Key Consideration 2: Procurement and Purchasing
Procurement and purchasing are ideal places to think about accessibility and inclusion. It is far easier to purchase things that are accessible than to remediate them later, and in some cases, remediation may not be possible. Overall, it is much more effective, efficient, and cost effective to ensure accessibility and inclusion are baked in from the very start. You should not only seek out accessible and inclusive products, but you should also share this requirement directly with providers.
Providers need to know that accessible and inclusion are essential to your purchasing process. This should include communication about accessibility requirements, mission and vision, commitment to diversity, and other things relevant to your event or programming. Vendors need to understand that your commitment to diverse learners should be their commitment as well.
Core Questions
- Is accessibility included in your procurement process?
- How do you communicate your commitment to accessibility and inclusion to providers?
- What process do you have in place to evaluate products for accessibility?