Question: What if the agency does not have a plan Response: In all cases, the agency must for resolution within five (5) working days? have a finalized plan in place for each new finding and recommendation within thirty (30) calendar days of the delivery of the QA report. Question: What document category should be Response: The document category is “Agency selected when posting the response to QA agency’s Response”. QA Findings to the Dashboard? Question: Why does the new policy require that my Response: It does not. The QA provider must QA provider be procured externally? be independent. This means that the QA provider(s) report outside the project management organizational structure, generally to the project's Executive Sponsor and the State CIO. Question: my IV&V contract provide the Response: In Washington state government, Doesn’t necessary QA services? per the definition of Project “independent QA”, independent Project QA is considered different than product or technical quality assurance which might include testing and other independent verification and validation activities. Question: Do I have to wait for my Investment Plan Response: No. QA provides value to the very to be approved before I procure QA services? early stages of a project, while you develop your Investment Plan. In fact, because the Investment Plan cannot be approved without a readiness assessment, the sooner a QA provider is obtained, the better. Question: If the Investment Plan has already Answer: If QA is actively engaged on the been approved, do we need to go back and project and already providing monthly reports, complete a readiness assessment? then no. However, if QA has not yet engaged, they will need to complete a readiness assessment at the start of their engagement. Based on the results of the readiness assessment, an amendment to the Investment Plan may be necessary. Question: Does the QA provider doing the Answer: No. While it may be beneficial to have readiness assessment have to be the same as the this continuity, it is not a requirement. QA provider performing ongoing project QA
Question: What if the agency does not have a plan for resolution within five (5) working days? Response: In all cases, the agency must have a finalized plan in place for each new finding and recommendation within thirty (30) calendar days of the delivery of the QA report. Question: What document category should be selected when posting the agency’s response to QA Findings to the Dashboard? Response: The document category is “Agency QA Response”. Question: Why does the new policy require that my QA provider be procured externally? Response: It does not. The QA provider must be independent. This means that the QA provider(s) report outside the project management organizational structure, generally to the project's Executive Sponsor and the State CIO. Question: Doesn’t my IV&V contract provide the necessary QA services? Response: In Washington state government, per the definition of “independent Project QA”, independent Project QA is considered different than product or technical quality assurance which might include testing and other independent verification and validation activities. Question: Do I have to wait for my Investment Plan to be approved before I procure QA services? Response: No. QA provides value to the very early stages of a project, while you develop your Investment Plan. In fact, because the Investment Plan cannot be approved without a readiness assessment, the sooner a QA provider is obtained, the better. Question: If the Investment Plan has already been approved, do we need to go back and complete a readiness assessment? Answer: If QA is actively engaged on the project and already providing monthly reports, then no. However, if QA has not yet engaged, they will need to complete a readiness assessment at the start of their engagement. Based on the results of the readiness assessment, an amendment to the Investment Plan may be necessary. Question: Does the QA provider doing the readiness assessment have to be the same as the QA provider performing ongoing project QA Answer: No. While it may be beneficial to have this continuity, it is not a requirement.
QA%20FAQ%2020160504.docx