Market Research Guidelines - Web-based intranet and Internet information and applications

Corresponding Rule

Case Study #3

1. Identification
   • Project Summary
   • Problem assessment/requirements analysis.
   • Decision of whether Undue Burden exception exists.
   • Development of Requirements Document, i.e., SOW, RFP, RFI (sources sought).
   • Other Agency consultation, i.e., Best Practices Investigation.
   • Industry Consultation, i.e., phone interviews, http://www.gsa.gov/ web site, Internet searches, brochure/literature review, pre-bid solicitation conference.
   • Document market research results.
2. Remediation
   • Issue formal RFP.
   • Review vendor proposal and VPAT submissions, e.g., formal proposal review process.
   • Document proposal review results, i.e., Technical Evaluation Report including vendor qualifications and evaluation rating/rankings.
   • Vendor Recommendation(s).
   • Fund requirement/solicitation.
   • Implement contract according to approved work plan with appropriate agency oversight/monitoring at contracting and program office level (i.e., General Counsel, Information Systems, CIO, Office of Equal Opportunities).
3. Verification
   • Tied to vendor proposal, VPAT, Section 508 and Part 1194.22, and RFP.
   • Conduct functional, operational, and interoperability testing of corrected website using both automated tools and people with and without disabilities.
   • Incorporate recommended changes based on outcome of testing.
   • Design and implement formal education process for agency IT specialists, web page designers, procurement specialists, program officers and senior managers to alert them to improvements and requirements for continued compliance.
   • Conduct periodic on-going follow-up tests to determine if changes made to website and applications are accessible.
   • Convene regular forums to discuss user feedback on accessibility.
4. Recommendation
   • Use matrix of technical standards, to evaluate, select, and recommend a vendor.

Project Summary

Our project entailed:

• Determining our task requirements
• Formulating our marketing research strategy
• Selecting three of the most competent and qualified vendors to accomplish the task.

Requirements Document

We found that the market analysis for vendor products and services that met our goal-to seek a qualified and experienced vendor-could conceivably be accomplished in seven steps.

Step 1. Determine the market research tools. Information from magazine articles, vendor interviews, and hands-on experience was useful. We also considered using one or more various of the market research tools-for example, check the Internet for three vendors, sources sought synopsis, call vendors, use the pre-bid solicitation conference, or call other agencies.

Step 2. Review vendor candidate credentials. We will require each potential vendor to provide a VPAT.

Step 3. Evaluate Vendors qualifications. Someone conducting market research must be aware of the accessibility standards, required tools, web experiences, work-related references, and ethical as well as technical job performance we require for this project. They must be able to review the vendors' qualifications and then rank them against documented evaluation criteria.

Step 4. Issue an RFP. This needs to be conducted under leadership and guidance of acquisitions and general counsel staff with significant input from the Information Technology, Equal Opportunities, and Human Resource Management departments.

Step 5. Rank the vendors proposals. Requires convening concerned parties to review and rank vendor proposal submissions.

Step 6. Conduct Vendor Interviews. Require the top three vendors provide oral presentations.

Step 7. Select a Vendor. We used a Matrix of Vendors whose products had been tested and reported by the Accessibility Forum to quickly narrow down our choices to vendors A, B, and C. Cost was not a factor in this scenario.

These steps provided a vehicle in which we could maintain systems compatibility with the agency's infrastructure, achieve customer satisfaction with proper accessibility to the agency's Internet and Intranet web pages and forms, and demonstrate management's accountability in meeting performance measurements.

Case Study #4

1. Project
   • Purpose
   • Market Research Scenario
   • "Perfect World" Assumptions
2. Market Research - Selecting A Vendor
   • Deliverables
   • Benchmarks
   • Compliance Requirements
   • Web Accessibility Template
   • Market Research Template
   • Market Research Results

I. PROJECT

Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, they shall ensure that the electronic and information technology allows Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of information and data by Federal employees and members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the Federal agency.

Therefore, Section 508 accessibility, in terms of web pages, can be summed up by saying that anyone, should be able to visit any 'dot gov' site, and get a full and complete understanding of the information contained on the site, as well as the full and complete ability to interact with the site.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide the necessary knowledge and framework for conducting market research to acquire vendor services to make an agencies' internet/intranet web pages comply with the web-based requirements of Section 508. This information may be useful to Section 508 Coordinators, requiring officials, and software and web developers.

The scope of this document relates to §1194.22, Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Scenario

Your boss has given you the responsibility of doing a market research report to find a vendor to provide services to make your agencies' Internet/web pages and Intranet/web pages compliant with Section 508. Your agency currently has a disabled population of 5% but all your web pages need to be accessible to provide information to the disabled public also. The assumption was made that we were working in a "Perfect World" where necessary funds were allocated to perform the task.

"Perfect World" Assumptions

• Agency budget allowance includes adequate and timely funding available to support Section 508 activities;
• Agency staff is knowledgeable of the requirements of Section 508;
• Vendor community understands the technical requirements and are leading the way in developing 508 compliant products;
• Market research reveals a host of compliant products and vendors already certified and available for use;
• Acquisition and implementation do not cause an undue burden;
• Requiring officials understand 508 requirements and utilize established checklists when conducting market research;
• Procurement packages include all necessary documentation to support purchases; and
• Agency 508 policy and enforcement initiatives are clearly recognized and supported by management.

II. MARKET RESEARCH - SELECTING A VENDOR

The vendor shall modify web pages within the existing system environment, notwithstanding any acquisition necessary to make the environment compliant.

The effort includes:

• Full 508 compliance according to the established compliance requirements
• Identification of pages that are not capable of being made fully compliant
• Development of standards for future web page development
• Identification of undue burden considerations and exemptions to 508 compliance
• Provision of alternate formats to address pages exempt from complying with 508. Notification should be provided regarding the existence of the alternative format information.

This effort does not include:

• Compliance for external links
• On-going maintenance to the system beyond six months

Deliverables

Using the standards set out in Section 508, Subpart B: Technical standards 1194.22, the successful bidder will provide the following:

• Written description of compliance methods to be used to meet Section 508 standards; each element of the standards will be addressed.
• Identification of and a report on all of the current problems, flaws and inadequacies, as they relate to Section 508, in the agency's Internet and Intranet sites. The findings should be prioritized. The vendor will describe how the problems, flaws and inadequacies will be corrected. In the case of multiple approaches or solutions, the vendor will provide information that will enable the agency to make an informed decision about which to use. The following should be considered:
  • Ability to change font
  • Permit the user to adjust color and contrast
  • Provide alternative capabilities for any multimedia
  • Full functionality using the keyboard only or have voice recognition
  • Include a text-only page as appropriate
• Meet with the agency to discuss findings and to get the authorization and decisions necessary to complete the work.
• Correct of the problems, flaws and inadequacies discovered in the identification process and agreed upon by the agency.
• Test the modified Internet/Intranet sites to ensure that the pages are fully Section 508 compliant following the identification and remediation activities.
  • Provide Web Accessibility Template or similar documentation to describe compliance effort.
  • Provide test case scenarios used to meet compliance.
• The vendor is expected to perform functional performance testing according to §1194.31 Functional performance criteria.
• Provide written, comprehensive, appropriate guidance to the agency regarding Section 508 policies and procedures that will aid future web development of the Internet/Intranet sites.
• Provide a single point of contact that is available to clarify questions either by phone, e-mail or meeting.
• Provide on-going identification, remediation, and testing of Internet/Intranet sites over the period of at least six months.
• Vendors are also expected to demonstrate how they exceed the Section 508 standards for Internet/Intranet sites.

Benchmarks

• Vendor demonstrates an excellent understanding of requirements.
• The vendor performs compliance tests and remediation on a sample of the agency's web pages, demonstrating techniques used in meeting compliance with Section 508.
• The vendor possesses industry certification such as the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) from Carnegie Mellon.
• Vendor demonstrates successes and provides references from previous clients in particular clients that are federal agencies.

Compliance Requirements

The vendor shall use the following criteria, in accordance with §1194.22 Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications, in determining web site compliance with Section 508. Each element should be evaluated, page-by-page, to determine if the element applies. The vendor may choose to document the results using the Web Accessibility Template (shown below).

a. Text Tags
A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

b. Multimedia Presentations
Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

c. Color
Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

d. Readability (Style Sheets)
Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

e. Server-side Image Maps
Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

f. Client-side Image Maps
Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

g. Data Table
Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

h. Data Table
Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of rows or column headers.

i. Frames
Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

j. Flicker Rate
Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

k. Text-Only Alternative
A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of these standards, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

l. Scripts
When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

m. Applets and Plug-Ins
When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

n. Electronic Forms
When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

o. Navigation Links
A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

p. Time Delays
When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Web Accessibility Template

The purpose of the Web Accessibility Template is to assist the vendor in documenting the compliance of the web site.

The table provides a more detailed view of the subsection 1194.22. There are three columns in each table. The first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second column describes when compliance is fully or partially met or when the element is not applicable. The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations. The fourth column is used to describe the recommended remediation.

Date:
Name of web site/page:
Contact for more Information:

Market Research Template

The Market Research Template is a tool that can be used to measure the vendor's potential capability to deliver a compliant product and meet the agency's expectation.

Market Research Results

Time did not permit the Market Research results. We intended to use the Market Research Template to elevate several vendors such as Human Factors International (HFI) www.humanfactors.com, Norman-Nielsen Group www.nngroup.com, and User Interface Engineering (UIE) www.uie.com to determine how each meet our criteria.