Digital accessibility procurement requirements at UO are changing! Please read our Letter to Vendors Regarding New Accessibility Rules for more information.
If you are a vendor and want to learn about the procurement accessibility process, visit the Information for Vendors page.
All Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services from third party vendors that are purchased or used at UO must be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes software, online services, multimedia, digital document creation, web development, hardware, and more.
Procurements for web, mobile, and kiosk products and services that are public- or student-facing and that go through Purchasing and Contracting Services (PCS) are required to go through our new Interim Accessibility Review Process before they are purchased or contracts are signed.
The Interim Accessibility Procurement Process will be used until a process that is compliant with new federal rules is put in place. The interim process is significantly simpler than our old process, and has three components:
- A Product Information Form is submitted by the department making the purchase
- A Department Procurement Accessibility Acknowledgment is submitted by the department making the purchase
- An Accessibility Information for Third-Party Products and Services form is submitted by the vendor
To start the process:
- If your procurement has already been submitted to PCS, the Digital Accessibility Architect will send you instructions (they'll initiate the process).
- If you want to start the review before going to PCS or don't plan to go through PCS, submit a Request for Digital Accessibility Procurement Review or email the Digital Accessibility Architect.
- If your procurement must be approved within two weeks, consider an Emergency Deferral.
The Procurement Accessibility Guide/FAQ provides an overview of how and why accessibility is included in procurement, and explains what you need to do.
Whenever possible, it's best to include accessibility in the early stages of the procurement process, for example when drafting an RFP or when exploring potential options to purchase. Leaving accessibility until the end of the procurement process makes it more likely that the purchase will be delayed. To avoid issues, submit a Request for Digital Accessibility Procurement Review or contact the Digital Accessibility Architect before you start working with PCS (the earlier, the better).
For any procurement including a contract or agreement, appropriate language regarding accessibility must be included. For procurements going through PCS, this is already integrated into the process.
In some qualifying circumstances, a product or service that is not fully accessible may need to be procured. In those cases, the department is responsible for ensuring accommodations or alternative means of access are available to all users with disabilities.
