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PURPOSE:
The purpose of this document is to establish standard procedures for quality
assurance processes and activities that are integral with projects managed by
Engineering Management Concepts (EMC).
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DEFINITION:
A Quality Assurance Program is defined as the policies, objectives and
procedures established by senior management for the application of quality
processes to all operations. In addition, the quality assurance program
includes the documents at all levels of the company such as quality manuals,
standard quality policy, quality assurance plans, standard operating
procedures, and quality assurance project plans which establish criteria for
how EMC does business.
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RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 EMC's senior
management has overall responsibility for establishing the policies and
objectives for the EMC Quality Assurance Program and assuring that all
associates understand and implement appropriate quality program standards in
their work.
3.2 Company
executives and Program Managers are responsible for the implementation of all
applicable quality elements in project operations. These responsibilities
include:
3.2.1
Implementation of quality policy, objectives, and procedures.
3.2.2
Maintaining records of the evaluation and approval of supplier quality
programs.
3.2.3 Assisting
and supporting operations on achieving accreditations, certifications, client
approvals, and similar recognitions of qualification to perform work.
3.2.4 Evaluating
and clarifying proposal and project quality requirements
3.2.5 Assisting
in the preparation of project quality documents.
3.2.6 Assessing,
as appropriate, project conformance to quality criteria.
3.2.7 Aiding in
the formulation of corrective action plans.
3.2.8 Assisting
in measuring client satisfaction and determining trends.
3.2.9 Advising
senior management on quality process status and making recommendations for
improvements.
3.3 Program
Managers are responsible for implementing the required quality programs and
thus for the overall quality of their projects. Program Managers will ensure
that their team members are aware of project quality requirements and that
they have been properly trained.
3.4 EMC
employees, at all levels, are responsible for following the quality policies
and procedures established by EMC.
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PROCEDURES
4.1 Project
quality management starts with understanding the clients for whom we provide
services. The Program Manager will ensure that the project team understands
the client's quality requirements, which may include
accreditation/certification to specific quality program, compliance with
documented standards, or unique criteria associated with the client's
supplier qualification program. Some key quality management elements include
the project team’s:
4.1.1 Knowledge
of the EMC Quality Assurance Program, including the project specific Quality
Assurance Plan and Procedures
4.1.2 Thorough
understanding of the client's quality criteria.
4.2 The first
step in the project will be development of a detailed project work plan, which
includes identification of those risks which may cause deviation from expected
scope, schedule, budget, or level of quality, and specific quality objectives
and measures to deal with those identified concerns, including the specific
quality assurance and/or quality control requirements. Client participation in
the planning phase will be sought. A quality assurance project plan and
quality control plan/checklist will be prepared, as appropriate.
4.3 If there
are special client requirements for quality, the Program Manager will ensure
that the quality assurance project plans are revised to include all additional
project quality elements that are needed to perform the work for that client.
In addition the Program Manager will ensure that the project team has reviewed
the client requirements for quality and is prepared to implement those
requirements.
4.4 The project
team will also evaluate any quality requirements, which may be necessary due
to legal or regulatory conditions associated with the work to be performed.
The potential client may or may not be aware of these quality criteria. If the
client is not aware of these conditions, EMC shall provide the information to
the client as a part of the proposal preparation activities
4.5 Once it has
been determined that EMC is capable of meeting all of the client's project
requirements, a proposal will be prepared and submitted. In the proposal, EMC
will commit to meeting the client’s requirements or, if unable, will clearly
define any deviation from the client's request. An alternative proposal may be
appropriate if EMC has a strategy by which the client's requirements can met
in a more cost-effective manner. Any alternative proposal will be based on a
clear understanding of the client's needs and will appropriately address their
specific requirements.
4.6 After award,
and as the project advances into the execution phase, the Program Manager will
maintain close communications with his/her team. Team members often have
direct contact with the client and the client's representatives, and these
contacts are important for project quality management and client satisfaction.
4.7 A central
EMC principle of client-focused project management is that there will be "no
surprises" for the client. When project changes or problems occur, this
information, including any proposed corrective actions, will be promptly and
clearly communicated to the client. The client's concurrence with the selected
course of action is essential. The Program Manager will keep the project team
informed and require that each member of the project team advise the Program
Manager immediately of any potential changes in the team member’s scope,
schedule, budget, or level of quality. This will allow the Program Manager to
advise the client in a timely fashion.
4.8 The Project
Manager will plan, at the inception of the project, when to periodically
assess the quality elements of the project to confirm that all of the client's
quality requirements are being met. The Program Manager will then follow that
plan during project progress. In the case of a major project, the project may
include a person who is specifically assigned to oversee the defined quality
assurance/quality control activities.
4.9 The goal of
all project activities, including quality management, is to fulfill client
needs and objectives and to achieve client satisfaction. The deliverable
document to the client, whether a report, an analysis and recommendation, or
some other product, will be accurate, complete, understandable, professionally
presented, on time, and within budget. Every piece of data, measurement,
calculation, observation, determination, test, or other information leading up
to a final report will be verified for accuracy before it is included in the
report. In addition, the quality management techniques of peer review and/or
third person proof reading will be utilized prior to issuing a deliverable.
4.10 Quality
management continues after the client has received the project deliverable.
The client will be contacted as soon as possible after delivery to confirm
that the deliverable was received in acceptable condition and to determine
whether the client has any questions. If the client has received and reviewed
the deliverable, the Program Manager will determine the client's level of
satisfaction. If the client has not sufficiently reviewed the deliverable to
determine degree of satisfaction, the Project Manager will schedule a
follow-up call/visit for when the client's review has been completed. If the
client has questions or concerns with the project, associated deliverable, or
invoices, immediate action will be taken to understand and, if possible,
resolve the questions/concerns. The Program Manager will take the initiative
and lend all efforts to improving the level of client satisfaction.
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RECORDS/DOCUMENTATION
5.1 Project records must be comprehensive, complete, defendable, readily
available, and retained per company criteria, regulatory requirements and/or
mutual agreement with the client.
5.2 The level of
client satisfaction with a project will be documented and used as a reference
for future communications with the client on the current or new projects. In
addition, the
client's
comments will used for the improvement of EMC’s processes and/or services.
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