Policy statement
Ashburn Consulting is committed to delivering information and communication technology (ICT) products, solutions, and services that are accessible to individuals with disabilities. We comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d), and the Revised 508 Standards published by the U.S. Access Board (36 CFR Part 1194), effective January 18, 2018.
This policy applies to all ICT we develop, configure, integrate, deliver, or maintain under federal, state, and local government contracts — including software, web applications, electronic content, documentation, and training materials.
Legal and regulatory basis
Section 508 requires that when federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use ICT, individuals with disabilities have access to and use of that technology comparable to individuals without disabilities. FAR Subpart 39.2 mandates that acquisition of ICT supplies and services meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR Part 1194. Ashburn Consulting acknowledges these obligations and incorporates them into all applicable contract deliverables.
Scope of Coverage
The following service and deliverable categories fall within the scope of our Section 508 compliance obligations:
Custom web applications & portals
Citizen-facing and agency-internal applications developed or integrated by Ashburn Consulting.
Electronic documents & deliverables
Reports, proposals, presentations, and data deliverables produced under contract.
Training materials
Instructor-led, virtual, and e-learning content produced for government clients.
Cloud platforms & hosted services
AWS-based solutions, including landing zones, self-service portals, and AI-enabled tools.
Collaboration & communication tools
Webex Contact Center, Cisco collaboration platforms, and IVR/contact center integrations.
Support documentation
Technical guides, user manuals, and knowledge base content delivered under contract.
Accessibility conformance reports (ACRs) & VPATs
Ashburn Consulting produces Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) for applicable ICT products and services marketed or delivered to the federal government.
ACRs are available upon request for specific Ashburn Consulting offerings. To request an ACR, contact our accessibility team at the address below. When ACRs are required as contract deliverables, we will provide them according to the scope and timeline specified in the solicitation.
Request an ACR / VPAT info@ashburnconsulting.com
Testing & validation approach
Ashburn Consulting employs a layered testing methodology to validate Section 508 conformance in ICT deliverables:
- Automated scanning— We use industry-standard automated tools (including axe-core and WAVE) to identify common accessibility issues during development.
- Manual testing— We conduct manual keyboard-navigation and screen reader testing using NVDA and JAWS on Windows, and VoiceOver on macOS/iOS, for web and application deliverables.
- Document accessibility— Electronic documents (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) are evaluated using the Accessible Electronic Documents Community of Practice (AED COP) checklists published by the Federal CIO Council.
- DHS Trusted Tester— For projects requiring formal conformance verification, Ashburn Consulting can engage or coordinate with DHS Trusted Tester-certified personnel to perform authorized testing aligned with the ICT Testing Baseline.
- Remediation tracking— Identified issues are logged, prioritized, and resolved in accordance with project timelines and client requirements
Accessibility contact & feedback
Questions about our Section 508 program, requests for ACRs, or concerns about the accessibility of a specific deliverable should be directed to: info@ashburnconsulting.com
Additional resources
Section508.gov — GSA’s official guidance for buying, building, and managing accessible ICT
U.S. Access Board ICT Standards — Revised 508 Standards (36 CFR Part 1194)
WCAG 2.1 — W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
