Accessibility Requirements

When you're preparing a bid for federal contracts, accessibility isn't optional—it's a mandatory component that ensures people with disabilities can use whatever you're delivering. These specifications get baked right into your Statement of Work. Overlook them? You risk disqualification or serious compliance headaches down the road.

How It Works

The Government of Canada embeds these requirements throughout the procurement lifecycle, starting with how departments define their needs. According to the Supply Manual, federal organizations must consider accessibility from the planning stage forward. This means before PSPC or any department posts a tender on Buy and Sell, they've already determined what accessibility standards apply.

In practice, you'll see these requirements spelled out in the technical specifications section of the SOW. For IT procurement, that might mean conforming to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA standards. For physical goods—say, office furniture for a DND facility—you'll find ergonomic specifications that accommodate diverse physical abilities. Service contracts aren't exempt either. Bidding on training services for SSC employees? Your materials and delivery methods need to be accessible.

Here's the thing: departments don't always use the same language or formatting. Some contracts explicitly list "accessibility requirements" as a standalone section, while others weave them throughout technical specifications. You need to read the entire SOW carefully, because missing an accessibility clause buried in paragraph 4.2.3 carries the same consequences as missing one in a dedicated section. The evaluation criteria will often include mandatory requirements for accessibility compliance, meaning non-compliance equals automatic rejection regardless of how competitive your pricing is.

Key Considerations

• Documentation matters as much as compliance. You can't just claim your solution is accessible—you need third-party testing reports, VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) documentation, or other proof that evaluators can verify.

• Provincial contracts differ from federal ones. While we're focusing on federal procurement here, don't assume the same standards apply if you're bidding across different government levels. Each jurisdiction has its own accessibility legislation and procurement requirements.

• Accessibility affects your subcontractors too. If you're the prime contractor bringing in specialized suppliers, their deliverables must meet the same accessibility standards. Treasury Board doesn't care about your supply chain complexity—the end result must comply.

• Budget for it upfront. Retrofitting accessibility after the fact costs significantly more than building it in from the start. Factor these costs into your pricing strategy when responding to RFPs.

Related Terms

Statement of Work (SOW), Mandatory Requirements, Evaluation Criteria, Technical Specifications

Sources

• Government of Canada Supply Manual - Official federal procurement policy and procedures

• Canada Buys - Federal government procurement information portal

• Buy and Sell - Federal government tender opportunities

The bottom line: treat accessibility requirements with the same attention you'd give pricing or delivery schedules. They're not administrative checkboxes—they're fundamental to whether your bid even gets evaluated.