SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP) is in the process of developing an application to facilitate and provide a centralized repository of Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs)for information and communication technology (ICT) products.

Our ACR Repository is also in response to a requirement from OMB in M-24-08 to “explore options for establishing a standardized accessibility conformance reporting process for government procurement of ICT, which should include a central repository of vendor accessibility conformance reports.”

Federal agencies often require submission of ACRs as part of quotes/bids in response to procurement solicitations. We intend to encourage product vendors to list/upload their ACRs into the repository to make it easier and more efficient for Federal employees involved in the acquisition and implementation of ICT and interested members of the public to locate ACRs when considering accessibility in the procurement process (as required by Section 508 and in the Federal Acquisition Regulation).

B. Annual Reporting Burden

There is no obligation for product owners to submit ACRs for any product. The total number of annual responses would be at the product owner's discretion.

Vendor Admin Respondents: 2,500.

Vendor User Respondents: 1,500.

Hours per Vendor Profile Creation: 10 mins.

Hours per Vendor User Creation: 3 mins.

ACRs per Vendor Account: 2.

Total ACRs Uploaded: 5,000.

Hours per ACR Upload: 5 mins.

Total Burden Hours: 907 hours.

C. Public Comments

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 37982 on June 24, 2026. Eight comments were received.

Comment: The commenter raised concerns regarding the administrative burden of a centralized repository on the acquisition workforce and recommended amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to mandate vendor submission during the acquisition process as a more efficient alternative.

Response: The repository is designed to reduce, not create, acquisition burden by centralizing vendor-provided information, thereby supporting market research and due diligence without shifting maintenance responsibility to the government.

Comment: The commenter inquired about public access to the repository for non-federal entities, such as state and local governments and educational institutions, noting that such access would facilitate compliance and aid in vetting information and communication technology (ICT).

Response: The repository will be accessible to non-federal entities, noting that vendors retain control over ACR visibility and that the repository does not constitute GSA approval or certification of product accessibility.

Comment: The commenter supported the proposal and suggested implementing features for flagging inaccurate information and prioritizing accessibility issues.

Response: GSA acknowledges the value for public and private sectors, noting that while the initial launch focuses on vendor-submitted data, mechanisms for user feedback and reporting will be considered in future iterations.

Comment: The commenter expressed concern about the sustainability of the repository and is advocating for clear vendor incentives, robust version management, and mechanisms to prevent the inclusion of outdated or duplicate information.

Response: The repository distinguishes itself from prior initiatives by requiring vendors to maintain their own data, supported by robust version management, integration with the ACR Editor, and buyer-driven participation incentives.

Comment: The commenter expressed support for the repository, while recommending the use of standardized metadata, machine-readable formats, and robust search capabilities.

Response: GSA affirmed the necessity of standardized, machine-readable metadata and searchability, stating that these requirements are already integrated into the repository's design and ongoing development, and confirmed the availability of the supporting statement.

Comment: The commenter noted that the draft Supporting Statement was not accessible in the Regulations.gov docket at the time of review.

Response: The draft Supporting Statement is now available for public review.

Comment: The commenter voiced strong support for the proposal.

Response: GSA thanks the commenter for their support and agreed that a centralized repository will improve the transparency, consistency, and efficiency of accessibility reviews across the government.

Comment: The commenter cited potential procedural and deficiencies, specifically regarding notice-and- ( printed page 57343) comment procedures and estimated implementation burdens.

Response: GSA maintained that the proposal does not create additional implementation burden, noting that contractors will use standard, universally accessible methods to submit existing public information.

91 FR 57342