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Thread: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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From: reinhard.stebner
Date: Mon, Jul 20 2020 5:40PM
Subject: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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I am working with a client and they are bidding for a contract for the
federal government. This contract does not have any development related
tasks. They are providing services such as technical support. The question
is what should the contract team be putting on the bid in reference to
Section 508? We need to figure out if ICT would be a factor in a service
only contract.
From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Mon, Jul 20 2020 6:09PM
Subject: Re: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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I recommend reading the SOW or whatever acquisition vehicle being used. If
they aren't sure still, they may not have the skillset to accurately put in
a bid. In some cases, technical assistance/support may be making SOPs and
such. In regards to 508, hint: 508 applies to documents.
The SOW should have a line about how to formally ask questions. I recommend
asking the agency to define what the tasks mean, and ask clarification on
508 to the tasks by the 508 Coordinator/staff.
--
Ryan E. Benson
On Mon, Jul 20, 2020 at 7:40 PM < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> I am working with a client and they are bidding for a contract for the
> federal government. This contract does not have any development related
> tasks. They are providing services such as technical support. The question
> is what should the contract team be putting on the bid in reference to
> Section 508? We need to figure out if ICT would be a factor in a service
> only contract.
>
>
> > > > >
From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Mon, Jul 20 2020 6:44PM
Subject: Re: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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Anything that is government or public facing and is information and communication technology and not incidental to the contract would be covered. This would include reports, portals, digital timesheets, support documentation, communication channels (e.g. chat, emails, etc.).
Jonathan
From: Peter Shikli
Date: Tue, Jul 21 2020 12:35PM
Subject: Re: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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When a federal Procurement Officer accepts an online document or
software application (as for payment), they are asked to check the box
that it complies to Section 508. The odds of the Procurement Officer
knowing the answer are low, in which case they sometimes shift
responsibility by asking the vendor for a Letter of Reasonable
Accessibility that specifically claims 508 compliance. Because that in
turn is hard for a vendor to answer (which they often do anyway), the
feds established their Trusted Tester Program. A certified Trusted
Tester signing such a Letter of Reasonable Accessibility gives
Procurement Officers confidence checking their 508 box. Does the
Trusted Tester VPAT allow for subjectivity? Yes, but less than any
other auditing methodology that I know.
Peter Shikli
Access2online Inc.
From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Tue, Jul 21 2020 7:30PM
Subject: Re: section 508 for a federal contract for technical support
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> they are asked to check the box that it complies to Section 508.
This is not always true. Sometimes the contract may state that an approved
checklist must accompany each deliverable, the agency will double check
that there's a checklist, and it's accurate. Now there's a high chance the
latter does not happen.
--
Ryan E. Benson
On Tue, Jul 21, 2020 at 2:46 PM Peter Shikli < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> When a federal Procurement Officer accepts an online document or
> software application (as for payment), they are asked to check the box
> that it complies to Section 508. The odds of the Procurement Officer
> knowing the answer are low, in which case they sometimes shift
> responsibility by asking the vendor for a Letter of Reasonable
> Accessibility that specifically claims 508 compliance. Because that in
> turn is hard for a vendor to answer (which they often do anyway), the
> feds established their Trusted Tester Program. A certified Trusted
> Tester signing such a Letter of Reasonable Accessibility gives
> Procurement Officers confidence checking their 508 box. Does the
> Trusted Tester VPAT allow for subjectivity? Yes, but less than any
> other auditing methodology that I know.
>
> Peter Shikli
> Access2online Inc.
>
>
> > > > >