Procuring & Implementing Accessible Technology

Overview

This Web page serves 2 purposes:

1. To provide guidance for University employees and organizations that wish to purchase and implement technology equipment, products or services in accordance with University accessibility guidelines; and
2. To provide an overview for vendors that wish to understand the University's process for procurement of accessible technology.

The Process (updated 2010-06-07)

Step 1. Complete the right forms, and submit them to Procurement

1. The University employee or organization requesting product purchase (known hereafter as the Requestor) will:
   1. Complete a Pre-VPAT form (Download the Pre-VPAT Form in MS Word format); and 
   2. Ask the product vendor to supply a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) form.
      (Download VPAT Form and Instructions in MS Word format)
2. Requestor attaches completed Pre-VPAT and VPAT forms to the RGS, and submits documentation package to Procurement.

Step 2. Evaluation of request, and testing by IT if required

1. Requestor and Procurement staff will discuss Pre-VPAT and VPAT form to determine if further accessibility evaluation is required. If no further evaluation required, proceed to Step #3.
2. If required, Requestor or Procurement staff will submit a request to the A&IT Help Desk with Pre-VPAT and VPAT form for evaluation by IT.
3. If required, IT staff will complete procedure for product evaluation according to established Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and provide Requestor with results of completed tests. (Learn more about SLAs on the Testing SLAs page)

Step 3. Completion of Equally Effective Access Plan (EEAP) if required

1. Procurement staff will evaluate VPAT (and IT test results from Step #2 as required) to determine if an EEAP is required.
2. If Procurement staff determines no EEAP is required, proceed to Step #4.
3. If required, the Requestor will initiate and complete the EEAP Form, in consultation with IT staff. (Download the EEAP Form in MS Word format)
4. Requestor submits completed EEAP to Procurement for review and approval by ATI Executive Sponsor.

Step 4. Purchase the technology product or service

Upon Executive Sponsor’s approval, product is approved for purchase by Procurement.

Step 5. Verify that an Equally Effective Access Plan (EEAP) has been created and approved prior to launch.

Prior to putting any technology equipment, products or services into production (i.e., prior to go-live), Requestor will provide IT management with a copy of a completed EEAP which has been approved by the ATI Executive Sponsor. IT management will verify that an approved EEAP has been received from the Requestor. Please see Step 3 above for more information on how to create an EEAP.

Step 6. Launch the equipment, product or service.

Requestor and IT staff will coordinate the launch of the technology equipment, product or service. Requestor and "Person Responsible" (as designated in section 3D of the Equally Effective Access Plan (EEAP)) will coordinate implementation of equally effective access as defined in the corresponding EEAP.

More Information about the process

View the complete Service Level Agreement (in MS Word format)

Related Forms

• Pre-VPAT Evaluation Form (in MS Word format)
• Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) Form (in MS Word format, from CSU Chancellor's Office)
• Equally Effective Access Plan (EEAP) Form (in MS Word format)

File Viewing Information

To view Microsoft Word documents on this page, please download Microsoft Office.

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