Thread Subject: Re: Buying a non-conformant test product

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From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Thu, Jan 25 2007 7:00 AM

Tom:

I don't think we are talking about reuse of loaner items. What I was
intending with the reuse language is that the government doesn't acquire
an item to "evaluate it", and then deploy it because the money is spent.
If it isn't accessible, or after evaluation more accessible items are
found, we shouldn't be deploying all the evaluation items just because
we purchased them.


Let me provide a scenario.

Government intends to purchase an item that will perform a set of
actions. It is a software item. market research shows on the surface
that no Section 508 compliance data is available from vendors, and no
"trial" items are offered by vendors. The government, if it wants to
get better information about this aspect of the items, is left to
assessing the available items on their own. Yes, often this can be
accomplished by "loaner" items, but that is not always the option. We
should not tell folks they can't perform such evaluations in this kind
of situation, but lets not leave the door open to buying items like this
and then just deploying them all either.

Tom Brett wrote:

"I do believe that there are other FAR regulations that would prohibit
the use/reuse of products without the Government making some sort of
payment. I really think that before the Government commits to buy there
needs to be an
evaluation completed."

allen Hoffman
DHS Office on Accessible Systems & Technology

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