QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Project Title: Home Oxygen Delivery Services

Contract Description: The contractor shall provide all resources necessary to meet the requirements as described in the Statement of Work (SOW). The Contractor shall provide all labor, material, supervision, equipment, supplies, and services required to provide home oxygen delivery services.

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

2. 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.

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.

3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

The contractor shall clearly identify employees to serve as the contractor’s program manager/point of contact (POC) for this contract. This manager/POC will continually keep the Government informed of work status and any potential issues that may affect quality of performance.

4. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Performance standards define desired services. The Government performs surveillance to determine if the contractor exceeds, meets, or does not meet these standards.

The SOW includes clear requirement the contractor must provide. The Government shall use these requirements to determine contractor performance and shall compare contractor performance to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

Performance Indicators

Performance Measure

Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

Method of Assessment Incentive Dis-incentive

Provide comprehensive home oxygen delivery services

Contractor will provide comprehensive home oxygen delivery services and all associated support

Minimum Rating of Satisfactory

As Appropriate

Positive Past Performance

Negative Past Performance

5. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE

Various methods exist to monitor performance. The COR shall use the surveillance methods listed below in the administration of this QASP.

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.)

c. USER SURVEY. (Combines elements of validated user complaints and random sampling. Random survey is conducted to solicit user satisfaction. May also generate inspections and sampling.)

d. VALIDATED USER/CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. (Relies on the patient to identify deficiencies.

Complaints are then investigated and validated.)

e. 100% INSPECTION. (Evaluates all outcomes.)

f. PERIODIC SAMPLING. (Variation of random sampling. However, sample is only taken when a problem/deficiency is suspected. Sample results are applicable only for the specific work inspected. Since sample is not entirely random, it cannot be applied to total activity performance.)

g. RANDOM SAMPLING. (Designed to evaluate performance by randomly selecting and inspecting a sample of cases.

h. Progress or status meetings.

i. Analysis of contractor's progress. (Evaluate cost, schedule, etc.)

6. RATINGS

Metrics and methods are designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given standard and acceptable quality level. A rating scale shall be used to determine a positive, neutral, or negative outcome. The following ratings shall be used:

EXCEPTIONAL: Performance significantly exceeds contract requirements to the Government’s benefit.

SATISFACTORY: Performance meets contractual requirements.

UNSATISFACTORY: Performance does not meet contractual requirements.

7. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE

a. ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

The Government shall document positive performance. Any report may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action.

b. UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

When unacceptable performance occurs, the COR shall inform the contractor. This will normally be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication. In any case the COR shall document the discussion and place it in the COR file.

When the COR determines formal written communication is required, the COR shall prepare a Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR), and present it to the contractor's program manager.

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 has to present this corrective action plan to the COR. The Government shall review the contractor's corrective action plan to determine acceptability.

Any CDRs may become a part of the supporting documentation for any contractual action deemed necessary by the CO.

8. FREQUENCY OF MEASUREMENT

a. Frequency of Measurement.

During contract performance, the COR will yearly analyze whether the negotiated frequency of surveillance is appropriate for the work being performed.

b. Frequency of Performance Assessment Meetings will be yearly.

The COR shall meet with the contractor as required to assess performance and shall provide a written assessment.

QASP ATTACHMENTS:

Contract Performance Report

Contract Discrepancy Report

QASP Attachment 1

Contract Performance Report

1. Contract Number:

2. Prepared by: (Name of COR)

3. Date and time of observation:

4. Observation:

5. Performance Rating (in accordance with QASP, paragraph 6):

Signature – Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

QASP Attachment 2

Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR)

TO: (Contractor Program Manager or Point of Contact)

FROM: (Name of COR)

1. Contract Number:

2. Date and time observed discrepancy:

3. Discrepancy/Problem/Issue:

4. Corrective action plan:

5. 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.

Signature – Contracting Officer’s Representative Date

Received by:

Signature – Contracting Program Manager or Point of Contact Date

Distribution:

Contracting Officer