I agreeto Idea More Emphasis on Agency Implementation and Less on Procurement
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More Emphasis on Agency Implementation and Less on Procurement

More metrics that emphasize sound internal accessibility requirements are needed. Today's model agencies have trained developers, trained and deployed accessibility testers, implemented project life cycle accessibility requirements, posted accessibility acceptance gates (for internal applications and contract acceptance criteria), and other important agency governance measures to ensure an improving environment. The Strategic Plan should promote these Best Practices through targeted metrics that positively benefit agencies that mature their programs in these ways.

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Submitted by 508 Govt Professional 1 year ago

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  1. The idea was posted
    1 year ago

Comments (2)

  1. daniel.davis

    Could the author of this recommendation explain why the assumption is that there should be less focus on procurement? If the acquisitions language doesn't provide for accountability, how can compliance be achieved?

    1 year ago
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  2. 508 Govt Professional

    Which provides more incentive to developers and content authors: 1) A procurement gate that most buyers within an agency lack the skill or knowledge to effectively evaluate or 2) an acceptance test process that keeps projects and/or content from being deployed until it is compliant? Internally developed applications and content will have no business requirement applied if all Section 508 resources are devoted to the procurement process. Also, a project team will have a vested interest in the procurement process if it actually affects their ability to deploy their project/content. Otherwise it all becomes a procurement exercise with little incentive to discern the quality of the purchase. The question is not whether or not accessibility requirements should be in contract language, of course they should. The question is one of emphasis. Initially most agencies placed emphasis on procurement because that is where they perceived risk. Procurement may be where the buck starts, but it certainly is not where it stops. The strategic plan hints at changing the prevailing mentality, but the message should be clearer, and through concrete metrics, encourage agencies to focus more on “develop, use, and maintain”.

    1 year ago
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