Attachment 8 - QASP for DDWG Grounds Maintenance.docx

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) For Grounds Maintenance / Landscaping at DLA Distribution Warner Robins, GA (DDWG)

1. SCOPE

DLA Distribution has a requirement for grounds maintenance / landscaping located at DLA Distribution Warner Robins, GA (DDWG).

2. PURPOSE

The QASP represents the Government's acceptance and inspection program for performance requirements, and agencies must ensure Government Quality Assurance (QA) is conducted before Contractor products or services are accepted by or under the direction of Government personnel.

The QASP documents this program to provide a measure of the quality and timeliness of products and services provided by the Contractor. The Government, as the recipient of the Contractor’s products and services, retains the responsibility for developing and implementing QA. Implementation of the QASP assists in providing validation that the quantity, quality, and timeliness of products and services received complies with the contract performance requirements, to include DLA Distribution policies and procedures.

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. Updates shall ensure that the QASP remains a valid, useful, and enforceable document. Copies of the original QASP and revisions shall be provided to the Contractor and Government officials implementing surveillance activities.

3. GOVERNMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (AS APPLICABLE)

The following is a listing of responsibilities for the personnel that shall oversee and coordinate surveillance activities. See Attachment 1 for a list of personnel assigned to these roles.

a. CONTRACTING OFFICER (KO) - The KO 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 KO shall also assure that the Contractor receives impartial, fair, and equitable treatment under this contract. The KO is ultimately responsible for the final determination of the adequacy of the Contractor’s performance.

b. ACQUISITION SPECIALIST (AS) - The AS acts as an acquisition consultant and serves as liaison between KO, the COR/TPOC/Evaluators, and the Contractor.

c. CONTRACTING OFFICERS REPRESENTATIVE (COR) - The COR is responsible for technical administration of the contract and shall ensure proper Government surveillance of the Contractor’s performance. The COR shall keep a quality assurance file. At the conclusion of the contract or when requested by the KO, the COR shall provide documentation to the KO. 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 KO for action. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

· Ensuring COR training and other certification requirements are up to date

· Filling required reports and documents with the AS and KO as required; upload documents to PIEE as required

· Preparing and coordinating annual contract performance assessments and reports

· Maintaining file copies of all documents submitted by the Contractor

· Reviewing and accepting the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan; rework as necessary

· Becoming thoroughly familiar with all the terms and conditions of the contract

· Maintaining a copy of the current QASP; understanding the requirements of the QASP

· Participating in requirement teams and coordinating contract modifications

· Coordinating non-conforming surveillance activities with the Contractor

· Reviewing and accepting Distribution Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) and monitoring through closure

· Monitoring vendor compliance with Combatting Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) clause in accordance with DFARS PGI 222.1703(4), such that noncompliance with 52.222-50 is documented to the KO, utilizing and annually completing the CTIP checklist at: DoD CTIP Website

· Ensure any handling, training, and marking for Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) IAW DoDI 5200.48 are being adequately monitored. This includes monitoring the SP for compliance with the 11 DoD training standards and the processes to maintain documentation of completed training

· Performing quality assurance surveillances as required or necessary (i.e. if no TPOC or Evaluators have been assigned)

d. TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT (TPOC) – A TPOC is similar in scope and responsibility to a COR but is usually appointed when services are being provided at multiple locations and the COR is located at a central location. The TPOC must meet the same training requirements and standards as a COR. The TPOC reports through the COR to the KO. If assigned, the TPOCs responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

· Ensuring COR training and other certification requirements are up to date

· Filling required reports and documents with the AS and KO as required; upload documents to PIEE as required

· Preparing and coordinating annual contract performance assessments and reports

· Maintaining file copies of all documents submitted by the Contractor

· Reviewing and accepting the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan; rework as necessary

· Becoming thoroughly familiar with all the terms and conditions of the contract

· Maintaining a copy of the current QASP; understanding the requirements of the QASP

· Participating in requirement teams and coordinating contract modifications

· Coordinating non-conforming surveillance activities with the Contractor

· Reviewing and accepting Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) and monitoring through closure

· Performing quality assurance surveillances as required or necessary (i.e. no Evaluators have been assigned)

e. LEAD EVALUATOR and EVALUATORS – An Evaluator, if assigned, is typically a technical and subject matter expert in the products or services that are being provided and performed by the Contractor. The Evaluators’ primary role is with the inspection, documentation, and reporting of Contractor performance through the TPOC or COR. If assigned, the Evaluators’ responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

f. QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM (QAT) – The QAT is comprised of all individuals assigned a role in the quality assurance surveillance and contract oversight process. The size and scope of this team will vary based on the individual characteristics and complexity of the products or services being provided by a contract entity.

4. QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

a. QUALITY CONTROL - The overall responsibility for performance quality rests with the Contractor. Through their Quality Control Plan (QCP), they are responsible for monitoring, reporting, and correcting performance issues as they are discovered. The QCP is considered a living document (just like this QASP) and should be reviewed and revised as necessary throughout all periods of performance.

b. QUALITY ASSURANCE - The QAT, through assigned Evaluators, TPOCs, and COR, are responsible for conducting scheduled and unscheduled performance checks (surveillances) to gauge the effectiveness of the Contractor’s quality program. Findings or non-conformances discovered by the QAT will be shared with the Contractor, as they are discovered, to permit the Contractor to both identify corrective actions necessary to improve performance as well as improve their quality control efforts.

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PROCESS

The foundation of the quality assurance surveillance process is a firm and thorough understanding of the requirements contained in the contract. This includes the Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW), Contract Data Requirements Listings (CDRLs), Technical Exhibits, and any referenced SOPs, Handbooks, Manuals, Instructions, or other guidance cited in the requirement. Additionally, and equally important, a clear understanding of the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP) is necessary to have insight into how the Contractor has proposed to evaluate and report their internal quality efforts.

With this understanding, the individual(s) that will be conducting the quality assurance surveillances can begin their inspection and verification processes. DLA Distribution uses a 7-Step Process to assist in making this easier. The steps are:

· Identify – Precisely identify the objective of the surveillance and the associated standards

· Review – Review the contract, any cited references, and other pertinent documents (CDRLs, QCP, SOPs, Agreements, etc.)

· Conduct – Conduct the surveillance by paying close attention to the object or processes being surveilled to include environmental factors at the time of the surveillance; Be Observant, Objective, and Document all findings both good and bad

· Document – Document your surveillance results as they were observed

· Analyze – Review your documentation and analyze the results looking for missing data. Look for the “Root-Cause” to problems by asking yourself “why” repeatedly until a potential root cause is discovered

· Report – Be clear and concise but thorough when reporting your surveillance results

· File – File your surveillance documentation

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE METHODS

Contract requirements can be surveilled using a variety of techniques and methodologies and many requirements can be surveilled using multiple techniques. It is up to the individual conducting the surveillance to determine the most appropriate method for a particular requirement. DLA Distribution utilizes the four methods below.

· DIRECT OBSERVATION – This method should be used to physically observe a process and procedures being performed

· 100% INSPECTION – Generally the most time-consuming surveillance method; ideally used when Lot Sizes are relatively small (25 or less)

· RANDOM SAMPLING – Ideal for use with large Lot Sizes; a statistical sample is selected from the Lot. The table below will be used to determine Sample Size based on a range for the Lot. Accept/Reject numbers are included

Figure 1 - Random Sampling Plan

· VALIDATED CUSTOMER COMPLAINT – A customer complaint that has proven to be valid based on subsequent investigation; not all complaints are valid or reasonable unless they can be verified. Customer complaints should be documented in writing and submitted by the customer. The customer may be any stakeholder in the process and not necessarily the end user customer.

7. DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING PERFORMANCE

All surveillance activities must be thoroughly documented. This is equally important for conforming results as it is for non-conforming results. All surveillance documents become an official part of the Contract File and are preserved throughout the periods of performance, contract closeout, and then further for the required document retention period. For this contract, two types of performance reports will be utilized, Non-Acceptable Performance Level (Non-APL) and Acceptable Performance Level (APL). All non-conforming surveillance outcomes shall include a detailed explanation that clearly identifies the non-conformance or failure. All Non-APL Performance failures will be reported on the monthly COSR (Attachment 2), and all APL Performance failures will be reported on the monthly APL Report (Attachment 3). The “COR Status Report” template is available in the Surveillance and Performance Monitoring Tool (SPM) in the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) and both of the afore mentioned attachments must also be upload in PIEE each month.

· NON-APL PERFORMANCE - The COR/TPOC will utilize the Contract Oversight Surveillance Report (COSR) to document oversight activities and document contractor non-APL performance. Non-APL surveillance should occur multiple times throughout the month.

· SCHEDULED SURVEILLANCE - The COSR consists of a series of questions that are derived directly from the requirements document (PWS/SOW and other contract references). The questions are broadly written to permit the individual conducting the surveillance to inspect any portion of the requirement.

· UNSCHEDULED INSPECTION – An Unscheduled Inspection can be used at any time to document a non-conformance for a requirement for which there isn’t a specific Surveillance question, for a condition that is discovered during other than regular scheduled surveillance reporting, or a safety or security issue that needs to be documented. The COSR has blank spaces that can be used to document this, Unscheduled Inspection. The process for documenting and methods used are the same as for any scheduled Surveillance Check.

· The COSR is required to be completed monthly and attached to the “Contracting Officers Representative (COR) Report” (COR Report).

· APL PERFORMANCE – The COR/TPOC will utilize the “APL Report” (Attachment 3) to document conformance to acceptable performance levels (Conforming/Non-Conforming). The APLs are specific timelines or quality metrics that are collected and analyzed monthly to give a general idea of the Contractor’s ability to meet specific measurable targets. APLs are normally only reviewed after the end of the month, as APLs are measured on a full month’s performance.

· The APL Report is required to be completed monthly and attached to the “COR Report”.

· The QAT is required to provide documentation for both conforming as well as non-conforming performance each month.

· ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE (Conforming).

· The Government shall document positive performance within the Contract Oversight Surveillance Report and submit this report to the Contracting Office based on Contract Requirements Monthly.

· UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE (Non-conforming).

· The QAT shall document all unacceptable performance within the Contract Oversight Surveillance Report and submit this report to the Contracting Office based on Contract Requirements Monthly. If the COSR is completed by a QAT member other than the COR, the COSR shall be forwarded to the COR for acceptance. The COR shall inform the contractor within one working day of each non-conforming surveillance identified. This shall be in writing unless circumstances necessitate verbal communication, which the COR will document. The COR shall retain all documentation regarding surveillance activities and outcomes within the COR file.

· Reporting of non-conforming surveillances is used to determine the appropriate course of action following the documentation of the contractor’s non-compliance and convey the impact of the finding, a count of consecutive non-conformances in that sub-functional area, and any identified trends. If the non-conformance has occurred previously or is an ongoing issue, a trend statement must be included to document the numbers of occurrences of the same non-conformance over a quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis.

· When a CAP is required by the COR/TPOC, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to the COR/TPOC within 5 business days of the initial request. This request shall be initiated by the COR/TPOC completing the top portion of the CAP (Attachment 4) and sending it to the Contractor electronically. The Contractor’s CAP shall provide detailed information regarding an explanation of what the non-conformance was, Root-Cause Analysis to determine the cause of the probable cause of the non-conformance, both Corrective/Preventive measures the Contractor will follow to correct the problem, and Roles and Responsibilities associated with correcting the non-conformance. The COR/TPOC will evaluate the CAP and accept the CAP if the evaluation determines the CAP should be successful. If the COR determines the CAP will not be successful or there is missing information, the COR/TPOC will return the CAP to the Contractor for re-work. The COR/TPOC shall provide this determination within 2 business days of receipt from the Contractor. The Contractor shall respond to any re-works from the COR/TPOC within 3 business days of receipt. The QAT will conduct surveillance on the accepted and implemented CAP to document the effectiveness of the CAP to correct the non-conformance. If through QA surveillance, non-conformances are continuing to be identified, the COR/TPOC will discuss with the Contractor and may request a revised CAP or evaluate the non-conformance to the Contracting Officer for other actions.

· The “COR Report” must be completed monthly basis and includes the completed COSR, APL Report, and any CAPs that were prepared during the surveillance reporting period as attachments. The COR/TPOC uploads and submits the COR Report and attachments in PIEE for the KO/AS review. The COR Report must be submitted NLT on the 10th day of the month following the reporting month. All document submissions must be electronic with the COR/TPOC retaining a copy for their records and file.

8. WORKFLOW

9. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/CONTRACT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

None

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

Technical Point of Contact (TPOC)

Attachments

1. Point of Contact Listing for this Contract

2. Contract Oversight Surveillance Report (COSR)

3. APL Report

4. Corrective Action Plan (CAP) - blank Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) (revised May 2025) Page | 4 image1.png image2.emf