Vendors and contractors who provide or develop digital content and applications used at U-M are required to meet digital accessibility standards and provide equitable access to people with disabilities.
Use the following statements to communicate university expectations, to vendors and contractors, when buying, contracting or adopting information technology.
For Low Risk Purchases
To be included with a purchase request, or informally:
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.
For Medium and High Risk Purchases
Working with Contractors
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.
Supplier 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.
Supplier 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.
Issuing an RFP
To be included with an RFP:
General Accessibility Statement
The University of Michigan is committed to ensuring that the Information Technology it procures, creates, or provides is accessible in accordance with applicable law and University of Michigan requirements.
To this end, the University of Michigan requires that all technology and associated services purchased by the University of Michigan be accessible and equitable for people with disabilities according to Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
Compliance Assertion
Supplier will warrant and represent that (i) Web-based products provided under this Agreement conform to WCAG 2.1 AA and (ii) non-web-based products, and services meet or exceed the applicable accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1 AA, 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.
Supplier will provide written documentation verifying accessibility as specified below, to promptly respond to and resolve accessibility complaints received from The University of Michigan (the University)Customer, and to indemnify and hold the UniversityCustomer harmless in the event of any claims or damages whatsoever arising out of Supplier’s Seller’s failure to comply with the foregoing accessibility standards.
Compliance Documentation
At minimum, suppliers must provide a response to Supplier Accessibility Questionnaire Form. Suppliers may be held responsible for providing additional information of accessibility conformance for all possible users by including:
- A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT 2.1)™ for your product.
- Or a completed and detailed evaluation from an independent third party that the University of Michigan can confirm is reputable.
- And a Supplier Accessibility Questionnaire
Suppliers may be required to provide access to a standard configured environment to enable the University to test compliance with relevant accessibility requirements. The objective of this environment is for the University to test compliance with accessibility requirements in accordance with standard WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If there are multiple modules, please provide access to all the modules. For the avoidance of doubt, no testing by the University of Michigan shall relieve Supplier from compliance with all aspects of relevant accessibility requirements or guidelines.
The University may, prior to making a decision, perform testing on some or all of the Suppliers’ product(s) to ensure the accuracy of the relevant documentation. If the University requests the opportunity to perform hands-on testing, the Supplier shall provide the following:
- Final commercially available release versions in terms of functionality and features; and
- Accessibility Test Plan illustrating “typical” user scenarios and tasks to ensure fair and accurate testing of offered solutions.
- Test accounts that the University can use to examine the product.