Accessibility Services to Support EOE and EOE Agencies

Background

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through its Executive Office of Education (EOE), aims to enhance accessibility services for various agencies including the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the Children's Trust (CT), and the Department of Higher Education (DHE). The goal of this RFQ is to solicit quotes from vendors qualified under ITS82 Categories A-E for ongoing accessibility services to support EOE and its agencies, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA. This procurement is essential for providing equitable access to educational resources and information for all Massachusetts residents, particularly those with disabilities.

Work Details

The selected vendor(s) will be responsible for providing a range of accessibility services categorized as follows: 1. **Category A (Audit Services)**: Conduct audits of existing web content across EEC, CT, and DHE to assess compliance with ADA Title II requirements and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. 2. **Category B (Consulting Services)**: Offer consulting services related to digital accessibility best practices. 3. **Category C (Document Remediation/Testing)**: Perform accessibility testing and remediation on all web content posted prior to the RFQ date, including approximately 736 public web pages and 4,058 electronic files across EEC, CT, and DHE. This includes validating remediated content through re-testing. 4. **Category D (Training Services)**: Provide training for staff on accessibility requirements and techniques. 5. **Category E (Transcription/Description)**: Deliver transcription, captioning, video description, and related services for audio/video content on EEC, CT, and DHE websites.

Period of Performance

The initial project term will end on June 30, 2026. Services are anticipated for FY27 from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with potential extensions through June 30, 2031 at EOE's discretion.

Place of Performance

Services will be performed remotely; however, specific locations may include various state agencies within Massachusetts as needed.

Bidder Requirements

Bidders must have at least three years of experience in digital accessibility audit and remediation services aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA or higher. They should demonstrate expertise in accessibility remediation for public websites and complex electronic files. Bidders must also comply with all applicable Commonwealth security, privacy, and data-handling requirements.