A01_QASP.doc

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

FOR

Commercial Services Contract: Autoclave Maintenance Contractor: TBD

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.

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.

4. METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE. Simplified methods of surveillance will be used by the Government to evaluate contractor performance. The primary methods of surveillance are periodic assessments of service and customer feedback.

Periodic Assessment of Services –The COR will ensure that semi-annual maintenance will be performed on the fifty-one autoclaves specified in Attachment A of the contract. The COR will conduct a visual inspection randomly to ensure trafficking of humans does not occur.

Customer Feedback – Customer feedback is typically obtained via telephone, in person or email. Telephonic customer complaints must be followed up in writing/email. To be considered valid, the customer complaint must clearly articulate the nature of the complaint, time, date, etc. The COR will investigate the complaint; if determined valid, the COR will advise the KO and the Contractor of the deficiency. Copies of valid complaints and the resolution must be retained in the official contract file.

5. SURVEILLANCE PROCEDURES.

a. The COR will randomly visually evaluate the Contractor’s performance of preventive maintenance on specific equipment. COR will review data recorded on forms from contractor when received by email. COR will ensure that the work is performed by properly trained and certified individuals by requesting training and certification paperwork from contractor. The COR will randomly ask customers for feedback on contractor’s performance and to confirm that two contractor personnel were available to enter the laboratory and that contractors entering the BSL-3 laboratory followed proper PPE entry procedures.

b. The COR will confirm that the contractor responded within 24 hours of customer notification of corrective (unscheduled) maintenance by customer feedback. The COR shall approve all repair parts prior to work being accomplished and will confirm this was done since the invoices will be received and approved by the COR.

c. The COR will ensure by visual inspection the trafficking of humans does not occur.

d. If at any time the COR receives indicators (e.g., valid customer complaints) that the Contractor’s performance is less than acceptable, the COR will investigate to determine if this is a onetime issue that has been promptly corrected, or if the discrepancy is systemic in nature. .

e. The COR will notify the Contractor if an unacceptable observation has been recorded and ask the Contractor to correct the problem. The COR 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.

f. The COR will re-examine services that were found deficient. Failure to complete corrective actions will be reported immediately to the KO for further action.

g. Upon satisfactory completion of the work, the COR will accept the services provided and authorize payment, by approving the Contractor’s invoice in Wide Area Workflow.

6. SURVEILLANCE STANDARD.

The Performance Standard set forth in the PWS is the standard the Contractor must meet for services to be deemed acceptable. Generally, under commercial services contracts, the Government is relying on the Contractor’s assurances that the services conform to contract requirements. Consistent with FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions, (a) Inspection and Acceptance, the Contractor shall only tender for acceptance those services that conform to the requirements of the contract/order. The Government may require re-performance of nonconforming services at no increase in contract price. The Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of nonconforming services. In no case shall the Government’s right to inspect services under the inspection provisions of the contract be prejudiced.

7. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE FILE. The COR file should contain:

a) Copy of the COR appointment letter from the KO, any changes to that letter, and any termination letters; b) Training Certifications for COR; c) Copy of the contract and all contract modifications; d) Copy of the applicable Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP); e) All correspondence initiated by authorized representatives (Contractor or Government) concerning performance of the contract; f) Surveillance Checklists; g) Records of all inspections performed and the results; h) Customer Feedback; i) Memoranda for record of minutes of any meeting, telephone conversations and discussions with the contractor or others pertaining to the contract or contract performance; j) Documentation pertaining to acceptance of services, reports or data.

8. RECORDS: All records will be retained for the life of this contract. The COR will forward these records to the KO upon completion of the contract/order.

9. 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.