Section 508 - Contract Language Template.docx

Revised Section 508 Standards Contract Language Template

Instructions: When purchasing IT products or services, insert the following language into your procurement documentation (e.g., Statement of Work). NOTE: You must obtain authorization for any claimed 508 exceptions before you issue your solicitation.

IT 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 information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to, and use of, information and data that is comparable to people without disabilities.

1. Products, platforms and services delivered as part of this work statement that are ICT, or contain ICT, must conform to the Revised 508 Standards, which are located at 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps. A, C & D, and available at https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines Item that contains ICT: [Insert product name] Applicable Functional Performance Criteria: All functional performance criteria apply when using an alternative design or technology that achieves substantially equivalent or greater accessibility and usability by individuals with disabilities, than would be provided by conformance to one or more of the requirements in Chapters 4-6 of the Revised 508 Standards, or when Chapters 4-6 do not address one or more functions of ICT.

Applicable requirements for software features and components: All WCAG Level AA Success Criteria, 502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology, 503 Application Applicable requirements for hardware features and components: All requirements apply Applicable support services and documentation: All requirements apply

Instructions: The following instructions will help vendors properly document how their proposed solution addresses the Section 508 requirements outlined in the previous section. Vendors should include this documentation with their proposal. When explaining how potential offerors should respond to the solicitation, include these instructions. Caution: These instructions are not 508 requirements, evaluation factors, or acceptance criteria.

Instructions to Offerors

1. Provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for each commercially available Information and Communication Technology (ICT) item offered through this contract. Create the ACR using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template Version 2.1 or later, located at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat. Complete each ACR in accordance with the instructions provided in the VPAT template. Each ACR must address the applicable Section 508 requirements referenced in the Work Statement. Each ACR shall state exactly how the ICT meets the applicable standards in the remarks/explanations column, or through additional narrative. All "Not Applicable" (N/A) responses must be explained in the remarks/explanations column or through additional narrative. Address each standard individually and with specificity, and clarify whether conformance is achieved throughout the entire ICT Item (for example - user functionality, administrator functionality, and reporting), or only in limited areas of the ICT Item. Provide a description of the evaluation methods used to support Section 508 conformance claims. The agency reserves the right, prior to making an award decision, to perform testing on some or all of the Offeror’s proposed ICT items to validate Section 508 conformance claims made in the ACR.

2. Describe your approach to incorporating universal design principles to ensure ICT products or services are designed to support disabled users.

3. Describe plans for features that do not fully conform to the Section 508 Standards.

4. Describe "typical" user scenarios and tasks, including individuals with disabilities, to ensure fair and accurate accessibility testing of the ICT product or service being offered.

Instructions: Insert the following language into the Acceptance Criteria section of the solicitation.

Acceptance Criteria

1. Prior to acceptance, the government reserves the right to perform testing on required ICT items to validate the offeror’s Section 508 conformance claims. If the government determines that Section 508 conformance claims provided by the offeror represent a higher level of conformance than what is actually provided to the agency, the government shall, at its option, require the offeror to remediate the item to align with the offeror’s original Section 508 conformance claims prior to acceptance.