1. For Faculty/Staff
  2. Procurement

Procurement

Faculty and Staff should ask some questions before choosing and procuring education or course materials to keep accessibility in mind.  For example, books and course packs may need to be converted to an alternate format - do we know what's involved?. If your department is buying software for students, is it accessible by adaptive technology? My faculty department is purchasing a DVD to show in class - are closed captions and/or described video included with the DVD?

If you have any questions, please connect with the Accessibility Hub.

Procurement of Accessible Goods and Services

Strategic Procurement Services (SPS) oversees the acquisition of products and services on behalf of the university. It is important to note that Queen's Procurement Policy states:

鈥淲hen procuring goods, services and facilities, Queen鈥檚 University will incorporate accessibility criteria and features. Where applicable, procurement documents will specify the desired accessibility criteria to be met and provide guidelines for the evaluation of proposals in respect of those criteria.鈥

Where it is impractical for Queen鈥檚 University to incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring specific goods, service or facilities, the Director of Procurement will provide a written explanation. For full information, resources, checklist, and learn more about your responsibilities under the AODA please see:

AODA Regulations

Details

Compliance Timeline: For large designated public sector organizations, January 1, 2013.

The Standard States:

(1)  The Government of Ontario, Legislative Assembly and designated public sector organizations shall incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so.

(2)  If the Government of Ontario, Legislative Assembly or a designated public sector organization determines that it is not practicable to incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, it shall provide, upon request, an explanation.

Queen's Resources

Details

Compliance Timeline: For large designated public sector organizations, January 1, 2013.

The Standard States:

(1)  Without limiting the generality of section 5, the Government of Ontario, Legislative Assembly and designated public sector organizations shall incorporate accessibility features when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

(2)  Large organizations and small organizations shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

(3)  The Government of Ontario, Legislative Assembly and designated public sector organizations shall meet the requirements of this section in accordance with the schedule set out in subsection 5 (3).

(4)  Large organizations shall meet the requirements under subsection (2) as of January 1, 2014 and small organizations shall meet the requirements as of January 1, 2015.

(5)  In this section, 鈥渒iosk鈥 means an interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, intended for public use that allows users to access one or more services or products or both.

Queen's Resources

Details

Compliance Timeline: For large designated public sector organizations, January 1, 2013.

The Standard States:

15. (1) Every obligated organization that is an educational or training institution shall do the following, if notification of need is given:

  1. Provide educational or training resources or materials in an accessible format that takes into account the accessibility needs due to a disability of the person with a disability to whom the material is to be provided by,
    1. procuring through purchase or obtaining by other means an accessible or conversion ready electronic format of educational or training resources or materials, where available, or
    2. arranging for the provision of a comparable resource in an accessible or conversion ready electronic format, if educational or training resources or materials cannot be procured, obtained by other means or converted into an accessible format.

Queen's Resources