A01.32_QASP-_Audio_Visual.pdf

QASP – SAT to $12.5M/COR

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVIELLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Audio Visual Support – CERB Meeting 9‐11 August 2016 Contractor:

W81EWF60972193

1. PURPOSE. This QASP is a Government developed document used to ensure that the Government receives quality services, and pays only for services actually provided. The QASP provides a systematic method to evaluate the services the Contractor is required to furnish.

2. SCOPE. The role of Government Quality Assurance is to ensure contract standards are achieved. The QASP provides guidelines and methods for the Government’s oversight of the Contractor’s quality control efforts to assure timely, effective services are provided IAW the contract/order. The Contractor, and not the Government, is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract.

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

Contracting Officer (KO) - A person duly appointed with the authority to enter into, administer and terminate contracts on behalf of the Government. The KO is the only person who can legally commit the Government and only the KO, as the Government’s agent, can modify the contract/order. The KO is the final authority for determining the adequacy of the Contractor’s performance. KO decisions arising under or relating to the contact are final.

Assigned KO: Robbie Beard Organization or Agency: Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Contracting Office (ECO) Telephone: 601-634-3296 Email: Robbie.Beard@usace.army.mil

Contract Specialist – The Contract Specialist acts as an acquisition consultant and serves as the liaison between the contractor and the KO.

Assigned Contract Specialist: TBD Organization or Agency: Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Contracting Office (ECO) Telephone:

Email:

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) – An individual designated in writing by the KO to perform specific technical and administrative functions within the scope and limitations of their written appointment (e.g., surveillance of Contractor’s performance, accept services). The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or authorize any changes to the order/contract or in any way obligate additional funds by the Government; such authority rests solely with the KO.

Assigned COR: Brenda Smith Organization or Agency: ERDC/CHL/MIO

Telephone: 601-634-3028 Email: Brenda.J.Smith@usace.army.mil

Quality Assurance Evaluator (QAE) - An individual designated by the requiring activity to assist the COR and provide technical oversight of the Contractor’s performance. The QAE’s primary duty is to monitor the Contractor’s performance by physically checking to see that tasks are completed, reports are submitted, and desired outcomes are achieved. When a surveillance observation results in an unacceptable evaluation, the QAE will report the unacceptable performance to the COR. The QAE is not authorized to direct work, offer advice on how the work should be performed, change the contract, or in any way obligate payment of funds by the Government.

QAE: Tanita S. Warren Organization or Agency: ERDC/CHL Telephone: 601-634-4933 Email: Tanita.S.Warren@usace.army.mil

4. METHODS OF SURVEILLANCE. Surveillance is performed by the Government to provide objective quality evidence that there is a reasonable level of confidence that the services provided by the Contractor have met all the requirements of the contract before authorizing payment.

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

Regardless of the surveillance method, the COR shall always contact the contractor's primary point of contact when a defect is identified and inform the point of contact of the specifics of the problem. The COR shall be responsible for monitoring the contractor’s performance in meeting a specific performance standard.

Desired Outcome

Required Service Performance Standard

Monitoring Method

Incentive/Disincentive For Meeting or Not Meeting the Acceptable Quality Level

Customer Satisfaction

Audio Visual is for CERB meeting (See

PWS)

90% satisfaction rate as determined by customer surveys

Monthly Assessments

Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory Rating in CPARS

Timeliness

Responsiveness to Government’s requirements and project requests

100% timely response to requirements and project requests.

Continual and random basis

Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory Rating in CPARS

Timely submission of Proper Invoices

Invoice Submission 100% submission of monthly invoices

Monthly Assessments

Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory Rating in CPARS

Successful R&D to support the mission

NA NA NA

NA

Periodic Inspection: Inspections are planned at specific intervals or dates as determined by the surveillance schedule. Periodic inspections will be performed regularly, yet randomly. Periodic inspections may be performed more frequently if the COR/QAE discovers the quality of the Contractor’s performance is less than acceptable.

5. RATINGS.

Metrics and methods are designed to determine if performance exceeds, meets, or does not meet a given PRS standard. 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.

6. DOCUMENTING PEFORMANCE.

The COR shall maintain proper files that contain all documentation pertaining the performance of each individual project under each task. The KO may, at any time, request an update on status from the COR.

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 and courtesy copy the KO.

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 primary or alternate point of contact.

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 contract payment deductions, fixed fee deductions, award fee nonpayment, or other actions deemed necessary by the KO.

7. SURVEILLANCE PROCEDURES.

a. The COR will develop a monthly schedule of surveillance activities based on the Performance Standards as outlined in the contract/order and PRS, as applicable. The surveillance outlined in the monthly schedule will be as detailed and in-depth as necessary to provide the Government with the objective quality evidence required to support acceptance of a monthly contract invoice. The schedule should provide periodic surveillance during all required hours of the Contractor’s operation including nights and weekends. The schedule is “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” and is not releasable to anyone other than authorized Government personnel. The schedule will identify the date of inspection, activity to be monitored, and who will conduct the surveillance (dates and times can be altered without a formal change to the schedule as long as all inspections are performed). The DA Form 5475-R, COR/QAE Surveillance Schedule, may be used for this purpose. The monthly schedule will be completed no later than seven calendar days prior to the beginning of the period it covers and a copy forwarded to the KO for information and review.

b. The COR/QAE will monitor performance in accordance with the schedule and will ensure all services required by the order/contract are successfully performed. All inspections will be documented and include as a minimum date and time, who performed the inspection, what was inspected and to what standard and the results. Successful or exceptional performance will be documented as well as deficiencies in Contractor performance. Documentation will be maintained for future reference, audit, and proof of inspection.

c. Emphasis will be placed on the adequacy of R&D carried out. The surveillance will be assigned either an acceptable or an unacceptable rating based on whether or not the observed R&D meets contract requirements. Any uncorrected unacceptable observation will result in an unacceptable rating, a corrective action request to the Contractor and notification to the KO.

d. The COR will notify the Contractor, each time an unacceptable observation has been recorded and ask the Contractor to correct the problem. The COR/QAE will record the contract requirement, the specific deficiency to the requirement, the date and time it was discovered, and have the Contractor initial the entry.

The Contractor will be given two working days after notification to correct the deficiency in accordance with requirements of the contract. Deficiencies that cannot be corrected within two working days will be reported to the Contracting Officer.

e. The COR will report more serious (systemic in nature) deficiencies or recurring deficiencies in the same area that could indicate a trend by using DA Form 5479-R, Contract Discrepancy Report (CDR). The CDR will state the Contract Requirement, the specific contract reference and the specific violation to the requirement. The COR will forward copies of CDR to the KO within one working day. The KO will notify the Contractor and request corrective action. The KO may require the Contractor to re-perform any services that do not meet contract requirements at no additional cost to the Government. The Contractor will return a copy of the completed and signed CDR to the KO for inclusion in the contract/order file.

f. The COR/QAE will re-inspect services that were found deficient to ensure corrections were made within the timeframe outlined in the contract or other agreed upon time . The COR/QAE will not consider the services complete until all deficiencies have been corrected. Contractor’s failure to complete corrective actions will be reported immediately to the KO for further action.

g. The COR/QAE will accept the services provided and authorize payment, typically on a monthly basis or upon satisfactory completion of the work. This is done by approving the Contractor’s invoice.

8. PERFORMANCE STANDARD. The performance standard, as set forth in the proposal and QASP, is the standard the Contractor must meet for a particular Performance Objective to be deemed acceptable.

The maximum degree of deviation from the requirement is the percent defective or the maximum number of defects per month that can be reached without the performance being considered overall unsatisfactory for a particular Performance Objective. Exceeding the number of defects or percent will cause the service to be deemed unsatisfactory.

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE FILE. The COR/QAE file shall contain:

a) Copy of the COR appointment letter from the KO, any changes to that letter, and any termination letters;

b) Training Certificates for COR; c) Copy of the contract and all contract modifications; d) Copy of the applicable Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP); e) Copy of the contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP); f) All correspondence initiated by authorized representatives (Contractor or Government) concerning performance of the contract; g) Names, position titles and contact information of all key personnel assigned to this contract both Government and Contractor; h) Monthly surveillance schedules & Surveillance Checklists; i) Records of all inspections performed and the results; j) Peer reviews of reports and articles; k) Memoranda for record of minutes of any meeting, telephone conversations and discussions with the contractor or others pertaining to the contract or contract performance; l) Documentation pertaining to acceptance of services, reports or data.

10. RECORDS. All records will be retained for the life of this contract.

11. CHANGES. The QASP is a living document and, as such, may be changed as needed. However, the KO must approve changes. The COR will submit recommended changes to the KO for approval.