WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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Re: Procurement language for web accessibility

for

From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Aug 20, 2010 1:48PM

Here is proposed language you may consider using:
You can consider replacing Section 508 with WCAG 2.0 here, and making
some adjustments of some of the other technical language. There is not
reason you can't apply Section 508 standards to such an acquisition,
especially if some of the funding was from a Federal source or grant.

Accessibility Requirements:

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) requires that when Federal
agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information
technology (EIT), they must ensure that it is accessible to people with
disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have
disabilities must have equal access to and use of information and data
that is comparable to that enjoyed by non-disabled Federal employees and
members of the public.

All EIT deliverables within this work statement shall comply with the
applicable technical and functional performance criteria of Section 508
unless exempt. Specifically, the following applicable EIT accessibility
standards have been identified:

Section 508 Applicable EIT Accessibility Standards

36 CFR 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems, applies to
all EIT software applications and operating systems procured or
developed under this work statement including but not limited to GOTS
and COTS software. In addition, this standard is to be applied to
Web-based applications when needed to fulfill the functional performance
criteria. This standard also applies to some Web based applications as
described within 36 CFR 1194.22.

36 CFR 1194.22 Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and
Applications, applies to all Web-based deliverables, including
documentation and reports procured or developed under this work
statement. When any Web application uses a dynamic (non-static)
interface, embeds custom user control(s), embeds video or multimedia,
uses proprietary or technical approaches such as, but not limited to,
Flash or Asynchronous Javascript and XML (AJAX) then 1194.21 Software
standards also apply to fulfill functional performance criteria.

36 CFR 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria, applies to all EIT
deliverables regardless of delivery method. All EIT deliverable shall
use technical standards, regardless of technology, to fulfill the
functional performance criteria.

(optional) 36 CFR 1194.41 Information Documentation and Support, applies
to all documents, reports, as well as help and support services. To
ensure that documents and reports fulfill the required 1194.31
Functional Performance Criteria, they shall comply with the technical
standard associated with Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and
Applications at a minimum. In addition, any help or support provided in
this work statement that offer telephone support, such as, but not
limited to, a help desk shall have the ability to transmit and receive
messages using TTY.

All tasks for testing of functional and/or technical accessibility
requirements must include specific testing for Section 508 compliance,
use accepted accessibility testing practices and tools, and clearly
document conformance with accessibility requirements for the products
tested.