Contracting and Digital Accessibility

You may need to contract with an agency to develop a website, a web application, an ebook, a mobile app, a video or some other form of electronic information technology (IT). The SPG on accessibility applies to these situations in the same way it applies to procurement in general. Ensure that the IT is delivered maximally compliant with clear plans to address any shortcomings. 

Request

Assess responses

Verify compliance

Deliver

Make contractor aware that they need to produce IT that complies with U-M policy.

Provide contractor with language below.

Provide contractor with questionnaire.

The contractor will complete the questionnaire before work begins.

Evaluate answers to determine if you want to proceed with this contractor.

Contractor will provide a test version of the IT.

Use the checklist provided to assess compliance.

There may be some iterations at this juncture.

Update the central contractor scorecard.

Language to Provide to the Contractor

General Accessibility Statement

To be included with a request for a quote or work order.

“The University of Michigan is committed to ensuring that the information and technology that it creates or provides in conducting its activities is accessible in accordance with applicable law and University of Michigan requirements.”

“Seller will warrant that (i) Web-based products provided under this Agreement conform to WCAG 2.1 AA and (ii) non-web-based products meet or exceed the applicable accessibility requirements of section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d), and its implementing regulations set forth at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1194. “

“Seller will provide the company's policy or commitment statement regarding electronic accessibility, and describe the accessibility conformance testing process. Customer reserves the right, prior to accepting delivery, to perform accessibility testing on the product.”

Acceptance Testing

Depending on the priority (as measure by potential risk) of the IT, your acceptance testing could be:

Low

Medium

High

Perform a heuristic spot check

Perform an automated evaluation

Perform an automated evaluation

Perform a functional evaluation

Contact the accessibility team for assistance