**NOAA Section 508 Standards Checklist and**

**Assessment Certification Form**

**System/Product Name**:
[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

(Use one form for each System or Product)

**Office:**
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Contact Person**: **Telephone:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**Requisition
No.\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

By using this checklist, you have already determined that the product or
service you are purchasing falls within the definition of "Electronic
Information Technology" (EIT). A complete definition of EIT is provided
with the "Definitions" included with this checklist. However, Section
508 Standards may not apply if the item was in use or being delivered
under an existing contract or purchase order prior to the effective date
of June 21, 2001(referred to as existing EIT) and the work requested
does not upgrade but maintains the item. The Standards do not apply to
components/internal replacement parts to maintain any EIT. If either of
these is applicable, check not applicable and complete the basis being
cited in the following and sign this form on the second page:

Not Applicable. The standards do not apply because this requisition
either 1) involves existing EIT or is for acquiring maintenance or
support services for existing EIT not otherwise covered by the technical
provisions of Section 508 standards, and the requirement does not
significantly upgrade or update the EIT, operating software, or
application software, or 2) is for a component/internal replacement part
for any EIT.

If the above is not checked, Section 508 Standards apply and the
following items must be completed.

+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **Item A - TECHNICAL STANDARDS**                         | **Check   |
|                                                          | [ALL]{.u  |
|                                                          | nderline} |
|                                                          | that      |
|                                                          | Apply**   |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.21 Software applications and operating          |           |
| systems.**                                               |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information  |           |
| and applications.**                                      |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.23 Telecommunications products.**               |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.24 Video and/or multimedia products**           |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.25 Self contained, closed products.**           |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **§ 1194.26 Desktop and portable computers.**            |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **Subpart C \-- Functional Performance Criteria**        |           |
|                                                          |           |
| **§ 1194.31 Functional performance criteria**            |           |
|                                                          |           |
| (If none of the technical standards of Subpart B         |           |
| applies, then Subpart C applies)                         |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
| **Subpart D \-- Information, Documentation, and          |           |
| Support**                                                |           |
|                                                          |           |
| **§ 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support**    |           |
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+

  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------
  **36 CFR § 1194.3** **General Exceptions.**                 

  **§ 1194.3 (a)** The electronic and information technology  
  operated by agency, the function, operation, or use of      
  which involves intelligence activities, cryptologic         
  activities and is directly related to national security,    
  command and control of military forces, equipment that is   
  an integral part of a weapon or weapons systems, or systems 
  which are critical to the direct fulfillment of military or 
  intelligence missions.(excluding payroll, finance,          
  logistics and personnel management applications)            
  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------

  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------
                                                              

  **§ 1194.3(b)** The electronic and information technology   
  acquired by a contractor is incidental to a contract.       
  *(e.g. is not part of the deliverables of the contract)*    

  **§ 1194.3(c)** The installation of specific                
  accessibility-related software or the attachment of an      
  assistive technology device is not required at a            
  workstation of a Federal employee who is not an individual  
  with a disability. *(e.g. not every computer will be        
  equipped with a refreshable Braille display)*               

  **§ 1194.3(d)** When agencies provide access to the public  
  to information or data through electronic and information   
  technology, agencies are not required to make products      
  owned by the agency available for access and use by         
  individuals with disabilities at a location other than that 
  where the electronic and information technology is provided 
  to the public, or to purchase products for access and use   
  by individuals with disabilities at a location other than   
  that where the electronic and information technology is     
  provided to the public.                                     

  **§ 1194.3(e)** A fundamental alteration would be required  
  in the nature of a product or it components. *(e.g. adding  
  a large display on a pager or palm pilot would              
  significantly change the size; thus nature of the product)* 

  **§ 1194.3(f)** Products will be located in spaces          
  frequented only by service personnel for maintenance,       
  repair, or occasional monitoring of equipment. *(e.g.       
  telecommunications equipment switches, servers)*            

  **§ 1194.2 (a)** It is an undue burden. (Means significant  
  difficulty or expense) - Undue burden must be documented    
  and approved by the CIO/CFO per your office's delegated     
  procurement authority.                                      

  **Item B2. Commercial Non-Availability**                    

  **36 CFR § 1194.2(b)** and **FAR 39.203(c)** Products that  
  meets applicable Section 508 technical standards are not    
  available in the commercial marketplace. Market research    
  and non-availability determinations must be documented.     
  ----------------------------------------------------------- -----------

**Approving Official's Signature:** **Date**:

**Instructions:**.

1.Using the summary list on the first page of the checklist to identify
which technical standard(s) apply (Item A). A description of the
criteria associated with each of these standards is available through
the following URL:
[[http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm.]{.underline}](http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/index.htm.)
If the requisition involves existing EIT, the standards may not be
applicable in some circumstances and the checklist can be completed and
signed. Include any explanation on or with the checklist. Further
discussion on the considerations for existing systems may be accessed
through the "Frequently Asked Questions link at the above site.

2\. Conduct market research with venders offering products or services.
The purpose of this research is to identify what features of the
vendor's product meet the specific criteria of the Section 508 technical
standard(s). Document your research by printing out the vendor's product
features or asking the vender to complete a "Section 508 Vendor
Checklist." A copy of this checklist is available on AMD's website
[[http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/\~amd/vendorchecklist.pdf.]{.underline}](http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/~amd/vendorchecklist.pdf.)
Some commonly used vendors' product's features are documented on AMD's
web page as follows:
[[http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/\~amd/index.html.]{.underline}](http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/~amd/index.html.)

3\. If an exemption applies, identify which exemption applies by using
the checklist (items B1 or B2) on the first or second page. Document
your rationale for undue burden and commercial non-availability
exemptions, get appropriate signatures and forward to your servicing
procurement office. You are done.

4\. The requisitioner and approving official are responsible for
determining if a vendor's product complies with the Section 508
technical standards. Accordingly, please forward your market research
along with this checklist to your servicing procurement office.

5\. By signing the checklist, the "approving official" is representing
that the technical standards are properly identified or the stated
exemption is proper and appropriate. The "approving official" is
normally the official with authority to approve the requisition. (NOTE:
If "Undue Burden" is identified as an exemption, additional
documentation is required and a higher level approval is required).

A glossary of terms is set forth below:

1\. Section 508 does not apply to national security systems, as that
term is defined in section 5142 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40
U.S.C. 1452).

2\. The Access Board is an independent Federal agency established by
section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 792) whose primary
mission is to promote accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
The Access Board consists of 25 members. Thirteen are appointed by the
President from among the public, a majority of who are required to be
individuals with disabilities. The other twelve are heads of the
following Federal agencies or their designees whose positions are
Executive Level IV or above: The departments of Health and Human
Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,
Labor, Interior, Defense, Justice, Veterans Affairs, and Commerce; the
General Services Administration; and the United States Postal Service.

3\. Whenever the Access Board revises its standards, the Federal
Acquisition Regulatory Council is required to revise the FAR, and each
appropriate Federal agency is required to revise its procurement
policies and directives within six months to incorporate the revisions.

**§ 1194.4 Definitions.**

**Agency**. Any Federal department or agency, including the United
States Postal Service.

**Alternate formats**. Alternate formats usable by people with
disabilities may include, but are not limited to, Braille, ASCII text,
large print, recorded audio, and electronic formats that comply with
this part.

**Alternate methods**. Different means of providing information,
including product documentation, to people with disabilities. Alternate
methods may include, but are not limited to, voice, fax, relay service,
TTY, Internet posting, captioning, text-to-speech synthesis, and audio
description.

**Assistive technology**. Any item, piece of equipment, or system,
whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly
used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.

**Electronic and information technology**. Includes information
technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of
equipment, that is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of
data or information. The term electronic and information technology
includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as
telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web
sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax
machines. The term does not include any equipment that contains embedded
information technology that is used as an integral part of the product,
but the principal function of which is not the acquisition, storage,
manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching,
interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. For
example, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) equipment
such as thermostats or temperature control devices, and medical
equipment where information technology is integral to its operation, are
not information technology.

**Information technology**. Any equipment or interconnected system or
subsystem of equipment, that is used in the automatic acquisition,
storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display,
switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or
information. The term information technology includes computers,
ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services
(including support services), and related resources.

**Operable controls.** A component of a product that requires physical
contact for normal operation. Operable controls include, but are not
limited to, mechanically operated controls, input and output trays, card
slots, keyboards, or keypads.

**Self Contained, Closed Products**. Products that generally have
embedded software and are commonly designed in such a fashion that a
user cannot easily attach or install assistive technology. These
products include, but are not limited to, information kiosks and
information transaction machines, copiers, printers, calculators, fax
machines, and other similar types of products.

**Telecommunications**. The transmission, between or among points
specified by the user, of information of the user\'s choosing, without
change in the form or content of the information as sent and received.

**TTY**. An abbreviation for teletypewriter. Machinery or equipment that
employs interactive text based communications through the transmission
of coded signals across the telephone network. TTYs may include, for
example, devices known as TDDs (telecommunication display devices or
telecommunication devices for deaf persons) or computers with special
modems. TTYs are also called text telephones.

**Undue burden**. Undue burden means significant difficulty or expense.
In determining whether an action would result in an undue burden, an
agency shall consider all agency resources available to the program or
component for which the product is being developed, procured,
maintained, or used.

**§ 1194.5 Equivalent facilitation.**

Nothing in this part is intended to prevent the use of designs or
technologies as alternatives to those prescribed in this part provided
they result in substantially equivalent or greater access to and use of
a product for people with disabilities.

**Commercial Nonavailability** : An agency may conclude that EIT meeting
the applicable technical provisions of the Access Board's standards is
not available (and purchase EIT that does not meet those provisions)
when it cannot find a commercial item that both meets applicable Access
Board's technical provisions and can be furnished in time to satisfy the
agency's delivery requirements. If products are available that meet
some, but not all applicable provisions, agencies cannot claim a product
as a whole is nonavailable just because it does not meet all of the
applicable provisions.