Total Quality Management Program

The Quality Assurance Program for technical staff provided to clients takes place during both the "staffing process" and the "period of performance" as described below. An Account Manager is assigned for each client and becomes the person responsible for monitoring the TQM Program for the client. The program consists of both a system of checks and balances and a focus on detail and excellence. Program varies from Client to Client.

Staffing Process

• The Technical Account Manager, if possible, meets with the client's hiring technical manager to get a complete understanding of the software, hardware and applications experience required to successfully accomplish the job. Specific items for each category are divided into "must have" and "nice to have". Other characteristics that are logical for the success of the project are discussed and documented such as: "Team player", "independent worker", "good writing skills", "can make presentations", "non-smoker", "must wear a beeper", "US Citizen", "secret clearance", etc., etc. as well as a "feel" for the client environment.

• The Account Manager then meets with the Recruiting Manager and his staff to discuss the Job Order and make sure that the group involved in the search can "look through the client's eyes" at potential candidates.

• A search is performed by a staff of technically experienced recruiters. All appropriate candidates are professionally interviewed for both technical competence and personality fit for the position.

• Qualified candidates are presented to the client's Technical Account Manager.

• The Account Manager performs reference checks with previous supervisors to assure a "fit" from the client's perspective.

• The Account Manager presents the candidates to the client's hiring manager.

Performance Period

• Formal quarterly reviews are performed separately with each Consultant and each Client Manager.

• Feedback is provided to the Consultant and the Client Manager to help manage for the successful accomplishment of defined goals. (Typically positive and corrective constructive feedback is provided with the net result of increased productivity and avoidance of future potential problems.)

• Results are documented and tracked in a "contact management" system and monitored by management for continued client success and satisfaction.

The Recruiting Process

The technical recruiting process is a complex utilization of a large number of resources combined with hi-tech technical knowledge, considerable recruiting experience, a thorough understanding of the requirement, an ability to make people decisions and a lot of hard work.

The process starts with a Job Order that is detailed enough to give a "picture" of the technical resource needed to insure the successful accomplishment of the client's defined goals. This avoids "miss fits" and saves everyone involved, a considerable amount of time in the review and interview process.

The properly filled out Job Order is the first step in the TQM: Quality Management Program.

The recruiters utilize 4 databases of resources to identify qualified candidates on a timely basis.

The databases are, in order of their typical utilization:

• HOT SHEET: Previously used or recruited people with a known track record of success and known availability.

• APPLICANT DATABASE: A large database of applicants that have been interviewed and screened for technical and personal capabilities.

• CONTACT DATABASE: A database of contacts used for "networking" to find qualified and recommended technical resources.

• RESUME DATABASE: A large skill indexed database of new "raw" (unscreened) resumes for potential jobs.

After identifying potential qualified candidates, the recruiting process follows the steps defined in the TQM: Quality Management Program as follows:

• All appropriate candidates are professionally interviewed for both technical competence and personality fit for the position.

• Qualified candidates are presented to the client's Technical Account Manager.

• The Account Manager performs reference checks with previous supervisors to assure a "fit" from the client's perspective.

• The Account Manager presents the candidates to the client's hiring manager.