Office of the Chief Information Officer &
High Performance Computing and Communications
Guidance on the Section 508 Forms for NOAA CD-435s
NOAA has provided the "Short form" for demonstrating Section 508 compliance of a purchase order. This form can be used for all purchases with Information Technology deliverables. The purchaser needs to include a Voluntary Product Accessiblity Template (VPAT) from the vendor for the IT or EIT-related deliverables that are a result of the corresponding purchase with the "Short Form." This documentation, the "Short Form" and the VPAT, is sufficient for Section 508 approval of purchase orders.
It is important to note that the Government agency is responsible for ensuring that deliverables from a purchase order, be it a contract or a purchase of products and services, are Section 508-compliant. Thus, the agency has the duty to specify as a requirement of a contract that deliverables be Section 508-compliant. This is achieved by providing the vendor or contractor the VPAT and certifying the items from Section 508 that apply. Several vendors that sell to NOAA has provided pre-approved checklist of their products and services at (NOAA Vendors-completed checklists). For additional information on vendors that sell to the Government and their Section 508 compliance status see the GSA site at (GSA Vendor Section 508 Status). Otherwise, have the vendor complete the checklist and attach it to the CD-435 along with the "Short Form."
Purchase order deliverables can include any product or service that the Government agency receives as a result of the purchase. This includes direct IT products and services such as:
- Desktop and Lap top computers.
- Software packages.
- Electronic documents.
But, other items can include:
- Reports from studies or analysis.
- A presentation from a consultant.
The Section 508 requirements refers to all Information Technology purchased, developed, maintained, or used by Government agencies; See the 1998 amendment to the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Section 508 standards. The items covered under Section 508 are not dependent on how they are acquired, but on what is acquired. Section 508 uses the Clinger/Cohen Act for its definition of Information Technology.
Exceptions to Section 508 compliance include:
- Power supplies and electrical equipment.
- Cabling and plugs.
- Specialized back-end computers that do not provide a direct user interface such as hubs, routers, etc. This is listed as back-office.
- Embedded software is also included as back office when there is no direct interface to the end-user.
For further NOAA acquisition guidance on Section 508, go to the Acquisition Divisions Section 508 Homepage. Also see the Section 508 FAQs for more information.
Please direct
your questions to Natalie Smith, NOAA Section 508 Coordinator, (301) 713-3525
x213 or Natalie.D.Smith@noaa.gov