# ***STATEMENT OF WORK SECTION (Rev 8/02/01)***

# (For other than IDIQ contracts)

\[For accuracy sake, the contracting officer should verify that the
Access Board Final Rule Regulations have not changed prior to use of
this section. Two possible sources are the GSA Web site at
[www.section508.gov](http://www.section508.gov/) and the Access Board\'s
Web site at
[http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm\]](http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm)

# XXXX Section -- Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 IT Accessibility Requirements

# 

# **A. General** 

## 1. Purpose (Reference 36 CFR 1194.1) 

\(a\) The below technical standards are those issued by the
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access
Board), pursuant to Section 508 (a) (2) (A) of the Rehabilitation Act
Amendments of 1998 (29 U.S.C. § 794 (d)) as enacted in the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998. (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.)

\(b\) Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure,
maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal
employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and
data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who
are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be
imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with
disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or
services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information
and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not
individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed
on the agency.

**2. Application (Reference 36 CFR 1194.2)**

\(a\) This section does not apply to Electronic and Information
Technology (EIT, see definitions at A. 4. below) that is acquired by the
contractor incidental to the contract, or is neither used nor accessed
by Federal employees or members of the public, and contractor employees
in their professional capacity are not considered members of the public.

\(b\) For any EIT product proposed in response to this solicitation as a
deliverable that is a commercial item (as defined by the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, Subpart 2.101) or any EIT product to be
developed in response to this solicitation, that will be available to
meet this contract's delivery requirements, the contractor must
represent within his proposal that the product(s) complies with all of
the below standards. The contractor must fully complete the spreadsheet,
Electronic & Information Technology Accessibility Standards Evaluation,
located as an attachment in Section J of this solicitation, and submit
it with his/her proposal.

\(c\) If such product does not comply with all of the below standards,
the contractor must specify each specific standard that is not met.

**3. Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Product General
Exceptions (Reference 36 CFR 1194.3)**

(a) This section does not apply to any EIT operated by agencies, the
    function, operation, or use of which involves:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
(1) Intelligence activities

(2) Cryptographic activities related to national security

(3) Command and control of military forces

(4) Equipment as an integral part of a weapon or weapon system

(5) Systems critical to the direct fulfillment of military or
    intelligence missions

\(b\) Products acquired by a contractor incidental to a contract, or are
neither used nor accessed by Federal employees or members of the public,
and contractor employees and all personnel related to the contract are
not considered members of the public;

(c) Products or components of products that would require a fundamental
    alteration in their nature.

(d) Products located in spaces frequented only by service personnel for
    maintenance, repair or occasional monitoring.

**4. Definitions (Reference 36 CFR 1194.4)**

The following definitions apply to this section:

**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.

**Product**. Electronic and information technology.

**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.

5.  **Equivalent Facilitation (Reference 36 CFR 1194.5)**

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.

## B. Technical Standards

**1194.21 Software applications and operating systems.**

\(a\) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard,
product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function
itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned
textually.

\(b\) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of
other products that are identified as accessibility features, where
those features are developed and documented according to industry
standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated
features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility
features where the application programming interface for those
accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the
operating system and is available to the product developer.

\(c\) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be
provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input
focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that
assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.

\(d\) Sufficient information about a user interface element including
the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to
assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the
information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

\(e\) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status
indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to
those images shall be consistent throughout an application\'s
performance.

\(f\) Textual information shall be provided through operating system
functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be
made available is text content, text input caret location, and text
attributes.

\(g\) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color
selections and other individual display attributes.

\(h\) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable
in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the
user.

\(i\) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying
information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or
distinguishing a visual element.

\(j\) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast
settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of
contrast levels shall be provided.

\(k\) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or
other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and
lower than 55 Hz.

\(l\) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using
assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and
functionality required for completion and submission of the form,
including all directions and cues.

**1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and
applications.**

\(a\) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided
(e.g., via \"alt\", \"longdesc\", or in element content).

\(b\) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be
synchronized with the presentation.

\(c\) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with
color is also available without color, for example from context or
markup.

\(d\) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without
requiring an associated style sheet.

\(e\) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a
server-side image map.

\(f\) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side
image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available
geometric shape.

\(g\) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

\(h\) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for
data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column
headers.

\(i\) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame
identification and navigation.

\(j\) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker
with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

\(k\) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality,
shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this
part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The
content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page
changes.

\(l\) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to
create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall
be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive
technology.

\(m\) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other
application be present on the client system to interpret page content,
the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with
§1194.21(a) through (l).

\(n\) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the
form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the
information, field elements, and functionality required for completion
and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

\(o\) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive
navigation links.

\(p\) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and
given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Note to 1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this
section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999)
published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web
Consortium:

# Section 1194.22 Paragraph (a) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 1.1

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (b) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 1.4

# Section 1194.22 Paragraph (c) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 2.1

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (d) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 6.1

# Section 1194.22 Paragraph (e) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 1.2

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (f) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 9.1

# Section 1194.22 Paragraph (g) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 5.1

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (h) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 5.2

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (i) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 12.1

# Section 1194.22 Paragraph (j) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 7.1

Section 1194.22 Paragraph (k) WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint 11.4

2\. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different
from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (i.e., all
priority 1 checkpoints) must also meet paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o),
and (p) of this section to comply with this section. WCAG 1.0 is
available at http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505.

**1194.23 Telecommunications products.**

\(a\) Telecommunications products or systems which provide a function
allowing voice communication and which do not themselves provide a TTY
functionality shall provide a standard non-acoustic connection point for
TTYs. Microphones shall be capable of being turned on and off to allow
the user to intermix speech with TTY use.

\(b\) Telecommunications products which include voice communication
functionality shall support all commonly used cross-manufacturer
non-proprietary standard TTY signal protocols.

\(c\) Voice mail, auto-attendant, and interactive voice response
telecommunications systems shall be usable by TTY users with their TTYs.

\(d\) Voice mail, messaging, auto-attendant, and interactive voice
response telecommunications systems that require a response from a user
within a time interval, shall give an alert when the time interval is
about to run out, and shall provide sufficient time for the user to
indicate more time is required.

\(e\) Where provided, caller identification and similar
telecommunications functions shall also be available for users of TTYs,
and for users who cannot see displays.

\(f\) For transmitted voice signals, telecommunications products shall
provide a gain adjustable up to a minimum of 20 dB. For incremental
volume control, at least one intermediate step of 12 dB of gain shall be
provided.

\(g\) If the telecommunications product allows a user to adjust the
receive volume, a function shall be provided to automatically reset the
volume to the default level after every use.

\(h\) Where a telecommunications product delivers output by an audio
transducer which is normally held up to the ear, a means for effective
magnetic wireless coupling to hearing technologies shall be provided.

\(i\) Interference to hearing technologies (including hearing aids,
cochlear implants, and assistive listening devices) shall be reduced to
the lowest possible level that allows a user of hearing technologies to
utilize the telecommunications product.

\(j\) Products that transmit or conduct information or communication,
shall pass through cross-manufacturer, non-proprietary,
industry-standard codes, translation protocols, formats or other
information necessary to provide the information or communication in a
usable format. Technologies which use encoding, signal compression,
format transformation, or similar techniques shall not remove
information needed for

access or shall restore it upon delivery.

\(k\) Products which have mechanically operated controls or keys, shall
comply with the following:

\(1\) Controls and keys shall be tactilely discernible without
activating the controls or keys.

\(2\) Controls and keys shall be operable with one hand and shall not
require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force
required to activate controls and keys shall be 5 lbs. (22.2 N) maximum.

\(3\) If key repeat is supported, the delay before repeat shall be
adjustable to at least 2 seconds. Key repeat rate shall be adjustable to
2 seconds per character.

\(4\) The status of all locking or toggle controls or keys shall be
visually discernible, and discernible either through touch or sound.

**1194.24 Video and multimedia products.**

\(a\) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer
equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry,
shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately
receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable,
videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than
July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at
least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays
measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners,
whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer
equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be
equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives,
decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape,
and DVD signals.

\(b\) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers,
shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry.

\(c\) All training and informational video and multimedia productions
which support the agency\'s mission, regardless of format, that contain
speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the
content, shall be open or closed captioned.

\(d\) All training and informational video and multimedia productions
which support the agency\'s mission, regardless of format, that contain
visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall
be audio described.

\(e\) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio
descriptions shall be user-selectable unless permanent.

**1194.25 Self contained, closed products.**

\(a\) Self contained products shall be usable by people with
disabilities without requiring an end-user to attach assistive
technology to the product. Personal headsets for private listening are
not assistive technology.

\(b\) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and
given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

\(c\) Where a product utilizes touchscreens or contact-sensitive
controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with §1194.23
(k) (1) through (4).

\(d\) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used,
an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not
require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall
also be provided.

\(e\) When products provide auditory output, the audio signal shall be
provided at a standard signal level through an industry standard
connector that will allow for private listening. The product must
provide the ability to interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at
anytime.

\(f\) When products deliver voice output in a public area, incremental
volume control shall be provided with output amplification up to a level
of at least 65 dB. Where the ambient noise level of the environment is
above 45 dB, a volume gain of at least 20 dB above the ambient level
shall be user selectable. A function shall be provided to automatically
reset the volume to the default level after every use.

\(g\) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying
information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or
distinguishing a visual element.

\(h\) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast
settings, a range of color selections capable of producing a variety of
contrast levels shall be provided.

\(i\) Products shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker
with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

\(j\) Products which are freestanding, non-portable, and intended to be
used in one location and which have operable controls shall comply with
the following:

\(1\) The position of any operable control shall be determined with
respect to a vertical plane, which is 48 inches in length, centered on
the operable control, and at the maximum protrusion of the product
within the 48 inch length (see Figure 1 of this part).

\(2\) Where any operable control is 10 inches or less behind the
reference plane, the height shall be 54 inches maximum and 15 inches
minimum above the floor.

\(3\) Where any operable control is more than 10 inches and not more
than 24 inches behind the reference plane, the height shall be 46 inches
maximum and 15 inches minimum above the floor.

\(4\) Operable controls shall not be more than 24 inches behind the
reference plane (see Figure 2 of this part).

**1194.26 Desktop and portable computers.**

\(a\) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with
§1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).

\(b\) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an
input method shall be provided that complies with §1194.23 (k) (1)
through (4).

\(c\) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used,
an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not
require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall
also be provided.

\(d\) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots,
ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry
standards.

## C. Functional Performance Criteria

\[NOTE: **If there are applicable provisions in Subpart B that fully
address the product or service being procured, then the you need not
look to Subpart C. Products that meet the specific technical provisions
set forth in Subpart B will also meet the broader functional performance
criteria in Subpart C.**

**If your product is not fully addressed by Subpart B, then you must
look to Subpart C for applicable functional performance requirements.**

**The Access Board's standards provide that a vendor may offer EIT that
uses designs or technologies that do not meet the applicable technical
provisions in Subpart B but provide substantially equivalent or greater
access to and use of a product for people with disabilities. (See 36 CFR
1194.5.) This is referred to as \"equivalent facilitation.\" In effect,
meeting the functional performance criteria in Subpart C of the Board's
standards is the test for equivalent facilitation.\]**

**1194.31 Functional performance criteria.**

\(a\) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does
not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive
technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be
provided.

\(b\) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does
not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio
and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support
for assistive technology used by people who are visually impaired shall
be provided.

\(c\) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does
not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive
technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be
provided.

\(d\) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at
least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided
in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing
devices shall be provided.

\(e\) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does
not require user speech shall be provided, or support for assistive
technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.

\(f\) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does
not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is
operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.

## D. Information, Documentation, and Support

**1194.41 Information, documentation, and support.**

\(a\) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made
available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.

\(b\) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility
and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate
methods upon request, at no additional charge.

\(c\) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication
needs of end-users with disabilities.

Figures to Part 1194

Figure 1

Figure 2