Thread Subject: Re: Draft Questions

Note

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From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Thu, Dec 14 2006 1:35 PM

Aubrey Woolley wrote:

" The reference to other federal government procurement requirements
such as Buy America Act (BAA), Trade Agreements Act (TAA), and green
purchasing requirements (i.e.Energy Star, FEMP* Standby Power, and
RCRA*) is much appreciated. Security is another critical issue for many
agencies.

It is important to keep sight of the context in which compliance with
Section 508 takes place during the procurement process. For this
reason, I agree that Subpart A should maintain the flexibility to allow
each agency's business experts to determine the product that best meets
the criteria they are evaluating, including Section 508. "

I agree, and what I'd like to determine is how acquisitions balance all
these competing laws as a rule, and then apply that standard balancing
procedure to 508 and see how it works.

I think there will never be a perfect formula for "be smart", and this
is where the whole "sufficient techniques" component would help if we
get input from Federal acquisitions folks. A question I have is, would
Federal acquisitions folks actually read such a sufficient techniques
document when considering Section 508 "balancing", as their bible is the
Federal Acquisition Regulations, (FAR), and their local "AR"s.

Allen hoffman
Department of Homeland Security Office on Accessible Systems &
Technology

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