Telecom Panel – Section 508 Coordinators Conference Gettysburg, PA. Dec. 3, 2008 Background FTS 2001 Contracts Sprint and MCI (1998 and 1999) * Traditional Telecom and Data Services * Limited access to end user equipment (use Schedules and GWAC’s) * Bridge Contracts awarded in 2006 (Sprint and Verizon) * Crossover Contracts allowed local Metropolitan Area Acquisitions (MAA) contracts into the long distance and long haul data environment. * Local Service Agreements (LSA’s) Regional Contracts * Expiration of FTS2001, MAA and other local service contracts drives Networx. Networx Awarded 2007 Two Contracts * Universal and Enterprise – Universal (Qwest, AT&T and Verizon) – Enterprise (Qwest, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and Level 3) * Universal offers 37 mandatory services and 12 optional * Enterprise offers 10 mandatory services and 41 optional To learn more please visit the GSA portal at www.gsa.gov/networx Ordering from Networx Agencies have assigned Transition Managers Fair Opportunity process must be followed Orders must be placed by a Designated Agency Representative Work with your agency TM and Contracting officer when developing your requirements You can not purchase equipment “Service Enabling Devices” (SEDS) without subscribing to services through Networx Section 508, 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act requires agencies to make their information technology accessible to persons with disabilities. Specific section 508 requirements are presented in Section C.6. The Networx contractor shall ensure that services delivered support Federal Agencies as required to comply with Section 508, 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act. Telecommunications Policy & Infrastructure Increasingly, telecommunications policy and the national telecommunications infrastructure are being impacted by the convergence of telecommunications and information technology. Thus, policy directives in the areas of Electronic Government (“E-Gov”), Enterprise Architecture development, and Information Assurance, for example, may also have implications for telecommunications infrastructure. Additional policy requirements may be identified to the contractor. If contract modifications are required to meet new government-specific requirements, the contractor shall submit to the Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) a technical approach and schedule for proposing these modifications within 30 calendar days after notification of the requirements. Networx Section C 508 Requirements C.6.1 Background Section 508 is the statutory section of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that requires federally procured Electronic Information Technology (EIT) to provide disabled federal employees with access to and use of information that is comparable to information provided to nondisabled federal employees (EIT is defined in FAR 2.101). Section 508 also requires federal Agencies to provide disabled public citizens with access to and use of information that is comparable to information provided to nondisabled public citizens. See www.section508.gov for additional information. Networx Section C 508 Requirements C.6.3 Section 508 Applicability to Technical Requirements The Technical Requirements section (Section C.2) of the Contract identifies the technical provisions for Networx services used by an Agency to execute mission operations. Services that execute mission operations shall meet the relevant provisions of Section 508, Subparts B, C, and D as identified in paragraph C.6.4 or shall provide equivalent facilitation. Networx Services for Subpart B, Technical Standards, paragraph 1194.21, Software Applications and Operating Systems: • Call Center/Customer Contact Center Services (CCS) • Cellular/PCS (CPCS) • Collaboration Support Services (CoSS) • Converged IP Services (CIPS) • IP Telephony Services (IPTelS) • Managed E-Authentication Services (MEAS) • Multi-mode Wireless LAN Service (MWLANS) • Paging (PagS) • TeleWorking Solutions (TWS) • Unified Messaging Services (UMS) • Web Conferencing Service (WCS) Networx Services for Subpart B, Technical Standards, paragraph 1194.22, Web based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications: • Call Center/Customer Contact Center Services (CCS) • Cellular/PCS (CPCS) • Collaboration Support Services (CoSS) • Converged IP Services (CIPS) • Incident Response Service (INRS) • Internet Facsimile Service (IFS) • IP Telephony Service (IPTelS) • IP Video Transport Services (IVTS) • Managed E-Authentication Services (MEAS) • Managed Tiered Security Services (MTSS) • Paging Service (PagS) • Secure Managed Email Service (SMES) • TeleWorking Services (TWS) • VOIP Transport Service (VoIPTS) • Web Conferencing Service (WCS • Unified Messaging Services (UMS) The relevant provisions of Subpart B, Technical Standards, paragraph 1194.23, telecommunications Products, shall apply to the following Networx services: • Call Center/Customer Contact Center Services (CCS) • Cellular/PCS (CPCS) • Combined Services (CS) • Converged IP Services (CIPS) • IP Telephony Services (IPTelS) • Land Mobile Radio Service (LMRS) • Paging Service (PagS) • Voice Services (VS) • TeleWorking Services (TWS) • Toll-Free Service (TFS) • Unified Messaging Services (UMS) • VOIP Transport Service (VoIPTS) Networx Services for Subpart C, Functional Performance Criteria, paragraph 1194.31, shall apply to the services identified in paragraphs C.6.4 of the Networx Universal & Enterprise RFP. One of the two capabilities below must be selected: 1. Support for assistive technologies used by disabled individuals. 2. At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that: a. For blind users, does not require vision. b. For vision impaired users, does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70. c. For deaf users, does not require hearing. d. For hearing impaired users, does not require enhanced auditory capability. e. For users with no speech capability or with impaired speech, does not require user speech. f. For users without fine motor control or simultaneous action capability, does not require fine motor control or simultaneous action and is operable without limited reach and strength. Networx Services for Subpart D, Information, Documentation, and Support, paragraph 1194.41 applies to the services identified in paragraphs C.6.4.1, of the Networx Universal and Enterprise. Call Center/Customer Contact Center Services (CCS), Cellular/PCS (CPCS), Collaboration Support Services (CoSS), Combined Services (CS), Converged IP Services (CIPS), Incident Response Services (INRS), Internet Facsimile Service (IFS), IP Telephony Services (IPTelS), IP Video Transport Services (IVTS), Land Mobile Radio Service (LMRS), Managed E-Authentication Services (MEAS), Managed Tiered Security Services (MTSS), Multi-mode Wireless LAN Service (MWLANS), Paging (PagS), Secured Managed Email Services (SMES), TeleWorking Solutions (TWS), Toll-Free Service (TFS), Unified Messaging Services (UMS), Voice Services (VS), VOIP Transport Service (VoIPTS), Web Conferencing Service (WCS) Section 508 Provisions Applicable to Reporting and Training Requirements The Government’s information reporting requirements are addressed in the Management and Operations section (Sections C.3.2 through C.3.9) and in the Technical Reporting section (Section C.7) of the Contract. Required information shall be reported via the Internet, email, or telephone. Services providing the required information shall meet the relevant provisions of Section 508, Subparts B, C, and D or shall provide equivalent facilitation. Training requirements are outlined in Section C.3.7.2. Training shall be delivered via meeting and briefings, classroom, seminars, instructor-led and non-instructor on-line web based self study, and manuals or desk top guides. For training delivered via meeting and briefings, classroom, and seminars, assistance such as signers and Braille products shall be provided to disabled trainees when requested in advance by the Government. For training delivered via instructor-led and non-instructor on-line web based, the same capabilities provided for Internet reporting shall be provided to disabled trainees. For self study and manuals or desk top guides using audio/video tapes, CD ROM, DVD. Process - Ordering Section 508 Services Services are subject to the Fair Opportunity process guidelines * These are available at www.gsa.gov/networx in the Guides, Tools and Resources section Networx Unit Pricer available at https://releasedprices.networx.gov/ Capabilities Include * Pricing all Networx CLINs * Totaling multiple price queries * Viewing and pricing associated CLINs of a particular service * Choosing varying date ranges * Downloading results TEXT ONLY INTERFACE is available for Screen Readers and users without JavaScript enabled Networx Universal/Enterprise Section 508 Assistance Networx Support Team (www.networxsupport.gov) Technology Service Manager (TSM) Transition Managers (TM) Designated Agency Representatives (DAR) Administrative Contracting Officers (GSA – Agencies) Agency Chief Information Officer (CIO) GSA Networx Program Management Office (PMO) Section 508 Stakeholders (Hiring Officials, Supervisors, Federal Employees using EIT, etc.) Introduction to Federal Relay Federal Relay • What is FedRelay? • Overview • History • Service Offerings • Benefits • Contract Characteristics • Agency Action • Presentation • GSA Team What is FedRelay? The Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) is a federal government service, which enables federal employees who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf/blind, or have speech disabilities to use the federal telecommunication services. Overview • FedRelay enables Federal employees to conduct official duties and the general public to conduct business with the Federal government and its agencies. • FedRelay was established by Congress under Public Law 100-542, the Telecommunications Accessibility Act of 1988. • FedRelay provides Communication Assistants and Video Interpreters who act as transparent conduits for the transmittal of information. Service Offerings Benefits • Performance Based and Operations Support • Service flexibility – allows customized solutions for agency’s specific network requirements • Access to new technologies offered on the commercial market • Certification and Accreditation (C&A) (FISMA) • Section 508 Conformance Contract Characteristics Agency Action • Work with your DAR or Contracting Officer to get a task order issued for services available through Federal Relay for your deaf and hard-of-hearing employees nationwide. • Go to www.federalrelay.us for instructions. • To obtain agency POCs, please go to www.gsa.gov/tsm • Place task order for Federal Relay as soon as possible to avoid interruption of service Federal Relay GSA Team * Ed Smith, Program Manager (703) 306-6394 or ed.smith@gsa.gov * Pat Stevens, COTR (703) 306-6308 or patricia.stevens@gsa.gov Websites linked to Section www.gsa.gov/networx www.gsa.gov/networx/Section508 https://releasedprices.networx.gov www.federalrelay.us Section 508 Panel Ed J. De Paoli, Director Voice Communications Division (IOWD) ed.depaoli@gsa.gov Ed Smith, Program Manager Federal Relay Services (FedRelay) ed.smith@gsa.gov Isabella Redding, Technology Services Manager (TSM) isabella.redding@gsa.gov For additional information concerning the Networx Program contact: Frank D. Tiller Networx Program Manager Director of Contract Development Division Office of Networx Services Program Federal Acquisitions Service 703-306-6872 To obtain copies of this presentation send email to: lynn.gillette@gsa.gov