# Presentation: 519180

## IT Quarterly ForumCo-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 GSA’s 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.

## Definitions

- Three important terms
- All three start with “A”
- They are NOT interchangeable

**3 Important Terms**

- Accessibility
- Accommodation
- Assistive Technology

**Notes:**
There is a vertical sidebar that says “3 important terms”.

## Accessibility

- Focuses on ensuring the E&IT 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

***Accessible design allows the ***
***use of assistive technology***

**3 Important Terms**

**Notes:**
There is a vertical sidebar that says “3 important terms”.
On this slide the word “accommodated” is circled to highlight the connection between accessibility and accommodation. 

## 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

***Assistive Technology can be provided  as an accommodation, but requires accessible E&IT to be useful – required by Section 508***

**3 Important Terms**

**Notes:**
There is a vertical sidebar that says “3 important terms”.
Also the words “Assistive Technology” are circled to highlight the connection between Accommodation and Assistive Tecnology.

## 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**

**Notes:**
There is a vertical sidebar that says “3 important terms”.

There is a vertical sidebar that says “3 important terms”. 
Source of AT definition is Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.)

## 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

**Notes:**
“Government” refers to the U.S. Federal Government. Now that we have established that Section 508 deals with accessibility, why is it so important?

## 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

## 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.

## The FAR and 508

**The **_[FAR](http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=107)__ 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 E&IT that meets needs, specifically including the Section 508 Standards. (Part 10)**
**Specifying that requirements documents for E&IT 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)**

## Key Points From FAR

- Procedures to include 508 in (all) E&IT requirements
- Market research must include consideration of 508 standards (should already be in requirements
- E&IT 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

## 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)

## 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.

## eGov Act of 2002 and 508

**December 17, 2002** the President signs this Act containing strong support for accessibility.
- _[Title II, Federal Agency Responsibilities](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c107:5:./temp/~c107uXSJLw:e37813:)__, (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).”

## eGov Act of 2002 and 508

- _[Section 3602 ](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c107:5:./temp/~c107Z40oE9:e12071:)__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.

## 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]).

## 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.”

## 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.

## 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.

## 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 ](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement/workforce/fed_acq_cert_042507.pdf)_info and _[COTR Training ](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement/memo/fac-cotr.pdf)_Info found at www.omb.gov
- Result is better communication, better requirements, and better outcomes.

## 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....