The Cost of Section 508 Compliance

Let's examine the costs and benefits of Section 508. Before we start selling to the Federal Government or working on one of its development, it is worth looking into what will cost us, what's necessary, and what kinds of benefits can we expect.

Section 508 is a legal requirement

I have seen in many cases that Section 508 was accidentally or deliberately left out of the development cycle in order to save time and expenses. When we sell our product to the Federal Government, or develop something on a Government contract, Section 508 is a legislation, similar to anything else with consequences of not complying with. So, here is the first actual cost, either making sure that a product is Section 508 compliant, or the legal expenses when it isn't with a high probability that the initial work will still have to be done.

Ensuring Section 508 compliance

Depending on the scope of your project, your costs of ensuring Section 508 compliance can greatly vary on when you start thinking about it. In many cases, I encounter projects where it is one of the last things. Unfortunately, if it turns out that your product is not Section 508 compliant, it might either be an easy fix, or it can be as complex as replacing major components of your product, which can majorly delay production. It is recommended to start thinking about Section 508 compliance from the very beginning.

Make sure that your developers know the Section 508 requirements, they can develop your project according to it, and that you implement a QA plan to periodically check that you are on the right track in order to take corrective action immediately as needed.

Selling Section 508 compliant products to the Federal Government

When you respond to an RFP, when it comes to technology, it is likely that you need to ensure Section 508 compliance. Different RFPs ask you about Section 508 in different details, but always make sure that you don't treat it as a check box. It is not sufficient to claim that the product you are planning to develop will be Section 508 compliant. Always explain why and how. It should be a major component of your RFP, given the number of people with disabilities, at least 1 out of 6 people will benefit from your accessible product, after all.

It is important to explain what kind of experience does your company have with Section 508 if any, who will ensure compliance and how, and what kind of methodology are you going to use to meet all required Section 508 standards. If you have never thought about it before, it might be a restraint on your proposal development process, but it may just be the component that won a project for you.

Conclusion

It is certain that especially initially, implementing Section 508 compliance into your development will have a cost factor, but it definitely outweighs the possible legal cost factor, and it also may bring additional business to your company.