When drafting a Request for Proposal (RFP), it’s essential to define clear RFP accessibility requirements to ensure the final product ultimately meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This article provides detailed boilerplate language and best practices for incorporating accessibility requirements into your RFP in a way that allows you to communicate with vendors clearly and transparently.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is an international standard created to ensure the web is accessible to people with disabilities.
WCAG comprises a set of measurable success criteria for testing the accessibility of websites, web applications, and digital content. For each criterion tested against, the website, application, or digital content (such as a PDF or video) can receive either a ‘Pass’ or a ‘Fail’. Passes and failures can be added up to determine how accessible the site or content is to a wide range of users, including people with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments.
WCAG is organized into three conformance levels, ranging from A to AAA. The current version of the guidelines as this article is published is WCAG 2.2.
Does my organization need to follow WCAG?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are recognized as the standard for measuring accessibility by governments worldwide. Laws from Europe to Canada, the United States, and Australia require government, large enterprises, and nonprofit websites to be accessible, specifically requiring WCAG conformance. If your organization is required to have an accessible online presence, then you need to follow WCAG.
What level of WCAG should my organization meet?
Depending upon the age of the law, it may require conformance with various versions of WCAG: 2.0, 2.1, or 2.2. Typically, laws require accessibility with the current version of WCAG when the law was written. However, the best way to stay ahead of the legal curve is always to meet the current version of WCAG, not older versions.
All accessibility laws around the world require level AA conformity. Given this, your organization should strive for WCAG 2.2 AA conformance.
For additional information on conformace levels, read our article, WCAG Conformance Levels Comparison: Which One You Should Follow.
Why Include Accessibility in Your RFP
The number one reason to include accessibility in your Request for Proposal is vendor accountability.
Including accessibility requirements in your RFP helps ensure vendors deliver solutions that keep your organization compliant, reducing the risk of legal action. When you specify accessibility requirements up front, you set clear expectations and create a basis for evaluating vendors’ capabilities.
It ensures that accessibility isn’t an afterthought but a priority throughout the project lifecycle, and you get an accurate budget that includes accessibility from the beginning.
Emphasizing accessibility as a project requirement will also allow vendors who cannot deliver an accessible website or application to self-select out. This will reduce the number of RFP responses you must evaluate to select the winning proposal.
Finally, addressing accessibility from the outset is a way to future-proof your investment. Accessibility from the beginning is more cost-effective than remediating a website later. Building accessibility into the RFP ensures vendors account for accessibility during design and development, saving time and resources down the line.
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Accessibility Requirement Language for an RFP
When writing a Request for Proposal, you must include accessibility requirements in several places within the document. Accessibility should be listed in the introduction at the top of the document and in any lists or tables of in-scope requirements. You should also clearly define how vendors (and you) will measure accessibility.
Defining Accessibility and How it Will Be Measured
The term “accessibility” on a website may mean different things to different people. It’s not enough to say, “The website will be accessible,” because that statement is not measurable.
In your RFP, it is essential to clearly define how the accessibility of the delivered website will be measured. Make sure you reference both Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and also any laws your organization needs to comply with.
Boilerplate Language for RFPs
The following boilerplate accessibility requirement language can be used as a starting point for your RFP. Adjust as needed for your project and organization.
The [website or application] must be accessible as required by [Section 508 and the American’s with Disabilities Act].
Accessibility of the [website or application] will be measured against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version [2.2], Level AA standards. These guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for making [Organization Name]’s digital content more accessible to a wider audience.
The selected vendor will be required to conduct both automated and manual accessibility testing and furnish detailed reports proving their deliverables fully conform to the above standard, at a minimum.
Other Considerations
You may also want to include the following in your Request for Proposal and the scope of the project:
- Listing specific assistive technology you want the website to be tested with, such as screen readers, voice control, etc.
- Emphasizing the need for accessibility testing on mobile if your audience is highly mobile.
- User testing by people with disabilities.
- Automated testing software like Accessibility Checker for ongoing testing and guidance in the editor.
- Ongoing monitoring or accessibility support services after the website launches.
- Accessibility training for your team to ensure the website stays accessible after launch.
When defining accessibility expectations for vendors, the more detailed you can be, the better. Leaving accessibility standards out of an RFP or not being detailed enough in your expectations can lead to inconsistencies and a lack of accountability, potentially compromising the final deliverables’ quality and introducing additional costs and delays later in the project.
Reports to Ask for from Vendors
Whether you are procuring off-the-shelf software or something custom-built, understanding how accessibility is formally documented and what reports to ask for is key.
Types of Accessibility Reports
Depending on the RFP requirements and what is being purchased, vendors will typically propose (or provide upfront) some combination of the following deliverables:
- Automated Accessibility Report: A report generated using automated tools to identify common accessibility issues on a website or digital content. These tools list detected problems, which can be a starting point for further manual evaluation. These tests are a baseline and are far from comprehensive.
- Manual Accessibility Audit: An in-depth evaluation of a website or digital content conducted by accessibility experts. This audit involves manual testing to identify issues that automated tools might miss, ensuring comprehensive assessment, and providing detailed, actionable recommendations for improvement.
- User Testing / User Acceptance Report: A report based on testing conducted with actual users, including those with disabilities. This testing assesses the real-world accessibility and usability of a website or digital content. The report provides insights from users’ experiences and identifies areas for enhancement to ensure the content meets and preferably exceeds, baseline accessibility standards. User testing is not usually a comprehensive accessibility audit. Some things will be missed as these reports focus on the ability to accomplish specific tasks versus looking at every page from top to bottom.
- Accessibility Conformance Letter: A formal letter or document provided by a vendor (or, more preferably, an independent third party) that certifies that a product or service meets specific accessibility standards. And accessibility conformance letter is a formal statement of compliance and is typically signed on a specific date by an authoritative organization in the accessibility field.
- Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR): A report derived from a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) that provides detailed information on a product’s accessibility features and any known limitations. It is used to demonstrate conformance to accessibility standards and to communicate accessibility performance to stakeholders. This report is widely considered the “gold standard” accessibility deliverable and requires one (or sometimes multiple) accessibility audits to be completed first.
Reports to Ask for in Your RFP
The goal of any good RFP is to not be overly prescriptive in how it asks vendors to carry out their work. However, when it comes to accessibility, it is best to be highly specific because the standards are well-defined, and there are established formats for reports.
At an absolute minimum, any organization hoping to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines should request vendors to provide an automated accessibility report and manual accessibility audit report before the website or application is approved to go live. You may also want to ask for a letter of conformance or user testing / user acceptance reports as part of the deliverables.
If your RFP includes the purchase of third-party software to include in the final deliverable, then ask that vendors include an Accessibility Conformance Report/VPAT for each proposed software product.
Validate Their Approach to Your RFP Accessibility Requirements
Having well-defined definitions and specifics around accessibility standards and the expected accessibility-related deliverables detailed in your RFP’s scope is the first step to identifying the right vendor.
As a second step, add required questions vendors must answer in their response to your proposal.
Suggested Questions for Vendors to Answer in RFP Responses
Requiring vendors to articulate their testing methods ensures they have a comprehensive strategy to identify and rectify accessibility barriers, resulting in a more inclusive product that meets accessibility standards that an increasing number of organizations must adhere to by law.
Ask the following questions in a written Q&A portion of the RFP process or directly in vendor interviews:
- Describe how you consider accessibility at each point in the project lifecycle.
(Note: If a vendor only considers accessibility during one project phase, it should be considered a very big red flag. Accessibility should be considered at multiple points: Discovery, Design, Development, Testing, etc.) - What specific tools do you prefer to use for accessibility testing?
(Note: If they struggle to list tools, or only mention 1-2 tools, it should be considered a very big red flag. Vendors knowledgable in accessibility will use multiple tools for different testing situations.) - Provide links to two past projects where accessibility was a significant priority. (Note: Asking this requires you or a team member to look at the examples and evaluate them with some quick tests to do some basic vetting.)
- Tell me about a project where you involved users with disabilities in the testing and feedback process.
(Note: If they say they’ve never worked with individuals with disabilities in the testing process, this should be considered a warning sign to look at the vendor’s methods and past work more carefully.) - Are there any exceptions or things that you will not be able to make accessible as part of the scope of this project?
(Note: It is perfectly reasonable for vendors to have some exceptions. For example, they may not have sufficient budget to ensure all 10,000 of your archived blog posts from the last 25 years are accessible. You will need to decide if their exceptions seem reasonable, or not.)
Remember: The goal of asking these questions is not to catch a vendor off-guard. It is to allow them to showcase their knowledge and expertise in accessibility and to communicate transparently about their approach.
Request Supporting Evidence
Ask vendors to provide:
- Resumes of accessibility specialists on their team.
- Sample VPATs for past projects.
- Accessibility audit reports they’ve conducted.
- Documentation outlining their testing approach.
- Contact information for past customers who can serve as references.
Scoring RFP Responses
When scoring RFP responses, pay particular attention to how much detail the vendor put into the accessibility section(s) of the proposal. You’ll want a structured evaluation process to objectively assess each vendor’s approach and ability to deliver an accessible product.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Define Clear Criteria and Weighting
Establish what aspects of accessibility are most important to your project. Common criteria include:
- Compliance with Standards: WCAG 2.2 (AA level or higher)
- Experience and Expertise: Vendor’s track record with accessible websites
- Accessibility Testing Methods: Use of automated tools, manual testing, and involvement of users with disabilities
- Training and Documentation: Post-launch accessibility training for your team and maintenance documentation
- Accessibility Roadmap: How the vendor plans to address accessibility throughout the project lifecycle
Example Weighting:
- Accessibility Roadmap: 15%
- Compliance with Standards: 30%
- Experience & Expertise: 20%
- Testing Methods: 20%
- Training & Documentation: 15%
2. Develop a Scoring Scale
Use a consistent scale, such as 0–5, where:
- 0 = No response or completely inadequate.
- 1 = Very poor; lacks understanding or relevance.
- 2 = Below average; basic mention but lacks detail.
- 3 = Meets requirements adequately.
- 4 = Exceeds requirements with strong detail and examples.
- 5 = Exceptional; comprehensive approach with a clear commitment and demonstrated past successes.
Sample Scoring Rubric
The following table is an example of a scoring rubric that you can use when evaluating RFP responses related to accessibility.
| Criterion | Description | Score(0-5) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance with Standards | Clear plan to meet WCAG 2.2 AA or higher. | ||
| Experience & Expertise | Proven history with accessible website projects; case studies provided. | ||
| Testing Methods | Combines automated, manual, and user-based testing. | ||
| Training & Documentation | Provides thorough post-launch training and documentation. | ||
| Accessibilit Roadmap | Accessibility integrated at every project stage. | ||
| Total | Weighted total score |
Budget for Independent Third-Party Validation
While many vendors are committed to ensuring accessibility, unfortunately, not all are completely honest or transparent about their practices. Some may claim compliance with accessibility standards without conducting thorough testing or implementing necessary improvements.
This lack of transparency can lead to digital products that do not fully meet the needs of users with disabilities, ultimately compromising the user experience and exposing their parent organizations to preventable, adverse legal or regulatory actions.
Third-party evaluations provide an added layer of accountability because external, unbiased experts validate the vendor’s claims and the project’s accessibility. This transparency builds trust with stakeholders and enhances the overall quality and inclusiveness of the digital project.
Organizations should consider bringing in a third-party independent auditor to spot-check the work of their other vendors and bake that into the budgets of upcoming digital projects.
Need Help with Your RFP?
If you need help writing your next RFP or would like to retain an independent, third-party auditor, please contact us. We’re happy to help you put scope and write a Request for Proposal for your next website project, vet the responses, or audit the work of your selected vendor.
Equalize Digital’s team of accessibility specialists has decades of experience working on city, state, and federal government, education, nonprofit, and enterprise websites. We aim to ensure your investment pays off in a highly usable, WCAG-conformant, and optimized website for your visitors.
