Working Together: 

Federal Personnel and the 

Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program 

JWOD Handbook 

Fourth Edition 

2000 

Committee For Purchase From People 

Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, NIB 

and NISH 
Executive Summary

The purpose of this Handbook is to assist

Federal personnel, particularly those in

contracting activities, in working with the

Committee for Purchase From People Who Are

Blind or Severely Disabled, National Industries for

the Blind (NIB) and NISH under the JavitsWagner-O’Day (JWOD) Program. The JWOD

Program is a mandatory source program created

by the JWOD Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) and

implemented through 41 CFR Chapter 51 and

FAR Subpart 8.7. Under the JWOD Program, the

Federal Government obtains certain needed

products and services from nonprofit agencies

employing people who are legally blind or have

other severe disabilities. Benefits to the Federal

Government and the taxpayer include:

● Quality products and services

● On-time delivery

● Fair market prices, best value procurement

● Paperless acquisition through e-commerce

portals such as www.jwod.com, www.

gsaadvantage.gov, and those of authorized

JWOD distributors

● Multiple distribution channels

● Reduction of paperwork and pre/post-award

costs through long-term contracts

● Availability of products that meet the

Minimum Recycled Content Standard for

Printing and Writing Paper as specified by

Executive Order 13101

● Central points of contact that solve problems

and facilitate action

● Reduced Government entitlement payments

and increased tax revenues

The Committee for Purchase From People Who

Are Blind or Severely Disabled is responsible for

administering the JWOD Program. An

independent Federal agency consisting of 15

Presidentially appointed members and a small staff,

the “Committee,” determines which products and

services are suitable for provision by nonprofit

agencies and establishes the fair market prices and,

in certain cases, the end item prices to be paid for

them by the Federal Government. Technical

assistance to match nonprofit agency capabilities

with Government requirements is rendered by NIB

and NISH, private nonprofit organizations

designated by the Committee.

Throughout the “JWOD Process”

(Identification, Development, Committee Review/

Decision, and Production/Performance), Federal

employees play an extremely important role in

assuring the success of the Program. This

Handbook is intended to provide them with

guidance regarding their role as members of the

JWOD team. Only through the combined efforts

of all team members will the Program achieve its

dual goals of meeting Federal procurement needs

and generating employment and training

opportunities for Americans who are blind or have

other severe disabilities.

The JWOD Program is Government at its best.

While promoting a desirable social goal, it

represents good business for the Federal

Government—quality products and services,

delivered on time at fair market prices.

C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H i
The Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act: Historical Perspective

Enacted in 1938, the original WagnerO’Day Act was designed to promote a

desirable socioeconomic goal by using the

tremendous purchasing power of the Federal

Government as a catalyst in employing people who

are blind. The law established the Committee on

Purchases of Blind-Made Products and provided

long-term work opportunities by mandating that

all Federal agencies purchase specified products

made in nonprofit agencies employing such

individuals.

In 1971, Senator Jacob Javits spearheaded

efforts to expand the Act. The resulting JavitsWagner O’Day (JWOD) Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c)

permitted nonprofit agencies serving people with

“other” severe disabilities to participate in the

Program and authorized nonprofit agencies to

furnish not only products, but also services to the

Government.

Under the new Act, the Federal agency charged

with administering the JWOD Program was again

structured as a Committee. That agency—currently

known as the Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

(Committee)—was charged with deciding which

products and services should be purchased by the

Federal Government under the JWOD Program;

determining the fair market price for those products

and services; revising the prices in accordance with

changing market conditions; and establishing rules

needed to administer the Program. The Committee

has designated two central nonprofit agencies—

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and

NISH—to facilitate the distribution of orders

among nonprofit agencies participating in the

JWOD Program. NIB works with agencies that

primarily serve people who are blind, while NISH

works with agencies that serve individuals with a

range of severe disabilities.

The Program is established by the JWOD Act,

with implementing guidance in the Code of Federal

Regulations (41 CFR Chapter 51) and the Federal

Acquisition Regulations (FAR Subpart 8.7). The

Committee maintains an official Procurement List

of products and services that are mandated for

purchase from nonprofit agencies serving people

who are blind or have other severe disabilities. This

List is modified almost every week, with changes

reported in the Federal Register on Fridays. The

appropriate contracting activity is notified whenever

a product or service is added to the Procurement

List and works with the Committee to ensure that

in the future the product or service is purchased

from the designated nonprofit agency(ies). The

Procurement List is also posted on the JWOD

Program’s information website at www.jwod.gov.

J W O D H A N D B O O K ii
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 1

JWOD HANDBOOK

Table of Contents

JWOD Program Benefits ................................................................................................ 2

Members of the JWOD Team .......................................................................................... 4

Federal Personnel......................................................................................................................... 4

Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled ....................................... 5

Central Nonprofit Agencies: NIB and NISH ..................................................................................... 5

State and Private Nonprofit Agencies ............................................................................................. 7

The JWOD Process ........................................................................................................ 8

The Identification Phase ................................................................................................................ 8

The Development Phase................................................................................................................ 9

The Committee Review/Decision Phase ........................................................................................ 12

The Production/Performance Phase ............................................................................................. 13

Process of Adding Items to the Procurement List ............................................................ 17

Federal Employees’ Role in the JWOD Process ............................................................... 18

Frequently Asked Questions ......................................................................................... 23
2 J W O D H A N D B O O K

JWOD Program Benefits

To many, the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD)

Program is an example of Government at

its best. Although the purpose of the

Program is to provide employment and training

for people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities, benefits of the program extend to the

Federal Government and taxpayers as well...

...To the Federal Government

Federal agencies participating in the JWOD

Program experience a number of advantages, which

collectively make JWOD procurements comparable

to those being accomplished through “best value”

contracts:

Quality.

Products and services provided under this

Program must meet or exceed all applicable

specifications or performance standards. Special

manufacturing or procedural techniques may be

developed to adapt the work environment to meet

the needs of individuals who are blind or have other

severe disabilities. However, there are no

modifications to the Government’s specifications/

standards or quality requirements unless it is

mutually agreed such modification would lead to

higher quality products and services. The

relationship between JWOD vendors and the

Government is a long-term partnership with a

dependable supplier that can work with the

Government on both product and process

improvements.

On-time delivery.

As with specifications, nonprofit agencies

providing products or services under the Act are

required to ship/perform in compliance with the

Government’s schedule.

Fair market prices.

Prices under the JWOD Program are established

by the Committee (usually after negotiations with

the contracting activity, the nonprofit agency and

NIB/NISH) and are based on recent procurements

by the Government or the commercial market for

comparable products and services. When

appropriate comparative data is not available, prices

are developed using nonprofit agency costs.

Wide range of distribution channels.

JWOD products can be obtained through a wide

range of distribution channels: the e-commerce

website www.jwod.com, GSA Advantage!TM, and

from commercial vendors on the GSA Multiple

Awards Schedule. JWOD products are also available

by calling (877) GET-JWOD, or by faxing

(877) FAX-JWOD. The most current information

on JWOD ordering and distribution channels is

available at www.jwod.gov.

Reduced paperwork and pre/post-award costs.

Once a product or service is added to the

Procurement List, the Government will continue

to purchase it from the nonprofit agency. As long

as performance on price, quality and delivery is

maintained by the nonprofit agency and the

Government’s needs remain, there is no need to

re-compete the product or service. In addition,

there is no need to issue a complete solicitation

package each time a price is negotiated. This is a

significant savings to the Government in terms of

time and resources.

Central points of contact.

A unique advantage of the JWOD Program is

its provision to contracting activities of a central

point of contact in addition to the nonprofit agency
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 3

providing the product or service. In the event of

problems, the designated organization—NIB or

NISH—can be called upon by the nonprofit agency

or the contracting activity to assist in their

resolution. This assistance can take the form of

engineering, management, and possibly even

financial help. If a problem cannot be resolved

through the efforts of the contracting activity,

nonprofit agency, or NIB and NISH, the

Committee staff is available to help.

...To Individuals Who are Blind or

Have Other Severe Disabilities

JWOD work provides nonprofit agency

employees with invaluable vocational opportunities

that may not otherwise be available, which result

in additional income and increased independence.

Some tremendous advantages include:

Long-term work experience.

Unlike many short-term commercial contracts

that are here today, gone tomorrow, the

procurement of products and services through

JWOD provides long-term, stable employment for

individuals who are blind or have other severe

disabilities. In many cases, it is their only vocational

option.

Marketable job skills.

Employment under the JWOD Program

provides a chance to develop job skills that offer

opportunities for individual advancement. Through

expanding their scope of experience and enhancing

their abilities, some employees are able to tackle

new assignments at increasingly higher levels of

difficulty. This experience prepares them for a wider

variety of jobs in competitive employment either

within or outside of the nonprofit agency.

Sometimes such individuals are recognized by the

Federal personnel they are serving as well-trained

candidates for vacant Federal positions.

...To Taxpayers

Reduced dependence on Federal dollars and

increased tax revenues.

Independent research performed for the JWOD

Program demonstrates that nonprofit agencies

operating under the JWOD Act pay sufficient wages

that permit people with severe disabilities to reduce

their need for other Government entitlement

payments and rehabilitation services, thus saving

Federal dollars.

JWOD is not another “handout” program.

The JWOD Act does not put individuals with

severe disabilities on the Federal “dole.” It does,

however, give them an opportunity to work.

Nonprofit agencies must ship products on time and

perform services in a timely manner, at prices set

by the Government, and they must meet quality

requirements. If they do not, the Committee can

authorize contracting activities to purchase the

product(s) or service(s) involved from other

sources, and if problems persist, remove the

product(s) or service(s) involved from the

Procurement List.
4 J W O D H A N D B O O K

Members of the JWOD Team

The JWOD Program is a team effort. The active participation and commitment of

each member of the team is essential if the Congressional intent reflected in the

Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act is to be achieved.

Federal Personnel

Federal Government personnel, particularly

those employed by contracting activities, are

critical to the success of the JWOD Program.

As indicated in the Committee’s regulations at 41

CFR Parts 51–1 and 51–5, support is required

during all phases to ensure that the Program is

effectively carried out.

While it might appear that only Federal

employees with procurement responsibilities can

support the JWOD Program, other Federal

personnel have a role to play as well. Every Federal

employee is affected in some way by the products

and services purchased by the Government. Many

supply clerks and “program” officials now have the

authority to select and purchase products with

Government Purchase cards, while individuals in

management positions are often capable of

establishing policies that reflect the type of proactive

approach to supporting the Program advocated by

the Committee.

Consequently, this Handbook was developed to

help all Federal personnel understand the JWOD

Program and ways in which they can support it. In

addition, it is intended to convey to contracting

activity staff the role they are expected to play in its

implementation. This role, which is consistent with

the Competition in Contracting Act (P.L. 98–369),

is described in more detail in a subsequent section

of this document. It includes:

● Suggesting to the Committee, NIB, or NISH

products or services that could be considered

for addition to the Procurement List;

DOC

DOD

Air Force

Army

Navy

DOJ

DOL

ED

GSA

USDA

VA

Citizen

Citizen

Citizen

Citizen

National Industries

for the Blind (NIB)

Legal

Authority

Congress

President of the

United States

Committee for Purchase From People

Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

Nonprofit Agencies

Employing Persons Who

Are Blind

Nonprofit Agencies

Employing Persons with

Severe Disabilities

NISH
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 5

● Providing the procurement history, including

sales, and other relevant information needed to

determine whether a particular product or service

is suitable for inclusion in the JWOD Program;

and

● Ensuring that officials with purchasing or

ordering authority buy products and services on

the Committee’s Procurement List.

Committee for Purchase From People

Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

The Committee is a small, independent

Federal agency of the Executive Branch. It

is comprised of 15 Presidentially appointed

members, 11 of whom represent Governmental

agencies (Departments of Agriculture, Air Force,

Army, Commerce, Defense, Education, Justice,

Labor, Navy, and Veterans Affairs, and the General

Services Administration). The remaining four

members are private citizens knowledgeable about

the employment problems of people who are blind

or have other severe disabilities, including those

employed by nonprofit agencies affiliated with the

JWOD Program.

Among its many responsibilities, the Committee:

● Determines which products and services

purchased by the Federal Government must be

procured from nonprofit agencies employing

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities;

● Establishes the fair market prices for these

products and services, and revises the prices when

appropriate;

● Ensures that nonprofit agencies comply with

Committee rules and regulations (through onsite reviews of agency operations, annual

certifications and other means);

● Assists entities of the Federal Government in

expanding their JWOD procurement; and

● Designates one or more distributors for JWOD

products and services.

To help carry out its mandate, the Committee

has a full-time staff located in Arlington, Virginia.

The staff reviews proposed products and services

to ensure that the Committee has adequate data to

determine their suitability for addition to the

Procurement List. Information compiled by the

staff is submitted to Committee members for

consideration in deciding whether to add the

products and services to the Procurement List.

Central Nonprofit Agencies:

NIB and NISH

The JWOD Act directs the Committee to

designate “a central nonprofit agency or

agencies to facilitate the distribution” of

Government orders of Procurement List products

and services among nonprofit agencies employing

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities. The Committee has designated

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and NISH

as the National nonprofit organizations that

perform this and other functions that assist

nonprofit agencies to participate in the JWOD

Program. NIB and NISH work closely with

contracting activities and nonprofit agencies to

match Government requirements with nonprofit

agency capabilities.

One key activity NIB and NISH undertake in

fulfilling their responsibilities is to visit Government

contracting activities to explain the JWOD Program

and to explore with Government personnel

products and services which may be suitable for

provision by nonprofit agencies. Once a potential

Procurement List addition is identified, NIB or

NISH works closely with the contracting activity
6 J W O D H A N D B O O K

to obtain the data needed by the Committee to

determine the suitability of a product or service

for the JWOD Program. Other functions

performed by NIB and NISH include:

● Submitting necessary documentation to the

Committee for nonprofit agencies wishing to

participate in the JWOD Program.

● Inspecting nonprofit agencies’ capability to

perform satisfactorily on Government contracts.

● Proposing initial prices for products and services

under consideration and recommending

adjustments to the prices of existing JWOD

products and services.

● Providing technical assistance and training to

nonprofit agencies such as: industrial

engineering, production and inventory

management, quality control, cost analysis,

pricing, procurement, contract administration

and processing additions to the Procurement

List.

● Allocating Government orders among nonprofit

agencies authorized to provide the product or

service.

● Working with Government and commercial

distributors of JWOD products to provide

product information, pricing and operational

support.

● Establishing and maintaining electronic

commerce capabilities for the distribution of

JWOD products (www.jwod.com).

● Assisting nonprofit agencies in complying with

the JWOD Act, Federal contract provisions and

the Committee’s regulations.

● Acting as a troubleshooter when assistance with

a JWOD product or service is needed by a

nonprofit agency or contracting office.

● Working with the Committee to educate Federal

customers about the JWOD Program and to

promote its benefits.

NIB Structure

The NIB organization consists of two principal

offices—its headquarters in Alexandria,

Virginia, and a Technical Center in St. Louis,

Missouri. The headquarters is responsible for overall

administration, including Government and

commercial business, military resale, financial

management, rehabilitation services, sales,

marketing and corporate communications, as well

as nonprofit agencies’ compliance with JWOD

regulations. Headquarters staff also works with

contracting activities and nonprofit agencies to

identify potential JWOD products and services and

guide them through the JWOD addition process,

and perform other contract administration tasks and

program development.

The Technical Center is a major source of

engineering support for NIB-associated agencies,

and on occasion, for contracting activities. Specialists

with diversified expertise research state-of-the-art

manufacturing methods and provide technical,

preproduction, manufacturing, and quality

engineering support. Engineers also develop special

fixture and workstation modifications that enable

people who are blind to participate in the provision

of products or services.

NISH Structure

The NISH organization consists of a

National Office located in Vienna, Virginia,

and six Regional Offices, located nationwide.

The NISH National Office staff is responsible for a

variety of tasks, including: back-up engineering

support, product/service identification and

development, training, costing/pricing review,

contract administration, regulatory assistance, fiscal

management, marketing, communications,

workforce development, research and program

development.

The NISH Regional Offices are staffed with

project managers, engineers, cost/price analysts, and
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 7

experts in a variety of different service and product

areas. This decentralized organization facilitates

working directly with nonprofit agencies and local

offices of contracting activities to identify potential

JWOD opportunities and carry out other functions

associated with adding products and services to the

Procurement List.

State and Private Nonprofit Agencies

S ometimes referred to as community

rehabilitation programs (CRPs), work

centers, industries, or rehabilitation facilities,

JWOD-participating nonprofit agencies are

organized under State (or in one or two cases,

Federal) law and are operated in the interest of

individuals who are blind or have other severe

disabilities. Most are private nonprofit

organizations; a few are State agencies. To be

qualified to participate in the JWOD Program, at

least 75 percent of the hours of direct labor

performed annually by the nonprofit agency must

be performed by workers who are blind in the case

of agencies associated with NIB and by workers

who are blind or have other severe disabilities in

the case of agencies associated with NISH. This

requirement is to ensure that the JWOD

preferential procurement program serves the

intended beneficiaries.

What is legal blindness?

The JWOD Act and the Committee’s regulations

define legal blindness as:

central visual acuity which “does not exceed 20/

200 in the better eye with correcting lenses or... visual

acuity if better than 20/200... accompanied by a

limit to the field of vision in the better eye to such a

degree that its widest diameter subtends an angle no

greater than 20 degrees.”

What is a severe disability?

The JWOD Act and the Committee’s regulations

define a severe disability other than blindness as:

“a severe physical or mental impairment (a

residual, limiting condition resulting from an injury,

disease, or congenital defect) which so limits the

person’s functional capabilities (mobility,

communication, interpersonal skills, self-care, selfdirection, work tolerance or work skills) that the

individual is unable to engage in normal competitive

employment over an extended period of time.”

As evident by the above definitions, the JWOD

Program is focused on providing employment and

training opportunities for two specific groups—

people who are blind and people who have other

severe disabilities and are unable to obtain or

maintain competitive employment. A 1997 survey

of JWOD employees revealed that an estimated 30%

of employees who are blind working at NIBaffiliated agencies had secondary disabilities in

addition to blindness. Approximately 78% of

employees working at NISH-affiliated agencies

experienced cognitive disabilities such as mental

retardation, mental illness and learning disabilities,

and 40% had multiple disabilities.

The primary disabilities of all JWOD employees in

1997 included 17% who were totally or legally blind,

36% with mental retardation, 18% experienced

mental illness, 10% with physical disabilities, 5% who

were deaf or hearing impaired, and 14% with other

severe disabilities, such as learning disabilities,

alcoholism/substance abuse and neurological

disorders.

In order to participate in the JWOD Program,

nonprofit agencies, like other Federal contractors,

must be able to provide a quality product or service,

on time, at a fair market price. And like other Federal

contractors, nonprofit agencies must comply with

all regulatory requirements governing entities that

do business with the Federal Government. These

requirements include, but are not limited to,

environmental regulations and Department of Labor

(DOL) regulations, including Occupational Safety

and Health Administration (OSHA) and wage and

hour requirements.
8 J W O D H A N D B O O K

The JWOD Process

A better understanding of how the Program operates can be acquired by

considering each of the four phases of the “JWOD Process”:

● Identification

● Development

● Committee Review/Decision

● Production/Performance

The Identification Phase

The best time to identify an opportunity is

prior to solicitation when the requirement

is first identified as a requirement by the

Federal agency. While identification of potential

JWOD products and services usually takes place at

the NIB and NISH offices, it is always best for

Federal employees to bring new product and service

opportunities to the attention of a JWOD liaison.

But regardless of who identifies potential

opportunities, NIB and NISH rely on the assistance

of Federal staff and nonprofit agencies—Federal

staff because they know their requirements better

than anyone else and nonprofit agencies because

they know their capabilities better than anyone else.

In fact, there are a number of ways the three groups

can work together to identify a potential JWOD

product or service (for a listing of existing products

and services go to www.jwod.gov.):

● The Committee, staff, NIB and NISH can brief

an agency’s personnel on the JWOD Program

and describe the kinds of projects nonprofit

agencies are currently performing. These

presentations often prompt Government

employees to think of products and services they

buy that might be suitable for provision by

nonprofit agencies.

● Federal personnel can check with the Committee

staff, NIB or NISH to learn about the types of

JWOD products and services the organization

already buys (www.jwod.gov is an excellent

resource). Armed with this knowledge, Federal

employees may be able to identify projects that

are similar or require comparable capabilities.

A good example of the identification of similar

products involves the production of a strap for

the Defense Logistics Agency. After addition of

one type of strap to the Procurement List, other

types of straps were identified within DLA for

provision under the JWOD Program. Variations

on the same theme were found in other agencies,

such as the Army Materiel Command. The

nonprofit agency providing the initial strap now

meets several customers’ requirements for a

similar product.

● NIB and NISH technical staff can cooperate with

Government research and development agencies

during the design stage to develop products that

can both meet Government requirements and

be provided by nonprofit agencies under the

JWOD Program.

● Contracting activities can refer their counterparts

in other agencies to the JWOD Program—thus

creating new employment opportunities for

people with disabilities as well as providing

Federal customers with a reliable source for

needed products and services.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 9

Federal staff can also recommend potential

projects at other agencies to NIB or NISH—as

was the case when a General Services

Administration (GSA) Regional Office

recommended that NISH contact personnel in

a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) Regional Office. This

referral resulted in the creation of a

“Management Services” program, consisting of

inventory, mail and document management

modules. The program has been implemented

at various HUD sites and more sites are being

considered to participate in the future.

● Forging a strong relationship with the JWOD

Program helps contracting personnel obtain

products and services to suit their specific needs

while creating new employment opportunities

for people who are bind or have other severe

disabilities.

When the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened

the George Washington Carver Facility in Beltsville,

Maryland, it chose the JWOD Program to provide

an economical and reliable solution to its building

management needs. The USDA realized that

services acquired by multiple contracts would cost

many hours and dollars to administer and that

taking a single contract approach with a program

that consistently met their needs was beneficial to

everyone involved. Through the JWOD Program,

a contract valued at more than $2 million per year

was offered to the Melwood Horticultural Training

Center. This local nonprofit organization

supporting people who are blind or have other

severe disabilities manages the building and

subcontracts services as needed to other community

rehabilitation programs or to commercial firms

when the skills are not available within the disability

support organizations in the area. Recognizing

both the economic and social benefits, other

Federal agencies have adopted USDA’s model.

There are a number of criteria that make some

products and services more suitable than others for

addition to the Procurement List (e.g., the product

or service is relatively labor intensive; demand for

the product or service is significant; demand is

steady over time). As a rule of thumb, Federal

personnel should recommend to NIB, NISH, or

the Committee all projects that seem reasonably

possible. These members of the JWOD team can

then move forward in investigating the feasibility

of adding products and services to the JWOD

Procurement List. In the meantime, NIB, NISH

and the nonprofit agency community comb the

Commerce Business Daily, the Electronic Posting

System and similar resources, and contact Federal

offices and military installations to investigate

possible leads. Once an opportunity has been

identified, the development phase begins.

The Development Phase

Although a joint contracting activity/NIB/

NISH/nonprofit agency effort is desirable

to find a potential JWOD product or

service, a cooperative thrust is essential to process

the project through the development phase.

Contract information is acquired. At this

point, an item has been identified as a candidate

for placement in the JWOD Program and provision

of the product or service is “reserved” by NIB or

NISH for a qualified nonprofit agency whose

capabilities and resources appear to be compatible

with the Government’s requirements. Before

proceeding further, the project is fully investigated.

The research conducted to determine feasibility is

intensive, but necessary; NIB and NISH want to

ensure that there are no surprises—for the

Government or for the nonprofit agency. NIB and

NISH must also be in a position to provide

information required by the Committee to

determine whether an item is suitable for addition
10 J W O D H A N D B O O K

to the Procurement List. In their investigation, a

thorough review is undertaken of:

● The Current Requirement. A detailed review

of the current requirement helps NIB or NISH

to determine the manufacturing process/service

tasks required, the direct labor content involved,

the material requirements, any capital equipment

needed, the amount of space required, and

quality assurance requirements. Since this

information is being obtained in response to

Committee requirements, the Freedom of

Information Act (FOIA) and associated costs are

not applicable.

For products under contract with a single

Government customer, NIB or NISH obtains

from the contracting office a copy of the

complete, current contract. Information such as

the latest solicitation and amendments, bid

abstracts, procurement history, the estimated

annual usage quantities, and the anticipated date

of the next solicitation issuance and opening may

also be necessary.

For services, background material may be

requested including the statement of work, any

modifications, previous problems and the

applicable Wage Determination.

● Future Requirements. What is the

Government’s anticipated need for the product

or service in the future? When applicable, NIB

or NISH asks the contracting activity for an

estimated annual usage amount and a forecast

quantity for the next procurement year to ensure

that the nonprofit agency(ies) designated to

provide the product or service can meet the

maximum needs required by the Government.

Another reason for asking is to determine

whether the requirement might be phasing out

or significantly decreasing in quantity during the

coming years which would have an effect on

JWOD employees.

● The Next Contract Anticipated.To determine

whether there is sufficient time to complete the

development and addition process for a particular

product or service before a new contract is

awarded, NIB or NISH must obtain certain

information from the contracting activity. This

information must include the anticipated date

of the next competitive solicitation, as well as

the anticipated date of the bid opening and the

contract performance period. If there is not

sufficient time to complete the addition process,

development efforts are delayed until after the

new award is made, at which point the new award

becomes the current contract and the

information described in the preceding paragraph

must be obtained with respect to that contract.

Inclusion of a product or service in the JWOD

Program must be timed properly to ensure a

smooth transition from the current contractor

to the nonprofit agency(ies). Ideally, an item is

added to the Procurement List as soon as possible

after the award of a contract for the item to

another source or sources. This gives the

nonprofit agency(ies), NIB or NISH, and even

the contracting activity, the maximum amount

of time to prepare for the nonprofit agency’s

assumption of product or service responsibility.

It also gives the current contractor more time to

adjust to the future loss of business.

Although NIB and NISH must analyze very

specific information as part of the development

process, the list above is not exhaustive. Depending

upon the project, there may be other information

required to adequately assess the feasibility of

adding a product or service to the JWOD

Procurement List. Updates of data already provided

may also be required.

After determining the nonprofit agency is

financially responsible, has the capacity to

manufacture the product or provide the service,

and can provide employment and training

opportunities for people who are blind or have

other severe disabilities in the process, the

development process continues.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 11

Clearance is obtained. If the project under

consideration is a service, further development

efforts start immediately. If the project is a product,

however, an additional step is necessary.

When JWOD’s predecessor—the Wagner-O’Day

Program—was established in 1938, the

Government was required to purchase products

from Federal Prison Industries (FPI) as a first

priority and nonprofit agencies affiliated with NIB

as a second. In 1971, NISH nonprofit agencies

entered the product priority structure after NIB.

This means that before proceeding with the

development of a product, NIB must obtain a

clearance from FPI, while NISH is required to

obtain a clearance from both FPI and NIB. Such

clearances vary from complete waivers of future

claims on products to partial or short-term waivers.

FPI, for example, may give NIB or NISH

permission to provide a product until FPI is ready

to assume product responsibility.

Procurement history is finalized. To complete

the procurement history on the proposed project,

NIB or NISH requests from the contracting activity

a two-year procurement history including:

Invitation for Bid (or other forms of solicitation)

information, dates of solicitations, award dates,

contract terms or delivery periods, awardees

(including name, city, state and contractor

establishment code), award prices and quantities.

Sometimes, a sample of a product is requested.

In addition, NIB or NISH asks for information

regarding problems encountered by the current or

prior contractors in providing the product or

service. With this information, NIB and NISH can

alert the nonprofit agency(ies) and prevent

problems before they happen.

NIB or NISH also asks for information regarding

contracts or commitments under the Small Business

Administration’s (SBA’s) 8(a) Program. Although

JWOD has legal priority over the 8(a) Program,

the Committee gives special consideration to

contracts awarded under 8(a) in deciding whether

to add the product or service to the Procurement

List and when to permit nonprofit agencies to

assume responsibility.

Contractor impact is assessed. NIB or NISH

performs a preliminary review to determine if there

will be any economic impact on the current

contractor as the result of a Committee decision to

add the product or service to the Procurement List.

Although the definitive decision on impact is made

by the Committee at a later stage, NIB or NISH

makes a preliminary impact assessment at this point

to ensure efforts are not expended on a project

where impact is likely to be too severe. NIB or

NISH will request the Committee write to the

current contractor to gather up-to-date information

for assessing actual impact. The Committee will

not add an item to the Procurement List where

that addition would create severe adverse impact

on the current contractor.

A feasibility assessment is conducted. The

nonprofit agency(ies), along with assistance from

NIB or NISH, carefully considers all aspects of

project feasibility, including the specific functions

to be carried out by people with severe disabilities.

At the request of the nonprofit agency(ies), NIB

or NISH will perform an on-site visit and/or review

the information collected at a previous site visit. If

the assessment shows that the product or service

can meet the Government’s quality standards and

delivery schedule, at a fair market price, the

development phase proceeds.

A recommended “fair market price” is

developed. The Committee is responsible under

the JWOD Act for determining the fair market price

for products and services provided by nonprofit

agencies, and has established procedures for making

this determination. The nonprofit agency, with the

assistance of NIB and NISH, will develop a

proposed price and then negotiate with the

contracting activity a mutually acceptable price to

recommend to the Committee. This

“recommended fair market price” will eventually
12 J W O D H A N D B O O K

be submitted to the Committee staff for review

along with the project package for the product or

service. The recommended price is not necessarily

the price ultimately designated by the Committee—

only the Committee has the authority to establish

the price for products and services under the JWOD

Program, and that price is set at the time the

product or service is actually added to the

Procurement List.

A capability survey is requested. In addition

to NIB or NISH assessing the capability of the

nonprofit agency to provide the product or service,

the Committee gives the contracting activity the

opportunity to perform a site survey to determine

the production, quality assurance, technical and

financial capability of the proposed nonprofit agency

to provide the product or service under

consideration. During discussions NIB or NISH

may ask the contracting activity if it wishes to

conduct an on site capability review. In most cases,

if the contracting activity wishes to conduct a survey,

the Committee will formally request the survey and

a copy of the results from the contracting activity.

The Committee asks that the survey be performed

as soon as possible, normally within 30 or 45 days.

Some nonprofit agencies proposing to add items

to the JWOD Program are not in production or

prepared to begin production of the product or

service at the time of an on-site inspection. Instead,

they have developed production plans that can be

used to assess their capabilities to provide the

product or service in question (41 CFR Part 51–

2.4(c)). These production plans address the

agency’s capability to meet the Government’s surge

requirements for products or services. For products,

the Committee requires that the nonprofit agencies

be capable of providing not only the annual quantity

estimated by the contracting activity, but also at

least 25 percent above that estimate. Where

estimated peak monthly requirements have been

established by the contracting activity, the nonprofit

agencies must be capable of providing those

requirements.

The final package is submitted to the

Committee. This package contains detailed

information on the recommended fair market price

as well as information on the number of direct labor

hours that will be performed by people who are

blind or have other severe disabilities. For projects

that require time to train and phase in direct labor

workers with severe disabilities, specific information

on the phase-in schedule is provided. Also included

in the package is information on current and

previous contractors.

The Committee Review/

Decision Phase

The Committee staff performs a preliminary

review of the package. During the review, the staff

checks:

● The agency’s nonprofit status to ensure that the

proposed agency is a nonprofit entity primarily

employing people who are blind or have other

severe disabilities;

● The amount of employment to be generated for

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities;

● General information concerning the proposed

price to determine if the appropriate method has

been used to calculate it; and

● Data gathered thus far on impact of the addition,

if any, on the current supplier and on small

entities as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility

Act of 1980.

A notice is published in the Federal Register.

This notice of a proposal to add a product or service

to the Procurement List is normally published after

the Committee staff completes its preliminary

review of the final package. The public is given a

period of 30 days to comment on the proposed

addition. The 30-day comment period may be

extended by the Committee if the situation

warrants.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 13

The Committee staff analyzes all material

submitted in conjunction with the proposed

addition. During the 30-day period, the

Committee staff continues its review of material

submitted in conjunction with the proposed

addition. This includes a review of the jointlydetermined proposed price and, if the contracting

activity has performed a capability survey, the results

of that survey. If necessary, the Committee staff

discusses pricing and the results of the capability

survey with representatives of the contracting

activity and NIB or NISH.

When the 30-day period required for public

comment has elapsed and the Committee has

received all the data it needs from the contracting

activity and other sources, a final detailed analysis

is performed by the Committee staff. This effort

includes a careful review of any comments received

regarding the proposed addition, and the

acquisition and analysis of any supplemental

information needed as a result of comments

submitted. Upon completion of the analysis,

information concerning the product or service,

including copies of comments received in response

to the Federal Register notice, is transmitted by the

staff to all members of the Committee for a decision

regarding the addition.

The Committee members decide whether to

add the proposed product or service to the

Procurement List. If the decision is to add the

item, a “Notice of Addition to the Procurement

List” is placed in the Federal Register announcing

the action. Also a “Notice of Change to the

Procurement List—Addition” is mailed to the

contracting activity. This notice identifies the

product or service, National Stock Number or other

comparable identifier (for products), price and

effective date. The effective date of the addition is

30 days after the “Notice of Addition” appears in

the Federal Register. At that time, the nonprofit

agency(ies) authorized to provide the item is

responsible for meeting any subsequent

Government requirements that are not covered by

contracts awarded prior to the effective date

(including options which may be exercised for those

contracts.)

That sums up the addition process. On average,

the time that elapses between the first formal contact

between NIB or NISH and the Committee and the

date of addition to the Procurement List is

approximately three to four months. However, this

can vary considerably, as can the significantly greater

amount of time between initial item identification

and actual addition to the Committee’s

Procurement List. In large part, the amount of time

between initial identification and addition depends

upon the extent of assistance received throughout

the identification and development phases from

contracting activity personnel. The more support

provided, the faster the process can go.

The Committee, NIB, and NISH have devoted

substantial effort over the years to reducing the

amount of time it takes to place an item on the

Procurement List. Although further acceleration of

the process is possible, particularly with increased

support from contracting activities, overnight action

is neither feasible nor desirable. At least two months

of the time required can be attributed to statutory

requirements regarding Federal Register

publication. The remaining time is necessary for

ensuring a complete understanding of the project

and close attention to the Government’s

requirements. The JWOD team is dedicated to

making a “good match” between the Federal

Government and the nonprofit agency(ies) to ensure

a reliable supplier over many years.

The Production/Performance Phase

W ithin 30 days after a product has been

added to the Procurement List, NIB or

NISH contacts the contracting activity

to confirm when the next order is expected and the

quantity anticipated. This estimate is then provided
14 J W O D H A N D B O O K

to the nonprofit agency(ies) for planning purposes.

For services, which usually involve assuming

responsibility for particular functions (e.g.,

janitorial) on a specified date, the authorized

nonprofit agency(ies) and NISH or NIB continue

to work closely with the contracting activity to

provide on-time, uninterrupted service.

In terms of performance, nonprofit agencies

operating under the JWOD Program understand

that the Government expects the same of them that

it does of other suppliers. All JWOD products and

services are required to meet the product

specifications or performance work statements. NIB

and NISH staff—and occasionally Committee

representatives—work with the agencies to avoid

problems and ensure that the Government receives

quality products and services. This “back-up”

assistance is among the greatest benefits offered by

the JWOD Program and affects each of the

following:

● Modifications of Terms or Conditions. As with

other Federal Government contracts, should a

need arise to modify the original terms and

conditions of a JWOD contract, a written

modification signed by the Contracting Officer

or the authorized Administrative Contracting

Officer, acting within the scope of his/her

authority, is required. Based upon the extent and

nature of the change, an equitable adjustment

in contract price or the delivery schedule may

be appropriate.

● On-Time Delivery. Nonprofit agencies in the

JWOD Program pride themselves on their ontime delivery records. Federal contracting

activities report that nonprofit agencies

employing people who are blind or have other

severe disabilities perform as well or better than

other contractors in this respect. When problems

occasionally arise, NIB and NISH join with the

agencies to resolve difficulties as quickly as

possible, going to great lengths to prevent

failures.

● Purchase Exceptions. In rare instances where a

nonprofit agency cannot provide the required

product or service within the specified time, and

a commercial source is able to supply the identical

product or service significantly sooner than the

nonprofit agency, NIB, NISH or the Committee

may grant a purchase exception. A purchase

exception permits the contracting activity to

procure the product or service from another

source on a one-time basis or for a specific period.

Purchase exceptions are also granted if the

quantity of the product involved is not sufficient

to be furnished economically by the nonprofit

agency(ies).

Because purchase exceptions deny work to

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities that would otherwise be available to

them, nonprofit agency staff, who are dedicated

to helping people with severe disabilities succeed,

go to great lengths to avoid situations where

purchase exceptions must be issued. In addition,

contracting activities must fully justify requests

for such actions and are urged to work with NIB

or NISH to explore such options as a revised

delivery schedule, or the involvement of a new

nonprofit agency to produce the product or

perform the service within the required time

frame.

● Compliance with JWOD and Federal

Regulations. Contracting activities are not held

responsible for ensuring nonprofit agency

compliance with the JWOD Act and Committee

regulations. Monitoring compliance is the job

of the Committee, NIB, and NISH.

Representatives of these organizations visit

nonprofit agencies on a regular basis to observe

operations, review files and other documentation,

and provide technical assistance. Most NIB and

NISH agencies have participated in the JWOD

Program for many years and have been visited

on numerous occasions. NIB and NISH agencies

that are new to the Program, receive on-site

instruction early in the process to ensure that
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 15

they are familiar with the types of data that must

be maintained to meet Committee requirements.

NIB, NISH and the Committee staff offer

assistance to nonprofit agencies regarding other

regulatory areas such as: Affirmative Action

practices; DOL regulations; Department of

Justice requirements relating to immigration and

naturalization; and OSHA standards.

● Price Changes. In accordance with the JWOD

Act, which tasks the Committee to revise its price

determinations “from time to time,” there are

several methods in place for adjusting the fair

market price to compensate for changes in

marketing conditions. The procedure for

repricing varies depending on whether it is a

product or service.

For products, the method of revising the price

during an existing contract should be part of the

negotiation that helped establish the existing

price. The Committee requires that the

recommended price be negotiated at least once

every five years.

For services, every five years the Committee

approves a base price plus four annual follow-on

prices. The follow-on year prices approved by

the Committee only contain an economic

adjustment on supplies. As a result, adjustments

are permitted for changes in other costs such as

wages and fringe benefits reflected in the Wage

Determination issued by the Department of

Labor and payroll related costs. Changes in

nonprofit agency costs due to changes in the

statement of work are negotiated between the

contracting activity and the nonprofit agency.

● Specification Changes/Replacement Products

and services. Contracting activities are expected

to notify NIB or NISH and the appropriate

nonprofit agency(ies) 90 days prior to any

changes in methods of acquisition, product

specifications/standards (products), or

statements of work (services). When a

Procurement List product is replaced or

supplemented by another product(s), the

replacement product(s) is considered to be on

the Procurement List for provision by the same

nonprofit agency(ies) authorized to furnish the

previous product. Again, the contracting activity

is expected to advise NIB or NISH and the

appropriate nonprofit agency(ies) 90 days in

advance of decisions to replace or supplement

products on the Procurement List with other

products.

Ordering Products

To place an order for JWOD products, there are

three methods:

I. Use of JWOD Authorized Distributor(s)

The first method applies to common-use

products, such as office supplies or industrial

products, that are found on the JWOD Program’s

Procurement List for the “total Government

requirement”—meaning that all Federal customers

who require such products should purchase those

furnished by the JWOD Program. JWOD

common-use products are made available to many

Federal end-users through Government or

commercial distributors.* For a full listing of

JWOD distributors, go to www.jwod.gov. You can

also shop for JWOD products on the following online

sites: www.jwod.com, www.gsaadvantage.com, and

www.emall.dla.mil. As of the date of this Handbook,

JWOD products are not available through

commercial retail stores.

II. Direct Orders

The other two methods for ordering apply to

JWOD products that are purchased by only one

Federal agency, such as when the Army purchases

physical fitness uniforms sewn by JWOD

participating nonprofit agencies. This method

*This includes the General Services Administration (GSA)

and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Depot systems as well

as the Federal supply schedule holders and military base

supply centers.
16 J W O D H A N D B O O K

allows the purchase of products by transmitting

orders directly to the nonprofit agency(ies)

involved. This may be accomplished once NIB or

NISH issues a written “direct order authorization”

to the contracting office.

The authorization:

(1) indicates the address(es) to which the order

should be sent;

(2) specifies the National Stock Number (NSN),

product description, unit and unit price of the

product covered by the authorizations; and

(3) requests that copies of procuring documents

(e.g. purchase orders) be forwarded to NIB or

NISH.

The actual documentation required to place an

“order” depends upon the contracting office’s

normal procedures. For example, GSA activities go

through their central ordering channels and a GSA

Form 3186 is issued to the nonprofit agency(ies).

Department of Defense activities usually transmit

orders to nonprofit agencies via DD Form 1155,

regardless of dollar value. Although the specific

vehicle used may differ from agency to agency, all

orders should contain the same basic information,

including:

(1) name and address of nonprofit agency(ies)

supplying the product;

(2) the authority (i.e., mandatory source: 41 U.S.C.

48, 41 CFR Chapter 51 and FAR Subpart 8);

(3) the delivery terms (most JWOD products are

priced F.O.B. Origin and include costs for

packaging, packing and marking);

(4) a product description (should include NSN,

quantity, and packaging information); etc.

The nonprofit agency(ies) is the contractor, or—

on rare occasions—NIB will serve as contractor for

their nonprofit agencies.

III. Allocated Orders

Under the final method, which tends to be utilized

by Defense Logistics Agencies, Army Commands,

and the U.S. Postal Service, NIB or NISH reviews

the quantities to be ordered by the contracting

activity and, based on a variety of criteria, allocates

the order to one or more authorized nonprofit

agencies. The allocation process is also used in

situations where there are multiple nonprofit

agencies authorized by the Committee to

manufacture the same product. Under this method,

the contracting activity is instructed to notify NIB

or NISH of its requirements and request the

designation of a nonprofit agency(ies) to supply the

product. Prompt responses are provided to such

requests. As referenced above, on rare occasions

involving complex products provided by multiple

nonprofit agencies, NIB serves as the prime

contractor. In such cases, NIB receives orders and

is responsible for assuring timely deliveries.

Ordering Services

To obtain services, Federal customers follow the

direct order process detailed for products using the

purchase document applicable for their agency. NIB

or NISH will be in contact with the contracting

office for the service in question to arrange the date

for the assumption of service responsibility for the

nonprofit agency.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 17

Process of Adding Items to the Procurement List

NIB, NISH, State/private nonprofit agency or contracting activity identifies an

item for possible provision.

NIB/NISH requests solicitation and other related documentation from

contracting activity, reviews it and, if appropriate, works with a nonprofit agency

to determine its interest/capability to provide the item.

For supplies, NIB/NISH requests clearance from FPI (and NIB, if item is

requested by NISH).

NIB/NISH conducts a preliminary analysis of the impact of the proposed

addition on the current contractor.

NIB/NISH evaluates the overall feasibility of the project, which includes

generating a proposed fair market price and assessing (usually through an onsite inspection) the capability of the nonprofit agency(ies) to provide the item at

that price.

With NIB/NISH assistance, the nonprofit agency(ies) and contracting activity

negotiate the proposed fair market price.

NIB/NISH proposes addition, providing Committee staff with pricing

information and other documentation regarding the addition, including or

preceded by a site survey request.

Committee Responsibility

NIB/NISH/Nonprofit Agency Responsibility

Request Inspection

Identify Product

or Service

Conduct Preliminary

Analysis

Request Clearance

Assess Impact

Evaluate Feasibility

Negotiate Proposed

Fair Market Price

Review Proposed Addition

Publish Proposed Addition

Complete Analysis

Make Decision

Announce Decision

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

▼

Announce Decision

Proposed Addition

▼

Staff requests contracting activity to inspect the nonprofit agency to assess its

capability to provide the product or service if such a capability assessment is not

already provided through NIB or NISH.

Staff reviews documentation submitted by NIB or NISH and makes preliminary

evaluation of impact of proposed addition.

Proposed addition is published in the Federal Register for public comment.

Staff completes analysis of the proposed addition, including any comments, and

transmits it to Committee members for consideration.

Committee members approve or disapprove the proposed addition.

If the Committee members approve the item, the addition is published in the

Federal Register. Addition is effective 30 days after it appears in the Federal Register,

and the nonprofit agency can begin providing the item after expiration of the

current contract and any options to that contract that may be exercised.
18 J W O D H A N D B O O K

Federal Employees’ Role in the JWOD Process

The participation of Federal personnel is critical to the successful administration of the JWOD

Program. Contributions by such employees will not only ensure the Federal Government of

a reliable source of quality goods and services, but also provide valuable employment

opportunities for people with severe disabilities throughout the United States. Federal employees

can help the JWOD Program achieve success in a number of ways:

Be Interested!

Being willing to learn more about JWOD—

particularly the capabilities of the individuals the

Program serves—and being ready to take action

are important first steps. Federal agencies are

encouraged to appraise their needs and have

appropriate contracting personnel contact the

Committee, NIB, or NISH to explore the

possibility of obtaining certain products and

services under the JWOD Program.

Establish a Central Point of Contact

for JWOD.

The steady stream of personnel in and out of

Federal agencies makes it difficult to maintain

constant support for the JWOD Program. As a

result, the Committee recommends that a central

entity or individual be designated to oversee

agency-wide support of the Program. Duties for

the central point of contact would be to assist

and coordinate the efforts of the agency in all

matters relating to the provision of existing

JWOD products and services, and to foster and

encourage the identification of new products and

services JWOD employees could provide. For

example, the Department of the Interior has

designated a Program Manager for mandatory

source procurement initiatives. The largest

Federal agencies have designated liaisons who

work with the Committee to promote the JWOD

Program. The liaisons’ names can be obtained

from the Committee’s staff.

Invite JWOD Representatives to

Speak at Agency Functions.

Representatives of the JWOD Program make

hundreds of visits nationwide to brief contracting

activities on the JWOD Program. In conjunction

with these briefings, samples of JWOD products

and videos of individuals performing JWOD

services can be furnished to demonstrate the

diversity of capabilities of nonprofit agencies. NIB

and NISH or the Committee staff can supply and,

if appropriate, accompany portable JWOD

Program exhibits, meet one-on-one with

individuals, make presentations to large groups,

speak in procurement classes, and participate in

panel discussions.

Give Credit for Supporting the JWOD

Program in Employee Performance

Evaluations.

Federal agencies can demonstrate their

commitment to supporting the JWOD Program

by acknowledging JWOD accomplishments in

employee performance evaluations. Agencies

might choose to follow the lead of the Air Force,

Army and Navy, which have established annual

awards to recognize individuals and/or units that

have contributed significantly to the advancement

of the JWOD Program. Some examples of

activities employees can receive credit for include:

● Acting as a JWOD liaison for their agency;
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 19

● Identifying and referring products and services

for possible addition to the Procurement List;

● Attending JWOD training sessions;

● Educating other agency employees about the

JWOD Program; and

● Increasing dollar value of orders placed under

the JWOD Program.

Visit a Local Nonprofit Agency

With more than 625 nonprofit agencies already

participating in the JWOD Program and

numerous others “waiting in line” for a JWOD

product or service, Federal employees should

have no problem in locating an agency to visit.

Such on-site visits provide an excellent setting

for Federal personnel to learn more about

nonprofit agency operations and the capabilities

of employees, as well as to consider potential

projects. The Committee, NIB and NISH will

help make arrangements for Government

representatives who wish to visit nonprofit

agencies serving people who are blind or have

other severe disabilities.

Examine Requirements and

Suggest Products and Services

Nonprofit Agencies Could Provide.

JWOD nonprofit agencies have diverse

capabilities and provide everything from

paperclips to chemical protective suits, from

sailor’s caps to microfilming, and a variety of

products and services in between. One of the

best ways Federal employees can support their

agencies and the JWOD Program is to carefully

review agency requirements, including

commercial activities identified as such in

compliance with the Federal Activities Inventory

Reform Act, and explore the feasibility of

provision by nonprofit agencies. Often this role

is best performed by requirements, engineering,

or facilities personnel.

Assist NIB and NISH During the

Development Phase.

Development is one of the most critical phases

of placing products and services on the

Procurement List. Contracting activity assistance

can help expedite the development and addition

process—arming nonprofit agencies with all the

relevant data needed to thoroughly review the

project, assess its feasibility and develop a

reasonable price benefits them and the Federal

agency involved by assuring that the requirement

is fully understood, price negotiation is easily

conducted, and performance meets government

regulations. Information required during

development includes data regarding:

● The procurement history, including IFB/RFP

numbers, dates of solicitations, award dates,

contract terms and delivery periods, and

information on awardees, award prices and

quantities, and any problems experienced in

conjunction with the product or service;

● The current requirement, including the complete

current contract, performance specifications, area

scale drawings, work statements and any contract

modifications; and

● Future requirements, including the next contract

anticipated and expected subsequent

requirements (annual usage amount).
20 J W O D H A N D B O O K

Help Streamline the Capability

Survey Process.

Contracting activities can inspect the facilities

and plans of nonprofit agencies proposing an

addition to the Procurement List (FAR 9.107).

The Committee normally requests that such

capability surveys be completed within 30 to 45

days. Unfortunately, many survey results take

considerably longer to reach the Committee,

thereby delaying the addition process. To avoid

delays, contracting activities should:

● Be persistent in following up on the request

for a capability survey. Attempt to establish the

earliest date by which the survey can be

accomplished and regularly check to ensure

the inspection is “on target.” One phone call

may be all that is needed to advance the survey

process.

● Recognize and instruct those responsible for

conducting capability surveys that nonprofit

agencies must demonstrate that they have the

capability—or a specific plan for achieving the

capability—to perform. A nonprofit agency

that does not have a production line in

operation should not fail the capability survey

if it provides the inspector a plan that

satisfactorily addresses how the work will be

accomplished within specified time-frames.

The Committee’s regulations (41 CFR 51–

2.4(c)) require only that a nonprofit agency

have the capability to meet the Government’s

quality standards and delivery schedules by the

time it assumes responsibility for supplying the

requirement under the JWOD Act.

● Notify the Committee as soon as possible of

the survey results; don’t wait for the

Committee to come back and ask for them.

The nonprofit agency’s opinion of the

inspection results is not sufficient to proceed

with the addition.

Buy JWOD Products and Services

Identified in Print and Online

Catalogs.

The JWOD Act requires that products and

services appearing on the Committee’s

Procurement List be purchased from the

suppliers designated by the Committee. This

requirement is reflected in the Federal

Acquisition Regulation (FAR 8.704), as well as

the Committee’s regulations (41 CFR 51–5.2).

Federal employees with purchase cards do not,

however, always remember to purchase commonuse JWOD products (e.g., office products,

hardware, and paint) stocked by GSA or other

authorized commercial distributors or obtainable

through www. jwod.com. Instead, these types

of products and services are sometimes procured

from private sources without reference to GSA

or other catalogs, where they are clearly marked

as mandatory source products. In such cases,

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities are deprived of the much-needed

employment that would be generated by Federal

purchases of JWOD products and services.

To ensure that people with severe disabilities

benefit from the JWOD Program as Congress

intended, it is essential that Federal personnel

with requirements for office products, hardware,

and other commonly used products use JWODinclusive catalogs, including those published by

the JWOD Program itself, or catalogs published

by commercial JWOD distributors participating

in GSA Multiple Award Schedules or other

initiatives.

GSA Advantage!TM Online Shopping System

(www.gsaadvantage.gov) and www.jwod.com are

also excellent resources. These sources of product

and ordering information clearly identify JWOD

products, making it easy for Federal personnel

to obtain the products they need, while providing

work for people who are blind or who have other
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 21

severe disabilities. All of these JWOD distributors

accept the Government SmartPay Purchase Card

as a payment method.

Train and Retrain Purchase Card

Holders on JWOD Requirements.

Government purchase card holders have a

responsibility to comply with Federal statutes and

procurement regulations. The JWOD Program

has worked hard to educate purchase card holders

about JWOD requirements and benefits. JWOD

Purchase Card training kits are available to

purchase card Agency Program Coordinators and

to individual users. The kits can be found on the

JWOD informational web site, www.jwod.gov,

or may be requested from the Committee via

email to info@jwod.gov. Comparable JWOD

training is provided free of charge on the Federal

Acquisition Institute’s Online University,

www.faionline.com. Guest speakers, videos and/

or product samples are also available.

Consider Long-term Acquisition

Methods to Stabilize Demand.

The JWOD Program was established to

provide long-term employment opportunities for

people who are blind or have other severe

disabilities employed by nonprofit agencies. The

process of adding a product or service to the

Committee’s Procurement List accomplishes this

objective; however, when it comes to

Government-unique products, nonprofit

agencies sometimes experience time lags between

orders or receive requests for widely variable

quantities. An initiative was undertaken by the

Defense Logistics Agency in 1988 to address this

problem by leveling out orders for products

purchased under JWOD. The initiative called for

more long-term acquisition planning for JWOD

products to facilitate continued employment and

development of job skills for JWOD employees,

while at the same time ensuring steady

production of needed products for the

Government.

By implementing long-term and multiyear

acquisition methods as a means of smoothing

out peaks and valleys in orders, production line

stoppages are minimized and the need for lengthy

retraining of individuals who are blind or have

other severe disabilities is eliminated. In addition,

nonprofit agencies are in a better bargaining

position with their suppliers inasmuch as they

can make longer term commitments for greater

quantities, thereby saving money for the

Government. This approach also reduces Federal

costs because agencies do not issue repetitive

orders for ongoing requirements and allows for

more uniform inventory management. The

Committee encourages all Federal personnel to

consider similar initiatives.

Tell Federal Colleagues About

JWOD Program Success Stories.

If a JWOD contract for grounds maintenance,

mailroom operation, or other service is far

exceeding a contracting activity’s expectations,

the Committee urges the Federal staff involved

to spread the word. Similarly, if products now

purchased from a JWOD nonprofit agency

eliminated the delinquency problem with the last

contractor, coworkers should be advised. Telling

others about JWOD successes can benefit the

Federal Government and people who are blind

or have other severe disabilities.
22 J W O D H A N D B O O K

Attend the NIB and NISH

Conferences.

The NIB and NISH conferences offer unique

opportunities to learn about the benefits of the

JWOD Program. By participating, contracting

activity representatives have the opportunity to:

● Receive instruction in the mechanics of the

JWOD Program;

● Talk to members of the nonprofit agency

community and learn of capabilities that could

be valuable to their agencies;

● Confer with other Federal agency

representatives regarding their experiences

with the Program at “Best Practices Sessions”;

and

● Ask questions of NIB, NISH and the

Committee regarding the operation of the

JWOD Program.

Contracting activities can even arrange to have

an exhibit to show nonprofit agencies the types

of products and services procured by their

agencies. Together, Federal and nonprofit agency

personnel may identify a good candidate (product

or service) for addition to the Procurement List.

Conferences are held every year at a different

location to attract attendees nationwide.

Information about the next NIB conference can

be obtained from www.nib.org or NIB’s

Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, while

www.nish.org or the NISH National Office in

Vienna, Virginia, can provide information on the

next NISH conference.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 23

Frequently Asked Questions...

1. What Are the Advantages of

Contracting Under JWOD?

Advantages to contracting under the JWOD

Program include the provision of high-quality

products or services, when needed and at a

reasonable price. Adding products and services to

the Procurement List reduces the contracting

activity’s administrative burden since periodic

procurements are no longer necessary. Finally, there

is the satisfaction of knowing that people who are

blind or have other severe disabilities are able to

lead more productive and independent lives, pay

taxes, help support families, and join in the American

work experience as a result of JWOD contracts.

2. Where Can I Find the Procurement

List and What Are Some Examples of

the Available Products and Services?

Many products and services included on the

Procurement List are clearly identified in JWOD and

its distributors’ print and electronic catalogs, such

as www.gsaadvantage.com and www.jwod.com. You

may also view or download the complete

Procurement List from the JWOD informational

website www.jwod.gov. In addition, the Committee

notifies the responsible contracting activity of all

Procurement List additions, prices, price changes,

and other actions affecting a particular product or

service. The Committee is taking action to ensure

that Procurement List products and services are

identified in Federal automated procurement

systems.

Nonprofit agencies vary widely in their interests

and capabilities. Specific products include office

products (pens, binder clips, paper products, etc.),

environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, military

specific products (such as chemical protective

overgarments, cold weather infantry kits, etc.), and

medical supplies (such as the medic’s field kit).

Services include administrative services, call centers,

commercial facility management, recycling, food

service, laundry and grounds maintenance.

3. Where Do NIB and NISH Derive

Their Responsibilities Under the JWOD

Program?

The JWOD Act directs the Committee to

designate one or more “central nonprofit agencies”

to assist community-based nonprofit agencies

serving people who have disabilities. These

community-based organizations are participants in

the JWOD Program. The Committee designated

NIB and NISH to fulfill responsibilities as listed in

41 CFR Part 51–3. NIB and NISH are funded

primarily through fees paid to them by nonprofit

agencies on sales of JWOD products and services.

The fee provides NIB and NISH with the resources

necessary to accomplish their missions.

4. What Type of Documentation Should

I Use to Contract or Place an Order

Under the JWOD Program?

There is no need for a solicitation document for

products or services on the Procurement List. The

contracting document should, however, describe the

product (and quantity) or service to be procured,

the contract period, payment procedures, delivery

schedule, applicable wage rates, and other

information necessary for both sides to understand

the details of the procurement.
24 J W O D H A N D B O O K

5. Does the JWOD Program and/or

Committee Have Priority Over All

Other Suppliers to the Government?

The JWOD Program takes precedence over all

other procurement preference programs with respect

to services. Only Federal Prison Industries (FPI) has

priority over the JWOD Program for products. This

means the Committee can consider any service

purchased by the Government for addition to its

Procurement List. Products that the Government

purchases can be considered after FPI gives

clearance. FPI provides both full and partial waivers

on particular products. Under an agreement with

FPI, if FPI provides a full waiver for a product and

the Committee places it on the Procurement List,

FPI’s priority is no longer in effect for that product.

Thereafter the product must be purchased from the

source designated by the Committee. If FPI

provides a partial waiver, circumstances vary

depending upon the nature of the waiver.

Within the JWOD Program, nonprofit agencies

associated with NIB have priority over agencies

associated with NISH for products. As a result, the

Committee will not place a product on the

Procurement List for provision by a NISH nonprofit

agency unless NIB has agreed to the action. Both

NIB and NISH nonprofit agencies have equal

priority for services.

6. Are Government Purchase Card

Users Exempt from Buying JWOD

Products? What if the Purchase is

Below $2,500?

The requirement to buy JWOD products is

universal and applies to any dollar amount.

Government credit cardholders are—like all other

Federal employees—required to buy JWOD

products furnished by designated nonprofit agencies.

Federal personnel should use credit cards to purchase

locally only if the products required are not available

through the JWOD Program.

7. How Does the Federal Acquisition

Streamlining Act of 1994 Affect the

JWOD Program?

The statutory requirement to buy JWOD

products continues under the Federal Acquisition

Streamlining Act of 1994 (FASA). However, current

emphasis on decentralized and more flexible

procurement necessitates greater awareness of the

JWOD Program among Federal customers. The

JWOD Program is not waived, superseded or

bypassed by any of the following FASA provisions:

● Micropurchasing Authority: Lifts many

requirements on purchases under $2,500. but

does not exempt Federal employees from the

legal requirement to buy JWOD products,

regardless of how small the dollar value.

● Permits “non-contracting” employees to use

Purchase Cards, but not to buy commercial

products that are essentially the same as JWOD

products.

● Buying “Off the Shelf”: Agencies are no longer

required to buy unique, Government-specified

products, but are not allowed to substitute

commercial products for JWOD products.

● Simplified Acquisitions under $100,000: Unlike

some procurement laws, the JWOD Act remains

applicable under this threshold.

8. Must Nonprofit Agencies Win a

Contract Competitively Before Adding

it to the Procurement List?

No. While the JWOD process includes procedures

to ensure a fair market price, it does not include any

requirement or provision for competitive bidding.

After all necessary measures have been taken and
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 25

requirements met, the Committee then decides

whether to add the product or service to the

Procurement List. If the product or service is added,

future purchases (i.e., after any current contract,

including options, for the product or service expires)

must be made from the nonprofit agency(ies)

approved by the Committee.

9. Can Nonprofit Agencies Bid

Competitively on Federal Contracts?

Nonprofit agencies serving people with severe

disabilities are in a unique position. Nonprofit

agencies that contract with the Federal Government

do so through the JWOD Program because of the

stability and longevity that JWOD jobs offer to their

employees. However, nonprofit agencies are also

eligible to participate in Federal contracting through

other means.

Nonprofit agencies may participate in the

unrestricted, competitive bidding process under the

same terms and conditions as other commercial

offers. Once awarded a contract, the nonprofit

agency may then propose the product or service for

addition to the Procurement List.

10. Do NIB and NISH Provide Technical

Assistance to Nonprofit Agencies that

Desire to Bid Competitively on Small

Business or Other Contracts?

Both NIB and NISH will help their associated

nonprofit agencies in any way that they can to create

employment for people with severe disabilities. As a

result, they are providing some assistance in

developing projects even if they are not for the

JWOD Program. However, nonprofit agencies

cannot bid on small business set-aside contracts as

they technically do not meet the definition of a small

business.

11. Can Requirements that Are

Currently Set Aside for and Being

Performed By Small Businesses Be

Added to the Procurement List?

Yes. Requirements set aside for small businesses

and being performed by small business firms may

be added to the Procurement List for future

provision by a nonprofit agency under the JWOD

Program.

Both the Javits-Wagner-O’Day and Small Business

Acts created preferential programs designed to

provide certain types of organizations opportunities

to participate in Federal contracting. However, the

two pieces of legislation differ in that the JWOD

statute makes it mandatory for Government entities

to procure products designated by the Committee.

The Small Business statute gives the contracting

agency discretion as to whether there will be a small

business set-aside (Comptroller General Decision,

Files B-185802 and B-187235, March 11, 1977,

77–1 CPD 184). The contracting activity also has

discretion in deciding whether a particular

procurement will be set aside for labor surplus areas

or for small and disadvantaged businesses. The

JWOD Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) gives no such

discretion to the contracting activity.

12. Can Requirements that Are

Currently Set Aside Under the 8(a)

Program Be Added to the JWOD

Procurement List?

The law permits it, and such requirements are

added to the Procurement List while being provided

by an 8(a) contractor. However, the Committee has

voluntarily adopted a policy that allows SBA to

continue to contract with the current 8(a) contractor

for such requirements until that contractor graduates
26 J W O D H A N D B O O K

from the 8(a) Program. Upon the contractor’s

graduation, the mandatory requirements of the

JWOD Act take effect. This policy does not apply

to competitive 8(a) procurements.

13. What is “Severe Adverse

Impact?”

“Severe Adverse Impact” is a factor the

Committee considers in determining whether a

product or service is suitable for addition to the

JWOD Program. It is a measure of impact such an

addition would have on the current contractor for

that product or service. The decision to place a

product or service in a new procurement category,

such as the JWOD or 8(a) Program, may have an

adverse impact on the firm that currently supplies

the product or service. The question is, “Is such

impact severe?” The Committee defines severe

adverse impact as the level of impact that might

weaken the business base of the contractor to the

extent that the firm’s viability could be jeopardized.

Such a level of impact is not acceptable to the

Committee. If the Committee determines that

severe adverse impact might result from a proposed

addition, the product or service in question may be

dropped from consideration. Sometimes the

Committee places only a portion of the Government

requirement for a particular product or service on

the Procurement List to avoid having a severe

adverse impact on the current contractor. Products

and services dropped from consideration due to

impact concerns may be re-evaluated at a later date.

14. Is the JWOD Program Covered by

A-76?

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Circular A-76 addresses the contracting out of

services currently being performed by Government

employees. The Circular recognizes preferential

procurement programs and is not intended to

interfere with the contracting activity’s efforts to

make awards under mandatory source programs

such as JWOD. A formal cost comparison is not

required for such awards.

When a new requirement for a commercial service

is established, the service may be added to the

Procurement List for performance by a nonprofit

agency under the JWOD Program without a formal

A-76 cost comparison. As new requirements arise,

contracting activities may wish to consider offering

them to NISH or NIB.

15. Does the Competition in

Contracting Act Inhibit the Use of the

JWOD Program?

No. Because the JWOD Program is a statutorily

mandated source, JWOD procurements are

considered “other than competitive” procurements

under the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA).

Also, CICA specifically exempts JWOD

procurements from the justification requirement,

which normally applies to other than competitive

procurements (10 U.S.C. 2304 (f)(2)(D) or

41 U.S.C. 253 (f)(2)(D)).

16. Can a Contracting Activity

Establish a Contract with the Nonprofit

Agency During the Addition Process?

Yes, if permitted by Federal Acquisition

Regulations. Contracting activities are cautioned not

to use JWOD (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) as justification

on a contract or on a determination and findings

(D&F). Provision of products and services by

nonprofit agencies under the authority of the JWOD

Program cannot take place until after the effective

date of addition to the Procurement List. The

Committee alone is authorized to establish the fair

market price for a JWOD product or service, and

proposed additions under JWOD are not legally

binding until approved by the Committee.
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 27

17. Can Contracting Activities Request

that “One-Time Requirements” Be

Designated for Nonprofit Agencies?

Products and services produced under the JWOD

Program are generally ones for which a continuing

need exists. These projects allow uninterrupted

employment for people who are blind or have other

severe disabilities. However, the Committee

recognizes that although “one-time requirements”

do not offer long-term stable employment

opportunities, they often serve as useful training

vehicles. For this reason, the Committee will

sometimes approve “one-time requirements.” A

stipulation for such consideration is that the project

should generate enough work years (normally at least

ten) of direct labor to make the addition worthwhile.

Federal personnel should contact the Committee, NIB

or NISH to explore the feasibility of adding a particular

one-time requirement to the Procurement List.

18. Does the Committee Ever Place a

Portion of the Total Government

Requirement for a Product on the

Procurement List?

Yes. Occasionally, the Committee will add only a

portion of the Government’s requirement for a

particular product or service to the Procurement

List. This approach is normally followed when taking

the entire Government requirement would have a

severe adverse impact on the current contractor. This

is also the case when the Government’s requirements

exceed the capability of the nonprofit agency or

agencies proposing to provide the product or service.

Under such circumstances, a portion of the

requirement is obtained through the JWOD Process,

while the remaining portion is competitively

procured from commercial sources. The Committee

has outlined specific guidelines for processing

additions of this type, and considers the contracting

activity’s views prior to adopting such an approach.

19. How Long Does the Addition

Process Take?

The time it takes to complete the addition process

can vary depending on several factors that may need

to be considered before adding a product or service

to the Procurement List. Once NIB or NISH

identifies a product or service for possible addition

to the Procurement List, the addition process can

take between six and nine months to finalize.

However, the Committee’s portion of the addition

process takes about 90 days from the time the

proposed addition is published in the Federal

Register to the effective date of the addition.

20. When are Prices for JWOD

Products Changed?

Product prices are usually changed annually. As

with some commercial products that have volatile

raw materials, the contracting activity and nonprofit

agency may include an economic price adjustment

clause in the contract that could result in more

frequent price changes.

By September 2000, all prices will be determined

by negotiation between the producing nonprofit

agency and the contracting activity. The method of

determining future prices will be a part of those

negotiations and may include price adjustment based

on changes in the appropriate U.S. Department of

Labor Producer Price Index, use of another

appropriate index, or changes in the nonprofit

agency’s costs.

21. When are Service Prices Changed?

Services are repriced annually. The Committee’s

normal pricing policy is to set a base year price and

four follow on year prices. By January 2001, the

pricing of all services will be done by direct

negotiation between the contracting activity and the

nonprofit agency performing the service. Federal
28 J W O D H A N D B O O K

personnel are responsible for initiating the followon year pricing process. The process begins by

forwarding (1) a copy of the new Department of

Labor Wage Determination, (2) a completed SF

98/98a, and (3) a copy of the Statement of Work

to the nonprofit agency and NIB or NISH. The

documents must be received at least 90 days before

the beginning of the new service period. Submitting

these documents in a timely manner allows the

establishment of a revised price prior to the

commencement of the new service period.

22. Can I Recommend Products and/

or Services for Addition to the

Procurement List?

Yes. The Code of Federal Regulations (41 CFR

Part 51–5.1(a)) encourages those involved with

procurement to recommend products and services

that appear suitable for procurement by the

Government from nonprofit agencies under the

JWOD Program. Recommendations should be sent

to the Committee, NIB, or NISH.

23. How are Protests, Disputes

and Appeals Handled Under the

JWOD Act?

Either NIB or the appropriate NISH regional

office should be contacted immediately whenever

there is a disagreement between a contracting office

and nonprofit agency over the terms or conditions

of a JWOD contract. These central nonprofit

agencies will assist in finding a satisfactory solution.

If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the matter

is referred to the Committee’s staff for resolution.

The contracting officer(s) decides questions that

relate to interpretation of contract provisions unless

they are in conflict with the JWOD Act or

regulations.

24. Is the JWOD Program Really

Necessary in Light of the 1990

Enactment of the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Yes. The landmark ADA legislation assures basic

civil rights for people with disabilities, including the

provision of reasonable accommodations by

employers. While it is already making a difference

in the lives of people with disabilities, it does not

assure jobs for all people with disabilities who want

to work. The unemployment rate among such

individuals remains exceedingly high. Moreover, the

vast majority of people with disabilities employed

under the JWOD Program are not currently capable

of competitive employment. Consequently, they are

not now in a position to benefit from the ADA’s

reasonable accommodations provision. It is

expected, however, that many JWOD employees will

obtain work skills as a result of their JWOD jobs

and, therefore, be able to take advantage of

opportunities made available because of the

American with Disabilities Act.

25. How Does the Committee for

Purchase From People Who Are Blind

or Severely Disabled Relate to or

Differ from the President’s Committee

on Employment of People with

Disabilities?

The President’s Committee on Employment of

People with Disabilities (PCEPD) is a nonstatutory

body created by Executive Order to assist people

with disabilities seeking employment. PCEPD is

tasked with promoting the hiring of people with

disabilities by the private sector. PCEPD specializes

in information about job accommodations for people

with disabilities and implementation of the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Except for

its own administrative staff, PCEPD does not directly
C O M M I T T E E / N I B / N I S H 29

create jobs; rather, it stimulates the private sector to

create them.

The Committee for Purchase From People Who

Are Blind or Severely Disabled is an independent

Federal Agency. The Committee administers the

Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Program, a

Government procurement initiative that creates jobs

and training for people who are blind or have other

severe disabilities. Its primary means of doing so is

to have Federal agencies purchase products and

services furnished by state and private nonprofit

agencies that provide employment, training and,

often, other services to individuals with severe

disabilities. While the JWOD Program encourages

people with disabilities to transition into competitive

jobs, it has less direct contact with other types of

private employers.

26. Do JWOD Products and Services

Meet the Requirements for Recycled

Content and Other Environmentally

Preferable Attributes as Mandated in

Executive Order 13101: Greening the

Government through Waste Prevention,

Recycling and Federal Acquisition?

The JWOD Program is committed to furnishing

products and services that Federal customers

demand in terms of both quality and performance.

Additionally, as a Federal agency, we must also ensure

that JWOD products and services comply with

Federal mandates, including environmental

initiatives. JWOD paper products meet General

Service Administration (GSA) and Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) specifications and

guidelines for recycled content, including

postconsumer material content. Meanwhile, NIB

and NISH technical experts, along with participating

associated nonprofit agencies, are constantly

reviewing JWOD offerings to ensure compliance

with the requirements of Executive Order 13101.

27. Can Nonprofit Agencies Meet

Government’s Electronic Commerce/

Electronic Data Interchange (EC/EDI)

Requirements?

Many nonprofit agencies have embraced EC

technologies and are successfully interfacing with

the Government procurement agencies by receiving

and acknowledging orders through EDI or POPS

methods.

28. How do DoD Prime Contractors

Get Credit for Working with JWOD

Nonprofit Agencies?

Defense Logistics Agency Clause DLAD

52.215.9004 (Dec. 1997) stems from DLA

PROCLTR 97–34, the second in a series of guidance

letters on supporting the JWOD Program. DLA was

looking for innovative ways to work with the JWOD

Program and to “provide JWOD agencies a

maximum practicable opportunity to participate as

subcontractors.” Please note that subcontracting

with JWOD is encouraged, not required. JWOD

subcontractors are easiest to envision in terms of a

facilities management contractor that subcontracts

with a JWOD agency for janitorial or

groundskeeping services; or an industrial prime

vendor (integrator) that subcontracts with JWOD

manufacturing agencies for certain products needed.

Contractors may also subcontract with a JWOD

agency for temporary administrative services or

website development/maintenance (several JWOD

agencies have capabilities in both areas.) Or JWOD

agencies can provide other services, such as copy

center and mailroom services, warehousing and

distribution, data entry, food service, recycling,

laundry, etc. DoD contractors may also purchase

JWOD-produced office or cleaning supplies from

one of our authorized commercial distributors.
More Information is Available From:

East Regional Office

2236-C Gallows Road

P.O. Box 686

Dunn Loring, VA 22027–9998

Telephone: 703 560–6610

FAX: 703–849–8741

South Regional Office

60 Chastain Center Boulevard, Suite 66

Kennesaw, GA 30144

Telephone: 770–424–9093

FAX: 770–426–7666

North/Central Regional Office

1400 East Touhy Avenue, Suite 140

Des Plaines, IL 60018

Telephone: 847–699–8890

FAX: 847–699–0392

South/Central Regional Office

2701 Avenue E, East, Suite 402

Arlington, TX 76011

Telephone: 817–649–5419

FAX: 817–652–1032

West Regional Office

73 Ray Street

Pleasanton, CA 94566

Telephone: 925–417–6880

FAX: 925–417–6888

Northwest Regional Office

200 West Mercer, Suite E

Seattle, WA 98119

Telephone: 206–285–6160

FAX: 206–285–8558

Committee for Purchase From People

Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled:

1421 Jefferson Davis Highway

Jefferson Plaza 2

10th Floor, Room 10800

Arlington, Virginia 22202-3259

Telephone: 703–603–7740

FAX: 703–603–0655

www.jwod.gov

National Industries for the Blind:

Headquarters

1901 North Beauregard Street, Suite 200

Alexandria, Virginia 22311–1727

Telephone: 703–998–0770

FAX: 703–998–8268

www.nib.org

Technical Center

13665 Lakefront Drive

Earth City, Missouri 63045–1401

Telephone: 314–739–8005

FAX: 314–739–0841

Customer Service Hotline

800–433–2304

NISH:

Headquarters:

2235 Cedar Lane

Vienna, Virginia 22182–5200

Telephone: 703–560–6800

FAX: 703–849–8916

www.nish.org