|
|
 |
|
<![CDATA[ THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release March 29, 2000
March 29, 2000
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Continued Commitment to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day
Program
The Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program, named for its legislative
sponsors, is a Federal initiative that generates employment and training
for more than 34,000 people who are blind or who have other significant
disabilities. These individuals, working in more than 600 nonprofit
agencies associated with the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) or
with NISH (a national nonprofit agency that serves persons with a wide
range of disabilities), furnish supplies and services to the Federal
Government under the JWOD Program.
In recent years, the JWOD Program has faced numerous challenges as the
Federal acquisition system has evolved in ways not envisioned even a
decade ago. Today, for example, hundreds of thousands of Federal
employees buy goods with purchase cards. Electronic commerce is
expanding rapidly and commercial firms deliver goods previously stocked
and distributed by Federal agencies. These and other procurement
reforms have created a more direct rela-tion-ship between commercial
vendors and their Federal customers. Participants in the JWOD Program
are takings steps to adjust to these and other changes in the Federal
pro-curement environment, but the transition is a dynamic and
far-reaching process that requires strong support from Government
customers.
As I have stated on numerous occasions, the unemployment rate for adults
with disabilities is unacceptably high. We cannot afford to lose any
opportunities for this segment of our population. I call upon you to
recognize the contributions made to the Federal Government by
individuals with disabilities under the JWOD Program and to take steps
to ensure that your agencies' procurement executives, and other
employees who acquire supplies for your agency, purchase JWOD products
and services, consistent with existing law. Their support for the JWOD
Program will help people with significant disabilities become and remain
more inde-pendent and productive members of society. It is
particu-larly important to encourage those entrusted with Federal
purchase cards to be vigilant in continuing to purchase the reasonably
priced products and services (including SKILCRAFT items) supplied
through the JWOD Program.
The JWOD Program also provides many recycled content, environmentally
preferable, and energy efficient products. The purchase of these items
would enable the Federal Govern-ment to continue its leadership of the
"greening of the government" initiative while invigorating the JWOD
Program.
Representatives of the Committee for Purchase From People Who are Blind
or Severely Disabled (the Federal entity responsible for the JWOD
Program), NIB, or NISH will contact your procure-ment staff in the near
future to explore steps that your agency can take to increase support
for the JWOD Program at this critical juncture.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
# # #
]]>
|
This page was last updated on
September 07, 2012
|
|
