Accessibility statement for The Purchasing Platform

This accessibility statement applies to the Crown Commercial Purchasing Platform https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk

This website is run by Mercato Solutions Ltd. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
  • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
  • navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

  • Alternative text has not been added for all of the images in the news section;
  • You may not be able to change colours, contrast levels and fonts;

Feedback and contact information

If you have any feedback, or require further information please use the contact information below:

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 3 days.

Please note accessible PDFs and audio recording are used for sections of the website or links that are not currently accessible

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact: ccs.support@mercatosolutions.co.uk or call 0121 605 2050 and ask for CCS Operations.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Mercato Solutions Ltd is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the reasons listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

  1. Alternative text has not been added for all of the images in the news section;
  2. You may not be able to change colours, contrast levels and fonts;

Disproportionate burden

Navigation and accessing information

There’s no way to skip the repeated content in the page header (for example, a ‘skip to main content’ option).

Interactive tools and transactions

Some of our interactive forms are difficult to navigate using a keyboard. For example, because some form controls are missing a ‘label’ tag (marked as mandatory)

Our forms are built using a low code application, which currently has some restrictions on accessibility functionality.

We’ve assessed the cost of fixing the issues with navigation and accessing information, and with interactive tools and transactions. We believe that doing so now would be a disproportionate burden within the meaning of the accessibility regulations

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

Our technical teams are fixing content which fails to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. We will update this page when issues are resolved

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on the 22nd September 2022. It was last reviewed in August 2022

This website was last externally tested on 11th July 2020. The test was carried out by Cognizant on behalf of Crown Commercial Service. Cognizant were given access to the Purchasing Platform and gave them the scope to review all elements of the site using industry standard tools

The following URL’s were tested in the report:

https://buying.crowncommercial.gov.uk/s/login/

https://buying.crowncommercial.gov.uk/s/

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/item-search?cid=1F80E5AF-8D97-4455-ADCD-2B78B09CC2E9

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/item-details?ref=000013e6-0000-0e53-01b6-67f451427d67

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/sp/basket-byitem

https://purchasingplatform01.crowncommercial.gov.uk/account/logout

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/services

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/sp/feedback?refresh=false

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/product-categories?c=tp

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/sp/feedback?refresh=false

https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/