36 CFR Part 1194 - Proposed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Standards and Guidelines NPRM - Preamble

E202.6.1 Required Documentation (Section-by-Section Analysis)

This section proposes to require that agencies document in writing the basis for determining that ICT fully conforming to applicable 508 Standards is not commercially available. Documenting the exception for commercial non-availability is not a requirement in the existing 508 Standards, though such documentation is mandated under the current federal acquisition regulations. See 48 CFR 39.203. A number of commenters to the 2010 ANPRM requested this change and supported its inclusion in the 2011 ANPRM. A documentation requirement was proposed in the 2011 ANPRM, and the Board did not receive any negative comments.

Question 13. The Board seeks information from federal agencies on the estimated number of hours, on average, they anticipate needing to prepare each written documentation of commercial unavailability determination under proposed E202.6.1.