6.Quality_Assurance_Surveillance_Plan.docx

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan For U.S. Army Public Health Center (APHC)

1. PURPOSE

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) provides a standard of surveillance for U.S. Army Public Health Center (APHC) analytical services support of Organic, Inorganic and Microbiological sample analysis and a systematic approach for conducting surveillance over the performance aspects of the effort. The QASP is for the use of government Quality Assurance (QA) personnel to insure contract standards are being met. For the purposes of this effort, the applicable QA representative is the Government Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

The QASP provides a systematic method to evaluate the services that the Contractor is required to furnish, but not the details of how the Contractor accomplishes the work. This plan uses inspection as the primary evaluation criteria. This surveillance assures the Government that the Contractor’s performance is acceptable.

Any noncompliance with contract performance is deemed “sub par”. The term “sub par” refers to a support service that does not meet the standard of performance specified in the contract. The Contractor, not the Government, is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. The methods of surveillance recognize that unforeseen and uncontrollable problems do occur. Effective management and use of a quality control plan will allow the Contractor to operate within the specified surveillance requirements. QA personnel are expected to be objective, fair, and consistent in evaluating the Contractor’s performance against the standards.

2. PROCEDURES

2.1 Quality Assurance Schedule

The Contractor’s performance will be evaluated with scheduled verification check with every sample shipment. If the Contractor’s performance during the base year is considered satisfactory, then the Government intends to award the option year.

2.2 Surveillance

All surveillance inspections made by the COR (USAPHC QA representative) will include examination of the Data Package and EDD deliverables for each sample delivery group to determine quality standards have been met, the package was received on time and is technically complete. It will also include the accuracy of the invoice submitted for each group. Any unacceptable deliverables will be documented by the COR and communicated to the contract or for immediate resolution. Documentation will record the Contractor’s past performance. This documentation becomes the official Government record of the Contractor’s performance.

When surveillance detects unacceptable service, the COR will record the information and request the Contractor to verify via email the unacceptable service. The Contractor will be required submit corrective actions, alleviating the unacceptable performance. The results will be documented.

3. UNACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE

When performance is deemed unacceptable, the COR will inform the Contractor POC for the situation to be addressed. If actions are not initiated to rectify the poor performance, the COR will inform the Contracting Officer and the management of the Contract Laboratory for further action.

The COR will notify the Contracting Officer of sub par performance. If any services do not conform to contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to re perform the contract requirements at no increased cost to the Government. When sub-par performance cannot be corrected by re-performance the Government may:

· Require the Contractor to take action necessary to ensure future performance conforms to contract requirements.

· Reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed. Per the terms identified in the contract.

If the Contractor fails to promptly re-perform the services, or to take the necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements, the Government may:

· By separate contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the Contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service or:

· Issue a Cure Notice

· Issue a Show Cause Notice

· Terminate the contract for Convenience

· Terminate the contract for Default

4. SURVEILLANCE GUIDE

The QASP Surveillance Guide defines the performance objective and shows the pertinent portion of the Performance Work Statement, the Performance Threshold and the Government’s Method of Surveillance for this contract.

Contract Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Service

Contractor will analyze samples within 15 calendar days of receipt (Standard)

· Track time and date of sample receipt in the lab and time and date of receipt of final report at USAPHC

Scheduled Verification Check with every sample shipment

Contractor will analyze samples within 8 calendar days of receipt (High Priority)

· Track time and date of sample receipt in the lab and time and date of receipt of final report at APHC

Scheduled Verification Check with every sample shipment

Contractor will analyze samples within 5 calendar days of receipt (High Priority)

· Track time and date of sample receipt in the lab and time and date of receipt of final report at APHC

Scheduled Verification Check with every sample shipment

Technically Acceptable Report and Electronic Data Deliverable (EDD)

· Monitor reports and electronic data results for each project set

Scheduled Verification Check with every sample shipment

Certifications and accreditations