Managing contracts

Accessibility of the delivered product or service should be maintained, or improved, during the course of the contract. There are many things that may change during the course of the contract, such as: the needs of the organisation or end user; the age, abilities or other characteristics of the user(s); technological developments (which could, for example, impact interoperability of devices); and the evolution of standards. These changes may impact on the accessibility of the product or service. It is therefore important to consider accessibility within the whole lifecycle of the product or service, rather than just the buying phase.

Ensure that the contract enables verification that the delivered product or service fulfils specified accessibility requirements during the course of the contract. Provisions for monitoring accessibility could be added to the contract, such as testing, or recording customer satisfaction. Improvements could then be linked to sanctions or incentives.