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What is a vendor?
Any digital technology supplier, contractor, or reseller providing services or tools,. Whether at a cost or free, to UW–Madison that are currently used.
Who should contact the vendors?
The internal vendor point of contact is the person at UW-Madison who serves as the primary point of contact for a supplier, vendor, or contractor including consortiums, resellers, or purchases made via State or UW-System contracts. This internal point of contact may also be referred to as the business, service, or system owner.
What vendors should receive the notification letter?
Any vendor that provides a digital tool or electronic resource that the university makes available to anyone—applicants, students, employees, visitors, and program participants—to participate in, apply for, or benefit from a university program, service, or activity. Examples of tools include Canvas, ParkMobile, external websites, etc.
Who are program participants?
Any individuals who are not students or employees and must use digital tools to engage with university programs. Some examples include arts, athletics, and community events.
What vendors are my unit responsible for contacting?
Units should contact vendors if they own a contract, make a purchase, or manage the system/tool—regardless of whether the agreement is through the State, UW-System, a reseller, consortium, Purchase Order, or Purchasing Card (PCard). Vendors may receive multiple notifications. Additional guidance for outreach is available elsewhere in this page.
Who will contact the vendors of tools or systems supported by centralized IT?
If the tool or service is supported by centralized IT, there is an internal vendor point of contact who will be reaching out to the vendor.
Who will contact the vendors of centrally supported 3rd-party or LTI integrations into Canvas?
The L@UW team will be contacting centrally supported vendors. If a tool has been integrated or linked from Canvas without the support of L@UW, the internal point of contact responsible for selecting this tool will need to send the existing vendor notification letter to the vendor.
Who is responsible for reaching out to contracts managed via consortiums (e.g., Unizin, Internet2, Midwestern Higher Education Compact)?
Consortium-negotiated contracts often benefit multiple departments within the University as well as external institutions. It is recommended that contract holders identify the appropriate University representative to coordinate with the consortium. That representative can then request that the consortium notify vendors as needed. This approach ensures that communication aligns with the consortium’s protocols. If multiple vendors or tools are included in the consortium agreement, a self-attestation form should be completed for each one.
Do tools or services that were purchased via a Purchasing Card need to receive the notification letter?
Yes, if your unit has purchased a digital tool or electronic resource using a Purchasing Card, and that digital resource is available to students, faculty, staff, or program participants to apply for, participate in, or benefit from a university program, service, or activity, then they need to be contacted. Either the Purchasing Card purchaser or internal vendor point of contact should reach out to the vendor.
Do tools or electronic resources that were purchased via Purchase Order, Reseller, State, or UW-System authorized vendors need to receive the notification letter?
Yes, if the digital tool or electronic resource is used to apply for, participate in, or benefit from a university program, service, or activity, then the vendor needs to be contacted.
What should be provided if a vendor requests more information about the new ADA ruling or WCAG 2.1 AA?
Should the notification letter be sent if the contract is actively being negotiated for renewal?
Yes, the letter can be sent and if possible, work with the vendor to incorporate digital accessibility procurement language into the renewal.
How should situations where a vendor responds negatively to the letter be handled? (i.e., the vendor indicates they will not comply, that it’s UW-Madison’s responsibility to comply by creating conforming alternates, the vendor’s tools or services are exempt, the vendor’s tool meets a different standard, such as “Section 508”)
The following points can be shared with the vendor:
- Compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA is not optional for digital tools and content used by UW–Madison. This is a legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the university must ensure that all digital tools and electronic resources it uses meet this standard.
- Alternate strategies, such as UW–Madison creating accessible alternatives to non-compliant tools, are not sustainable. Vendors need to deliver accessible products to ensure the university complies with the new rule.
- Claims of exemption or adherence to different standards must be supported by clear documentation and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, WCAG 2.1 AA is the minimum standard required for compliance.
- Non-compliance may affect future contracting decisions, including renewals and new agreements, as accessibility will be a mandatory criterion.
The vendor doesn’t currently comply and indicates that remediation will not be done by the new rule date of April 24, 2026.
Inform the vendor that UW–Madison is legally required to ensure that all digital tools and content it uses are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The university cannot rely on non-compliant tools or services beyond the compliance deadline. Vendors are strongly encouraged to begin remediation efforts as soon as possible or provide a clear roadmap toward compliance.
If the vendor indicates further concern and assistance is needed addressing them, please consult with the Deputy ADA Coordinator in the Office of Compliance. In most cases, non-compliance will disqualify the product from being renewed or newly contracted after that date.