Procurement is the function that can ensure accessible technologies are available for all business stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, and customers. Success depends on incorporating accessibility into everything from procurement policies to RFP requirements and testing of supplier products. -BY JEREMIAH PRINCE

Today's businesses understand the significance of acquiring, selling, and licensing technology that benefits all stakeholders with disabilities, including job candidates, leaders and employees, clients, and suppliers. It is essential to ensure that everyone has equal access to the technology that enables them to perform their job and business responsibilities, and also achieve their goals efficiently. By embracing inclusive technology, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion by creating a workplace that is accessible and welcoming to all individuals, internally and externally. When purchasing new technologies, it is important to consider how they will impact the people using them. Designing an accessible procurement program requires evaluating every step of the function through a disability lens, from policies to product testing to accountability.

Beginning the Journey to Accessible Procurement

Designing accessible procurement is a journey, because it usually requires a complete overhaul of the current procurement system, similar to the process used to increase the inclusiveness of minority and women-owned suppliers. The difference is that a disability lens is used to evaluate policies, procedures, and the viability of products. Stakeholders interested in improving accessibility include job candidates, staff, vendors and suppliers, partners, customers, and clients. There is a legal compliance element, but the main goal is to ensure that people and business owners with disabilities have equal opportunities to succeed.

When working with disabled businesses, it's essential to establish a solid business case, outlining the accessible procurement priorities and potential benefits of partnering with disability-owned suppliers and companies that can meet accessibility needs. The advantages include improved diversity and inclusion in the workforce and supply chain, access to new markets, a clearer understanding of what accessibility means to stakeholders, and the opportunity to positively impact the community. Once the business case has been established, policies can be developed to ensure that disabled businesses are given equal consideration in the procurement process. This may involve updating procurement documents to include specific language around disability inclusion. The policies can address the scope of specific software and technology and provide clear explanations of responsibilities, exceptions, and maintenance.

Building the Accessible Procurement Program

Adding and maintaining transparency is crucial to a successful accessible procurement program. The first step is updating the Supplier Code of Conduct and then adding inclusive language to all documents, including RFPs, contracts, supplier accessibility guides, post-contract agreements, and other documents and to online programs, like the supplier portal and supplier diversity webpage.

Prioritizing remediation is another important step in working with disabled businesses. This refers to identifying and removing existing barriers that may prevent companies from participating in the procurement process. This could involve providing additional support or accommodations, such as accessible communication or physical modifications. This step also includes identifying and inventorying existing software to determine digital tool priorities for improving accessibility. The managers and employees using the current software can supply feedback on problems with access in the workplace, or suggestions for making their company’s products sold to customers more accessible. Identifying what the business has and what it needs guides the solicitation of third-party digital workforce tools for remediation internally and contributes general information to the accessible procurement effort. Specificity in defining requirements is also crucial when working with businesses selling accessibility technologies. This means clearly outlining what is needed regarding products or services, and ensuring that these requirements are communicated to all eligible vendors. The system used to communicate with suppliers is included in the remediation process. If vendors have barriers to communication with the business, it could be due to an accessibility barrier.

During the bid process, asking vendors and suppliers the right questions about their products or services and the company’s philosophy and commitment to accessibility is important for gaining the information needed to accurately assess whether the company will support the accessible procurement program. Asking good questions is also an important aspect of working with disabled-owned businesses. This means taking the time to understand their unique needs and challenges, and asking questions that help to uncover potential barriers and opportunities for improvement. This process is a natural fit in a Supplier Relationship Management program.

Testing technology deliverables is another important step to ensure that the delivered products and services meet the needs of end-users with disabilities and that they meet contract requirements. Disability:IN, a non-profit organization, recommends adding testing requirements in contracts, language addressing testing after product or service delivery, and usability testing requirements. This may involve engaging with disabled users to gather feedback and insights and making adjustments to products or services as needed. Finally, ensuring accountability is critical and applies to buyers and sellers. This includes tracking progress and measuring outcomes to ensure that businesses owned by people with disabilities are being given fair and equal opportunities to participate in the procurement process. Leadership, especially internal buyers, must spearhead the organization’s success in providing accessibility to its stakeholders, so holding them accountable is necessary. The buyers and functional heads should be internal champions of accessibility, supporting procurement in their decision-making.

Tips for Developing Accessible Procurement

There are some additional tips procurement can consider when integrating accessibility into procurement. One is looking for products with built-in accessibility features, such as screen readers, voice recognition, and closed captioning. These can make a big difference for people with visual, hearing, or motor impairments. Some companies work with a third-party evaluator or consultant specializing in disability access and technology. The industry is rapidly advancing, so technologies are getting more complex. Consultants can help identify potential issues and suggest solutions. Of course, procurement professionals need to ensure compliance with regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Also listen to employees, customers, and vendors because they are a frontline source of information about accessibility issues. Do employees with disabilities have difficulties accessing the Human Resources benefits program, or have customers filed complaints about accessibility? Suppliers are critical to the accessibility solution, so listening to their advice and experiences in the accessibility space is helpful, especially if procurement is still developing expertise in digital accessibility. During the journey to become an accessible procurement function, procurement needs to take advantage of opportunities to ask the right questions of employees concerning accessibility, engage suppliers in the accessibility program, and strategize for transitioning to and sustaining disability inclusion as a core procurement value. Many resources are available today to help organizations better understand how to build inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities. For example, the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and provides resources and tools for employers, employees, and technology leaders. PEAT is technology focused because digital devices, platforms, and documents are the primary methods for getting work done. The organization not only equips employers with the information they need to develop an accessible workplace; it also offers a staff training toolkit. PEAT developed a procurement guide that can help assess, buy, and implement information and communication technologies (ICT).

Intentionality Makes the Difference

Procurement can start the transition process to accessible procurement by reviewing the information provided by organizations like Disability:IN and PEAT, to establish a foundation of knowledge about accessibility. By taking the steps discussed, procurement can ensure that the technologies purchased are beneficial for the business, and also inclusive and accessible for all stakeholders internally and externally. Prioritize accessible vendors and products, embed inclusion and accessibility in the sourcing and procurement and product and services delivery processes, and develop internal buyers that embrace the inclusion of people with disabilities like they do other diverse people and suppliers. It is not a simple or quick transformation process, but adding intentionality about accessibility to everything procurement does is another step in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as core business and societal values.