Next Wave Systems, LLC Quality Assurance Plan Continued...

Contract Performance Monitoring

NWS uses procedures, automated tools and a proactive management philosophy to track productivity on projects, defects in deliverables, and overall project performance. In our quality assurance efforts, NWS strives to achieve 100 percent customer satisfaction by applying metrics to contract performance through accounting and project management, service delivery, and quality-assured product deliverables. Metrics are quantitative indicators that measure various parameters and characteristics that can be used as performance indicators. Through metrics we report, review, calculate, record, and revise contract performance indicators to include scheduling, labor resources, and delivery parameters. We develop and apply metrics to rank and evaluate our responsiveness to proactively manage projects. We utilize and refine our delivery approach by efficiently and effectively using quality-tested standard operating procedures, implementation plans, and checklists. Our QAP review process for contract hardware, software, drawing and data deliverables ensures that our customers receive what they, want when they want it - the first time, every time. Contract Performance through Accounting and Project Management

NWS utilizes procedures and automated tools to track, monitor, manage and perform Quality Assurance (QA) on contract productivity, deliverables, and performance. The Project Manager performs a QA function at least monthly, reviewing all corporate contracts and recording contract performance metrics used to quantitatively assess the success of a contract in terms of productivity, deliverables, and overall performance. We employ a proactive management philosophy in which we maximize the use of automated network management tools to discover and correct trouble areas before they become serious problems to be reactively addressed.

Internally, NWS's financial and accounting system uses an electronic timesheet database, travel, payroll, and human resources data to facilitate the development of tailored reports and queries.

Approach to Problem Resolution

It is NWS’s philosophy that virtually all major difficulties and problem areas are preventable. If risk analysis is performed correctly with mitigation actions "in place" and there is a management focus on anticipating a problem area, analyzing the potential weaknesses and root causes, and applying change to achieve mitigation, then recovery in performance, cost or schedule is achievable. However, no human being, organization or company is perfect. NWS realizes that problems can occur, in different levels of severity, and employs solutions that meet not only the company's high standards but also the customer's expectations. Good customer service provider communications are key to identifying what is going well, but also what, if anything is not going well and needs attention.

Our Project Managers work directly on the projects that they manage, supervising their employees in the same workspaces. They also have daily interface with acquisition-related tasks, suspense dates, and work products. Our managers are able to identify a problem immediately and take corrective action. They are also trained to anticipate a shortcoming before it becomes a major difficulty, and take corrective action whether it is personnel or resource related.

In summary, we use procedures, automated tools, and a proactive management philosophy to track productivity on contracts, defects in deliverables, and overall contract performance. The procedures are supported by the NWS Project Manager, and corporate systems and staff. Our proactive management philosophy and implementations identify and correct trouble before they become reactive problem areas and jeopardize 100% successful project completion.