Attachment_2_-_East_Coast_Export_Mission_QASP.docx

East Coast Export Mission Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

East Coast Export Mission Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

(QASP)

Date

Contract Number:

SP3300-17-XX-XXXX

Contractor:

Approved: ___________________________

Contracting Officer

Date: ____________________________

1. Overview This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) has been developed to supplement quality control efforts and provide a framework for performing quality assurance for service contracts within the distribution enterprise. The responsibility for the administration of the contract is the DLA Distribution, Acquisition Operations (J7). This surveillance plan is intended for enterprise-wide implementation and is applicable to identified service contracts. Additionally, this QASP has been developed to address DLA Audit Readiness Internal Controls, DLA Accountability Office, Office of Internal Review, findings and recommendations (Audit Report DAO-09-20).

FAR 37.602-2 requires enabling assessment of work performance against measurable performance standards and FAR 37.604 requires agencies to develop a QASP when acquiring services through performance-based contracts. The QASP recognizes the responsibility of the service provider (SP) to carry out its quality control (QC) obligations and contains measurable inspection and acceptance criteria corresponding to the performance standards and requirements contained in the contract. The QASP focuses on the level of performance required rather than the methodology used by the SP to achieve that level of performance.

The FAR, including Part 46, Quality Assurance, “prescribes policies and procedures to ensure that supplies and services acquired under Government contract conform to the contract’s quality and quantity requirements. Included are inspection, acceptance, warranty, and other measures associated with quality requirements.”

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) use of the QASP as their guide for the verification process. This QASP complies with the requirements of FAR Parts 37 and 46 and serves as the guide to monitoring SP performance in accordance with (IAW) the requirements. It is organized into three major headings: Overview and Organization, Principles of Surveillance, and Surveillance Activities for Specific Tasks.

A well implemented quality program includes two essential elements. The SP implements their Quality Control Plan (QCP) through QC inspections of the services they perform IAW with contract requirements. The COR performs Quality Assurance (QA) on the SP IAW the QASP to ensure acceptable performance is achieved.

1.1 Contract Quality Requirements

The FAR (46.202) identifies four general categories of contract quality requirements, depending on the extent of QA needed by the Government for the acquisition involved:

Contracts for commercial items Government reliance on inspection by the SP Standard inspection requirements Higher-level contract quality requirements.

“Standard inspection requirements” is the primary category of inspection required in this contract. As specified in FAR 46.202-3, standard inspection requirements:

Require the SP to provide and maintain an inspection system that is acceptable to the Government Give the Government the right to make inspections and tests while work is in process Require the SP to keep complete, and make available to the Government, records of its inspection work Responsibilities for Quality Responsibilities for contract QA are defined in FAR Part 46 for the Contracting Office, DLA Distribution, and the SP. Highlights of responsibilities are included in the following sub-paragraphs.

2.1 DLA Distribution

· Develops and applies efficient procedures for performing government QA actions under the contract IAW the written direction of the contracting officer.

· Performs all actions necessary to verify whether the supplies or services conform to contract quality requirements.

· Establishes the significance of a nonconformance when considering the acceptability of supplies or services which do not meet contract requirements

· Maintains, as part of the performance records of the contract, suitable records including:

· The nature of Government contract QA actions, including, when appropriate, the number of observations made and the number and types of non-conformances

· Decisions regarding the acceptability of the products, the processes, and the requirements, as well as actions taken to correct nonconforming items

· Implements any specific written instructions from the contracting officer.

· Recommends any changes necessary to the contract, specifications, instructions, or other requirements that will improve effective operations or eliminate unnecessary costs

2.2 Service Provider (SP)

The SP is responsible for carrying out its responsibilities under the contract by:

Controlling the quality of supplies or services Tendering to the Government for acceptance only those supplies or services which conform to contract requirements Maintaining substantiating evidence, when required by the contract, that the supplies or services conform to contract quality requirements, and furnishing such information to the Government, as required

The SP provides and maintains an inspection system or program for the control of quality that is acceptable to the Government (See QCP requirements in PWS).

The control of quality by the SP may relate to, but is not limited to:

Procedures and processes for services to ensure services meet contract performance requirements Training all appropriate personnel in the purpose, use, and implementation of the QCP The SP is responsible for performing all inspections and tests required by the contract except those specifically reserved for performance by the Government.

2.3 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

The COR’s quality responsibilities include:

· The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) is a member of the QT and has reporting responsibility to the Contracting Officer. The COR is responsible for assuring the QASP is implemented.

Ensure trained in the purpose, use, and implementation of the QASP Implement the QASP, to include developing surveillance schedules, performing surveillance, and documenting and reporting results Monitor and review the QASP for effectiveness Report to the contracting office any non-conformances observed in design or technical requirements including contract quality requirements based on escalation guidance.

Principles of Surveillance The inspection and acceptance clauses contained within the contract allows the COR to implement QA procedures. Other contract clauses require the SP to implement a QCP, resulting in the SP being responsible for quality control assessments of goods and services produced. The Government is responsible for QA, surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation of the SP’s quality performance. This concept, defined in FAR 46.101, says Government contract QA means “the various functions, including inspection, performed by the Government to determine whether a contractor has fulfilled the contract obligations pertaining to quality and quantity” (emphasis added).

The QASP focuses on corroborating the quality and timeliness of the products and services received from the SP and the fulfillment of contract requirements.

3.1 Surveillance Planning and Scheduling

An annual Surveillance Plan, which identifies the surveillance activities, frequencies, priorities, and Points of Contact (POCs) for monitoring the SP’s performance requirements, documents the COR’s inspection objectives for the year. This plan is Attachment 1 to the QASP. The COR updates surveillance records to identify the surveillance activities and results for each surveillance activity performed.

3.2 Quality Checklists

The quality assurance and surveillance relies on using checklists to conduct most surveillance activities. These checklists are designed to document QA activities so that the COR and the SP can better focus on issues, respond in a timely manner, develop best business practices to improve customer service, and consistently document performance.

QA surveillance checklists are modified and/or updated as approved modifications or changes are made to performance requirements.

3.3 Documentation

Documentation of the SP performance provides, if needed, a legal basis for the Government to make decisions and take action. Informal or anecdotal evidence does not provide sufficient justification to have the SP initiate corrective actions. Properly completed surveillance documentation is objective: it is equally important to document both conforming and nonconforming performance. Documentation of conforming performance assists in validating proper implementation and execution of contract requirements and assists in identifying the SP approaches that work, which, when shared with other Depots, provide ideas for improvement. The vast majority of surveillance generally results in documenting conforming performance. Documentation of nonconforming performance identifies areas where the SP’s performance does not meet contract requirements and where re-performance of nonconforming services or corrective action may be needed.

It is critically important the COR regularly documents and reports on the SP performance as required by the surveillance schedules. If there is a pattern of forbearance or letting substandard performance go without the Government taking action, then the Government may lose its legal right to enforce contract performance provisions.

3.4 Modifications

The Contracting Office, or DLA Distribution may unilaterally modify surveillance requirements (i.e., input from the contractor is neither needed nor required). Such modifications are not subject to the modification clauses in the contract and are not grounds for the SP to increase the cost of performance. Conversely, bi-lateral modifications involve a negotiated approach and may or may not increase the cost of performance. In either case, modifications or changes to service requirements will be evaluated and changes to the surveillance requirements and/or QA template checklists in the QMT made accordingly by DLA Distribution through the changes request process.

While modifications refer to changes in the surveillance requirements, typically driven by contracts operational performance requirements, modifications do not refer to monthly adjustments in surveillance schedules.

Surveillance Activities for Specific Tasks The COR will use the surveillance checklist questions at Attachment 1 to perform Quality Assurances Surveillance Activities.

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