Q/A Program Description

INDUS Technology, Inc. Quality Policy

INDUS Technology, Inc. is the premier, nationally recognized provider of quality professional services for industry and government. Our Company is synonymous with outstanding people, who take pride in partnering with our customers to provide quality services that are responsive, innovative and cost effective. The Quality Policy is supported by the following objectives and commitments and is strongly supported by INDUS Senior Management:

  • Employees: We believe our people are the only asset of our company. We empower our people and support them with great benefits and career opportunities.
  • Integrity: We value ethical and honest employees who honor our obligations and do what is right and fair for INDUS and our customers.
  • Communication: We value timely two-way communication.
  • Teamwork: We create an environment that encourages participation and cooperation to achieve the best results.
  • Excellence: We believe that the excellence in the services our people provide is responsible for our outstanding reputation and success.
  • Diversity: We respect and welcome the differences in people and the unique ideas they bring to the table.
  • Flexibility: We value the ability to rapidly react, shift focus, and pursue opportunities.
  • Results: We value and encourage positive results in all areas of our Company. Each individual significantly contributes to our success.
  • Accountability: We value and recognize individuals who assume responsibility for and demonstrate commitment to providing excellent service and feel personally responsible for our Company’s achievements.

Overview

General:

The INDUS Quality Management System is structured to comply with the conditions set forth in the International Standard ISO 9001:2008. This Quality System is used and continuously improved to ensure INDUS’ effectiveness in meeting customer requirements and the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 standard, ensuring customer satisfaction.

Application:

ISO 9001:2008 Clauses 7.5.2 (Validation of Processes for Production and Service Provision) and 7.6 (Control of Monitoring and Measuring Equipment) do not apply to INDUS’ business base. These two exclusions do not affect INDUS’ ability or responsibility to provide products that meet contracted customer and applicable regulatory requirements. In addition, clause 8.3 (Control of Nonconforming Product) is not applicable to INDUS’ business area of software development.

Quality Management System

General Requirements:

INDUS has established, documented and implemented a Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008. The System is maintained and continually improved through the execution of the INDUS Quality Policy, Quality Objectives, audit results, analysis of data, corrective and preventive action, and process improvement requests and management reviews. To design and implement the QMS, INDUS has:

Identified the processes needed for the QMS and their application throughout the organization, and documented them in Quality Manual.

  • Determined the interaction of these processes and illustrated them on the System Interaction Diagram.
  • Determined criteria and methods needed to ensure that the operation and control of the processes are effective, and documented them in quality plans, procedures, work instructions, and measurement plans.
  • Ensured the continuing availability of resources and information necessary to achieve planned results and continual improvement of these processes.
  • Established mechanisms to monitor, measure, and analyze these processes Analysis and Improvement, the INDUS Operation Process Review, and the INDUS Measurement Program Plan).
  • Established procedures to identify and implement actions necessary to achieve planned results and continual improvement.

Documentation Requirements:

General:

INDUS’ Quality Management System (QMS) documentation includes:

  • INDUS’ Quality Manual, containing the INDUS Quality Policy and Quality Objectives.
  • Documented Procedures.
  • Documentation identified as needed for the effective planning, operation and control of INDUS processes.
  • Quality Records

Quality Manual:

This Quality Manual describes the INDUS QMS. Sections in this manual provide reference to procedures relating to the requirements outlined in that section. INDUS Processes and ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Interaction provides a high-level illustration of the interaction between the processes of the INDUS QMS.

Control of Documents:

INDUS QMS organizational documents include the INDUS Quality Manual, INDUS Procedures, INDUS forms, checklists, work instructions and templates. INDUS controls QMS documents using the Control of Quality Management System Documents procedure.

Corporate approved and controlled documentation, such as life-cycle models, metrics procedures, purchasing procedures, etc are also used.

Project procedures define the requirements for:

  • Approving documents for adequacy prior to issue.
  • Reviewing and updating as necessary and re-approving documents (including documents in draft form).
  • Ensuring that changes and current revision status of documents are identified.
  • Ensuring that relevant versions of applicable documents are available at points of use.
  • Ensuring that documents remain legible and readily identifiable.
  • Ensuring that documents of external origin are identified and their distribution controlled.
  • Preventing the unintended use of obsolete documents and applying suitable identification to them if they are retained for any purpose.

Project documentation is controlled according to the customer contract, project plans that are established as part of a project’s planning process, and the Control of Quality Management System Documents procedure. Project procedures are customized to support unique project specific needs as part of the planning process.

Projects are issued external documentation as identified in the Statement of Work and customer contract. Projects identify and control external documentation using the Control of Quality Management System Documents procedure.

Documents and data are reviewed and approved for adequacy prior to issue. Projects ensure that the effective version of project Quality Management System documents is identified for project staff either by a list or another method to prevent the use of invalid and/or obsolete documents. The pertinent issues of documents and data are available in locations convenient for personnel requiring the information. Recipients of controlled copies of documents are responsible to suitably identify obsolete documents. Archives are maintained for storage of data and documents required to satisfy legal or intellectual data preservation requirements.

Changes to documents are reviewed and approved by the same functions and/or organizations that performed the original review and approval, unless specifically designated otherwise. The designated functions and/or organizations have access to pertinent background information on which to base their review and approval. The nature of the change is identified in the document itself and/or on accompanying routing sheets and change request forms.

Control of Records:

INDUS has established and maintains a procedure for identification, collection, indexing, retrieval, filing, storage, maintenance, and disposition of QMS records. Records may be in the form of any type of media, such as hard copy or electronic media. Records are controlled using the Control of Quality Management System Records procedure.

Project QMS records are stored and maintained by projects to demonstrate conformance to customer requirements and the effective operation of the Quality System. Pertinent QMS records from subcontractors are included in these data.

Organizational QMS records are stored so they are readily retrievable for use. Retention times for QMS records are established according to the Control of Quality Management System Records procedure. Where agreed contractually, QMS records are made available for evaluation by the customer or the customer’s representatives.

Management Responsibility

Management Commitment:

INDUS Senior Management is actively involved in implementing INDUS’s Quality Management System. They provide the vision and strategic direction for the growth and improvement of INDUS and the QMS, and establish Quality Objectives and the Quality Policy.

To continue to provide leadership and show commitment to the improvement of the QMS, INDUS Senior Management:

  • Establishd the Quality Policy, which is consistent with the Corporate Quality Policy.
  • Established measurable Quality Objectives.
  • Communicates to the organization the importance of meeting customers’ contracted requirements and exceeding customer expectations. Management monitors to ensure these requirements are met.
  • Communicates to the organization the importance of meeting statutory and regulatory requirements and monitors to ensure these requirements are met.
  • Supports audits and metrics collection to assess the QMS for potential weaknesses creating actions to continually improve its effectiveness in meeting the Quality Policy and Objectives.
  • Conducts monthly project reviews.
  • Ensures the availability of resources to meet these commitments.

Customer Focus:

INDUS strives to identify current and future customer needs, meet customers’ contracted requirements, and meet or exceed customer expectations. INDUS Senior Management ensures that requirements are understood and met by requiring compliance with the contract, Statement of Work, agreed to requirements, and acceptance criteria. Contract requirements are determined, converted into internal requirements, and communicated to the appropriate people within INDUS. Additionally, INDUS maintains focus on customer satisfaction by conducting client assessments, and customer meetings.

Quality Policy:

INDUS Senior Management has established and communicated within the organization the INDUS Quality Policy that:

  • Is appropriate to the organization and products.
  • Holds individuals in the organization to high ethical standards in achieving individual as well as organizational goals.
  • Commits Senior Management and staff to comply with and continually improve the effectiveness of the QMS.
  • Provides a framework for establishing and reviewing Quality Objectives.
  • Is understood throughout INDUS by people whose activities affect product quality.
  • Is reviewed by INDUS Senior Management for continuing suitability and maintaining its quality standards in Management Working Group meetings.