Accessibility requirements for District of Columbia government procurement
District of Columbia maintains its own IT accessibility standard in addition to the federal requirements that bind every jurisdiction.
What binds a District of Columbia purchase
ADA Title II — WCAG 2.1 Level AA
Applies to the web content and mobile apps of every state and local government entity in District of Columbia, whoever built the software. Compliance dates:
- 26 April 2027 — entities serving 50,000 or more
- 26 April 2028 — entities serving under 50,000, and special district governments
Software bought today will still be in service on those dates, which is what makes this a procurement question rather than an IT one.
Section 508 — where federal funds are involved
Governs federal procurement and reaches a great deal of District of Columbia spending through federal funding, including most public universities. It incorporates WCAG 2.0 Level AA, and adds chapter requirements that WCAG does not cover — functional performance, software, and support documentation.
If your solicitation cites Section 508, a WCAG-edition conformance report does not answer it. The editions explained.
DC.gov Accessibility Policy and ODR Technical Assistance Manual
The District commits its web content and applications to the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards issued by the Access Board under Section 508. The Office of Disability Rights publishes a Web and Social Media Accessibility Technical Assistance Manual giving developers the specifications and tools to meet it, and requires valid W3C HTML and CSS.
Read District of Columbia’s own pageWhat District of Columbia names, and what the ADA now requires
District of Columbia’s own standard
The Access Board's Section 508 EIT accessibility standards
ADA Title II, from 26 April 2027
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
The state standard is the lower bar
A vendor can satisfy what District of Columbia names and still not satisfy what ADA Title II will require of you. If your solicitation cites only the District of Columbia rule, the conformance report you get back is scoped to the District of Columbia rule — and the federal gap becomes yours to close after award. Cite both.
What this means when a vendor sends you a report
- Name the standard in the solicitation. The edition a vendor sends back is chosen to match what you asked for. Ask for nothing specific and you will get the edition that flatters the product.
- Ask during evaluation, not after award. Before the contract your leverage is the award itself; after it, your leverage is a change order.
- Keep the record. What you required, what the vendor disclosed, what you challenged and when. If conformance is ever questioned, that record is the useful artifact — not the software.
Section508.gov — State-level Accessibility Law and Policy does not list District of Columbia. The entry above was researched from District of Columbia’s own statute, regulation or policy page in August 2026 and links to it directly. General guidance for procurement planning, not legal advice — verify against the statute or policy that applies to your entity, and check the current status of any pending legislation named above.