FAR 37.604—Quality assurance surveillance plans.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 37.604 addresses quality assurance surveillance plans, or QASPs, in service contracting. It points readers to subpart 46.4 for the detailed requirements governing both quality assurance and QASPs, and it establishes a basic policy choice for the Government: the agency may either prepare the QASP itself or require offerors to submit a proposed QASP for the Government to use as a starting point in developing the final Government plan. In practice, this section matters because the QASP is the Government’s roadmap for monitoring contractor performance and verifying that services meet contract requirements. It helps ensure the Government knows what it will inspect, how often it will inspect, what performance standards apply, and how it will document results. For contractors, this section signals that surveillance expectations may be shaped during the solicitation and proposal stage, not only after award. For contracting officers and program staff, it reinforces that the QASP is a planning tool tied to the broader quality assurance framework in FAR subpart 46.4, rather than a standalone requirement with its own detailed procedures in this section.
Key Rules
Subpart 46.4 controls
The detailed requirements for quality assurance and quality assurance surveillance plans are not stated here; they are found in FAR subpart 46.4. Users must look there for the substantive rules on how quality assurance is structured and implemented.
Government may prepare QASP
The Government may develop the quality assurance surveillance plan itself. This allows the agency to define surveillance methods, performance checks, and documentation practices based on the contract’s needs.
Offerors may submit proposed QASP
The Government may require offerors to submit a proposed QASP as part of the solicitation process. The Government can then consider that proposal when developing its own final plan.
Proposed QASP is advisory
If offerors submit a proposed QASP, it is for the Government’s consideration in developing the Government’s plan. The section does not say the offeror’s plan becomes binding or automatically adopted.
Responsibilities
Government / Agency
Determine whether to prepare the QASP internally or request proposed QASPs from offerors. Use the requirements in FAR subpart 46.4 to develop the final surveillance approach and ensure the plan supports effective monitoring of contract performance.
Contracting Officer
Decide, in coordination with the acquisition team, whether the solicitation should require a proposed QASP. Ensure the final contract administration approach aligns with FAR subpart 46.4 and that the Government’s surveillance plan is suitable for the services being acquired.
Offerors
If the solicitation requires it, prepare and submit a proposed QASP for the Government’s review and consideration. The proposal should help inform the Government’s surveillance planning, but it is not itself the final Government plan unless adopted.
Contractor
After award, perform in accordance with the contract requirements that will be monitored under the Government’s QASP. Be prepared for the Government to use surveillance methods and performance measures established under FAR subpart 46.4.
Practical Implications
This section is short, but it is important because it tells agencies they have flexibility in how they build surveillance planning for service contracts.
A common pitfall is treating the offeror’s proposed QASP as if it automatically controls contract administration; the regulation says it is only for Government consideration.
Contracting officers should make sure the solicitation clearly states whether a proposed QASP is required and how it will be used.
Contractors should understand that surveillance expectations may be influenced during proposal preparation, so a weak or generic proposed QASP can hurt competitiveness or fail to shape the Government’s final plan.
Because the real requirements are in FAR subpart 46.4, users should not rely on this section alone when designing or evaluating a QASP.
Official Regulatory Text
Requirements for quality assurance and quality assurance surveillance plans are in subpart 46.4 . The Government may either prepare the quality assurance surveillance plan or require the offerors to submit a proposed quality assurance surveillance plan for the Government’s consideration in development of the Government’s plan.