Quality Assurance Technical Manual for WO-LT-0090: Interim Quality Assurance, Monitoring, and Evaluation Services

The objectives of the QA Program are to identify, define, and assure the application of corrective actions to issues that may negatively affect the project, and to assure that equipment, systems, and structures are constructed and/or fabricated in accordance with approved quality assurance/quality control plans and the requisite specifications, standards, and codes. The Quality Assurance Technical Manual (QTAM) serves as the work plan that supports the Quality Assurance Plan. It provides detailed audit procedures, data management, organizational roles and responsibilities, reporting requirements, and a detailed audit plan. The QTAM is a supplement to the Quality Assurance Plan and provides a more detailed description for the specific tasks, activities, policies, and procedures necessary for AESP to assure PTEC construction meets international standards and quality. The QTAM establishes specific audit categories in the following functional areas: pre-construction categories, construction contract required plans, design and drawing reviews, field observations, testing, environmental compliance, review of quality control procedures, health and safety oversight, schedule reviews, invoice reviews, factory quality assurance, site quality assurance, and regular reporting to USAID. Tetra Tech is aware that quality and compliance cannot be "inspected in" to a product, and therefore, quality must be built into the product or service and controlled by the Contractor. Clear communication between Tetra Tech, the contracting entities, and stakeholders is a prerequisite to success. Clear communication and cooperation will allow Tetra Tech AESP to provide a high level of assurance to the client that projects are being constructed within the approved schedule, budget, and with the requisite quality. The QTAM is developed to function as work instructions for the specific QA/audit activities Tetra Tech will perform under AESP long-term Work Order 0090 (WO-LT-0090). The organizational roles and responsibilities are outlined in the QTAM, including the roles of the Chief of Party, Technical Support Manager, and Energy Program Director. The document management section of the QTAM outlines the roles and responsibilities for receiving, reviewing, and returning submittals, as well as the use of an electronic document management system. The electronic document management system overview section of the QTAM describes the capabilities, workflow, file structure, file naming and codes, and licensed users. The QTAM also includes a table of contents, acronyms, and a disclaimer stating that the author's views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. The Afghanistan Engineering Support Program is a contract between Tetra Tech, Inc. and the United States Agency for International Development, with a contract number of EDH-I-00-08-00027-00 and a task order number of 01. The program is focused on providing quality assurance services to oversee the Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity program in Afghanistan.