PUBLIC PROCUREMENT &
ACCESSIBILITY
Gunela Astbrink
Australian IGF ambassador
2
What is public procurement?
Government purchasing processes
• Government is large purchaser of goods and services
including information and communication technology
(ICT) such as:
• Phones
• Computers
• Public service terminals
• A range of software applications
3
Accessibility criteria in public procurement
can:
• Provide more streamlined IT provision for persons with
disability in the government workplace
• Have flow-on effects for greater availability and
affordability of accessible ICT in the general community
Government can influence market by setting
purchasing criteria including accessibility
4
Examples of accessibility criteria
• Ability to use display for a person without sight
• Ability to use interface for a person without hearing
• Ability to use interface for a person with physical
limitations
• Enabling seamless use of assistive technologies with
common computer programs
• Preventing common computer programs from rendering
inbuilt accessibility features defunct
5
Research project
• By University of Wollongong and GSA InfoComm
• Study and benchmarking of OECD countries and their use
of accessibility criteria
• Detailed analysis of 6 case-studies:
• USA
• Japan
• European Commission
• Ireland
• UK
• Canada
6
Findings
• Majority of OECD countries include ICT accessibility
criteria in public procurement law
• In this group, the great majority allow discretion in
application of accessibility criteria when procuring ICTs
• Half have some reporting and compliance measures in
place
7
USA is a model case
• Section 508 is an amendment of the Rehabilitation Act to
•
•
•
•
•
enable US public servants with disabilities to use office
equipment on an equitable basis to able-bodied peers
Section 508 standards ie accessibility criteria for use by
government agencies in their tender documents
THIS IS MANDATORY
Buy Accessible Wizard
Together with anti-discrimination legislation, has had
positive impact on companies (eg Apple & Microsoft)
when designing mainstream products that are more
accessible
Section 508 guidelines have been “refreshed”
8
European Commission
• Mandate 376 for 3 European standards bodies to
develop:
• Accessibility guidelines in line with Section 508 in USA
• Toolkit for suppliers
• European Accessibility legislation, if enacted, will make
accessibility criteria in public procurement mandatory in
European Union countries
9
Conclusion
• Research indicates that mandatory inclusion of
accessibility criteria has the most impact
• Action on accessibility criteria in public procurement in
European countries and USA should influence ICT
accessibility internationally
10
Resources and further information
• Research report and advocacy toolkit:
http://www.gsa.com.au/portfolio.html
• Further information:
• Gunela Astbrink – g.astbrink@gsa.com.au
• Will Tibben – wjt@uow.edu.au
This research was made possible through the Australian Communications Consumer
Action Network’s Grants Scheme.
Research funding was also supported by the Faculty of Informatics, University of
Wollongong