IT Quarterly Forum Cosponsored by GSA and the Federal CIO Council

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IT Quarterly ForumCo-sponsored by GSA and the
Federal CIO Council

• Section 508 Demystifying How IT and Acquisition
  Personnel Can Collaborate to Implement the Law

Presented on January 29, 2007 at GSAs Central
Office Terry Weaver, Director, IT Accessibility
Workforce Division, GSA Lesley Field, Policy
Analyst, OFPP, OMB Helen Chamberlain, IT
Accessibility Workforce Division, GSA Alex
Koudry, Detailee to IT Accessibility Workforce
Division, GSA
Note See notes pages if necessary for more
detail on what is shown on slide.
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Definitions

• Three important terms
• All three start with A
• They are NOT interchangeable

3 Important Terms

• Accessibility
• Accommodation
• Assistive Technology

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Accessibility

• Focuses on ensuring the EIT can be accessed by
  persons with disabilities
• An example would be ensuring that the agency time
  and attendance system works, so that persons
  accommodated with screen readers can successfully
  use the system to get paid

3 Important Terms
Accessible design allows the use of assistive
technology
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Accommodation

• Focuses on the person, on providing needed
  technology to allow people to do their jobs
• An example would be providing a screen reader to
  a visually impaired person

3 Important Terms
Assistive Technology can be provided as an
accommodation, but requires accessible EIT to be
useful required by Section 508
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Assistive Technology

• any item, piece of equipment, or product system,
  whether acquired commercially, modified, or
  customized, that is used to increase, maintain,
  or improve functional capabilities of individuals
  with disabilities

3 Important Terms
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Some Statistics
Over 54 million Americans are persons with
disabilities Over 7 million of these people work
for the government The Government spends over 37
billion on Information Technology each year
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Section 508 Requirements are found in

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
• A-130
• eGov Act of 2002
• Other OMB Circulars and Memorandums

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Section 508 - Implementation

• Required the FAR to be changed within 6 months of
  the date standards were published.
• 508 also stated that during the same period,
  Each Federal department or agency shall revise
  the Federal procurement policies and directives
  under the control of the department or agency to
  incorporate those standards.
• This means that effective June 21 2001, all
  agency procurement policies should require the
  inclusion of the appropriate 508 standards.

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The FAR and 508

• The FAR implements and enforces Section 508 by
• Requiring agency heads to prescribe procedures
  that ensure Section 508 Standards are included in
  acquisition plans. (Part 7).
• Requiring that market research be done to
  determine availability of EIT that meets needs,
  specifically including the Section 508 Standards.
  (Part 10)
• Specifying that requirements documents for EIT
  must include applicable Section 508 Standards.
  (Part 11)
• Specifying that requirements documents for
  commercial items include the applicable 508
  standards. (Part 12)
• Implementing Section 508 (Part 39.2)

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Key Points From FAR

• Procedures to include 508 in (all) EIT
  requirements
• Market research must include consideration of 508
  standards (should already be in requirements
• EIT procurement requirements documentation (eg.
  SOWs, RFPs,) must include applicable 508
  standards

i.e. Software, Web-based, Telecomunications,
Video/Multimedia, Self contained/closed, and or
Desktop/Portable Computers
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Circular A-130 and 508

• 8. Policy
• b. How Will Agencies Manage Information Systems
  and Information Technology
• (1) How will agencies use capital planning and
  investment control process
• (b) What must an agency do as part of the
  selection component of the capital planning
  process? It must
• (xiii) Ensure that the selected system or process
  facilitates accessibility under the
  Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. (Section
  508)

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Circular A-130 and 508

• 9. Assignment of Responsibilities
• All Federal Agencies. The head of each agency
  must
• 4. Direct the Chief Information Officer to
  monitor agency compliance with the policies,
  procedures, and guidance in this Circular.
• (GSA Administrator) must
• 2. Develop, maintain, and disseminate for the
  use of the Federal community (as requested by OMB
  or the agencies) recommended methods and
  strategies for the development and acquisition of
  information technology.
• 3. Conduct and manage outreach programs in
  cooperation with agency managers.

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eGov Act of 2002 and 508

• December 17, 2002 the President signs this Act
  containing strong support for accessibility.
• Title II, Federal Agency Responsibilities, (d)
• ACCESSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES- All
  actions taken by Federal departments and agencies
  under this Act shall be in compliance with
  section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
  U.S.C. 794d).

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eGov Act of 2002 and 508

• Section 3602 establishes Office of Electronic
  Government, with an Administrator.
• (f) Subject to requirements of this chapter, the
  Administrator shall assist the Director by
  performing electronic Government functions as
  follows
• (13) Assist Federal agencies, including the
  General Services Administration, the Department
  of Justice, and the United States Access Board
  in--
• (A) implementing accessibility standards under
  section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
  U.S.C. 794d) and
• (B) ensuring compliance with those standards
  through the budget review process and other means.

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Other OMB Guidance

• Implementation Guidance for the E-Government Act
  of 2002 (M-03-18)
• August 1, 2003 - Reminds agencies they must
  continue to comply with Section 508.
• (Also specified that CIOs are expected to
  identify and leverage opportunities to partner
  with other agencies on the requirements of the
  eGov Act).

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Other OMB Guidance

• Policies for Federal Agency Websites M-05-04
• December 17, 2004 - Lists 10 policies, one of
  which is titled Maintain Accessibility.
  Contains the following Federal agency public
  websites must be designed to make information and
  services fully available to individuals with
  disabilities.

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Other OMB Guidance

• Improving Public Access to and Dissemination of
  Government Information and Using the Federal
  Enterprise Architecture Data Reference Model.
  (M-06-02)
• December 16, 2005 - This includes a list of
  existing responsibilities, including Disseminate
  information to the public on a timely and
  equitable basis and language specifically
  including Section 508 is referenced.

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Other OMB Guidance

• Ensuring the Accessibility of Federal Electronic
  and Information Technologies Procured by Federal
  Agencies
• November 6, 2007 CAOs and CIOs reminded of
  their collaborative roles.
• GSA to sample agency solicitations to ensure
  Section 508 requirements are being met.
• Agencies with non-compliant solicitations will be
  contacted.

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Workforce Initiatives

• Broadening the acquisition workforce Creating
  certification requirements
• OFPP has new acquisition workforce policy
  framework that broadens the definition to include
  program managers, project managers, Contracting
  Officers Technical Representatives, and all
  others involved in the process.
• Two new certification programs to ensure that
  those developing requirements and those managing
  contractor performance get specific training and
  development opportunities. PM Training info and
  COTR Training Info found at www.omb.gov
• Result is better communication, better
  requirements, and better outcomes.

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How to Ensure Compliance of Solicitations

• Use the Buy Accessible Wizard!
• More after the break when Helen Chamberlain
  presents information on the free Buy Accessible
  Wizard.