Recently the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) released a report on Accessible Communication – tapping the potential in public ICT procurement policy. It highlighted the importance of, and recommended, the inclusion of accessibility criteria in public procurements.
We have just released some guidance about Accessibility in the procurement process, specifically relating to the procurement of web-related ICT products and services.
Since 2010, Australian Government agencies have been working to adopt and implement the World Wide Web Consortiums Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) as set out in the Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy (NTS).
As part of the NTS work plan, agencies are encouraged to review their procurement processes, to ensure that future procurements of web related ICT products and services address the requirement to conform to WCAG 2.0.
To assist agencies to clearly specify Accessibility and WCAG 2.0 criteria within their web-related ICT procurement documents we:
- prepared a number of standardised points for agencies to use in a Statement of requirement;
- outline how accessibility should be considered at various stages of the procurement and contract management cycle; and
- provide information on how to seek and evaluate the WCAG 2.0 conformance claims of vendors.
This guidance will ensure consistency in the way accessibility criteria is stated and will reinforce the Governments commitment to a more accessible web environment for all Australians.