Quality control plan template: free QCP with hold and witness points (Excel and PDF)
Deskely Completions team Singapore
A quality control plan (QCP) is the contractor's document that sets out how the quality of a scope of work will be controlled: who is responsible, which standards and specifications apply, every inspection and test across all disciplines, and where the client and the third party inspector hold or witness the work before it continues.
This page gives you a free QCP template in Excel and PDF: a scope and organisation sheet, a QC activities sheet with 18 typical activities and H, W, R and S drop-downs for contractor, client and TPI, and a summary that counts hold and witness points per party and per discipline.
- The QCP covers the whole scope; each discipline's inspection and test plan (ITP) details its part.
- Every activity names a specification, an acceptance criterion, a frequency and the record that proves it.
- Hold points stop the work until the named party releases it. Witness points do not.
- Count the hold and witness points per party early: they decide how many inspectors you need.
What is a quality control plan?
A QCP sits between the quality management system and the work itself. The company's system, often certified to ISO 9001, says how quality is managed in general. The QCP says how it will be controlled on this contract: the organisation, the procedures that apply, and the list of inspections and tests from material receipt to handover.
Guidance on writing quality plans is in ISO 10005. Many clients ask for the QCP with the bid or within a few weeks of award, and approve it before work starts.
QCP, quality plan and ITP: the difference
| Document | Covers | Level of detail |
|---|---|---|
| Project quality plan | How quality is managed on the project: organisation, audits, document control, NCRs, continual improvement. | Management system |
| Quality control plan (QCP) | Every inspection and test across the contractor's scope, with the role of each party. | One line per activity |
| Inspection and test plan (ITP) | The inspection steps for one discipline or work package, in sequence. | One line per step |
| Inspection and test record (ITR) | The record filled in when one ITP step is done on one tag. | One form per check |
On smaller jobs the QCP and the ITPs are often one document. On large projects the QCP is the index, and each line points to the ITP that details it. See the inspection and test plan template.
Hold, witness, review and surveillance points
| Code | Meaning | Does work stop? |
|---|---|---|
| H: Hold | The party must inspect and release the work before it continues. | Yes, until released |
| W: Witness | The party is notified in advance and may attend. If they do not come, work goes on. | No |
| R: Review | The party reviews the records instead of attending. | No |
| S: Surveillance | The party makes spot checks at its own discretion. | No |
Agree the notice period for witness points in the QCP (two to five working days is common) and who may release a hold point. A plan full of client holds will stall the job; put them where a mistake is expensive or impossible to find later, such as material release, a pressure test or insulation before cladding.
What is in the template
| Sheet | Fields |
|---|---|
| Scope and organisation | Project, document number, revision, contractor, client, date, QC manager, client specification number, quality standard (ISO 9001:2015), scope, QC roles with names and responsibilities, referenced procedures with status, inspection code legend, sign-off by contractor, client and TPI. |
| QC activities | Activity, discipline (drop-down), specification or standard, acceptance criteria, frequency, record (ITP or ITR number), H, W, R or S for contractor, client and TPI (drop-downs), remarks. 18 typical activities filled in, with counts of activities and hold and witness points at the top. |
| Hold and witness summary | Hold, witness, review and surveillance counts per party, client and TPI holds and witnesses per discipline, and notice periods. All counts are formulas. |
Where the QCP fits in the project
The QCP is approved before work starts, and its activities are detailed in the discipline ITPs. Each ITP step produces an ITR, failures become non-conformance reports, and the records end up in the handover dossier.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a quality control plan in construction?
A contractor's document listing how quality will be controlled on a contract: the QC organisation, the applicable standards, and every inspection and test with its acceptance criteria, record and the role of each party.
What is the difference between a QCP and an ITP?
The QCP covers the whole scope at one line per activity. An ITP details one discipline or work package step by step. On small jobs they are often combined.
Who prepares the quality control plan?
The contractor, usually its QA/QC manager, for review and approval by the client before work starts.
What is a hold point?
A step where work must stop until the named party has inspected and released it.
Is ISO 9001 required for a QCP?
No, but many clients require the contractor to hold ISO 9001 certification, and the QCP refers to the certified system. ISO 10005 gives guidance on quality plans.
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