Accessibility Statement

1. Our Commitment

Government Contracting Authority (GCA) is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people of all abilities. We continuously improve the user experience for everyone and apply the relevant accessibility standards to ensure we provide equal access to all users, including those with disabilities.

Accessibility Standards

1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA
2. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
3. Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) specifications

2. Measures to Support Accessibility

GCA takes the following measures to ensure accessibility of our website and digital services. These measures are embedded in our development lifecycle and organizational culture.

Organizational Measures

1. Appointed Accessibility Officer responsible for policy, compliance, and strategy
2. Regular accessibility training for all development, design, and content teams
3. Accessible procurement practices that prioritize accessibility in vendor selection
4. Accessibility testing integrated into quality assurance workflows
5. User personas and testing groups include people with disabilities
6. Ongoing accessibility audits and assessments

Technical Measures

1. Semantic HTML5 markup for proper document structure
2. ARIA labels and roles for enhanced screen reader support
3. Keyboard navigation enabled for all interactive elements
4. Color contrast ratios exceeding WCAG AA standards
5. Resizable and scalable text without loss of functionality
6. Clear heading hierarchy and logical content flow
7. Comprehensive alt text for all meaningful images

3. Conformance Status

GCA aims for full conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA across all of our digital properties. The following resources are in scope for conformance:

WCAG 2.1 Level AA

• The GCA primary website (gcagov.com)
• GCA web applications and portals
• Public-facing digital services and resources

Partial Conformance Declaration

Some content on our website may not yet fully conform due to third-party integrations or legacy content that predates our current accessibility standards. We are actively working to remediate known issues and achieve full conformance across all digital properties. Where full conformance is not yet achieved, we provide accessible alternatives upon request.

4. Section 508 Compliance

• All GCA digital content and services meet Section 508 standards
• Employees and contractors involved in federal contracts are trained on accessibility requirements
• GCA promotes Section 508 awareness and best practices within the government contracting community
• Regular audits ensure ongoing compliance and improvement

5. Compatibility with Browsers and Assistive Technology

gcagov.com is designed to be compatible with the following browsers and assistive technologies:

• Google Chrome (latest two versions)
• Mozilla Firefox (latest two versions)
• Apple Safari (latest two versions)
• Microsoft Edge (latest two versions)
• JAWS screen reader (latest version)
• NVDA screen reader (latest version)
• VoiceOver (macOS and iOS)
• TalkBack (Android)

6. Technical Specifications

The GCA website relies on the following technologies for accessibility compliance. These technologies are used in conjunction with the conformance standards listed in this statement.

HTML & Markup

• Semantic HTML5 elements for proper document structure
• Valid HTML5 to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies
• Proper use of heading levels (H1, H2, H3) for logical hierarchy

Accessibility Enhancements

• WAI-ARIA attributes for enhanced semantic meaning
• ARIA live regions for dynamic content updates
• Role, state, and property attributes for complex components

Styling & Presentation

• CSS for all visual styling (no reliance on images for text)
• Color contrast ratios meeting or exceeding WCAG AA standards
• Flexible layouts that work at different zoom levels and screen sizes
• Responsive design supporting mobile, tablet, and desktop viewing

Interactivity

• Full keyboard navigation support for all interactive elements
• Logical tab order through the document
• Visible focus indicators on keyboard-navigable elements
• JavaScript enhancements that maintain accessibility

7. Assessment Approach

GCA assesses the accessibility of our website and services through a combination of internal testing, external evaluation, and continuous monitoring to ensure ongoing compliance.

Self-Evaluation & Internal Testing

1. Automated accessibility testing using industry-standard tools (WAVE, Axe DevTools, Lighthouse)
2. Manual testing by trained accessibility specialists
3. Keyboard navigation testing
4. Screen reader testing with JAWS and NVDA
5. Mobile accessibility testing with VoiceOver and TalkBack

External Evaluation

1. Periodic third-party accessibility audits
2. Expert review by accessibility consultants
3. Testing with actual users with disabilities

Continuous Monitoring

1. Accessibility checks integrated into development pipelines
2. Regular regression testing before releases
3. Performance monitoring of accessibility features

8. Accessibility Features

GCA has implemented the following accessibility features across our website and digital services to support users with varying abilities and needs.

Vision & Reading

• Descriptive alt text for all images, diagrams, and charts
• Text alternatives for complex visual information
• High contrast text (at least 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
• Resizable text up to 200% without loss of functionality
• Support for browser zoom and operating system high contrast modes

Navigation & Interaction

• Full keyboard navigation without mouse dependency
• Logical tab order through interactive elements
• Skip links to bypass repetitive content
• Clear focus indicators on all keyboard-navigable items
• Consistent navigation patterns throughout the site

Cognitive & Learning

• Clear, plain language content
• Consistent page structure and layout
• Descriptive page titles and headings
• Clear error messages with solutions
• Understandable visual hierarchy and information grouping

Audio & Video

• Captions for all video content
• Audio descriptions of important visual information in videos
• Transcripts for audio and video content

9. Known Limitations and Alternatives

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility, some areas of our website may have known limitations. Below we identify these limitations and provide information about available alternatives.

User-Uploaded Images

Images uploaded by users or third parties may not always include appropriate alt text. We encourage all contributors to provide descriptive alt text when uploading images. If you encounter an image without adequate description, please contact us and we will provide a text alternative.

Legacy PDF Documents

Some older PDF documents on our website may not be fully accessible. We are working to remediate legacy documents and ensure all new PDFs meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. If you need an accessible version of any PDF document, please contact our Accessibility Officer and we will provide the content in an accessible format within 5 business days.

Third-Party Embedded Content

Some content embedded from third-party services (such as video players, mapping tools, or social media widgets) may not fully conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. GCA works with our third-party providers to improve accessibility and provides accessible alternatives where possible. If you encounter inaccessible third-party content, please contact us so we can assist you.

Forms with Complex Validation

Certain forms with complex validation requirements may present challenges for some assistive technologies. We are actively working to simplify form interactions and improve error messaging. If you experience difficulty completing any form, please contact us at info@gcagov.com or 202-990-6030 and we will assist you or provide an alternative method for form submission.

10. Formal Complaints Process

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of GCA services. If you encounter an accessibility barrier that prevents you from accessing our content or services, please follow the formal complaint process below.

Filing a Complaint

1. Contact our Accessibility Officer with a detailed description of the barrier or inaccessible content
2. Include the specific URL or feature affected
3. Provide your contact information
4. Describe the assistive technology or browser you are using

Response Timeline

1. Acknowledgment of your complaint within 5 business days
2. Assessment and initial response within 10 business days
3. Planned resolution or interim accommodations within 30 days where feasible

Escalation

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility complaint, you may escalate the matter to:

• The GCA Executive Director via written correspondence to our principal address
• The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, for matters related to ADA compliance
• The U.S. Access Board for matters related to Section 508 compliance

11. Third-Party Content and Linked Resources

GCA links to and integrates content from third-party websites and services. While we strive to partner with accessible providers, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of external content.

Third-Party Responsibility

• External websites linked from GCA are the responsibility of their respective owners
• Third-party tools and services embedded in GCA platforms may have varying levels of accessibility
• GCA encourages third-party vendors to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards

Accessibility Support for Third-Party Content

If you encounter accessibility issues with third-party content accessed through GCA services, please contact us. We will work to provide an accessible alternative or assist you in reaching the third-party provider to address the issue. Where possible, we include accessibility requirements in our contracts with third-party vendors.

12. Continuous Improvement

GCA is dedicated to the ongoing improvement of our accessibility practices. We regularly review and update our approach to ensure we meet or exceed current accessibility standards.

Improvement Initiatives

1. Regular accessibility audits and gap analyses
2. Quarterly reviews of user feedback and accessibility complaints
3. Annual accessibility training for all relevant staff
4. Participation in accessibility industry conferences and communities
5. Integration of emerging accessibility technologies and best practices
6. Collaboration with users with disabilities for feedback and validation

Feedback Integration

User feedback is a critical component of our accessibility improvement process. All accessibility feedback is logged, reviewed, and prioritized for remediation. We track accessibility issues in our development backlog and report on progress quarterly. Users who submit feedback receive updates on the status of their reported issues.

Accessibility Roadmap

GCA maintains an accessibility roadmap that outlines our planned improvements and target completion dates. Current roadmap priorities include remediating legacy PDF documents, improving form accessibility, enhancing mobile screen reader compatibility, and expanding automated accessibility testing coverage. Our roadmap is reviewed and updated quarterly based on audit results, user feedback, and changes in accessibility standards.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Accessibility Statement or need assistance with accessibility, please contact us through any of the following channels.

Accessibility Officer

Email: info@gcagov.com

General Inquiries

Email: info@gcagov.com | Phone: 202-990-6030

Address: 1309 Coffeen Ave, Suite 11198, Sheridan, WY 82801, USA

Governing Law

This Accessibility Statement is governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States of America.

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