“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” – Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the World Wide Web
Impact
If a purchased product or service turns out to have accessibility problems, Coloradans and state employees may be excluded from critical services or the ability for them to do their job.
Purchasing and implementing products and services that are not accessible decreases trust in state government, increases costs, and undermines the state’s commitment to accessibility.
It is important that everyone involved in a State of Colorado procurement process ensure that accessibility is a priority.
Free and low-cost products are also required to comply with state accessibility standards, regardless of who procures them.
Your Responsibilities
- Buy accessible products, whether for internal or public use
- When writing an RFP or RFI, clearly state your accessibility requirements up-front, so potential vendors and contractors can propose the best solution for your needs
- Verify the product’s accessibility from the vendor, including asking for and reviewing their VPAT
- Include accessible outcomes in the contract
- Verify vendor’s accessibility expertise, and require a contact who can address questions about accessibility
- Partner with an accessibility SME to evaluate the potential product for accessibility compliance.
What You Can Do
Work with vendors to ensure their products meets Coloradan's expectations
Resources for State of Colorado Agencies
Siteimprove: Siteimprove’s software helps to improve State website usability and accessibility by automating the process of finding errors and problems. Siteimprove alone will not make websites accessible but is part of a holistic approach to managing web services.
For questions about using Siteimprove, please contact the Technology Accessibility Program at OIT_Accessibility@state.co.us.
Don't have access to Siteimprove? Use these free browser extensions:
Accessibility Standards
State of Colorado Accessibility Statement
§24-85-103, C.R.S. - "Accessibility standards for individuals with a disability", (PDF)
TS-OEA-001: Technology Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, (PDF)
TS-OEA-002: Technology Accessibility for Web Content and Applications, (PDF)
Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, section508.gov