AbilityOne Commission
The AbilityOne® Program among is the nation’s largest sources of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. The Program is administered by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission, the operating name for the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. Through a national network of more than 550 nonprofit agencies, the program provides the Federal Government products and services at fair market prices. The procurement of these products and services results in employment of more than 45,000 individuals
The Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46-48c) authorizes the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to designate one or more “central nonprofit agencies” (CNAs) to assist community-based nonprofit agencies serving people who are blind or have other severe disabilities participating in the AbilityOne Program. The Commission has designated National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and SourceAmerica to fulfill CNA responsibilities as listed in 41 CFR Part 51-3. These responsibilities include evaluating nonprofit agency capabilities, providing nonprofit agencies with technical assistance and allocating government orders among them. NIB and SourceAmerica also provide their associated agencies with many other services, including: assistance in complying with the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act and Federal contract provisions. The CNAs also provide training and regulatory assistance; communications and public relations materials; information technology support; engineering, financial and technical assistance.
SourceAmerica
SourceAmerica is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create employment opportunities and choices for people with significant disabilities. SourceAmerica does this by assisting its federal and commercial customers by identifying the nonprofits in its national network that are best suited to fulfill their contract requirements, which in turn, provides employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities. SourceAmerica is one of two nonprofit agencies established to help implement the AbilityOne Program.