Is a Quality Management Plan signed electronically enforceable?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes, provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and a retained record.

When is notarization required for the plan?

Most Quality Management Plans do not require notarization; however, state-specific rules or contract terms can require notarized approvals or witness signatures for certain attestations — verify contract clauses and state law.

Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?

If the state permits permanent RON, use it where a notarized acknowledgement is required; ensure identity proofing, audio-video recording retention, and notary journal retention comply with state RON rules.

How long must I keep signed plans?

Retain plans for at least the active term plus federal minimums: generally 3 years for IRS-related records, 6 years for HIPAA-covered records, and longer where industry or state law requires it.

Who should sign the Quality Management Plan?

The accountable executive or designated quality manager should sign; include secondary approvers where delegated authority or contract performance requires multiple signatories.

How do I amend an executed plan?

Record amendments through a controlled change request, obtain approvals and signatures from the same authority level as the original, and preserve prior versions in the document control register.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Quality Management Plan Document

Quality Management Plan Document

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN DOCUMENT

This Quality Management Plan Document (the "Plan") is entered into by the parties identified below to establish the standards, responsibilities, procedures and controls that will govern quality assurance and quality control activities for the services and deliverables described herein.

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Client Name: (the "Client") has engaged Contractor Name: (the "Contractor") to perform services for Project Name: .

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the quality objectives, acceptance criteria, testing and inspection regimes, reporting obligations, corrective action procedures and associated responsibilities applicable to the services and deliverables.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor shall perform the work and deliver the items described below in accordance with the quality standards and acceptance criteria set forth in this Plan.

Scope of Work (detailed description) Key Deliverables

QUALITY STANDARDS AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The Contractor shall comply with the following standards and acceptance criteria. Where a checkbox is selected, the Contractor certifies conformance to that standard for applicable deliverables.

Quality Standards (select all that apply) ISO 9001: Quality management system compliance
Contract-specific specifications
Industry best practices and codes of practice

Acceptance Criteria (measurable criteria for acceptance)

ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND REPORTING

Quality Manager (Contractor) Quality Manager Contact (phone / email) Client Representative Inspection and Testing Procedures Inspection Frequency / Schedule Reporting Requirements

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND NONCONFORMANCE

Nonconformances shall be documented, analyzed and corrected in accordance with the following procedures. The Contractor shall initiate corrective actions upon discovery or notification and shall report root cause analysis and remedial steps to the Client within the timeframe set forth below.

Corrective Action Response Time (days) Corrective Action Escalation Procedure

PAYMENT TERMS

The Client shall pay the Contractor for the services and deliverables performed pursuant to this Plan in accordance with the payment terms below. Payment obligations are conditioned on the Client's acceptance of deliverables under the Acceptance Criteria set forth above.

Contract Price (total amount) Payment Schedule (milestones or dates) Late Payment Fee

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Plan commences on the Effective Date and continues until the completion of the services or termination in accordance with this section.

Effective Date: Termination Date:

Notice Period for Termination (days)

Either party may terminate this Plan for material breach by the other party, provided written notice is given and the breaching party fails to cure within the notice period set forth above. Termination shall not relieve either party of obligations accrued prior to termination, including payment and corrective action obligations.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party shall maintain in confidence all information disclosed by the other party that is designated confidential or that should reasonably be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential information shall not be used except for the performance of obligations under this Plan and shall not be disclosed to third parties except as required by law or with the prior written consent of the disclosing party. The obligations in this section survive termination of this Plan for a period of three (3) years.

GOVERNING LAW

This Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of laws rules.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Plan, together with any referenced exhibits or schedules and the underlying contract between the Client and the Contractor, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, negotiations and communications, whether written or oral. Any amendment to this Plan must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Responsibility for compliance with applicable laws, permits and regulatory requirements rests with the party performing the work for which such compliance is required. Neither party's delay or failure to enforce any provision of this Plan shall constitute a waiver of that provision. If any provision of this Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Client:

By:

Date:

Contractor:

By:

Date:

What the Quality Management Plan Document Is

A Quality Management Plan Document defines the policies, procedures, roles, metrics, and controls used to ensure a project or organizational process meets specified quality requirements. It typically covers scope, quality objectives, responsibilities, quality assurance and control activities, acceptance criteria, and reporting. For regulated industries the plan also states compliance steps, recordkeeping, and change-control processes so stakeholders and auditors can verify consistent implementation.

Why a Clear Quality Management Plan Document Matters

A well-documented plan reduces rework, sets measurable quality goals, and clarifies responsibility for verification and corrective action. It serves as the authoritative reference during audits, supplier assessments, and contract disputes while improving team alignment around measurable outcomes.

Who typically prepares and relies on this document

The Quality Management Plan Document is most often created by project managers, quality managers, compliance officers, or contract owners who oversee delivery and regulatory adherence.

Project managers coordinating scope, schedule, and quality acceptance criteria for deliverables.
Quality assurance leads responsible for inspections, testing, and nonconformance tracking.
Compliance officers and auditors verifying procedures meet statutory or contractual obligations.

Stakeholders including clients, suppliers, and regulators use the document to confirm agreed quality standards and to resolve disputes tied to product or service acceptance.

Step-by-step: preparing and approving the Quality Management Plan Document

Follow these steps to draft, review, and finalize a Quality Management Plan Document so it is enforceable and operational.

01

Draft the plan: Document scope, objectives, roles, metrics, and control activities.
02

Internal review: Circulate to QA, legal, and operations for comments and risk checks.
03

Approval and signature: Collect signatures from accountable parties and any delegated approvers.
04

Publish and distribute: Share the approved plan to stakeholders and update document control registers.

Core sections to include in a professional Quality Management Plan Document

A complete plan organizes content so reviewers can locate responsibility, criteria, and control activities quickly. Include these sections as standard.

Scope

Defines what processes, products, or project phases the plan covers and any exclusions to avoid ambiguity during audits and contract performance reviews.

Quality Objectives

States measurable targets and acceptance criteria that align with contract terms, regulatory requirements, or internal KPIs for performance measurement and corrective action triggers.

Roles & Responsibilities

Lists accountable owners, reviewers, and approvers plus escalation paths for nonconformance and decision authority for sign-offs.

Quality Assurance Activities

Describes planned audits, process reviews, training, and vendor assessments that verify adherence to documented procedures.

Quality Control Procedures

Defines inspections, testing methods, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria applied to outputs before delivery or deployment.

Change Control & Records

Specifies how updates are approved, versioned, and retained; includes retention period, access controls, and audit-trail requirements.

Required technical and compliance information to include

Data Classification: Define sensitivity level for records

Access Controls: List who can view or edit plan files

Audit Trail: Record signature timestamps and actions

Encryption: State encryption in transit and at rest

Retention Policy: Specify retention periods and legal basis

HIPAA Considerations: Include BAA if PHI is involved

Common pitfalls to avoid when preparing the plan

Vague acceptance criteria that leave testing subjective and open to dispute.
Unclear ownership where multiple people assume responsibility without documented delegations.
Missing version control causing obsolete plans to remain in use after changes.
Failing to include retention and audit-trail requirements for regulated records.

How the electronic approval workflow typically flows

Electronic workflows reduce turnaround while preserving a complete audit trail. A standard flow includes document preparation, field placement, signer routing, and final archiving.

Prepare the document: Upload final draft and add fields for signatures and dates.
Assign signers: Enter approver emails and set the signing order if needed.
Authenticate signers: Select authentication method: email link, SMS code, or stronger ID verification.
Complete and archive: Signed copy and audit trail are stored for retrieval and compliance.

Typical digital workflow settings to configure

Configure these fields to match your organizational control requirements before sending the plan for signature.

Field	Configuration
Signing Order	Sequential or parallel routing
Authentication	Email link, SMS code, or knowledge-based checks
Reminders	Automated reminders and expiration windows
Retention	Automatic archive with audit trail

Technical and platform requirements for eSubmission

Choose a signing platform that supports audit trails, secure storage, and the authentication strength required for your industry.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, and secured exports
Integrations: Integrates with common systems like Salesforce and NetSuite
Authentication: Supports email, SMS, SSO, and advanced signer verification

Ensure the chosen platform meets any regulatory requirements (for example HIPAA BAA for healthcare) and retains accessible audit trails for the required retention period.

Timing considerations and expected processing

Set internal deadlines for draft reviews, approval, and distribution so the plan aligns with project milestones and audit windows.

Draft Review Window:

Allow at least 5–10 business days for internal review and edits

Approval Deadline:

Set approval to occur before key project baselines

Distribution Timing:

Publish to stakeholders within 48 hours of final signature

Periodic Review:

Schedule reviews at least annually or after major changes

Audit Readiness:

Ensure records available within 2 business days for audits

Key milestones from draft to archived record

Track these sequential milestones to ensure the Quality Management Plan Document transitions cleanly from drafting to long-term retention.

01

Draft Completed

Initial plan prepared and stored in draft control

02

Internal Approval

QA and operations approve content and controls

03

Signatures Collected

All accountable parties sign electronically or manually

04

Published & Archived

Final signed plan published and archived with audit trail

Consequences of an incomplete or incorrect plan

Contractual Noncompliance: May trigger breach remedies or financial penalties

Regulatory Action: Risk of fines or enforcement for failure to meet statutory controls

Operational Failures: Increased defects and rework due to missing controls

Audit Findings: Negative audit results and corrective action mandates

Data Exposure: Inadequate security provisions can cause privacy violations

Legal Disputes: Ambiguous acceptance criteria increase litigation risk

eSignature vendor comparison for executing the Quality Management Plan Document

Compare core pricing and capabilities when selecting an eSignature provider for Quality Management Plan Document execution. signNow is listed first for parity in evaluation.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about the Quality Management Plan Document

Answers to common questions about enforceability, signatures, notarization, retention, and updates for Quality Management Plan Documents.

Need help? Contact support

Is a Quality Management Plan signed electronically enforceable?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes, provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and a retained record.
When is notarization required for the plan?
Most Quality Management Plans do not require notarization; however, state-specific rules or contract terms can require notarized approvals or witness signatures for certain attestations — verify contract clauses and state law.
Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?
If the state permits permanent RON, use it where a notarized acknowledgement is required; ensure identity proofing, audio-video recording retention, and notary journal retention comply with state RON rules.
How long must I keep signed plans?
Retain plans for at least the active term plus federal minimums: generally 3 years for IRS-related records, 6 years for HIPAA-covered records, and longer where industry or state law requires it.
Who should sign the Quality Management Plan?
The accountable executive or designated quality manager should sign; include secondary approvers where delegated authority or contract performance requires multiple signatories.
How do I amend an executed plan?
Record amendments through a controlled change request, obtain approvals and signatures from the same authority level as the original, and preserve prior versions in the document control register.

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