NYU Procurement's mission is to collaborate with, and provide excellent customer service to the University in the procurement of its goods and services.

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Digital Accessibility and Procurement

The Digital Accessibility team works closely with NYU Procurement to help assess the compliance of technology purchases.

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Digital Accessibility Compliance

Digital accessibility compliance means NYU has afforded individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in University programs and activities.

All units at NYU are responsible, with guidance from NYU Procurement, for ensuring that requests for proposals, contracts or other service arrangements for the acquisition of digital technology adhere to NYU web accessibility standards (currently WCAG 2.0 AA). A product or service will be considered by NYU to have met this standard based on a review by NYU and/or when the supplier demonstrates to NYU that the work clearly meets the standard through documented accessibility testing.

It is important that everyone involved in the procurement process of information and communication technology ensure policy compliance especially with web products or services from third parties. This encompasses purchases for everything including software or systems that can store, manage, control, manipulate or retrieve information for human interaction, and also videos, web content and communications products.

Product Selection Process

The procurement selection process for web products and services (e.g., a website, mobile application, or related platform to develop, host or otherwise manage or provide any technology or online component) supplied by third parties intended for use or access by NYU students, alumni, faculty, staff, applicants, prospective students, or members of the public generally will take into account the level of accessibility support and the effort that NYU would need to undertake to address accessibility shortcomings present in the product or service.

RFI/RFQ/RFP Process

In your RFI/RFQ/RFP or other procurement process, include text that requires the supplier to submit information about the accessibility of the IT product or service, including test results, preferably including results obtained by users with disabilities.

Supplier Response

If the product is fully accessible, the supplier must provide that information (e.g. a URL to the accessibility statement or VPAT or an email stating that it is fully compliant) with their response.

If the supplier provides a VPAT and it has sections labeled as "Supports with Exceptions" or "Not Supported," then the product is not fully accessible. If a VPAT is not available, but the supplier provides an accessibility statement, it should state clearly if the product is fully accessible or compliant, with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, or (if web based content) WCAG 2.0 AA.

Supplier Demonstration and Tests

Supplier finalists should be required to provide demonstrations during their bidder presentation to support their statements about the accessibility of their products and/or services.

Accessibility Roadmap

For each area of noncompliance, suppliers are strongly encouraged to describe any planned remediation roadmaps, including any timelines and steps that will be taken to achieve full compliance, as well as interim workarounds to enable access by individuals with disabilities.

Procurement Language - Accessibility Statement

All purchases must include NYU's standard accessibility language in the contract. This will ensure that vendors are accountable for the accessibility of their product.

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