The Department of Veterans Affairs is failing to verify whether the information technology systems it purchases from outside vendors are in compliance with federal accessibility requirements, according to a report released on Tuesday by VA’s Office of Inspector General.
The watchdog audit examined a sample of “bedrock and critical information technology and communications systems” that VA has procured to determine whether internal agency officials considered them to be in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Section 508 requires that VA and other federal agencies ensure their digital and IT systems are accessible to those with disabilities, with OIG’s report noting that the law also “dictates that VA and other federal agencies must develop, procure, maintain, and use accessible information and communication technology.”
Tuesday’s audit was a follow-up to a January 2024 OIG report that highlighted oversight concerns when it came to VA ensuring that all of its IT systems met accessibility requirements.
The watchdog’s most recent review found that, “of the 30 sampled systems the OIG team reviewed, VA’s Office of 508 Compliance classified four as compliant and the remaining 26 as noncompliant.” The watchdog, the report noted, did not determine whether any of the reviewed systems complied with Section 508 requirements, “but instead relied on self-reporting by VA to assess progress and deficiencies.”
Based on its audit, the OIG said that VA did not take the necessary steps to verify that the IT systems it procured aligned with Section 508 requirements.
“This occurred because VA did not establish a control environment that makes accessibility a priority,” the report said. “Specifically, officials did not validate whether sampled systems complied with Section 508, nor did they submit procurement documentation to the Office of 508 Compliance for approval, as required by federal regulations and VA policy.”
Instead, the watchdog found that VA “relied on Section 508 language in contract performance work statements and vendor self-declarations,” with the agency’s Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction failing to work with VA’s Office of 508 Compliance to craft clear policies and procedures that would ensure procured systems complied with the accessibility requirements.
“As a result, VA’s procurement process for sampled information technology systems did not allow individuals with disabilities to have full access to the information and services they need,” the report said.
The latest OIG report comes as VA prepares to restart deployments of its new Oracle Health electronic health record system, which was previously bogged down by a number of technical issues and performance concerns.
Nextgov/FCW reported in February that the new EHR system has never been in compliance with Section 508 requirements since it was acquired, with one department official saying that “veterans with disabilities cannot access their own records because the patient portal is inaccessible to them.”
The initial performance work statement for the modernization project required that the EHR system be compliant with Section 508 upon its delivery, although current and former VA personnel said the agency never tested the system for accessibility.
Tuesday’s report did not mention the new EHR system, which is potentially the result of an ongoing lawsuit regarding the new system.
A VA spokesperson and a representative from the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office previously told Nextgov/FCW that they could not comment on 508 issues related to the EHR software due to “potential, pending or ongoing litigation.”
The watchdog’s report outlined four recommendations for VA, which included calling for the VA Office of 508 Compliance to review “compliance documentation and market research on any information and communication technology being procured,” and for the deputy assistant secretary for acquisition and logistics to collaborate with the 508 Compliance Office to develop policies and procedures to ensure that purchased IT systems comply with the disability requirements.
VA told the OIG it agreed with its recommendations and provided the watchdog with action plans for each of the four proposals.
