Title 48

SECTION 39.203

39.203 Applicability.

(a) Unless an exception at 39.204 applies, acquisitions of EIT supplies and services must meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR part 1194.

(b)(1) Exception determinations are required prior to contract award, except for indefinite-quantity contracts (see paragraph (b)(2) of this section).

(2) Exception determinations are not required prior to award of indefinite-quantity contracts, except for requirements that are to be satisfied by initial award. Contracting offices that award indefinite-quantity contracts must indicate to requiring and ordering activities which supplies and services the contractor indicates as compliant, and show where full details of compliance can be found (e.g., vendor's or other exact website location).

(3) Requiring and ordering activities must ensure supplies or services meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR part 1194, unless an exception applies, at the time of issuance of task or delivery orders. Accordingly, indefinite-quantity contracts may include noncompliant items; however, any task or delivery order issued for noncompliant items must meet an applicable exception.

(c)(1) When acquiring commercial items, an agency must comply with those accessibility standards that can be met with supplies or services that are available in the commercial marketplace in time to meet the agency's delivery requirements.

(2) The requiring official must document in writing the nonavailability, including a description of market research performed and which standards cannot be met, and provide documentation to the contracting officer for inclusion in the contract file.