PUBLIC PROCUREMENT & ACCESSIBILITY

Gunela Astbrink

Australian IGF ambassador

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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”

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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

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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

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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