Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 54411 

6 15 U.S.C. 78q–1. 

7 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 

2 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 

OCC to adjust the settlement price of the 

affected security future as described 

above. Amended Section 5 further 

extends the current indemnification 

provided by OneChicago to OCC to also 

cover losses resulting from adjusting 

security futures in accordance with 

dividend or distribution information 

supplied by OneChicago or failing to 

adjust in the event OneChicago did not 

supply OCC with information regarding 

such an adjustment. 

OCC believes that the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the 

requirements of Section 17A of the Act,6

as amended, and the rules and 

regulations thereunder applicable to 

OCC because it is designed to promote 

the prompt and accurate clearance and 

settlement of security transactions and 

generally to protect investors and the 

public interest by allowing the clearing 

and settling of security futures contracts 

that reflect the issuance of all cash 

dividends or distributions on the 

underlying security. 

(B) Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Burden on Competition 

OCC does not believe that the 

proposed rule change will have an 

impact on or impose a burden on 

competition. 

(C) Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

No written comments relating to the 

proposed rule change have been 

solicited or received. OCC will notify 

the Commission of any written 

comments received by OCC. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

Within 45 days of the date of 

publication of this notice in the Federal 

Register or within such longer period (i) 

as the Commission may designate up to 

ninety days of such date if it finds such 

longer period to be appropriate and 

publishes its reasons for so finding or 

(ii) as to which the self-regulatory 

organization consents, the Commission 

will: 

(A) By order approve or disapprove 

the proposed rule change or 

(B) Institute proceedings to determine 

whether the proposed rule change 

should be disapproved. 

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views, and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change, as amended, is consistent with 

the Act. Comments may be submitted by 

any of the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s Internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR–OCC–2010–13 on the 

subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–OCC–2010–13. This file 

number should be included on the 

subject line if e-mail is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for inspection and copying in 

the Commission’s Public Reference 

Section, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, 

DC 20549, on official business days 

between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

Copies of such filing also will be 

available for inspection and copying at 

the principal office of OCC and on 

OCC’s Web site at http:// 

www.theocc.com. All comments 

received will be posted without change; 

the Commission does not edit personal 

identifying information from 

submissions. You should submit only 

information that you wish to make 

available publicly. All submissions 

should refer to File Number SR–OCC– 

2010–13 and should be submitted on or 

before September 28, 2010. 

For the Commission by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.7

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2010–22209 Filed 9–3–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8010–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–62791; File No. SR–NYSE– 

2010–60] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; New 

York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of 

Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of 

Proposed Rule Change Amending 

NYSE Rule 107B To Revise the 

Quoting Requirements and Add a 

Volume Requirement 

August 30, 2010. 

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 

‘‘Act’’) 1, and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2

notice is hereby given that on August 

26, 2010, New York Stock Exchange 

LLC (‘‘NYSE’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed 

with the Securities and Exchange 

Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the 

proposed rule change as described in 

Items I and II, below, which Items have 

been prepared by the self-regulatory 

organization. The Commission is 

publishing this notice to solicit 

comments on the proposed rule change 

from interested persons. 

I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Terms of Substance of 

the Proposed Rule Change 

The Exchange proposes to amend 

NYSE Rule 107B (‘‘Supplemental 

Liquidity Providers’’) (‘‘SLPs’’), which is 

a pilot program, to revise the quoting 

requirements and add a volume 

requirement. The text of the proposed 

rule change is available on the 

Exchange’s Web site at http:// 

www.nyse.com, at the Exchange’s 

principal office, at the Commission’s 

Public Reference Room, and on the 

Commission’s Web site at http:// 

www.sec.gov. 

II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

In its filing with the Commission, the 

self-regulatory organization included 

statements concerning the purpose of 

and basis for the proposed rule change 

and discussed any comments it received 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
54412 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 

3See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 58877 

(October 29, 2008), 73 FR 65904 (November 5, 2008) 

(SR–NYSE–2008–108) (establishing pilot program 

for market participants referred to as ‘‘Supplemental 

Liquidity Providers’’ or ‘‘SLPs.’’). The pilot is 

currently scheduled to end on September 30, 2010. 

4The Exchange may, from time to time, change 

the amounts of the scaled SLP rebates by filing a 

proposed rule change under Rule 19b–4(f)(2) of the 

Act. 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2). 

5Pursuant to the NYSE Equities Price List, SLPs 

will receive a higher rebate when they provide 

liquidity that is executed in excess of the specified 

levels of ADV in the applicable month aggregated 

across all of their assigned SLP securities. 

on the proposed rule change. The text 

of those statements may be examined at 

the places specified in Item IV below. 

The Exchange has prepared summaries, 

set forth in sections A, B, and C below, 

of the most significant parts of such 

statements. 

A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and the 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

1. Purpose 

The Exchange proposes to amend 

Rule 107B, which is a pilot program, to 

increase the quoting requirement 

applicable to SLPs and add a 

requirement that the SLP provide 

average daily volume (‘‘ADV’’) of more 

than 10 million shares for all assigned 

SLP securities on a monthly basis. In 

connection with this proposed change, 

the Exchange also proposes to revise the 

non-regulatory penalties associated with 

the SLP program to align them with the 

new quoting and volume requirements. 

The Exchange also proposes to clarify 

which mnemonics that a member 

organization may use for the SLP 

trading activity to enable a member 

organization to use the same mnemonic 

for non-SLP trading activity. 

Background: 

Rule 107B, which was adopted as a 

pilot program in October 2008, 

established a new class of market 

participants referred to as Supplemental 

Liquidity Providers or ‘‘SLPs.’’ 3

Approved Exchange member 

organizations are eligible to be an SLP. 

SLPs supplement the liquidity provided 

by Designated Market Makers (‘‘DMMs’’). 

SLPs have monthly quoting 

requirements that may qualify them to 

receive SLP rebates, which are larger 

than the general rebate available to nonSLP market participants. 

Proposed Amendments to Rule 107B: 

1. Proposed Modification of SLP 

Quoting Requirements 

The goal of the SLP program is to 

encourage participants to quote more 

often and to add displayed liquidity to 

the market. Thus, Rule 107B(a) requires 

that an SLP maintain a bid and/or an 

offer at the NBB or NBO (e.g., the 

‘‘inside’’) averaging at least 5% of the 

trading day for each assigned security. 

The Exchange proposes to increase this 

quoting requirement to require SLPs to 

maintain a bid and/or offer at the inside 

an average of at least 10% of the trading 

day. The Exchange notes that SLPs are 

already operating at this volume of 

trading for many of the assigned 

securities and have been notified that 

the Exchange intends to increase the 

quoting requirement for all SLP 

securities. Accordingly, the Exchange 

proposes to increase the quoting 

requirement set forth in the rule to 

ensure that SLPs continue trading at this 

level or higher. 

2. Proposed SLP Monthly Volume 

Requirement 

Currently, as set forth in the NYSE 

Price List, an SLP can receive additional 

credit if it adds liquidity of an ADV of 

more than 10 million shares in the 

applicable month. The Exchange 

proposes to amend Rule 107B to make 

the ADV fee structure an ongoing 

volume requirement. The Exchange 

therefore proposes to add to section (a) 

of the rule that an SLP must provide an 

ADV of more than 10 million shares for 

all assigned SLP securities on a monthly 

basis. Meeting this volume requirement 

will enable an SLP to receive the basic 

SLP rebate (currently $0.0020 per 

executed share) on security-by-security 

basis and to maintain their SLP status.4

An SLP will not receive the SLP rebate 

for any assigned SLP securities if it fails 

to also meet the volume requirement for 

all assigned SLP securities. 

As proposed, Rule 107B’s volume 

requirement will be calculated by 

aggregating all liquidity an SLP provides 

in all of its assigned SLP securities each 

month and calculating the ADV by 

dividing the total aggregated providing 

volume by the number of trading days 

in the applicable month.5 For example, 

if an SLP provides liquidity of 200 

million shares in Security X and 200 

million shares in Security Y in a month 

with 20 regular trading days, the SLP 

would meet the month’s volume 

requirement pursuant to Rule 107B 

because the ADV is 20 million shares 

(200 plus 200, divided by 20 days). 

As further proposed, days on which 

the Exchange ends the regular trading 

hours early (i.e., earlier than 4 p.m.) will 

not be included in the ADV for the 

applicable month. The Exchange 

believes that these trading days, i.e., the 

day after Thanksgiving, should not be 

included because there is less trading 

time and trading is typically light and 

therefore the low volume numbers may 

distort the ADV calculation for the SLP. 

An SLP does not have to meet this 

volume requirement for each individual 

SLP assigned security in a given month. 

This is an aggregated amount of shares 

for all assigned securities of an SLP. The 

Exchange notes that in assigning 

securities to SLPs, the SLP Liaison 

Committee will take into consideration 

this volume requirement to ensure that 

the SLP are assigned securities for 

which they would be able to meet this 

volume requirement. Similar to the 

quoting requirement, the volume 

requirement will not be in effect for the 

first calendar month that an SLP begins 

operations. 

3. Proposed Modifications of SLP NonRegulatory Penalties 

Rule 107B imposes certain nonregulatory penalties if an SLP fails to 

meet the quoting requirements. The 

Exchange seeks to modify these nonregularity penalties to align them with 

the new quoting and volume 

requirements for SLPs. 

Currently, if an SLP fails to meet a 3% 

average quoting requirement in its 

assigned securities, the SLP is not 

eligible for SLP rebates on executions 

for that month. Further, if an SLP fails 

to meet its 5% average quoting 

requirement in its assigned securities for 

three (3) consecutive months (not 

including the first month of SLP 

operation), the SLP Liaison Committee 

may, in its discretion, impose the 

following non-regulatory penalties: (1) 

Revocation of the affected security(ies); 

(2) each time a security(ies) is revoked 

for failure to meet the quoting 

requirement for a particular security, 

revocation of an additional unaffected 

security; and/or (3) disqualification 

from the SLP program. 

The Exchange proposes to eliminate 

the ability of an SLP to earn a rebate if 

it maintains a quote in assigned SLP 

securities at the NBB or NBO at least 

3%, up to, but not including 5% of the 

time. Instead, to align the rebate with 

the 10% quoting requirement set forth 

in Rule 107B(a), as proposed, an SLP 

would not be able to earn a rebate 

unless it maintained a quote at the NBB 

or NBO an average of 10% of the trading 

day. The Exchange proposes to make 

conforming amendments to Rule 

107B(i)(1)(A) and (B) by deleting the last 

sentence of each paragraph as no longer 

necessary. The Exchange believes that 

this proposed change strengthens the 

SLP program by ensuring that rebates 

are paid only if the SLP meets the 

minimum quoting requirement of an 

SLP. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 54413 

6As noted above, the SLP program is a pilot 

program currently set to expire on September 30, 

2010. The Exchange intends to file to make the 

program permanent or extend the pilot program so 

that it can continue past September 30, 2010. 

7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). 

8 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). 

9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii). 

10 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

11 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). 

12 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii). In addition, Rule 

19b–4(f)(6)(iii) requires the Exchange to give the 

Commission written notice of the Exchange’s intent 

to file the proposed rule change along with a brief 

description and the text of the proposed rule 

change, at least five business days prior to the date 

of filing of the proposed rule change, or such 

shorter time as designated by the Commission. The 

Exchange has satisfied the pre-filing requirement. 

In addition, the Exchange proposes to 

add that to be eligible for a financial 

rebate for an SLP security for which the 

SLP has met the 10% quoting 

requirement, the SLP would first need 

to meet the minimum 10 million share 

ADV requirement for all assigned 

securities. If the SLP fails to meet the 

volume requirement, it would not be 

eligible for any rebates, notwithstanding 

that it may have met the quoting 

requirement for one or more assigned 

SLP securities. If the SLP meets the 

volume requirement for all assigned 

securities, but does not meet the 10% 

quoting requirement in any securities, 

the SLP would not receive any financial 

rebates. The Exchange believes that 

adding the volume requirement as a 

condition to receive a financial rebate 

further strengthens the SLP program by 

aligning the financial rebate incentive 

not only with the new quoting 

requirements, but also with the new 

volume requirement. 

4. Proposed Amendments to SLP 

Qualifications 

Rule 107B requires a member 

organization to meet several 

qualifications prior to obtaining 

approval of their SLP application and 

obtaining SLP status. These prequalifications have both operational and 

regulatory aspects. 

With respect to the operational prequalifying requirements, among other 

things, the Exchange requires pursuant 

to Rule 107B(c)(1) that an SLP use a 

unique mnemonic for its SLP business, 

which enables the Exchange to identify 

SLP transactions for billing and 

regulatory purposes. The Exchange 

proposes to revise this requirement to 

clarify that the member organization 

must identify to the Exchange 

mnemonics that identify the SLP trading 

activity in assigned SLP securities. As 

proposed, because all order flow in an 

assigned SLP security using that 

mnemonic will be treated as SLP 

volume, a member organization may not 

use such identified mnemonics for 

trading activity at the Exchange in 

assigned SLP securities that is not SLP 

trading activity. However, to enable the 

member organization to use the same 

mnemonic for both SLP and non-SLP 

trading activity in different securities, 

an SLP may use mnemonics used for 

SLP trading for trading activity in 

securities not assigned to the SLP. As 

further proposed, the rule would specify 

that if the member organization does not 

identify such mnemonics to the 

Exchange, the member organization will 

not receive credit for such SLP trading. 

In addition to the above proposed 

changes, the Exchange proposes to make 

clarifying amendments to Rule 107B. 

First, because FINRA now conducts all 

market regulation functions on behalf of 

the Exchange, the Exchange proposes to 

delete references to the ‘‘Division of 

Market Surveillance,’’ and replace it 

with a reference to FINRA (see Section 

(e) of the Rule). Second, the Exchange 

proposes to revise section (g)(2)(A) of 

the rule (now proposed Rule (h)(2)(A)), 

to provide that a DMM unit shall not 

also act as an SLP in the same securities 

in which it is registered as a DMM. The 

Exchange does not need to spell out the 

term ‘‘designated market maker’’ as it, 

and the term DMM unit, are defined 

terms in Rule 2. 

The Exchange proposes to implement 

the changes to the quoting requirement 

and add the volume requirement 

effective October 1, 2010.6

2. Statutory Basis 

The Exchange believes that its 

proposal is consistent with Section 6(b) 

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

(the ‘‘Act’’),7 in general, and furthers the 

objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,8

in particular, in that it is designed to 

prevent fraudulent and manipulative 

acts and practices, to promote just and 

equitable principles of trade, to remove 

impediments to and perfect the 

mechanism of a free and open market 

and a national market system and, in 

general, to protect investors and the 

public interest. The Exchange believes 

the proposed Rule is consistent with 

these principles in that it seeks to 

increase the trading performance of 

SLPs, which will benefit all market 

participants. 

B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Burden on Competition 

The Exchange does not believe that 

the proposed rule change will impose 

any burden on competition that is not 

necessary or appropriate in furtherance 

of the purposes of the Act. 

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

No written comments were solicited 

or received with respect to the proposed 

rule change. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

The Exchange has filed the proposed 

rule change pursuant to Section 

19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 9 and Rule 

19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.10 Because the 

proposed rule change does not: (i) 

Significantly affect the protection of 

investors or the public interest; (ii) 

impose any significant burden on 

competition; and (iii) become operative 

prior to 30 days from the date on which 

it was filed, or such shorter time as the 

Commission may designate if consistent 

with the protection of investors and the 

public interest, the proposed rule 

change has become effective pursuant to 

Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act 11 and 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder.12

At any time within 60 days of the 

filing of the proposed rule change, the 

Commission summarily may 

temporarily suspend such rule change if 

it appears to the Commission that such 

action is necessary or appropriate in the 

public interest, for the protection of 

investors, or otherwise in furtherance of 

the purposes of the Act. 

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views, and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the Act. 

Comments may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s Internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR–NYSE–2010–60 on the 

subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–NYSE–2010–60. This file 

number should be included on the 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
54414 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 

13 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

subject line if e-mail is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for Web site viewing and 

printing in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20549, on official 

business days between the hours of 10 

a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of the filing also 

will be available for inspection and 

copying at the principal office of the 

Exchange. All comments received will 

be posted without change; the 

Commission does not edit personal 

identifying information from 

submissions. You should submit only 

information that you wish to make 

available publicly. All submissions 

should refer to File Number SR–NYSE– 

2010–60 and should be submitted on or 

before September 28, 2010. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.13

Florence E. Harmon, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2010–22201 Filed 9–3–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8010–01–P 

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

[Docket No. SSA–2010–0057] 

On Behalf of the Accessibility 

Committee of the U.S. Council of CIOs; 

29 U.S.C. 794d; Listening Session 

Regarding Improving the Accessibility 

of Government Information 

AGENCY: U.S. Council of CIOs. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

listening session being conducted in 

response to a memo dated July 19, 2010 

from the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) on ‘‘Improving the 

Accessibility of Government 

Information’’. Section 508 of the 

Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d) 

requires Federal agencies to buy and use 

electronic and information technology 

(EIT) that is accessible. The July memo 

directs agencies to take stronger steps 

toward improving the acquisition and 

implementation of accessible 

technology. In order to better 

understand the needs of diverse 

communities and provide better 

solutions, the U.S. Council of CIOs, in 

collaboration with the Chief Acquisition 

Officers Council, the GSA Office of 

Governmentwide Policy and the U.S. 

Access Board, is holding the first in a 

series of listening sessions to engage 

citizens and employees in expressing 

concerns and proposing ideas. Persons 

with disabilities, their advocates and 

government employees are invited to 

participate. 

DATES: Meeting Date: The listening 

session will be held on Thursday, 

September 30, 2010, from 1:30 p.m. to 

4:30 p.m. Central Time (CT). 

Persons wishing to address the panel 

at the listening session can pre-register 

by contacting Kathy Roy Johnson at 

(202) 272–0041, (202) 272–0082 (TTY), 

or johnson@access-board.gov. Preregistrants will be given priority in 

addressing the panel in Chicago. 

Registration will also be available in 

person in Chicago on the afternoon of 

the listening session. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The 

listening session will be held at the 

Courtyard by Marriott Magnificent Mile 

Hotel, 165 East Ontario Street, Chicago, 

IL 60611 in the Ontario B & C rooms. 

Accommodations: The listening 

session will have sign language 

interpreters; CART (real time 

captioning) services, Assistive Listening 

Devices (ALDs), microphones and 

materials will be available in Braille, 

large print and electronic formats. The 

hotel is wheelchair accessible. Anyone 

needing other accommodations should 

include a specific request when 

registering in advance. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathy Roy Johnson at (202) 272–0041, 

(202) 272–0082 (TTY), or 

johnson@access-board.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1998, 

Congress amended the Rehabilitation 

Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies 

to make their electronic and information 

technology (EIT) accessible to people 

with disabilities. Inaccessible 

technology interferes with an ability to 

obtain and use information quickly and 

easily. Section 508 was enacted to 

eliminate barriers in information 

technology, open new opportunities for 

people with disabilities, and encourage 

development of technologies that will 

help achieve these goals. The law 

applies to all Federal agencies when 

they develop, procure, maintain, or use 

electronic and information technology. 

Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794 d), 

agencies must give disabled employees 

and members of the public access to 

information that is comparable to access 

available to others. 

Effective implementation of Section 

508 is an essential element of President 

Obama’s principles of open government, 

requiring that all government and data 

be accessible to all citizens. In order for 

the goal of open government to be 

meaningful for persons with disabilities, 

technology must also be accessible, 

including digital content. In July 2010, 

the OMB took steps to assure that the 

federal government’s progress in 

implementing Section 508 is stronger 

and achieves results more quickly. 

Section 508 requires the General 

Services Administration (GSA) to 

provide technical assistance to agencies 

on Section 508 implementation. GSA 

has created a number of tools, available 

at http://www.Section508.gov, to help 

agencies to develop accessible 

requirements, test the acceptance 

process, and share lessons learned and 

best practices. For example: 

• The BuyAccessible Wizard, http:// 

www.buyaccessible.gov, helps build 

compliant requirements and 

solicitations; 

• The Quick Links site, https:// 

app.buyaccessible.gov/baw/ 

KwikLinksMain.jsp, provides prepackaged Section 508 solicitation 

documents; 

• The BuyAccessible Products and 

Services Directory, https:// 

app.buyaccessible.gov/DataCenter/ 

provides a registry of companies and 

accessibility information about their 

offerings; and 

• The Section 508 blog http:// 

buyaccessible.net/blog/ provides a 

venue where stakeholders may share 

ideas and success stories, or engage in 

conversations on improving 

accessibility. 

The OMB has directed that several 

actions be taken to improve 508 

performance: 

• By Mid-January 2011, the GSA 

Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP) 

will provide updated guidance on 

making government EIT accessible. This 

guidance will build upon existing 

resources to address challenges, 

increase oversight, and reduce costs 

associated with acquiring and managing 

EIT solutions that are not accessible. 

• By Mid-January 2011, the GSA OGP 

will update its general Section 508 

training to offer refreshed continuous 

learning modules that can be used by 

contracting officers, program/project 

managers (especially those managing IT 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1