Section 508 Excemption for Purchases under $2500

Section 508 Exemption for Purchases under $2500 Expires 4-1-2005

This exemption has been extended several times since Section 508 (implemented by the Access Board's EIT Standards) became effective in June 2001. The Commerce Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) has kept Commerce senior acquisition officials and contracting staffs apprised of the impending expiration of this exemption over the past several months, including the enclosed FAR News Notice. Operating unit Section 508 Coordinators may be asked to explain how to apply these standards to EIT purchases under $2500, aka, "a micropurchase." The Section 508 Web site includes a training module for micropurchases available at the 508 Universe link at the bottom of the home page. OAM is revising the Commerce Acquisition Manual (CAM) to reflect the duties and responsibilities of purchase card holders, requiring officials, and approving officials as well, now that the exemption is being lifted. The Commerce IT Accessibility Policy is another resource for you.

FAR News Notice sent by GSA to the federal acquisition community in January 2005:

Reminder: The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) micropurchase exception
(FAR 39.204(a)) to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended in 1998, ends April 1, 2005. Section 508 requires that Electronic
and Information Technology (EIT) acquired by the Federal government be
accessible by individuals with disabilities. EIT includes, but is not
limited to, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, laptops, desktop
computers, and telephones, etc.

After April 1, 2005, agency micropurchases of EIT must comply with the
Architectural And Transportation Barriers Compliance Board's (Access Board)
EIT standards. The standards are codified at 36 CFR Part 1194 and also
available through the Access Board's web site.

Diana Hynek
Commerce Section 508 Coordinator
Office of the Chief Information Officer
dhynek@doc.gov
202-482-0266