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 More
than 600 community-based nonprofit agencies
across the country participate in the
AbilityOne Program.
The main eligibility criteria are prescribed by
the AbilityOne Act itself. There is no cost to the
nonprofit agency in order to participate.
The JWOD Act requires that a participating
nonprofit agency be structured in such a way
that "precludes the inurement of the net
earnings of the corporation to any individual."
Also, at least 75 percent of the nonprofit
agency's total direct labor hours must be
performed by persons who are blind or who have
other severe disabilities. The work on Federal
contracts may be facility-based, such as
manufacturing or packaging; or community-based,
such as administrative services, food service,
janitorial/custodial, or switchboard operations.
To participate in the AbilityOne Program, nonprofit
agencies must associate with either
NIB or
NISH (serving
persons with a wide range of disabilities.)
Again, there is no cost to the nonprofit agency
to join. When a Federal contract is placed in
the AbilityOne Program for the agency to perform, NIB
or NISH receives a small portion of the contract
sales to help cover the cost of operations. The
Committee includes resources to cover the
NIB/NISH fee in the price established for
supplies and services.
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