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2. Environment

2.1 Technology

Action 2.1A Embed WCAG standards and universal design principles in IT procurement criteria.

Guidance

To ensure the IT systems, websites, staff productivity tools/platforms, apps, and other digital services you procure are functional and usable by all staff, it is important to embed digital accessibility and universal design standards as core criterion in procurement processes.

“I was filling in an application for a job…. The process was not accessible, I couldn’t work with the form, as it wasn’t compatible with the screen reader I was using”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

To ensure that procurement processes are inclusive and accessible, it is essential to embed universal design and accessibility criteria at every stage. This involves prioritising suppliers who showcase a commitment to accessibility standards in product/service design, and who can demonstrate the requisite technical knowledge, skills, and experience of embedding universal design in their offerings. Here are some steps to consider achieving this:

  • Embed Universal Design and Accessibility Criteria– Incorporate universal design principles and accessibility criteria into all procurement and purchasing processes. This means including accessibility/universal design as a formal part of the scoring criteria for all tenders and specifying strict requirements for accessibility in tender documents and contracts. It is useful to consider including relevant and specific accessibility and universal design standards to be met within the tender, such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AA standard for digital websites and applications (see resources for relevant standards to consider in a variety of goods and services).
  • Prioritise Accessible Suppliers– Give preference within your procurement policy to suppliers who actively showcase and refer to accessibility and disability inclusion in their practices. When evaluating potential suppliers, consider their track record at embedding accessibility. This can be assessed through their policies, previous projects, and customer feedback. Prioritising such suppliers not only ensures compliance with accessibility standards but also promotes a culture of inclusion.
  • Request Vendor Evidence of Competence– Procurement process should prompt procurement teams to ask suppliers to provide evidence of their competence in delivering accessible products and services. This can include relevant certifications, case studies, references, and actual demonstrations of how their offerings meet accessibility standards. By requiring this evidence, you can ensure that the suppliers you work with are capable of delivering on their accessibility commitments.
  • Include Accessibility Testing in the Project Sign Off Stage – for procurement involving customised design of products such as websites or apps, it’s useful to mandate accessibility testing the end products or applications procured to ensure compliance before the project is signed off as complete, as a key part of the process.

“There’s accessibility challenges we have with third party apps we use where we have no control – however the new EU directives around sustainability and accessibility will make us look more at our procurement process and our supply chains”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

By embedding universal design and digital accessibility criteria in digital procurement, purchasing, and project sign-off processes, your organisation can ensure that all procured IT services, websites, and apps are more inclusive and accessible, supporting a more diverse and equitable workplace.

As highlighted throughout the consultation process…

“Often when organisations say they’re accessible or ‘disability friendly’ they’re actually not… it’s just for show”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

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