The MIL SeaPort-e Quality Assurance (QA) Plan

The goal of our QA Plan is to produce quality deliverables the first time, every time. While we expect to consistently produce quality deliverables, there will always be room for improvement. Towards this end we have implemented a continuous improvement program that results in documented procedures for all levels of performance.

Our approach to quality assurance is closely related to our corporate wide implementation of Carnegie Mellon's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) Level 2. This ensures the delivery of quality products on time and with consistency. Central to our approach of managing our projects is the development and structure of repeatable processes. All functions that are repetitively performed are documented as a repeatable process to be performed every time.

Our formal, documented QA Plan is designed to maximize quality and minimize rework. It includes repeatable processes as well as quality checklists. Each deliverable is checked for form, format, and technical content prior to final delivery. Each time a given process is performed, the user follows a checklist for that process to verify proper completion of each of the various steps. At various points during the process a third-party QA check is performed to verify that the procedure has been followed correctly.

Central to our QA Plan is the concept of establishing performance standards and measuring performance. We accomplish this for each task by determining, up front with the customer, the standards of performance – along with incentives and penalties – and how they will be measured. This will greatly assist in the conversion to fixed-price, performance-based task orders. In essence, we will:

• Establish metrics.
• Measure Progress.
• Validate performance.

Weekly and/or monthly reports are provided for each task to the COR or TPOC. These reports will provide cost, schedule and performance data, as well as quality data such as problem areas, recommended solutions, and risk mitigation.

Before we submit any deliverable, a senior qualified person checks the form, format and technical content. Once submitted to the customer, MIL solicits feedback on our quality, timeliness and performance. This feedback is a critical part of the process by which MIL can improve the quality of the deliverable. Deficiencies and deviations in performance are compared against our repeatable processes so that corrections can be made in order to repeat our successes and improve our future performance.

Each Seaport-e task order will have a QA Plan specific to that task. This Task QA Plan will tailor our overall MIL QA Plan, as well as our SeaPort-e QA Plan, to task-specific requirements. Task QA Plans serve as a reference point for QA audits and reviews. Each Task QA Plan will include:

• Clear task description.
• Schedule and format of periodic task reviews.
• Task Order technical and QA requirements.
• Project responsibilities and lines of reporting.
• Task/subtask schedules and milestones.
• Task Order deliverables and metrics, including acceptance criteria
• Unique project requirements specified in the Task Order.

We believe that in order to truly ingrain quality throughout the organization, accountability for quality must start at the top of the organization. Our senior corporate leadership is directly responsible for our QA program and oversees all aspects of it. All MIL personnel are evaluated on their QA activities annually.

Our management approach is designed to resolve problems as soon as they arise in order to mitigate the need for customer action. Should the customer desire to take action, we maintain flexible options for the customer to interact with our management team. The customer has the flexibility to communicate directly at any level of our organization using designated points of contact without going through a hierarchy of managers. Each MIL Task Manager is able to contact the appropriate team member if problems arise. Resolution includes internal communication within the management team to ensure the attention of the appropriate management level and to document and communicate lessons learned.

We are committed to ensuring that our subcontractors maintain the same high standard of quality. MIL will ensure all subcontractors comply with our QA Plan through regularly scheduled meetings with our teammates to address quality issues on awarded task orders. Where we integrate our teammates on a Task Order, we will ensure that our teammates are fully trained in our quality processes and procedures. Our subcontractors will be held to the same high standards as our employees, they will be trained in our QA processes, and they will have incentives to maximize quality.