Coordination_Website_Draft_PWS_12_15_14.docx

Table of Contents

Background The U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department) mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation. The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Office of Migrant Education (OME) is responsible for administering the Migrant Education Program, which is among the many grant programs that support the mission of the Department. Implementation of the MEP Interstate Coordination Website is directly relevant to the Department’s Strategic Plan in Goal 4, Equity: Increase educational opportunities for underserved students and reduce discrimination so that all students are well-positioned to succeed The MEP, authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, is intended to:

a) support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves;

b) ensure that migratory children who move among the States are not penalized in any manner by disparities among the States in curriculum, graduation requirements, and State academic content and student academic achievement standards;

c) ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including supportive services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;

d) ensure that migratory children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet;

e) design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of such children to do well in school, and prepare such children to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and

f) ensure that migratory children benefit from State and local systemic reforms.

A migratory child is defined as a child who is or, or whose parent, spouse, or guardian is, a migratory agricultural worker, including a migratory dairy worker, or migratory fisher, and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain or accompany such parent or spouse in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in agriculture or fishing work has moved from one school district to another. This definition also contains special provisions for geographically large districts like those found in Alaska.

Section 1308 of Title I, Part C, of the ESEA, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, authorizes the Secretary of Education to set aside a portion of program funds to be used—through grants or contracts with State education agencies, local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, and other public and private nonprofit entities—to improve the interstate and intrastate coordination of migrant education activities. In particular, section 1308(c) authorizes the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to reserve funds appropriated for the Title I, Part C, Migrant Education Program (MEP) for the purpose of carrying out the activities described in sections 1308(a)—improvement of interstate and intrastate coordination, 1308(b)—electronic transfer of migrant student records, and 1308(d)—consortium incentive grants.

Purpose and Scope The Department maintains a coordination website to improve interstate and intrastate coordination practices across MEP at the state and local level. This Performance Work Statement (PWS) reflects a Firm Fixed-Price Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA) for one 12-month base year with four 12-month option years. The scope of the PWS requires contractor support to perform the design, operations and sustainment of the coordination website, content integration of existing coordination materials, and high-quality creations to enhance coordination.

The MEP is a state-administered grant, with program implementation varying greatly based on the needs of states. The contract shall support States’ efforts to improve the interstate and intrastate coordination of migrant education programs and projects, and as a consequence, improve the effectiveness of the MEP in meeting the needs of migrant children, particularly those migrant children who are the most mobile.

This project will build upon the work done under previous Department-funded contracts. The Contractor shall have the ability to support a coordination website that addresses the needs of Migrant Education Program practitioners across the United States.

The Contractor shall adhere to all Federal Government, Department of Education regulations, directives and standards related to the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996, also known as the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the Government Information Security Reform Act (GISRA), the Computer Security Act of 1987, OMB Circulars A-130 and A-123, and IRM 2.1.10.

Objectives and Tasks The following overarching objectives are mandated to be accomplished under this contract.

1. Establish a partner-focused working relationship with Government.

2. Provide a partnership with team members and/or subcontractors that appears seamless to the Government and that fosters shared accountability and responsibility among all partners.

3. Throughout the life of this effort, demonstrate improved performance, reliability, security, and reduced cost of operating MEP Coordination website.

4. Provide timely services to enable the MEP to meet its mission critical requirements.

Task 1 – Contract/Project Administration Task 1.1 - Kick-off Meeting Within five calendar days of contract award, of all contract periods, the Contractor shall conduct a kickoff meeting with the Government to discuss contract objectives and timelines. The Contractor shall conduct the kickoff meeting at the Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Contractor shall provide the meeting agenda and any meeting artifacts (including the initial project plan and timeline, and subsequent meeting minutes).

Task 1.2 - Phase-In and Phase-Out Periods The Contractor shall develop comprehensive procedures for phasing in and phasing out Contractor performance to the level prescribed and within the time allowed under the terms of this contract. The Contractor's phase-in and phase-out procedures shall not disrupt or adversely impact the day-to-day conduct of Government business.

Task 1.2.1 - Phase-In (Base Year Only) During the phase-in period of the base year, the Contractor shall prepare to assume full responsibility for all areas of operation in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract. The Contractor shall submit a Phase-In Plan to the COR for review and approval no later than 10 calendar days after contract award date. The Plan shall finalize the Contractor’s efforts to affect a smooth and orderly implementation of contract responsibility.

During the phase-in period, the Contractor shall at a minimum:

· Obtain all required certifications, licenses, permits, and clearances, including personnel security clearances, if applicable

· Participate in joint inventories and sign for Government-Furnished Inventory (GFI)

· Continue to develop and submit required deliverables

· Attend post-award meetings as required

· Ensure that the website is fully operational within three months of contract award.

Deliverable(s) – Phase-In Plan Task 1.2.2 – Prepare and Update Phase-Out Plan A phase-out plan shall be submitted 90 calendar days prior to the completion of the base period. A revised phase-out plan shall be submitted 90 calendar days prior to the end of each option period. The purpose of the phase-out plan is to ensure that the Contractor is prepared at all times during the life of the contract to facilitate a smooth and orderly transfer of contract responsibility to a successor contractor, to the Government, or to retire the system. The COR will review the submitted phase-out plan and make requested changes as needed. The Contractor will update the phase-out plan in accordance with the COR’s requested changes.

Deliverable(s) - Phase-Out Plan Task 1.2.3 – Execute Phase-Out Plan (OPTIONAL) If Optional Task 1.2.3 is exercised by the Government, the Contractor shall execute the phase-out. The COR will notify the Contractor whether the system is being transferred to a successor contractor, whether the system is being transferred to the Government, or whether the system is being retired.

· If the system is being transferred to a successor contractor or the Government, during this time, management personnel of the incoming workforce or Government may observe operations and performance methods of the incumbent Contractor. This will allow for the orderly turnover of equipment and records and will ensure continuity of service. The Contractor shall not defer any requirements for the purpose of avoiding responsibility or of transferring such responsibility to the succeeding Contractor or Government. The Contractor shall fully cooperate with the successor contractor and the Government to accomplish this task.

· If the system is being retired, during this time, the system should be archived. All digital information to include contract and system documentation, webpages, and databases and data shall be packaged and delivered to the COR. All software licenses directly paid for by the contract shall be transferred to the Government, and the Contractor shall properly package and deliver all hardware to the Government (or dispose it), in accordance with Federal guidelines.

Task 1.3 - Project Management Support The Contractor’s project management shall include detailed planning and coordination of contract activities and related technical engineering requirements to enable the efficient operations, sustainment, documentation, and enhancement of the MEP Interstate Coordination Website. The Contractor shall provide project management support to promote the optimal use of Contractor resources, ensure adequate contract performance, and establish management controls in order to provide quality services within budget and on time.

Project management shall consist of:

1. Management of the Contractor’s activities using industry standard project management processes to initiate, plan, execute, control, and close the project in accordance with the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) or other industry standards.

2. Monthly progress reports that include, at a minimum: a brief, factual summary description of operation and maintenance activity for each task (or groups of tasks) during the reporting period, work scheduled for the next reporting period, variances between work scheduled and work performed, issues, risks and proposed corrective actions. The report shall also provide performance measurement status, as required by this contract, and an extract from the risk management repository. Note that Earned Value Management (EVM) reporting is required for all enhancement activities. These enhancement activities will be detailed as separate tasks to this PWS and awarded as needed by the Government. EVM reporting requirements are also detailed in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) subpart 34.2.

3. Contractor shall develop a Project Management Plan of processes and procedures that demonstrate management controls are in place, used, and quality control is conducted. The Contractor shall deliver the Project Management Plan to the COR for review and approval no later than 10 calendar days after contract award date.

4. Contractor shall develop and maintain an Integrated Project Schedule using Microsoft Project. The Contractor shall deliver the Integrated Project Schedule to the COR for review and approval no later than 30 calendar days after contract award date.

5. The contractor shall work with department staff to establish baselines and set targets for performance metrics and performance measures utilizing the sample chart of performance metrics provided below:

Desired Outcomes

(What are the goals as a result of this contract?)

Required Services

(What task must be accomplished to achieve the desired result?)

Performance Standard

(What should the standards for completeness, reliability, and quality be?)

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)

(How much error is acceptable?)

(Monitoring Method)

(How is success defined?)

6. The Contractor shall establish an electronic project library. As part of this library, the Contractor shall maintain, update, and create (where necessary) the following:

a. Personnel and Staffing Plan

b. Project Management Plan

c. Integrated Project Schedule

d. Monthly Progress Report

e. Personnel Roster updated semi-annually or as needed

f. Phase-in Plan

g. Phase-Out Plan The COR may request briefings, white papers, strategy documents, data extracts, and other reports. It is estimated that no more than five white papers and documents per year and four hours per quarter of briefings will be required.

Deliverable(s):

· Project Management Plan

· Integrated Project Schedule Task 2: Design, Development, and Deployment

Accessible information is vital in assisting grantees with coordination efforts. The Contractor shall design a coordination website easily navigated and encompassing the needs of grantees. The Contractor is also expected to suggest further resources, organizations, and other federal agencies for MEP grantee utilization throughout the life of the coordination website. Once the design phase of the website is completed, the Contractor will be responsible for strategies to highlight the existing resources on the website and for integrating documents and webinar recordings as provided by the program office on a continuous basis. The website domain name to be used is Results.ed.gov and a customer service email address will be maintained as OESE.Results_Team@ed.gov.

Task 2.1 - Development

Within 30 days of award, the Contractor shall provide a proposed website design to ensure that visitors clearly understand the purpose of the site, that is well-organized, includes all information provided by the COR, and provides the ability for keeping the content fresh according to industry standards. The following are examples of resources that should be housed on the website, but is not limited to:

· Links to coordination partners

· Coordination Resources (e.g. National ID&R Curriculum)

· Program Toolkits (CNA, SDP, Evaluation Toolkits)

· Webinar recordings and documents

· Feedback tool for users about the site and its contents.

The Contractor shall incorporate any feedback from the Department and make revisions, as needed.

Task 2.2 – Final Design Within three months of contract award date, the Contractor shall implement the proposed design with Department feedback and approval and present for user acceptance testing (UAT), a cloud-based web hosting service. Within 12 months of contract award date, the Contractor shall gather feedback about the design and organization.

The underlying technology utilized shall (at a minimum):

· utilize a FedRAMP-cloud service provider (CSP) listed/designated on the following website http://cloud.cio.gov/fedramp that is: (a) A Compliant CSP; or (b) Cloud Systems in Process.[footnoteRef:2] [2: ED does not seek to serve as a sponsor for the Agency Authorization path for this contract.]

· be developed using responsive design principals optimized for computers, tablets, and smartphones in support of the Federal government’s Digital Strategy[footnoteRef:3] to “enable the American people and an increasingly mobile workforce to access high-quality digital government information and services anywhere, anytime, on any device.” [3: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-government/digital-government-strategy.pdf]

· be accessible via a standard web browser that does not require the installation of any additional software or non-standard 3rd party browser plugins.

· capitalize on evolving functionality

· have a .gov domain name (OMB Memorandum M-05-04)

· be flexible in design to adjust to increases in user volumes Task 2.3 – Enhancements Based on a review of the existing system and feedback from users, on an annual basis the contractor shall provide to the COR a list of suggested system enhancements. From this list of suggested enhancements and other enhancements identified by the COR, the Department may engage in negotiations with the contractor for a bilateral modification to the contract to add enhancements to the contract. These enhancements (e.g. new functions) would be identified in edits to the PWS, and the contractor would be compensated for the enhancements as an equitable adjustment to the contract price (See Task 6). Entering into negotiations for enhancements will be a unilateral decision by the Government, based on need and available funding.

Task 3 - Stakeholder Collaboration Task 3.1 – Listening Sessions The Contractor shall assemble a minimum of three listening sessions consisting of grantees and subgrantees in the base year and each option year. The listening sessions will assist in determining the resource needs on the website, provide feedback on the initial design and recommend functional changes to the website to use in future enhancements by ensuring that users are aware of the functions and resources on the website. Listening sessions shall have a minimum of 20 participants and shall consist of the following:

· one virtual listening session annually; and

· two listening sessions are to be held in conjunction with National, State or Regional Sponsored Conferences where a representative number of grantees and subgrantees are already in attendance. Reimbursement of expenses will not be provided for participants.

For the two listening sessions at National, State, or Regional Sponsored Conferences, the Contractor will coordinate with the Department to determine the selected conferences.

Task 4 - Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) (Optional in Option Years only) The Contractor shall provide direct subject matter expertise or obtain subject matter experts to provide resource documents on MEP topics. Once the COR identifies a topic area which requires a subject matter expert, the Contractor shall submit:

1. The resumes of up to three proposed individuals who have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, experience in the subject matter or technical area, and excellent analytic, writing and/or technical skills;

2. Each proposed individual’s fully burdened daily labor rate or fee; and

3. Each proposed individual’s estimate of the amount of time required to complete the project or task.

If the Contractor cannot provide three individuals for consideration for a particular task, the contractor shall provide rationale to the COR explaining why less than three individuals are available and capable of performing the work. The Contractor shall submit this information and make a recommendation to the COR within 10 business days after request for subject matter expertise is received. The COR shall review the submitted resumes and notify the Contractor of the approved subject matter expert within 10 business days after submission of resumes.

The following are examples of tasks that may be expected of the SMEs:

· Conduct case studies on specific topic areas

· Conduct research and produce white papers on specific topic areas

· Conduct a needs assessment

· Assist in content creation for program coordination modules

· Organize topic-specific distance learning opportunities for coordination among grantees

· Assemble a temporary topic specific technical working group The Contractor shall provide the direction and management of such experts and ensure the delivery of high quality services and/or products. The Contractor shall also submit draft and final products produced by each subject matter expert in accordance with a schedule that will be negotiated for each project and/or task.

Task 4.1 – SMEs in Option Years (Optional) For the option year, the Contractor shall utilize subject matter expertise to provide technical assistance specifically for the topics of a National Mobile Application Competition for Migrant Children and Toolkit Content Updates.

Task 4.1.1 – National Mobile Application Competition for Migrant Children For the National Mobile Application Competition topic area, the Contractor shall provide SME support to accomplish the following tasks:

· The Contractor shall design a competition with the assistance of a temporary working group to develop communication strategies, content creation, and guidelines. This working group shall have a membership of not more than 9 people and shall meet via virtual capabilities.

· The Contractor shall develop and deliver competition guidelines, requirements, and marketing for the experience. All aspects of the competition will be incorporated with the coordination website.

· The Contractor shall execute communication strategies and collaborate with, at least twenty, large subgrantees, to ensure competition information is provided to as many migrant children as possible.

· The Contractor will facilitate the larger development of the mobile application once a winner is chosen based on the pre-determined criteria from the working group (See Task 5) and provide a link to the coordination website.

Task 4.1.2 – Toolkits Content Updates For the Toolkits content updates area, the Contractor shall provide SME support to accomplish the following tasks:

· The Contractor shall review the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), Service Delivery Plan (SDP), and Evaluation Toolkits and coordinate with ED program staff for content and formatting that needs to be revised and/or added.

· The Contractor shall provide proposed changes, reasons for those changes, and if appropriate, a mock-up of any changes to the style or format to the COR.

Task 5 – Coordination Website Enhancements (Optional in Option Years only) Examples of enhancements could include changes to the website user interface, additional content creation, or white papers. The contractor will make suggestions for enhancements to the COR and other ED staff at the end of each contract year.

Task 5.1 - Website Enhancements (Optional) The following enhancements may be required during the contract Option Years:

· Enhance website user experience to ensure optimal functionality, performance, and reliability

· Development of a mobile application based on the work in Task 4.1.1 Task 6 - Operations & Maintenance Operate and maintain the coordination website in accordance with established practices

· Ensure the coordination website remains fully functional and stable (e.g. bug-fixes, security upgrades, software patches), and complete all required system, hardware and software upgrades in a timely manner. Note: all upgrades or enhancements shall be coordinated with ED.

· Interface daily with customers and other personnel to maintain a high quality of support for coordination. Responsibilities shall include system usage responses for the customers, and rapid response to all technical problems reported to the Contractor by the customers or by Contractor staff.

· Be expected to install and maintain all coordination website hardware components and keep track of them via an automated reporting and tracking tool.

· Ensure website is fully operational within four months after contract award.

Task 6.1 Asset Management Support The Contractor shall provide a full range of Asset Management Support including, but not limited to:

· Shipment of Automated Data Processing (ADP) assets, including coordination with shipping and receiving departments to ship and track inventory assets;

· Receipt of ADP assets including moving, unpacking, ensuring distribution and testing, and completing all required documentation;

· Perform installation and troubleshooting of hardware as needed;

· Dispose of aging equipment ensuring that all information has been wiped/erased in accordance with applicable security regulations;

· Work with manufacturers in connection with upgrades and repairs of equipment, memory, processor upgrades, Operating Systems (OS) issues, all hardware replacements and registration of those assets; and

· Providing a report listing updates to existing assets every six months The Contractor is responsible for ensuring adequate staffing for scheduling, performance, and reporting of these assigned tasks.

There will be no hardware to transition. There will be Government Furnished Information (GFI) in the form of a fully backed up website to include all web pages and database files in a digital format (i.e. either transferred to the new contract via secure FTP or via CDs/DVDs/portable hard drive).

Task 6.2 - Compliance with ED IT Security Policy The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall comply with the Department of Education’s IT security policy requirements, specifically those set forth in the ‘Handbook for Information Assurance Security Policy (OCIO-01)’, and other applicable procedures and guidance. The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall develop and implement management, operational and technical security controls to assure required levels of protection for information systems. The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall further comply with all applicable Federal IT security requirements including, but not limited to, the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130 Appendix III, Homeland Security Presidential Directives (HSPD), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards and guidance, and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) requirements and guidance.

These security requirements include, but are not limited to, the successful Security Authorization (SA) of the system (includes commercially owned and operated systems managed by the commercial vendor and its sub-contractors, supporting Department programs, contracts, and projects); obtaining a full Authority to Operate (ATO) before being granted operational status; performance of annual self-assessments of security controls; annual Contingency Plan testing; performance of periodic vulnerability scans; updating all information system security documentation as changes occur; and other continuous monitoring activities, which may include, mapping, penetration and other intrusive scanning. Full and unfettered access for the Department’s third party Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) must be granted to access all computers and networks used for this system[footnoteRef:4]. Additionally, when there is a significant change to the system’s security posture, the system (Federal and commercial prime- and sub- contractors included) must have a new SA, with all required activities to obtain a new ATO, signed by the Authorizing Official (AO). [4: It is incumbent upon all offerors to incorporate anticipated costs into their proposals arising from these activities. Any offeror submitting a proposal inherently accepts the burdens and expenses of these intrusive scans by the Department, third party MSSP vendors, as well as IV&V agents working on behalf of the Department’s interests.]

System security controls shall be designed and implemented consistent with NIST SP 800-53 Rev 3, ‘Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations.’ All NIST SP 800-53 controls must be tested / assessed no less than every 3 years, according to federal and Department policy. The risk impact level of the system will be determined via the completion of the Department's inventory form and shall meet the accurate depiction of security categorization as outlined in Federal Information Publishing Standards (FIPS) 199, ‘Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems.’

System security documentation shall be developed to record and support the implementation of the security controls for the system. This documentation shall be maintained for the life of the system. The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall review and update the system security documentation at least annually and after significant changes to the system, to ensure the relevance and accurate depiction of the implemented system controls and to reflect changes to the system and its environment of operation. Security documentation must be developed in accordance with the NIST 800 series and Department of Education policy and guidance. System security documentation may include but is not limited to:

· Risk Management Plan

· IT Contingency and Disaster Recovery Plan

· Configuration Management Plan and Repository

· Change Management Plan

· Requirements Management Plan

· Functional Requirements Document

· System Design Document

· NIST Self-Assessment (Annually)

· Remediation Plan (Plan of Actions and Milestones Submissions)

· System Security Plan

· Department of Education Data Sensitivity

· Incident Response Plan

· Security Controls Assessment Plan

· System Characterization Document

· System Disposal Plan The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall allow Department employees (or Department designated third party contractors) access to the hosting facility to conduct SA activities to include control reviews in accordance with NIST SP 800-53, Rev. 3 and NIST SP 800-53A. The contractor, and all sub-contractors, shall be available for interviews and demonstrations of security control compliance to support the SA process and continuous monitoring of system security. In addition, if the system is rated as ‘Moderate’ or ‘High’ for FIPS 199 risk impact, vulnerability scanning and penetration testing shall be performed on the hosting facility and application as part of the SA process. Appropriate access agreements will be reviewed and signed before any scanning or testing occurs.

Identified deficiencies between required NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 3 controls and the contractor’s, and all sub-contractor’s implementation, as documented in the Risk Assessment Report, System Security Plan (SSP) and Security Assessment Report (SAR), shall be tracked for mitigation through the development of a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) in accordance with the ‘Handbook for Information Assurance Security Policy (OCIO-01).’ Depending on the severity of the deficiencies, the Department may require remediation before an ATO is issued.

All awarded contracts shall ensure that:

· Their IT product/system is monitored during all hours of operations using entrusted detective/preventive systems;

· Their IT product/system has current antiviral products installed and operational;

· Their IT product/system is scanned on a reoccurring basis;

· Vulnerabilities are remediated in a timely manner on their IT product/system; and

· Access/view for cybersecurity situational awareness on their IT product/system is made available to the Department CIRC (cyber incident response capability).

Task 6.3 - Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) For IPv6, the contractor shall provide COTS solutions that are IPv6 capable. An IPv6 capable system or product shall be capable of receiving, processing, transmitting and forwarding IPv6 packets and/or interfacing with other systems and protocols in a manner similar to that of IPv4. Specific criteria to be deemed IPv6 capable are:

· An IPv6 capable system that meets the IPv6 base requirements defined by the USGv6 Profile (http://www.antd.nist.gov/usgv6/profile.html).

· Systems being developed, procured or acquired shall maintain interoperability with IPv4 systems/capabilities.

· Systems shall implement IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack and shall also be built to determine which protocol layer to use depending on the destination host it is attempting to communicate with or establish a socket with. If either protocol is possible, systems shall employ IPv6.

The contractor shall provide IPv6 technical support for system development, implementation and management.

Task 6.4 - Reporting of Data Security Breaches If there is a suspected or known breach/disclosure of PII due to lost, theft, intercepted transfer, or other, the contractor must ensure that this breach is reported to the agency as soon as the contractor has knowledge of it. Per Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-06-19, Federal agencies have a requirement to report breaches of PII security to a Federal incident response center. OESE must notify the department within 30 minutes of discovering the incident (and the agency should not distinguish between suspected or confirmed breaches). The data security plan must be written to reflect this requirement, and the contractor must provide sufficient notification and documentation of the suspected loss, as it is understood at the time of notification to the agency for this requirement to be met. Follow-up reports of the final status of loss events will also be prepared by the contractor within a reasonable period of time as advised by the OESE COR.

Task 6.5 - Compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. All deliverables developed under this work statement will comply with the Section 508 of the “Americans with Disabilities Act” technical standards for web and software accessibility located at 36 CFR 1194.21 and 1194.22.

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