Accessibility Requirements

Accessibility requirements are the specifications, criteria and conditions written into a procurement so that the resulting goods, services, information and communication technology (ICT), or built environment can be used by people with disabilities. They set minimum compliance expectations and can also include value-added features that improve inclusive use.

In Canadian procurement, the term sits within the federal accessibility framework. That framework includes the Accessible Canada Act, the Treasury Board Contracting Policy, and guidance from Accessibility Standards Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The term is a Canadian government concept, not a NATO abbreviation.

What Accessibility Requirements Can Cover

The phrase describes several kinds of content in a solicitation or contract. It can refer to:

• Accessibility standards, guidelines and best practices that apply to the procurement.
• Requirements for accessible goods, services, ICT, facilities, communications or contract deliverables.
• Accessibility evaluation criteria and testing requirements.
• Requirements placed in a statement of work, statement of requirements, solicitation, contract, standing offer or supply arrangement.

Accessibility Standards Canada points to CAN/ASC–EN 301 549:2024, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services, as a relevant standard for ICT. For the built environment, it points to CSA/ASC B651:23, Accessible design for the built environment. Both are listed in its procurement guidance on context.

Where They Appear in the Procurement Lifecycle

Accessibility Standards Canada's accessible-procurement standard says accessibility requirements are to be included throughout all phases of procurement. Those phases are planning, bidding, contract award, contract management and closeout. The standard applies to competitive and non-competitive solicitations, and to the resulting contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements. The full text is in the general requirements of CAN-ASC-4.1.

The requirements are also to be reflected in:

• Specifications for goods and services.
• Evaluation criteria and the evaluation process.
• Testing requirements at the solicitation and contract stages.
• Solicitation and contract documents.
• Industry-engagement activities.

Federal Policy and Buyer Obligations

PSPC states that federal organizations should consider accessibility requirements for all procurements. It identifies October 2019 as the date when new accessibility requirements in the Treasury Board Contracting Policy came into effect. See PSPC's page on improving accessibility in procurement.

The accessible-procurement standard places duties on the buying side. Clients are expected to identify the applicable accessibility standards, guidelines and best practices when they define their requirements. If accessibility requirements are left out of the specifications, the standard requires a mandatory written justification.

Digital Procurements and the Digital Accessibility Toolkit

For digital purchases, the Government of Canada's Digital Accessibility Toolkit supports the inclusion of ICT accessibility requirements in procurements and non-competitive contracts. Its procurement resources are written for the federal organizations that prepare these documents, and they show suppliers the kind of language to expect in digital solicitations.

What Accessibility Requirements Mean for a Supplier

A supplier can meet accessibility requirements in several forms: mandatory technical specifications, rated criteria, deliverable requirements, testing or demonstration requirements, and contract-management obligations. Bid teams should read each solicitation closely to see which form applies and at which stage.

The term alone does not set one universal technical standard. A supplier must meet the requirements stated in the specific solicitation or contract. Where a solicitation names a standard such as CAN/ASC–EN 301 549:2024 or CSA/ASC B651:23, the response should address it directly. Because the requirements can extend through contract management and closeout, delivery teams should plan for them after award as well as in the bid.