QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMYQUALITY STANDARDS SYSTEM BACKGROUND; There are at least three equally important and converging requirements that indicate the need for a Quality Standards System (QSS) at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). Firstly, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the college's accreditation body, states a number of requirements in its Characteristics of Excellence that ranslate to a system of standards, pliicies and procedures for the operation of an accredited college. Secondly, the GAO Report GAO-09-6365 of August 20-09 identified a nuber of internal controls that need to be implemented at the Academy. An overarching quality system needs to be in place to monitor progress in these endeavors and to ensure positive and lasting results into the Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended, sets qualification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships. The STCW and Dpocumentation (MLD( program and are set forth in Federal Regulations. The USMMA must comply with these regulations. 46 C.F.R. Part 10.107 states the following: Quality Standard System or QSS means an organization of policy, procedures, processes, and data working together to establish and fulfill its objectives. A QSS is a required component of any enity offering STCW training, assessment of compentence, certification, endorsement and/or revalidations of activities. SCOPE. To support trhe US Merchant Marine Academy in the development of a Quality Standard System (QSS) that will satisfactorily address the converging issues referred to in the background section thus satisfying the demands of the GAO Report, the MSCHE Standards found in the Characteristics of Excelleence, and the relevant ISO 9000 standards yet uniquely different in that it will incorporate, where possible, already existing standards, policies and processes put in place by the Academy. The support envisioned here will consist of an auudit of existing quality standards in relevant areas of Academy operations and management, identification of existing weakbesses and strengths and the development with Academy personnel, of a QSS model that sddresses the institution's needs. MUST BE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO) 9000 CERTIFIED.