How to Write a Quality Control Plan (QCP) — Part 1

Introduction

Quality Control Plan (QCP) is an important document for those hoping to secure a U.S. government contract.

A quality control plan is a document that ensures the safety and accuracy of a product. Quality control plans can be applied to any type of project, from building houses to developing new software.

A quality control plan’s main goal is to prevent errors in the production process. To do this, the quality control plan should identify

• potential problems, and
• create a plan to address them.

The plan should also identify the people/staff responsible for each step of the construction process, as well as the tools and equipment they will need.

Almost every contract offer must be accompanied by a QCP of one kind or the other since the Government wants to make sure that the contracting company knows what it’s doing and is in a position to maintain an acceptable level of quality control throughout the project.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER regarding Quality Control Plan

No two projects or QCPs are the same. Each contract bid is different and requires a different kind of QCP document, prepared according to unique specifications.

Although most QCPs share common features, there is no one single way to write a QCP document. Always follow the SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS of the Government agency in question to make sure that your SPECIFIC QCP meets all contract requirements.

The information presented here applies to a general stereotypical QCP document and may not reflect the specific requirements of any specific contract.

Every effort was made at the time of writing that the information provided here is truthful and represents the best information available.

However, the industry conditions and contract specifications change constantly. Thus the ultimate responsibility for the success or failure of any contract or QCP solely and firmly lies with the reader and the contracting company.

Make the necessary adjustments to the below document structure to draft a unique QCP document that exactly matches the contract requirements.

Quality Control Plan (QCP) Terminology

You need to be familiar with the Quality Control terminology in order to produce a Quality Control Plan that meets the governmental requirements and help you win that contract.

COR

COR stands for “Contracting Officer Representative.” Sometimes this person is also known as a “Procuring Contracting Officer” (PCO) or just “Point of Contact” (POC).

A COR or PCO is a Government employee (either military or civilian) in charge of the Contract. He or she is the THIRD in rank in the hierarchy of agency officer involved with the contract, following the Agency Head and the Contracting Officer. His or her name and contact information appear on the actual solicitation document; and sometimes that of the chief Contracting Officer as well (see example below).

COR [or PCO, or POC] is selected by the Contracting Officer (KO) to monitor a Contract and make sure that the Contractor delivers everything as promised and specified in the related documents, including the QCP. In this task COR is helped by the Administrative Contracting Officer and Termination Contracting Officer (see below) whose names are not listed on the solicitation document.

Each contract bid has its own COR [or PCO, or POC]. Make sure you locate the correct COR assigned to your procurement bid.

A COR is your best friend. Do not hesitate to call him or her for any questions that you may have concerning the bid.

NOTE: Throughout this presentation, we have used the terms “Government” and/or COR as the Contractor’s counterpart but keep in mind that you can prepare a QCP document for a private client, corporation, or non-profit group as well.

ACO and TCO

There are two other officers that should be aware of regarding your contract.

The Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) is responsible for such administrative tasks as assuring the receipt and quality of the contracted goods and services, keeping tabs on the contractor’s performance, and making sure that the contractor is paid upon satisfactory performance.

Termination Contracting Officer (TCO), as the name suggests, helps terminate the contract when the Contractor’s performance is not deemed satisfactory and reimburses any monies owed to the Contractor.

Contractor Quality Control Plan (CQCP)

Quality Control Plan (QCP) is sometimes referred to as Contractor Quality Control Plan (CQCP) as well, for example by U.S. Dept. of Transportation. Don’t be confused. They are basically the same document.

Main Components of a Quality Control Plan (QCP)

The quality control plan should be divided into five sections:

• Planning
• Procurement
• Production
• Testing
• Delivery

Each section should include subsections for the following:

– General information on the section

– The responsibilities of each staff member involved in that section of construction, including what tools and equipment they will need to perform their job

– A description of the specific steps each staff member must follow when carrying out their tasks

– An explanation of how the section will be tested

– The delivery process

Planning Section of Quality Control Plan

The planning section of the quality control plan should include:

– A description of the product/service being produced or constructed.

– The requirements for the product, including any specific standards that must be met.

– The production/construction schedule, including when each step of the project is scheduled to take place.

– A list of all equipment and tools that will be needed to finish the project or construct the product, including any special materials required for each part of the project.

– The name of the person responsible for completing each task in this section of the quality control plan

Procurement Section of Quality Control Plan

The procurement section should include:

– An explanation of how supplies will be obtained and delivered to the construction site

– A list of all suppliers and subcontractors involved in the project, as well as their contact information

– The specifications for each type of material or equipment to be procured, including the brand name, model number and dimensions

– The delivery schedule for each type of material or equipment

Production Section of Quality Control Plan

The production section should include:

– A list of all tasks that must be completed to finish the project or construct the product, as well as which staff members are responsible for each task

– A description of each step required to complete a task and any specific requirements or tools needed for the steps, such as prefabrication and prefitting.

– The order in which the tasks must be completed.

– A list of deadlines for each step in the project and whether or not any delays would be permitted.

Testing Section of Quality Control Plan

The testing section should include:

– The method for testing that will be used to ensure that the product meets its specifications, such as a checklist that all staff members must complete before they sign off on the completed product

– The means by which any problems found during testing will be communicated to all staff members responsible for that section of the project

Delivery Section of Quality Control Plan

The delivery section should include:

– A list of procedures that must be followed when notifying clients about delays or other changes in plans, as well as who is responsible for completing each task

– The schedule for notifying the client about any changes in plans, as well as who is responsible for completing each task

– Exactly how the finished product will be shipped to its destination

Page Layout of a Quality Control Plan (QCP) Document

PAGE SIZE

8.5″ (wide) X 11″ (long) is the most commonly used document size. Since that’s the standard paper size used by most printers, it’s also easier to print a QCP with those dimensions.

PAGE MARGINS

Leave a 1″ margin all around your page.

COLUMNS

I prefer a single-column format, with perhaps a 1″ left-sidebar for aesthetic effect and for any icons or explanatory notes to accompany the text.

HEADER

Separated from the main body of text by a horizontal rule: “Quality Control Plan by [company name] for [contract name] [contract number], Page Number”

FOOTER

Separated from the main body of text by a horizontal rule: “Proprietary and Confidential, Month-Year”

Main Structural Parts of a Quality Control Plan (QCP) Document

A QCP in general consists of the following structural parts:

• FRONT COVER
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Section 1. PURPOSE
• Section 2. AUTHORITY
• Section 3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES
• Section 4. SUBCONTRACTORS
• Section 5. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE
• Section 6. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
• Section 7. DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLES
• Section 8. DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE
• Section 9. PERFORMANCE RATINGS
• APPENDIX A – PERFORMANCE REPORT
• APPENDIX B – CONTRACT DISCREPANCY REPORT
• APPENDIX C – CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

We’ll explain each of these structural parts and provide an example as well.

FRONT COVER

Include the following components:

The TITLE “QUALITY CONTROL PLAN”.

Contract Number.  For example: “For DOD CONTRACT #JU9967-978-A-1234”

Contract Title. For example: “Washington Traffic Control Camera Center”

The Month and Year in which the QCP was prepared. For example: “August 2009”.

SUMMARY BLOCK

This block, preferably separated from the other visual elements of the Cover Page by rules, consists of the following components:

Contract Title (repeat from above)

Contract Number (repeat from above)

Contract Description: Describe the GOAL of the contract and what you are trying to achieve as a contract. Two or three sentences are sufficient.

For example:

Contractor’s Name: The name of your (Contractor) company.

For example: “Capital Contractors Inc. – hereafter referred to as the “Contractor”.”

The Name, Address, Contact and Web information of the contracting company.

For example:

” Capital Contractors Inc.

123 Main Street, Main City, State, 10001

Phone: (123) 555-1212

Fax: (123) 555-3434

Email: Contact@Capitalcontractors.com”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Make sure to include a Table of Contents at the beginning of your document for easy navigation through the QCP.

Section 1. PURPOSE

State the purpose of the contract proposal, followed by a brief bird’s eye view at what’s ahead.

For example:

“This Quality Control Plan (QCP) is developed by the Contractor to make sure that systematic quality assurance methods are used in the installation, configuration, and maintenance of the HD Traffic Control Cameras and the administration of the related Performance Based Service Contract (PBSC) standards included in this contract.”

“This QCP describes how the contractor will perform in accordance with performance metrics set forth in the contract documents, and make sure that the Government receives the quality of services called for in the contract.”

“This QCP explains the following:

• Who will deliver the contracted service? (Sections 3, 4)
• How will the Quality Control (QC) surveillance take place? (Section 5)
• What will QC be monitored? (Sections 6, 7)
• How will the QC surveillance efforts and results be documented and rated? (Sections 8, 9)”

Section 2. AUTHORITY

Explain in which section the “authority” to prepare this QCP is included.

For example:

” The authority for preparing this QCP is provided under Section E – Inspection and Acceptance of the PWS (Performance Work Statement) document, which provides for inspections and acceptance of the articles, services, and documentation called for in task orders to be accomplished by the Contracting Officer or his duly authorized representative.”

Section 3. CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES

Provides the Position, Name, and Contact Info of all the company representatives who will work on the contract and will represent the Contractor.

For example:

” a. Program Manager

Dr. John Smith

[Telephone]
[E-mail]

b. Hardware and Installation Manager

Melanie Manager

[Telephone]
[E-mail]

c. Other Contract Officials

Subramanyam Gopal

[Telephone]
[E-mail]

James White

[Telephone]
[E-mail]

Section 4. SUBCONTRACTORS

This section can be written in three different ways:

1. The Contractor delivers everything by its own resources and uses no subcontractors.
2. The Contractor uses subcontractors and lists their names, and perhaps even their qualifications.
3. The Contractor uses subcontractors but stops short of providing any concrete information about their identity.

I personally would recommend either the first option (if there are no subcontractors) or the third option (if there are any).

REMEMBER: providing more information than necessary more often than not leads to new questions or even problems. If you are not specifically asked to provide detailed information on your subcontractors, don’t.

For example (no subcontractors):

“The Contactor has the organizational structure, experience and ability to deliver this project by using its own resources, without any subcontractors.”

Or (subcontractors):

The Contractor has the organizational structure and ability to augment its key staff quickly to meet the dynamic requirements of any project. When there is a need to pull in additional human resources into the workflow, the Contractor utilizes its in-place pool of qualified subcontractors to make sure that all QC standards are met without any compromise and always on time.”

Section 5. METHODS OF QA SURVEILLANCE (QASP)

This is an important component of any QCP document since it presents the methods with which Quality Assurance (QA) will be guaranteed.

You need to be very clear about such methods. I recommend you brainstorm all possible “surveillance methods” with project principals and draw up a list. Then provide details about each method.

For example, let’s say you’ll use CUSTOMER FEEDBACK as a QA Surveillance Method. It’s not enough to mention this method and leave it at that. You also need to be clear about details like what constitutes a “feedback”, how you will gather it, and who will handle it.

For example:

“The Contractor will use the surveillance methods listed below to administer the QASP (Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan):

Customer Feedback

1. This will be obtained either from the results of formal customer satisfaction surveys (see Appendix C) or from random customer complaints.
2. Customer complaints, to be considered valid, must set forth clearly and in writing the detailed nature of the complaint, must be signed and forwarded to the Program Manager.
3. The Program Manager will maintain a summary log of all formally received customer complaints as well as a copy of each complaint in a documentation file.
4. The Program Manager will also keep the tabulated results of all customer satisfaction surveys (see Appendix C) on file and shall enter the summary results into the Surveillance Activity Checklist.”

Other QA Surveillance Methods

Here are some other QA surveillance methods you may include in this section:

“100% Inspection

1. This level of inspection will be accomplished by automated monitoring and documentation features built into the [application name] software package.
2. Each month, the Project Manager, or if so designated the appropriate Technical Monitor, will review the generated documentation and enter summary results into the Surveillance Activity Checklist.

Periodic Inspection

1. Periodic inspections will be conducted if and when specified in individual task orders.
2. For the potential tasks that have been identified in the QASP, the appropriate Technical Monitor will perform the periodic inspection on a monthly basis.

Random Monitoring

1. Random monitoring will be conducted if and when specified in individual task orders.
2. For the potential tasks that have been identified in the QASP, the random monitoring will be performed by the Project Manager or COR.
3. Regardless of the surveillance method, the Contractor shall always contact the contractor’s Task Manager or on-site representative when a defect is identified and inform the manager of the specifics of the problem.”

Section 6. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS (PWS)

This is also an important section since it defines criteria by which the Contractor’s performance will be evaluated by the Government department or agency in question.

This section should be prepared after examining the Performance Work Statement (PWS) issued by the Government agency.

PWS document contains a Performance Requirements Summary Matrix which specifies what kind of performance is expected from the Contractor.

This section is a “reply” to the “questions” posed by the PWS. The Government specifies what kind of performance is expected from the Contractor in PWS.

The Contractor affirms that it’s going to satisfy those performance expectations by including a SURVEILLANCE METHOD column by which the performance goals will be verified.

The Government uses this section to determine if the service provided by the Contractor meets its specific Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) criteria or not. Without this section, such a determination would not be possible. Thus it pays to be careful when completing the Performance Requirements Summary Matrix (which is a table) in this section.

Performance Requirements Summary Matrix

Here are two samples :

 Table 1 – Performance Requirements Summary Matrix, SAMPLE 1

Task	Desired Outcome	Contractor Service	Performance Standard	Performance Incentive	Surveillance Method
1	Satisfactory staff support that complies with the requirements of the PWS	Contractor will provide qualified personnel to install and maintain the camera systems as identified in the PWS.	97% compliance with the PWS for all personnel requirements	Good performance will be documented and will be evaluated prior to exercising each option.	Maintain and review trouble logs. Contractor submits monthly reports to COR.
2	Support that is transparent to the Government. Continuous Support in compliance with the PWS	Software Support that complies with the PWS whether contractor designed, developed or supplied by third parties.	97% Successful operation or a maximum 2% down time per month.	Good performance will be documented and will be evaluated prior to exercising each option.	Maintain and review trouble logs. Contractor submits monthly reports to COR.
3	Support that is transparent to the Government. Continuous Support in compliance with the PWS	Hardware Support that complies with the PWS	97% Successful operation or a maximum 2% down time per month.	Good performance will be documented and will be evaluated prior to exercising each option.	Maintain and review trouble logs. Contractor submits monthly reports to COR.
4	Develop a Training Plan and Identify personnel trained per month	Train personnel as required in the PWS	Contractor will develop a plan that will ensure all personnel requiring training receives training	Good performance will be documented and will be evaluated prior to exercising each option.	Maintain and review trouble logs. Contractor submits monthly reports to COR.
5	Documentation, reports, coordination and deadlines	Customer Service	Complete, update, and provide IAW (in accordance with) the PWS when applicable	Good performance will be documented and will be evaluated prior to exercising each option	Maintain and review trouble logs. Contractor submits monthly reports to COR.

 

Table 2 – Performance Requirements Summary Matrix, SAMPLE 2

Task	Task Description	Performance Indicator	Performance Measurement	Surveillance Method
1.1	Clean the bathrooms on Floors 3, 4 and 7	Cleanliness	There should be foul odor in bathrooms and floors should be clean of all debris and paper.	Clean-up log filled hourly by the janitors and reviewed weekly by the Contractor.
1.2	Maintain the front and back lawns of the Main Office Building	Curb appeal	Lawn grass should not be higher than 1 inch at any time.	Spot check of lawn grass height. Verify weekly lawn mowing log.
1.3	Prepare students for SAT Math Test	Academic success	At least 68% of students should get a SAT Math score of 700 or above.	Student SAT result records updated and verified quarterly by the Project Manager.
1.4	Serving Thanksgiving dinner for 6,000 personnel at Location Alpha	Personnel satisfaction with Thanksgiving dinner	An average satisfaction level of 7 out of 10.	Conduct a Post Dinner Survey among the personnel that participate in the Thanksgiving Dinner and generate a  report.
Etc.	Etc.	Etc.	Etc.	Etc.

 

Don’t forget: these are just samples.  Modify them in any way that’s necessary to comply with the specific PWS in question.

(Continues in Part 2)

Wikipedia Commons Image Credits:

• Deutsche Fotothek‎, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6390260, via Wikipedia
• CV Duta Perdana, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Laval University, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Coyau / Wikimedia Commons
• Ionessi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons