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Re: VPAT repository?

for

From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Nov 14, 2011 4:48PM

Rachel,

Sorry I started to reply, but didn't to finish. I do this for the
government, so maybe you can get an idea:

> - Is there a central area on campus that should collect VPATs from vendors?
I keep the VPATs for my agency. One of the mailboxes I monitor at work
is the main source of Section 508 for my agency.

> - Is there a commonly/publically available area online that is hosted by the campus where the VPATs
> can be accessed? Is there any reason NOT to make these public?
Like Gary mentioned, the BuyAccessible site is the main source of
VPATs that I know of. But I have found checking the vendor's sites or
contacting the vendors is sometimes better. Are you asking reasons for
a company not to post their VPATs or not to share your collection?

> - Is a vendor REQUIRED to produce a VPAT (even though the name says 'voluntary' :-)) before its bid is
> considered? i.e. is submitting a VPAT a prerequisite for us doing business with your firm?
You can ask for one, but they can refuse. Sometimes you can make it a
prerequisite, and add in refusal to provide a VPAT means you won't
consider a bid. If you're offering to give the company a good hunk of
change and maybe future business/recommendations, that may change
their mind.

> - VPATs don't ensure accessibility by a long shot. How does the vendor VPAT content affect the
> decision to go with the product?
When getting a request for a product, I do a risk assessment. I look
at what the the product is, what it does, how many people could use it
(in the agency), and how many are wanting it right now. Then assign a
level, high, medium or low. While I don't have a set value, low is
roughly between 1 user and 2-3 dozen users. Medium 100 or less. High
is over 100 users. With low, I do a quick look for compliance info via
net or call. Medium little more checking and ask for a VPAT. If one is
provided, and isn't the best, I give them the following link:
www.hhs.gov/od/vendors/. For high, I require a VPAT is filled out that
meets our standards.

If one doesn't tell me anything, I ask them to do one that adheres to
the instructions in the link. If they don't, I go back to the
requester to see if there is anymore products available that may be
more compliant. If not, I usually ask the requester to fill out an
exception. Then depending on my risk level I give my nod to the
security people, but issue various restrictions on it.

> - How do you deal with one-off tech purchases? Say, if one faculty member in one department chooses a
> certain free online product for use with his or her class, who collects the VPAT?
I do my risk analysis.

> - How do we coordinate requesting updated VPATs when a product is updated?
I am supposed be notified of updates. Usually the bigger companies
like Adobe, automatically put up new a VPAT on their site. So I just
grab it, or contact the company.

--
Ryan E. Benson



On Fri, Nov 4, 2011 at 4:14 PM, Shuttlesworth, Rachel < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi, all.
>
> We are considering how we should collect and make available to those who need them VPATs for the technology tools used for our campus. The vendors who have been asked so far have just been given the link: http://www.itic.org/index.php?src=gendocs&;ref=vpat&category=resources and told that they should email the VPAT or its URL to me. As we expand our efforts, several questions have come up. If you have experience with this or ideas about it, could you share?
>
> - Is there a central area on campus that should collect VPATs from vendors?
> - Is there a commonly/publically available area online that is hosted by the campus where the VPATs can be accessed? Is there any reason NOT to make these public?
> - Is a vendor REQUIRED to produce a VPAT (even though the name says 'voluntary' :-)) before its bid is considered? i.e. is submitting a VPAT a prerequisite for us doing business with your firm?
> - VPATs don't ensure accessibility by a long shot. How does the vendor VPAT content affect the decision to go with the product?
> - How do you deal with one-off tech purchases? Say, if one faculty member in one department chooses a certain free online product for use with his or her class, who collects the VPAT?
> - How do we coordinate requesting updated VPATs when a product is updated?
>
> Thanks for any ideas or advice you may have.
>
> Rachel
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Dr. Rachel Shuttlesworth Thompson
> Director, Emerging Technologies and Research, Center for Instructional Technology
> University of Alabama
> Box 870346 * Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0346
> 205.348.0216
>
>