RFQ_Attachment_5_-_QASP.pdf

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Contract Number

CAUTION

“Authority” is a key concept in the successful surveillance of this contract. Contract authority is restricted to the Contracting Officer (KO). However, the KO normally has minor day to day involvement in the contract. The Contractor deals with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). A significant problem can occur if the Contractor alleges it acted by direction of the COR and consequently the terms and conditions of the contract were changed.

The legal rule is that the Government is not bound by unauthorized acts of Government employees and the risk of dealing with unauthorized persons falls on the Contractor, however, the Government may be bound if the Contractor can establish “implied authority.” The courts will decide if a reasonable person could assume that the Government employee had the authority to take action because it appears to be an integral part of duties assigned. To avoid implied authority problem the COR must only act within the actual authority contained in their letters of appointment.

“Imputed knowledge” is another area of concern. The KO is charged with knowledge that the COR has a duty to deliver to the KO. There is a legal principle that the nature of the relationship establishes resumption that the authorized person will be informed. Examples of this include: knowledge of additional work, potential claims, and differing interpretations of the contract.

Remember: Keep the KO informed of all significant contract activities.

1. OVERVIEW

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) has been developed to evaluate contractor performance while implementing the Performance Work Statement (PWS). It is designed to provide an effective surveillance method of monitoring contractor performance for each listed performance requirement. The QASP provides a systematic method to evaluate the services the contractor is required to furnish. The contractor, and not the government, is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. The role of the government in quality assurance is to ensure contract standards are achieved.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contracting Officer (KO): Ensures performance of all necessary actions for contract compliance, contract management, and resolves all issues relative to the language of the contract. Monitors the Contractor’s performance for contract compliance. The KO is responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the contractor’s performance.

• Contracting Officer Representative (COR): Assures proper government surveillance of the contractor’s performance. The COR provides detailed technical oversight of the contractor’s performance and reports their findings to the Contracting Officer.

3. SURVEILLANCE APPROACH

The QASP specifies the method to be used in verifying contractor compliance with the contract requirements. The key elements of this process are the contractor's quality control program and government identified high risk and critical operational requirements. Although the Performance Work

Statement (PWS) contains only those items considered most important for mission accomplishment, the government retains the right to inspect all requirements of the contract. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) personnel may choose to periodically inspect requirements not listed on the PWS.

The intent of the surveillance approach is to gain confidence in the contractor's way of doing business and then adjusting the level of oversight to a point that maintains that confidence. With this intent, the surveillance approach may not be one that stays the same throughout the duration of the contract. The surveillance approach may be periodically updated as required.

4. SURVEILLANCE DOCUMENTATION

Documenting surveillance is of major importance. The KO cannot properly administer the contract without documentation of actual surveillance. The QASP is not a part of the contract but must be documented in the contract file. A COR surveillance folder must be developed and maintained to accomplish contract quality assurance for a performance requirement. The folder is typically contained in a hardcopy, but may be maintained in a computer database or spreadsheet. The folder should contain:

• Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

• Contractor's Quality Control Plan

• Any correspondences, written or verbal, e.g. meeting minutes, with the contractor

• Contract and Modifications

• Records. A section used for filing all documentation associated with contract quality assurance, e.g. discrepancy reports (both active and resolved), Approved surveillance inspection checklist, customer complaint forms, correspondence, receiving report inputs, letters from the contracting officer, etc.

All documentation resulting from surveillance becomes a permanent part of the contract file. COR personnel must provide all surveillance documentation to the Contract Specialist to incorporate into the contract file. Surveillance documents should be used to provide accurate annual input in the Contractor Performance Assessment Review System (CPARS).

5. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

STANDARD

PERFORMANCE

LEVEL

REQUIRED

METHOD OF

SURVEILLANCE

FREQUENCY

LEVEL

1) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.1. Enterprise Level Network & Telecommunications Support Ensure that complex technical issues affecting DCMA Network performance and operations are quickly resolved.

Identify source of network fault and a proposed remediation solution within 24 hours

COR monthly review of status records and service center reports

Monthly 100% Inspection

2) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.2. Hardware Configuration and Maintenance Ensure that routine maintenance and upgrades are performed in such time and manner as to maintain DCMA required performance levels while minimizing impact to the user community.

Circuit availability 99.5% during business hours 95% of circuits will not exceed 70% utilization

Monthly metrics review

Periodic Inspection

3) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.3. Network Protocols Support Evaluate changing business requirements and demand for network services against the current and planned infrastructure and recommend actions necessary to maintain effective operations..

Review proposed changes within 7 business days Develop implementation plan within 25 days

COR monthly review of status records and system change requests

Monthly 100% Inspection

4) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.4. Technology Research Contractor will keep DCMA senior Information Technology management aware of changes in technology and new products that can enhance DCMA’s telecommunications infrastructure and mission operations effectively and efficiently.

Maintain high awareness of technologies.

Evaluate specific technologies within 15 days of request.

Random Sampling

Periodic Inspection

5) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.5. Benchmarking Contractor will maintain a sufficient view of daily operations to identify potential problem areas before they become critical.

Assure 99% of network failures could not have been projected.

Review after action reports

Monthly 100% Inspection

6) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.7. Video Teleconferencing (VTC) Support Contractor shall support the maintenance, and administration of the Video Teleconference System to assure operation meets user requirements.

Insure 99% availability of VTC operations Installs on schedule 95%

Surveillance Process Audits

Periodic Inspection

7) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.8. Unified Communications (UC) Design, Installation, and Support will design, configure, and support DCMA’s VoIP infrastructure.

Meet 95% of schedule milestones

Surveillance Process Audits

Monthly 100% Inspection

8) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.9. Wireless Local Area Network (WiFi) Installation and Support Contractor will install, configure, and support DCMA’s Wireless LAN infrastructure.

Meet 95% of schedule milestones

Surveillance Process Audits

Periodic Inspection

9) PBWS Paragraph 4.1.10. Information Assurance & Security Certification and Accreditation Contractor will support the DCMA ISSO to assure the DCMA telecommunications network meets security requirements.

Respond to IA inquiries within 1 business day.

Security patches applied on schedule 99% on time

Monthly review of inquiries and patch deployments

Monthly 100% Inspection

10) PBSW Paragraph 4.2. LEGACY HQ PBX SUPPORT AND ADMINISTRATION Contractor will provide support for DCMA HQ legacy PBX systems.

Act on MAC within 1 business day

Monthly review of service requests

Monthly 100% Inspection

11) PBSW Paragraph 4.3. NETWORK CABLING UPGRADES AND INSTALLATION Contractor will establish, change or relocate network operations at facilities as designated by DCMA in accordance with project schedule

Surveys within 10 business days of request.

Installations on schedule and within cost 98% of time.

Monthly review of service requests

Monthly 100% Inspection

12) PBSW Paragraph 5. DCMAIT’s Customer Service Philosophies Contractor shall follow DCMAIT’s Customer Service Philosophies, which are at Appendix C, to the greatest extent possible

>95 Percent Compliant Rate

Customer Complaint

Periodic Inspection

13) PBSW Paragraph 6. Written Products Contractor shall ensure that all written products are prepared in a clear and concise manner, properly formatted, spell checked, and grammatically correct.

>95 Percent Compliant Rate

Monthly review of written products

Periodic Inspection

14) PBSW Paragraph 14. Government-Furnished Hardware and Software Contractor shall comply with PWS provisions relating to Government Furnished Inventory and Services operations.

>95 Percent Compliant Rate

Monthly review of inventory records

Quarterly 100% Inspection

6. SURVEILLANCE TYPES

Random Sampling: Appropriate for frequently recurring tasks. Evaluate randomly selected samples of the lot to determine the acceptability of the entire lot.

100 Percent Inspection: Appropriate for tasks that occur infrequently. Inspect and evaluate performance each time task is performed

Periodic Surveillance: Evaluation of samples selected on other than 100% or statistically random basis.

Customer Complaint: Complaints must be validated.

Note: THIS QASP IS PROVIDED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE SOLICITATION FOR

INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT WILL NOT BECOME PART OF THIS CONTRACT.