Attachment_2_QASP.docx

Attachment 2

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

The requirements contained in this contract are considered performance-based, focusing on the Agency’s desired results and outcomes. The Contractor shall be responsible for determining the most effective means by which these requirements will be fulfilled. In order to fulfill the requirements, the Contractor shall design innovative processes and systems that can deliver the required services in a manner that will best meet the Agency’s performance objectives.

This performance-based requirement represents a challenge to the Contractor to develop and apply innovative and efficient approaches for achieving results and meeting or exceeding the performance objectives, measures, and standards described below. The Contractor’s performance will be reflected in the annual past performance evaluation by the Agency and recorded in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS).

In issued work assignment(s), the Performance Objectives shall be designated as “Tasks” specified within the scope of work. In cases where Tasks/Performance Objectives or minimum Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs) are not being met, the Contractor shall make every effort to immediately correct the problem to ensure customer satisfaction. If the problem is systemic, the Contractor shall submit a plan of corrective action to the Work Assignment Contracting Officer Representative (WA COR) and to the Contract-Level COR (CL COR).

As noted above and required for this contract, EPA shall complete annual past performance evaluations and record them in CPARS. The following areas will be evaluated: Quality, Schedule, Cost Control, Management, and Regulatory Compliance. The past performance evaluation will take into consideration the successes, shortcomings, and corrective actions associated with meeting the performance standards delineated in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

The Minimum Mandatory Requirements, as listed in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan checklist, are as follows:

1. Performance requirements that define the work in measurable, mission related terms (description of each task is considered the designated performance requirement).

2. Performance standards (i.e., quality, quantity, timeliness) tied to the performance requirements (performance standards are included in the performance requirement).

3. A government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) that describes how the Contractor's performance will be measured against the performance standards. (The QA Target and Surveillance Plan are described with each task as appropriate).

SOL-CI-15-00017 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan Attachment 2

2-4 Performance Requirement

Timeliness:

Services and deliverables shall be in accordance with schedules stated in each work assignment, unless amended or modified by an approved EPA action.

During any given period of performance, 90% of services and submitted deliverables shall be submitted on or before the due date. Late deliverables may result in lower performance ratings.

A deliverable received 7 days past the due date shall be considered unsatisfactory performance.

All active work assignments under the contract will be reviewed by the CL COR or WA COR through the monthly financial and progress reports to document the timeliness of all work requirements.

An overall on time performance level of less than 90% during an applicable period of performance will be considered unsatisfactory and will be documented in CPARS under the Schedule category.

A deliverable received 7 days past the due date will be considered unsatisfactory and will be documented in CPARS under the Schedule category.

An overall on time performance standard of 90% or better during an applicable period of performance will be considered Satisfactory or better and will be reported as such in CPARS under the Schedule category.

Management and Communications:

The contractor shall maintain contact with the EPA Contracting Officer (CO), CL COR, and WA COR throughout the performance of the contract and shall promptly bring potential problems to the attention of the appropriate EPA contracts management personnel. Where those issues may have a direct impact on project schedule, cost, or quality, the contractor shall provide options for the EPA’s consideration in resolving or mitigating the impact.

Any issue impacting project schedule, cost, or quality shall be brought to the attention of the appropriate EPA contracts management personnel within 5 days of occurrence.

All active work assignments under the contract will be reviewed by the CL COR or WA COR (via the Monthly Progress Report) to verify reported issues and/or identify unreported issues.

In a given contract period, if more than one incident occurs where the contractor does not meet the performance standard for reporting issues, a rating of unsatisfactory performance will be reported in CPARS under the Management category.

One incident will be considered satisfactory performance, while zero incidents will be considered very good performance, and will be reported as such in CPARS under the Management category.

Cost Control:

The contractor shall monitor, track, and accurately report level-of-effort, direct labor cost, other direct cost, and fee expenditures to the EPA through monthly progress and financial reports.

The contractor shall assign appropriately skilled personnel to all tasks, practice time management, and provide current, accurate, complete, and timely invoices.

The contractor shall not exceed the contract level dollar ceiling.

During any period of performance, an overrun that exceeds 10% of the total work assignment cost estimate and is the direct result of the contractor’s failure to manage and control costs, shall be considered unsatisfactory performance.

All active work assignments under the contract will be reviewed by the CL COR or WA COR (via the Monthly Progress Report and financial reports) to compare actual costs against projected expenditures.

During a given contract period, an overrun that exceeds 10% of the total work assignment cost estimate shall be considered unsatisfactory performance and will be reported as such in CPARS under the Cost Control category.

A satisfactory or better rating will be reported in CPARS under the Cost Control category if the contractor accurately reports the level of effort, direct labor cost, other direct cost, and fee expenditures during the given contract period.

Demonstrated cost savings approaches exceeding the expectations above may be grounds for very good or exceptional rating in CPARS.

Quality of Technical Analysis:

The analyses conducted by the contractor shall be factual, defensible, and science-based. All data shall be collected from reputable sources. All quality assurance measures shall be conducted in accordance with agency requirements and standards, as well as any additional requirements outlined in the work assignments. Any work requiring contractor-provided options or recommendations shall include the rationale used in formulating those options or recommendations, as well as the rationale used in rejecting all other options and considerations.

All analyses conducted for the EPA by the contractor shall be factual, defensible, and science-based.

Deliverables shall meet or exceed QA standards set forth for each project, and shall follow minimum protocols for data integrity.

The CL COR or WA COR will review the merit of all analyses conducted and provided by the contractor.

During a given contract period, if after reviewing the contractor’s analysis it is determined that the content is not factual, defensible, or science-based, the contractor’s performance will be reported as unsatisfactory in CPARS under the Quality category.

During a given contract period, if after reviewing the contractor’s analysis it is determined there are no areas lacking (i.e., content is factual, defensible, and science-based), the contractor’s performance will be reported as satisfactory or better performance in CPARS under the Quality category.