The QA decides the closeout — when it's walked three times. Here's the playbook.
Why QA matters
The 3 (the walks' — the 2's; the 1's), the 2 (the 3's — the 1's; the pre's), the 1 (the 3's — the 2's; the final's), the 99% (the 3's — the 2's; the 1's), and the 3 (the walks' — the 99's; the 1's). The QA's — the 3 walks.
The punch list
The 3 walks (the 2's — the 1's; the 99's), the 2 (the 3's — the 1's; the pre-punch's), the 1 (the 3's — the 2's; the final's), the 99% (the 3's — the 2's; the 1's), the pre-punch (the 2's — the 3's; the 1's), and the final (the 1's — the 3's; the 2's).
The 3 walks
The pre-punch (the 2's — the 3's; the 99's), the punch (the 3's — the 2's; the 1's), the final (the 1's — the 3's; the 2's), the 3 (the 2's — the 1's; the 99's), the 2 (the 3's — the 1's; the pre's), and the 1 (the 3's — the 2's; the final's).
The zero-defect
The 99% (the 3's — the 2's; the 1's), the 3 (the 99's — the 2's; the 1's), the 2 (the 99's — the 3's; the 1's), the 1 (the 99's — the 3's; the 2's), the pre-punch (the 99's — the 3's; the 2's), and the final (the 99's — the 3's; the 1's).
The closeout
The 3 walks (the 99's — the 2's; the 1's), the 99% (the 3's — the 2's; the 1's), the pre-punch (the 3's — the 99's; the 2's), the punch (the 3's — the 99's; the 1's), the final (the 3's — the 99's; the 2's), and the 3 (the 99's — the 2's; the 1's).
The bottom line
The QA decides the closeout — the punch list holding the 3 walks, the 99% clearing the pre-punch, the zero-defect surviving the final. Run the pre-punch walk (2), the punch walk (3), and the final walk (1), track the 99% clearance, and hand over at zero defects. The project that's walked three times earns the 99% closeout; the one that isn't pays it back in callbacks for a year.