/TITLE DATE

APPENDIX A – PERFORMANCE REPORT

PERFORMANCE REPORT

< This template will be used to formally document surveillance. >

1. CONTRACT NUMBER: <insert number>

2. Prepared by: (Name of COR) <insert name>

3. Date and time of observation:

4. Observation:

<Examples of items to include in a report are:

• Method of surveillance.

• How frequently you conducted surveillance.

• Surveillance results.

• Number of observations.>

Prepared by: <Enter COR’s name>

Signature – Contracting Officer Representative Date

APPENDIX B– CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT

Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR)

< This template will be used to formally document discrepancies. >

1. Contract Number: <insert number>

2. TO: (Contractor Task Manager or on-site representative) <insert name>

3. FROM: (Name of COR) <insert name>

4. Date and time observed discrepancy:

5. DISCREPANCY OR PROBLEM:

<Describe in detail. Identify any attachments.>

6. Corrective action plan:

A written corrective action plan < is / is not > required.

< If a written corrective action plan is required include the following. > The written Corrective

Action Plan will be provided to the undersigned not later than < # days after receipt of this

CDR. >

Prepared by: <Enter COR’s name>

Signature – Contracting Officer Representative Date

Received by:

Signature - Contractor Representative Date