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Quality Assurance
Plan Outline
Metters
Industries, Inc. is implementing a Quality Assurance Program (QAP)
for the DHS EAGLE Program to ensure that quality is integral to the
services we provide. Our QAP is modeled after our ISO 9001:2000
certified quality standards and tailored for the EAGLE Program. Our
QAP is administered by the Program Manager and designated Quality
Assurance (QA) Representative. The QA Representative is responsible
for qualifying and certifying QA Inspectors. We will assign a QA
Inspector for each Task Order (TO). As a part of our key QAP
components, Metters will be providing and performing the following
activities:
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Metters Quality Control Review/Audit Process:
The Metters QAP is ISO 9001:2000 registered. We have an
ongoing software engineering and development program externally
evaluated at Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability
Maturity Model (CMM) Level 3. Under our QA program process, Metters
is developing an EAGLE specific QA Plan using our ISO 9001:2000
Certified QAP as a baseline. We will modify it for contract specific
applications, verify applicability and suitability to meet all
government standards/requirements, and submit the QA plan to the DHS
EAGLE Program Manager for final approval.
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Documentation Process:
We will maintain the EAGLE “Lessons Learned” database and
make it available for review by the DHS personnel as needed. The QAP
will contain a documented procedure for the configuration management
of all files generated for inspections and corrective action plans.
The files will reside in the “Lessons Learned” repository, have
clearly identifiable names, be accessible by DHS for the duration of
the contract, and be maintained by specified personnel.
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Methods of Internal Review:
The
Metters QA Representative will implement a
periodic review schedule, and perform unscheduled audits according
to our documented procedure outlined in our QAP. The QA
Representative will work with the TO Program Manager and appropriate
task personnel to identify specific parameters that can be
quantified and measured. The QA Representative will assign employees
to independently review all processes, procedures, and documentation
relative to the services provided by Metters under this contract.
The assigned employees will be trained as collateral QA auditors and
any audits performed will not be related to work under their
purview. They will ensure that prescribed processes and procedures
are adhered to and that all equipment, supplies, materials, tools,
and documentation used are in compliance with established
maintenance, quality, and safety requirements. Audits will be
conducted at specified time frames according to schedule as well as
intermittently on an unscheduled basis.
All audits will be documented on the required audit form which at a
minimum includes the date and time of the audit, the auditor’s name
and title, the service being audited, and the results of the audit
including any discrepancies and recommendations. This information
will be entered into our QA database and a “Lessons Learned”
paradigm will be established to avoid repetition and identify
trends.
Metters utilizes a three-phase management approach that ensures
quality on every task order and throughout the DHS EAGLE Program.
v
Quality Planning – Establishing a
prioritized list of quality standards supporting the best methods to
meet and exceed the technical, schedule, and cost parameters for the
task order. This will include an evaluation of assigned personnel,
materials, and supplies to provide the highest quality solution.
v
Quality Assurance – Our Quality Team
will be an integral part of all TO efforts and will use our proven
QA policies and procedures to measure the overall TO
performance to ensure the TO efforts meet our quality standards.
v
Quality Control – Monitoring TO
performance for compliance with Quality Standards, reviewing
performance data, identifying trends/areas for improvement, and
taking proactive measures to eliminate unsatisfactory performance
and incorporate those measures into future task orders.
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Participants in the Review
Process: We
have assigned the Metters Chief Operating Officer (COO)
to participate in the QA review. He is responsible for line
performance of all Engineering and Support Service contracts. Our
ISO-9001:2000 series coordinator Mr. Eric Kovacsis is responsible
for monitoring progress on programs such as the ISO series of
standards and also monitors American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) standards development. Mr. Kovacsis will work closely with
our TO QA audit team to determine how to tailor our Quality
Assurance Manual (QAM) policies and procedures to best implement
total quality programs for specific programs. Quality will be
monitored and measured to evaluate employees, deliverables, services
and documentation during execution and determine how expectations
are achieved.
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Frequency of Review:
In addition, our process for each TO includes
identifying/certifying QA inspectors; software programming
inspectors; IV&V inspectors; IT support services inspectors as well
as administrative and clerical services inspectors. As part of our
ongoing effort to achieve consistency and high-quality services,
Metters provides training to all task area employees on quality
processes and procedures; implementation of task area quality
program processes and procedures inspections; identification of
deficiency and avoidance/corrections; and quality program records
management. Regular QA audits will be conducted monthly with at
least three (3) random (unscheduled) audits conducted per quarter.
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Identifying, Preventing
and Correcting Deficiencies:
During the course of the review/auditing process,
inspectors will use proper QAP procedures to aid in the
identifications of any deficiency, exhibited or predicted. The QA
representative, TO Manager, and appropriate Technical Personnel will
identify the root cause and implement a corrective action. The
corrective action will include a monitoring program to mitigate the
risk of a deficiency either occurring or recurring. All information
will be entered into the “Lessons Learned” database and will be a
mandatory reading for all maintenance and instructor personnel. Some
resolutions may require changes to processes and/or procedures and
relative technical data; equipment and/or hardware changes.
Resolutions that require other than internal action will be
forwarded to the TO Program Manager and to the appropriate DHS EAGLE
personnel such as the Program Manager for action determination.
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