VASTEC Now Helps Private Industry Increase Opportunity to do Business with the Federal Government

Washington, DC, October 10, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The world’s largest buyer is the U.S. government, with an operating budget in excess of $1 trillion each year. Increasingly, more businesses are competing for a portion of that, but falling short because their electronic information is not compliant with federal regulations. VASTEC, a premier provider of document scanning, digital services, document and records management systems, can help.

“The objectives are very clear, whenever Federal agencies purchase or use electronic and information technology, those communications and products must be in an accessible format that gives federal employees and members of the public with disabilities comparable access to that information,” said Shannon Kelly, Section 508 Subject Matter Expert for VASTEC. “That requirement extends to any company that’s making a bid for Federal business. Today, proposals aren’t even considered by the federal government if the products are not in compliance.”

These requirements extend beyond the proposal itself. Businesses whose deliverable product to the government includes electronic information must also ensure those items are accessible and Section 508 compliant. That includes everything from websites, software, reports, and any information that the government will use or distribute electronically.

Section 508 refers to a 1998 amendment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, it must be accessible to people with disabilities. As a document conversion and digital services provider specializing in Section 508 accessibility solutions, VASTEC provides services that can help businesses meet these requirements.

VASTEC’s expertise comes at the highest level of the Federal government, providing on-going accessibility support for the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service. In addition, VASTEC has processed millions of confidential government records to Section 508 standards, for agencies including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the General Services Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

“Agencies now make Section 508 accessibility a prerequisite on bids,” Kelly said. “Regardless of the proposal’s price or value, anyone who is serious about doing business with the Federal government and submits proposals needs to understand how to meet Section 508 requirements for the products they are proposing and in most cases even the electronic proposal itself, or have a partner like VASTEC who can help them meet the obligation.”

VASTEC has a suite of services designed to support accessibility initiatives compliant with Section 508 laws and standards, as well as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) for both Federal agencies and for private industry desiring to sell to them. VASTEC offers extensive knowledge on PDF document compliance and has resources and capacity to provide remediation for very high volumes of documents.

Services for client websites, web applications and other web content can also be remediated. For clients that want to increase their understanding of Section 508 and grow their ability to handle the responsibility internally, VASTEC also offers several training course options including e-Learning courses and customized classroom training.

More information on VASTEC’s products and services can be found on the company’s website, VASTEC.com, or by contacting Shannon Kelly at (813) 222-3210.

About VASTEC: VASTEC, Inc. is a national provider of solutions in the area of document capture and conversion, document accessibility, and Section 508 training for both Federal Government and private industry clients. VASTEC offers accessibility compliance and solutions for document capture, retrieval, workflow and records management, with the capability to convert and remediate electronic data into accessible formats in compliance with Accessibility and Section 508 standards. An authorized partner of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), VASTEC’s processes, procedures, and security controls have been audited to DOD standards established by FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act). More information on products and services can be found at VASTEC.com.