Technology

Procurement - Software Access Centre

Summary: All about ensuring accessible software procurement.

• Procurement policy
• Invitation to Tender
• Evaluating bids
• Awarding the contract
• Managing implementation
• Maintenance and support
• EU procurement research
• Software Access Centre links

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Fixing inaccessible software after it has been bought can be difficult, costly and may not succeed in providing effective access. A better approach is to consider accessibility before buying the software, as early as possible in a procurement project.

According to the Disability Discrimination Act, this type of anticipatory action is needed, when a public sector department or agency buys software or systems for use by employees or the general public. This is specified in the part of the legislation known as the Disability Equality Duty. The legislation applies to central and local government, educational institutions, the NHS and the police among others.

The Disability Rights Commission has published guidance on Procurement and the Disability Equality Duty. Unfortunately, procurement of software or ICT hardly gets a mention in this guidance document.

Procurement policy

A procurement project may be small and time-limited, or very large, lasting several years. Either way, the project board needs to have clear guidance about how accessibility should be taken into account during the lifetime of the project, and beyond.
Procurement policy – read more

Invitation to Tender

At the earliest stage of procurement, the project leaders define their aims, decide what is needed, assess the available options, prepare the business case and decide how the procurement exercise will be carried out. This is often captured in a Specification of Requirements, on which an Invitation to Tender (ITT) is based.
What an ITT might contain – read more

Evaluating bids

Once bids are submitted, tenders and suppliers are evaluated against set criteria, including those relating to accessibility.
Evaluating bids – read more

Awarding the contract

Incorporating an inclusive design statement in a system specification is just the starting point. The purchaser and supplier will need to agree on how accessibility will be achieved, maintained and supported over the life of the contract.
Awarding the contract – read more

Managing implementation

Once a contract is agreed and in place, there is often a great deal of work to be done to configure, tailor and adjust the software to meet the specific needs of the procuring organisation.
Managing implementation – read more

Maintenance and support

When the product or service is in place, the support and helpdesk functions become active, and must take account of the requirements of all users. Accessibility and usability must also be maintained when the product is updated or new releases are delivered.
Maintenance and support – read more

EU procurement research

The EU project ACCENT has studied how accessibility is included in IT procurement regulations and practices in some European countries, and has produced guidelines for inclusion of accessibility in public IT procurements.

Software Access Centre links

• Background to software accessibility
• Laws and standards
• Testing and evaluation
• Design and development
• Inaccessible environments
• Our top five recommendations

Back to Software Access Home

Content author: digitalaccess@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 08/04/2008 18:38