Request for Proposal AFI-2025-118 ADA Digital Accessibility – WCAG 2.1 AA / 2.2 AA Compliance Services – Consulting and Design Proposal Due Date: January 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. CT Key Contact:

– Samantha Perez All questions and communications regarding this RFP must be submitted via the Bonfire portal as described in the “Questions and Communications” section. Direct email or phone contact will not be accepted as an official communication channel.

Calendar of Process Please note that all dates are subject to change

Or dial:

TO OFFERORS

1. Key Definitions:

Contract: The legal agreement executed between AFI and the awarded Offeror.

Offeror(s): Any firm or organization submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

Days: Calendar days Awarded Offeror: Any provider or seller of goods or services who, as a result of the competitive solicitation process, is awarded a Contract by AFI.

PPAs: Participating Public Agency - entities such as cities, towns, counties, school districts, public departments, and similar agencies eligible to use the Master Agreement

Questions:

Questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via this RFP project in https://indigo.bonfirehub.com no later than January 7, 2026, 5:00 p.m. CT. All questions and answers will be posted publicly. Offerors are responsible for reviewing the website for all questions and answers before submitting proposals. Oral communication concerning this RFP shall not be binding and shall not excuse an Offeror from the obligations set forth in this proposal.

2. Communications with AFI From the issuance of this RFP until the selection of an awarded Offeror, Offerors shall restrict all contact with AFI regarding this RFP to communications submitted via the Bonfire portal to the Key Contact identified in the Calendar of Process. Direct email or phone contact with AFI personnel regarding this RFP is prohibited.

3. Offerors must not contact members of the Board of Directors, employees of AFI, or its agents or administrators. Contact with these individuals during the selection period may result in disqualification.

The communication prohibition terminates when the Contract is recommended, considered at a public meeting, and awarded. If reconsidered by the Board of Directors, the prohibition continues. During the period between Contract award and execution, prohibited communications include direct contact, discussions, or promotion of any Offeror’s response with Board members or employees except as outlined in the RFP. This ensures a level playing field and protects the integrity of the process.

Prohibited communications include:

· Contact between an Offeror, lobbyist, or consultant and any Board member

· Contact between a Board member and any selection/evaluation committee member

· Contact between a Board member and any administrator or employee Exceptions include:

· Communications with designated purchasing staff or legal counsel

· Current Offeror in normal course of business

· Presentations at duly noticed public meetings Public comments are allowed at noticed Board meetings in accordance with Board policies, provided they do not pertain to this RFP unless requested by AFI’s representatives.

4. Current Services Proposals must be for currently supported professional services and consulting methodologies that are actively delivered and maintained for public sector clients at the time of submission. Any software tools or platforms used in the delivery of services under this RFP must either be internal to the Offeror or separately and independently licensable by agencies under other solicitations (e.g., RFP-AFI-2025117) and not as part of this consulting contract.

5. Proposal Format Sealed responses are required to be submitted electronically via https://indigo.bonfirehub.com. Physical paper, faxed, or emailed responses will not be accepted. The following format should be used when uploading the proposal response.

· Tab 1: Draft Contract and Offer and Contract Signature Form (Appendix A)

· Terms and Conditions Acceptance Form (Appendix B)

· Tab 2: Services & Pricing

· Tab 3: Performance Capability

· Tab 4: Qualifications and Experience; References

· Tab 5: Value-Added Services

· Tab 6: Federal Disclosures – Must be signed with submission (Appendix C)

· Tab 7: Example Supplier Agreement to a National Program (Appendix D)

· Tab 8: Confidential Information per the Texas Public Information Act (Standard Terms and Conditions Public Information)

· Tab 9: NJ Disclosures – Must be signed with submission (Appendix G)

6. Additional Agreements If an Offeror requires additional agreements, copies must be included with the proposal.

7. Disclosures By signing the Offer and Contract Signature Form, Offeror affirms:

a) No economic opportunity, gift, loan, gratuity, or favor has been or will be given to a public servant regarding this proposal.

b) The proposal was developed independently, without collusion, favoritism, or unfair advantage.

c) Offeror is not delinquent in franchise tax payments.

d) The signer is authorized to bind the Offeror to the Contract.

8. Waiver By submitting a proposal, Offeror waives claims against AFI, its directors, officers, trustees, or agents arising from:

1. Evaluation, recommendation, or administration of any proposal

2. Solicitation, proposal requirements, or related documents

3. Rejection of any proposal or part thereof

4. Award of a Contract AFI is not liable for any costs incurred in responding to the RFP, oral presentations, preparing and submitting proposals, or contract negotiations. Offerors bear all such costs without reimbursement.

9. Conditions of Submitting Proposal Submission confers no award or Contract rights. AFI reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, accept partial proposals, or select the most advantageous option. This RFP does not obligate AFI to award, negotiate, or execute a Contract. Amendments, extensions, or withdrawals may occur at AFI’s convenience.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Alliance for Innovation (AFI) is committed to supporting local governments and nonprofit organizations across the United States by facilitating access to innovative, cost-effective professional services that enhance public sector performance and ensure equitable access to digital services. As the Lead Contracting Agency, AFI, working in concert with the Michigan Municipal Services Authority (MMSA) as the Lead Participating Entity, invites proposals from qualified Offerors to provide consulting-only digital accessibility services, with an emphasis on assessment, recommendations, program design, and implementation support.

This solicitation is focused on end-to-end professional consulting services for accessibility of public-facing and internal digital properties, including—but not limited to—websites, web applications, mobile applications, online portals, digital documents and forms, video and multimedia content, and associated third-party integrations. Offerors are encouraged to propose their full portfolio of services (not software), including accessibility audits and testing, remediation planning and advisory services, design and UX consulting, training and education, policy and governance development, assistive technology compatibility testing, and programmatic support to help agencies plan and maintain ongoing conformance and inclusive user experiences.

AFI seeks to establish a streamlined, cooperative procurement vehicle that enables PPAs to efficiently access modern, standards-based, and independently validated accessibility consulting services, while promoting cost savings through aggregated demand. This national contract will simplify access to best-in-class advisory services for agencies of all sizes, with flexible options to support diverse technical environments, legacy systems, and evolving regulatory requirements.

AFI strongly encourages participation from Offerors of all sizes, including those that specialize in particular platforms, content management systems, disability domains, or consulting focus areas (e.g., PDF/document accessibility, video captioning and audio description consulting, mobile app accessibility, or policy and governance frameworks). Offerors may respond to the full spectrum of web accessibility and ADA compliance services or submit proposals for specialized components (e.g., automated and manual audits, remediation planning and prioritization, training and capacity building, program design and governance consulting).

Workstreams and Service Categories For purposes of this RFP, AFI has organized the requested consulting and professional services into the following Workstreams (each, a “Workstream,” and collectively, the “Workstreams”). Offerors may propose on any one or more Workstreams and may be awarded a Contract for some or all of the Workstreams for which they demonstrate sufficient capability, capacity, and value. AFI anticipates making multiple awards to ensure broad coverage across these Workstreams.

Workstream 1 – Accessibility Assessments & Audits This Workstream covers comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic services for digital properties, including but not limited to websites, web applications, mobile applications, online portals, digital documents and forms, and multimedia content.

Representative activities may include:

· Baseline and recurring accessibility assessments (including use of automated tools, manual expert review, and assistive technology–based testing)

· Gap analyses against WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2 AA, ADA, Section 508, and other applicable standards.

· Risk categorization (e.g., critical, high, medium, low) with prioritized recommendations

· Verification and regression testing services to confirm that remediated items meet requirements

· Stakeholder briefings to review findings and proposed next steps Deliverables may include written assessment reports, issue logs, prioritized remediation recommendations, executive summaries, and presentation materials suitable for technical, business, and policy stakeholders.

Workstream 2 – Program Roadmaps, Strategy & Ongoing Advisory This Workstream covers strategic consulting and ongoing advisory services to support agencies in planning, sequencing, and managing accessibility initiatives over time.

Representative activities may include:

· Development of multi-phase accessibility roadmaps and action plans

· Prioritization of properties, content types, and user journeys based on risk and impact

· Advisory support for budget planning, staffing, vendor management, and phasing

· Periodic progress reviews (e.g., quarterly or semi-annual) and roadmap adjustments

· Coaching for internal accessibility champions and steering committees Deliverables may include written roadmaps, phased implementation plans, prioritization matrices, status dashboards (in report form), and advisory memos.

Workstream 3 – Remediation Planning, Design & Implementation Support This Workstream focuses on remediation planning, design guidance, and implementation support for agencies and their development, UX, content, and vendor teams. The intent is to provide expert direction—Offerors may provide hands-on design of patterns and examples, but are not required to provide or license software products or platforms.

Representative activities may include:

· Developing remediation plans and backlogs based on assessment findings

· Providing design and UX recommendations for accessible page templates, components, and patterns

· Reviewing and advising on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, templates, and design systems for accessibility

· Participating in working sessions with agency IT, product, and vendor teams to guide remediation efforts

· Providing sample code snippets, design specs, and pattern libraries for agencies to implement.

Deliverables may include remediation plans, design specifications, annotated wireframes or mockups, sample code and pattern documentation, and “before/after” validation summaries.

Workstream 4 – Training, Education & Capacity Building This Workstream addresses the training and enablement needs of AFI and PPAs to build internal capacity to sustain accessibility over time.

Representative activities may include:

· Role-based training for developers, designers, content authors, product owners, procurement staff, legal/compliance, and leadership

· Live and virtual training sessions, workshops, and office hours

· Structured learning paths and, where applicable, certificate or badge programs

· Development of reusable training content and self-service resources Deliverables may include training curricula, slide decks, recordings, reference guides, job aids, exercises, and training completion/participation reports.

Workstream 5 – Policy, Governance & Program Management This Workstream supports the establishment and ongoing operation of sustainable accessibility governance, policies, and program management practices.

Representative activities may include:

· Drafting or refining accessibility policies, standards, guidelines, and checklists

· Designing governance frameworks (roles and responsibilities, decision rights, escalation paths)

· Performing accessibility maturity assessments and gap analyses at program level

· Facilitating cross-functional steering committees and governance bodies

· Advising on procurement language and contract requirements related to accessibility Deliverables may include written policies and standards, maturity assessments, governance charters, program playbooks, and meeting facilitation materials.

Workstream 6 – Document & PDF Accessibility Services This Workstream focuses on accessibility of electronic documents, including PDFs and other common file formats used for public-facing and internal content. Services may include a mix of direct remediation services and consulting on processes and templates.

Representative activities may include:

· Accessibility remediation of existing documents and templates

· Design and documentation of accessible document templates and style guide

· Development of document remediation workflows and QA processes for internal staff

· Training for staff who create and maintain accessible documents Deliverables may include remediated sample documents, template packages, style guides, remediation logs, and process documentation.

Workstream 7 – Video, Audio & Multimedia Accessibility Consulting This Workstream addresses accessibility of video, audio, and other multimedia content through services and advisory support.

Representative activities may include:

· Consulting on captioning, transcripts, audio descriptions, and sign language interpretation needs and standards

· Reviewing existing media and recommending remediation priorities and approaches

· Advising on accessible media production workflows and standards

· Assisting agencies in selecting and managing third-party captioning or media vendors Deliverables may include media accessibility audits and inventories, workflow documentation, style guides for captions and descriptions, vendor evaluation criteria, and sample specifications for media accessibility services.

ABOUT MMSA (Lead Participating Entity) The Michigan Municipal Services Authority (“MMSA” or the “Authority”) is a Michigan public body corporate created by an interlocal agreement (the “Interlocal Agreement”) between the City of Grand Rapids and the City of Livonia under the Urban Cooperation Act of 1967, 1967 (Ex Sess) PA 7, as amended, MCL 124.501 to 124.512 (the “Cooperation Act”). The Interlocal Agreement empowers the Authority to exercise the common powers, privileges, and authorities of each Public Agency that is party to the Interlocal Agreement to engage in cooperative activities with other Public Agencies consistent with the Interlocal Agreement.

The Authority may do all of the following:

1. perform, or perform within another person or entity, any power, privilege, or authority relating to intergovernmental cooperation that the parties to the Interlocal Agreement share in common and that each may exercise separately to the fullest extent permitted by the Cooperation Act;

2. exercise other powers of a public body corporate created under the Cooperation Act permitted by section 5 of the Act, including determining the manner in which purchases will be made and contracts entered into by the Authority;

3. exercise other powers of a public body corporate created under the Cooperation Act permitted by section 7 of the Act, including making and entering into contracts;

4. enter into contracts with other Public Agencies; and

5. enter into contracts with other persons or entities.

This Request for Proposals is issued by the Alliance for Innovation (“AFI”), in collaboration with the Michigan Municipal Services Authority (“MMSA”), which will serve as the Lead Participating Entity for this solicitation, and with Edge Public, to establish a cooperative procurement vehicle for eligible entities. As used herein, “Public Agency” means that term as defined in section 2(e) of the Cooperation Act, MCL 124.502(e).

ABOUT AFI: AFI is a nonprofit association of governments dedicated to fostering innovation and excellence in local government. AFI is acting as a procurement cooperative to assist large and small communities in their purchasing efforts to enhance efficiencies and reduce costs. In addition, it is AFI’s goal to ensure that, wherever possible, local companies have the opportunity to participate in the solicitation process. AFI assists local governments in implementing innovative solutions to enhance efficiency, service delivery, and community impact. The organization emphasizes strategic thinking, emerging technologies, and best practices to equip PPAs with the knowledge and support to address evolving challenges.

AFI offers various programs, including innovation academies, workshops, and a comprehensive knowledge network that allows local governments to share success stories and lessons learned. It hosts annual conferences and webinars that unite municipal leaders, industry experts, and academic researchers to explore trends in governance, sustainability, civic engagement, and operational improvements. By promoting a culture of innovation, AFI empowers local governments to be more adaptive, resilient, and responsive to the needs of their communities, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for citizens nationwide.

ABOUT CIVIC MARKETPLACE: Civic Marketplace is a next-generation digital procurement platform built in collaboration with local governments to simplify and modernize public purchasing. It offers a centralized, AI-powered hub where agencies can discover, compare, and procure from pre-vetted cooperative contracts—dramatically reducing time-to-implementation while ensuring full compliance with state and local bid laws. More than just a transactional tool, Civic Marketplace is designed to drive innovation, increase transparency, and support faster, smarter procurement across the public sector.

For Offerors, Civic Marketplace provides a streamlined path to market and direct access to a growing network of PPAs. Offerors benefit from increased visibility, reduced administrative burden, and the ability to participate in compliant cooperative purchasing programs—without responding to duplicative solicitations. The platform is committed to lowering barriers for small and emerging businesses while enabling meaningful engagement with government buyers focused on delivering results for their communities.

ABOUT EDGE PUBLIC Edge Public is a group purchasing organization dedicated to enhancing value and resources for state and local governments, higher education institutions, K-12 educational organizations, and non-profit entities. Edge Public delivers shared services and supply chain optimization solutions. This support aids procurement operations across public and private sectors. Through corporate pricing structures and Offeror sales commitments, Edge Public extends marketing, sales and administrative support to promote Offeror services and related deliverables to non-profit entities on a national scale. This targeted engagement allows PPAs to access competitive pricing driven by collective spending power and the convenience of pre-competed, publicly advertised contracts Offerors benefit from this arrangement by entering into a contract that permits entities to procure goods and services directly without the need for additional competitive solicitations. Participating Offerors must comply with all obligations as specified in Edge Public's contractual documents.

Edge Public is a wholly owned subsidiary of Buyers Edge Platform (BEP) portfolio of companies. BEP is the largest and most experienced procurement and data organization in the private sector globally. Leveraging BEP's expansive economies of scale, Edge Public provides participants with access to competitively solicited and publicly awarded cooperative agreements. This program is grounded in the lead agency contracting model, ensuring a transparent, efficient, and publicly vetted procurement process that meets most all regulatory requirements nationally.

NATIONAL CONTRACT: AFI, serving as the Lead Contracting Agency has partnered with Edge Public to offer the resulting contract, hereinafter referred to as the "Master Agreement," to Municipal agencies and nonprofits nationwide (Piggybacking) through Edge Public's group purchasing organization’s program.

AFI projects the value of the contract to be in excess of $10 million. While no minimum purchase volume is guaranteed, the estimated annual procurement volume for offerings and related services through Edge Public’s Public Sector program is expected to exceed that volume. This estimate is based on the current annual purchasing patterns of AFI locations, combined with a targeted marketing strategy focused on local government entities and other participating entities operating across 45 states nationwide.

CONTRACT OBJECTIVES:

AFI’s objective is to establish a comprehensive contract that supports the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and applicable Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We encourage and welcome participation from local Offerors, distributors, and small businesses who can provide quality services and deliverables to meet the diverse needs of Participating Agencies.

Our primary mission is to ease the procurement burden on local governments by offering a streamlined, competitively awarded contract. By leveraging this cooperative agreement, agencies can access a broad range of quality services and deliverables without the need for repetitive solicitations, saving valuable time and resources.

Participants are encouraged to offer both national reach and local support to ensure agencies receive timely quality services and deliverables availability, and the opportunity to strengthen their local economies through government spending.

We recognize the vital role that local Offerors play in the community and seek to create opportunities that foster growth, build partnerships, and deliver value to public sector organizations of all sizes.

EXCLUSIVITY: AFI anticipates considerable activity resulting from this RFP award, however no commitment of any kind is made concerning actual quantities to be acquired. AFI does not guarantee usage as usage depends on the actual needs of the end users and other participating agencies. Success is based on the marketing efforts of all parties.

Any contract resulting from this solicitation shall be awarded with the understanding and agreement that it is for the sole convenience of the purchaser. The agencies reserve the right to obtain similar goods and services from another source.

CONTRACT TERM: Awarded contract(s) will be for five (5) years with the option to renew for 2 additional years. Initial contract term will commence upon execution of the contract.

CONTRACT RENEWAL: With mutual agreement of the successful Offeror, AFI reserves the right to renew the prices and terms of the contract resulting from this procurement without additional competitive bidding for successive two-year renewals. Such changes would allow for the continuation of services and/or the extension of services and related deliverables to other locations or programs. Such renewals may be made so that AFI and the successful Offeror(s) agree to the renewal.

ANTICIPATED AWARD: To cover the different service categories and Workstreams that are used by municipalities, it is anticipated that AFI may have to make multiple awards to different Offerors to achieve the service mix that is needed.

MARKETING, SALES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT:

During the term of the Master Agreement, Edge Public will provide marketing, sales, partnership development, and administrative support to promote the Offeror’s services and related deliverables to Participating Lead Contracting Agency and participating agencies. These efforts will be conducted through various national marketing channels.

DEDICATED SUPPORT:

Edge Public will assign a marketing professional as the Offeror’s main point of contact, responsible for managing the relationship and developing a strategy to promote the Master Agreement. This director will facilitate connections with key Edge Public teams, including Sales, Marketing, Contracting, Training, and Operations & Support.

MARKETING INITIATIVES:

Edge Public’s marketing team will collaborate with the Offeror to promote the Master Agreement through (not all inclusive):

· Marketing materials (print, electronic, email, presentations)

· Website promotions

· Trade shows, conferences, and meetings

· Advertising campaigns

· Social media outreach

SALES SUPPORT:

The Edge Public sales team will work with the Offeror to drive engagement with existing and prospective PPAs through:

· Individual and joint sales calls

· Customer service and communication initiatives

· Training sessions for PPAs and Offeror teams

CONTRACTING AND COMPLIANCE SUPPORT:

The contracting team will assist the Offeror by:

· Providing expertise in joint powers authority and cooperative purchasing regulations

· Conducting training sessions for PPAs and Offeror teams

· Performing regular business reviews to track program success

· Managing general contract administration

ADMINISTRATIVE FEE:

The "Administrative Fee" is a payment owed by the Offeror to Edge Public, calculated as five percent (5%) of the total purchase amount paid to the Offeror, excluding taxes, refunds and returns. This fee applies to all sales of products and/or services made to the Lead Contracting Agency and Participating Public/Non-Profit Agencies under the Master Agreement (including any amendments or renewals). The parties may agree in writing to a lower Administrative Fee for a specific Participating Lead Public Agency’s Contract Sales.

At their discretion, Offerors may opt to pay additional fees (e.g., technology fees) to Edge Public or a third party for enhanced support or access to Edge Public’s technology platform

CONTRACT SALES REPORTING:

The Offeror must submit an electronic accounting report each month, summarizing all Contract Sales. Reports must be formatted as prescribed by Edge Public and follow the Contract Sales Report template provided in Exhibit H, which is incorporated into this agreement.

· Reports for each calendar month are due by the 10th day of the following month

· Failure to submit a report on time and in the required format is considered a material breach of this agreement

· If the breach is not remedied within 30 days of written notice, AFI reserves the right to terminate this agreement at their sole discretion

ADMINISTRATIVE FEE PAYMENT:

Offerors must make Administrative Fee payments:

· In accordance with Offeror Agreement

· Via Automated Clearing House (ACH) to Edge Public’s designated financial institution (as specified in Exhibit D) Failure to pay the Administrative Fee on time is considered a material breach of this agreement. Late payments will incur interest at the lesser of 1.5% per month or the maximum legal rate until fully paid.

AUDIT AND COMPLIANCE

The Offeror must maintain accurate records of all purchases made by PPAs under the Master Agreement. Edge Public reserves the right to:

· Verify records by comparing Participating Public/Non-Profit Agency sales data with the Offeror’s Contract Sales Reports for up to four (4) years after the contract award expiration date

· Conduct independent audits using a third-party auditor

If an audit reveals underreported Contract Sales and a corresponding underpayment of Administrative Fees, Edge Public will provide written notice to the Offeror. The Offeror must:

· Resolve discrepancies within 30 days of notification

· Pay any outstanding Administrative Fees, including any applicable interest and penalties

· Reimburse Edge Public for audit-related costs and expenses

RFP PROCESS:

QUESTIONS: Questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted IN WRITING via https://indigo.bonfirehub.com no later than the date and time specified in the RFP. Only, answers issued in writing by the AFI will be considered official and valid. AFI will answer all questions judged to be germane to the procurement and will provide answers to all potential respondents. AFI reserves the right not to answer any questions considered inappropriate or submitted after the deadline. Response to questions will be publicly posted in the RFP Files section on https://indigo.bonfirehub.com .

ADDENDA: All addenda issued by the AFI shall become a part of the specifications and will be made part of the contract. Addenda will be posted in the RFP Files section on https://indigo.bonfirehub.com . No addenda will be issued later than five (5) days prior to the date and time for receipt of RFPs, except an addendum withdrawing the request for RFPs or one that includes postponement of the date of receipt of RFPs. Each Offeror shall ascertain prior to submitting an RFP that it has received all addenda issued, and the Offeror shall acknowledge their receipt in its RFP.

OFFEROR COMMITMENT: A proposal submitted in response to the RFP shall constitute a legal commitment to the AFI. Your proposal must remain firm for the purpose stated herein, and all pricing and commitments must be honored if selected for award. If your proposal is selected by the AFI, you will be sent a letter of award. All Offerors that submit a proposal will be notified of the award decision via https://indigo.bonfirehub.com.

The person signing the proposal must be authorized to bind the proposing organization. All requirements stated herein, and your proposal shall be incorporated by reference into the contract resulting from this RFP.

REVIEW AND AWARD PROCESS: In order to allow AFI the opportunity to evaluate each proposal thoroughly, AFI requires that any response to this solicitation be valid and irrevocable for sixty (60) days after the official opening date and time.

AFI may choose to use any available resource to review and evaluate proposals, including but not limited to reference checks, review of industry data, Offeror presentations or any other appropriate method to review and evaluate the proposals and Offerors.

AFI reserves the right to ask for presentations from any Offeror regarding its proposal. Presentations will be made at the AFI office at the full expense of the Offeror. AFI is not liable for any expense relating to the preparation of proposals or Offeror’s presentation. Presentations shall be made within five (5) business days of request.

AFI reserves the right to discuss, clarify or update any proposal with any Offeror that is determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for an award. AFI reserves all rights to reject any proposal, to allow Offerors to repair errors in its proposal, or to request additional information or prices from one of more Offerors in its review.

AFI reserves the right to shortlist proposals under consideration at any time during the evaluation process. AFI reserves the right to award this contract without discussion with any responding Offeror.

AFI reserves the right to accept any or all proposals in whole or in part, and to waive any irregularities in any proposal, or to allow Offerors to update or repair any errors or update prices in any proposal.

AFI reserves the right to reject the proposal of any respondent who has previously failed to perform similar contracts satisfactorily.

All evaluation determinations will be made solely by the AFI evaluation team and will be final and conclusive.

AFI reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason, and to select the BEST Offeror meeting program requirements.

USE OF SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS: All proposals and the basis for the selection of a successful respondent will be made available as part of the public record upon award (approval by the Governing Board). Note, you must agree that your proposal becomes property of the AFI and will be made part of the permanent, public record. Requests for confidentiality that do not comply with Texas Public Information Act (TPIA), TEX. GOV’T CODE ANN. § 552 will not be considered.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The AFI evaluation committee will consist of vetted current and former city officials with extensive experience in public procurement. The committee will review and evaluate all proposals and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for award of contracts. Proposals will be evaluated by the following selection criteria:

Please note that the workbook should be completed by Offerors as part of their proposal. Information from the “Price Worksheet” tab will be used to compare prices and discounts from Offerors, but Offerors will be expected to offer their full line of services to participating entities if awarded a contract from this RFP.

Objectives The primary objectives of this engagement are to:

· Achieve and maintain conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA and WCAG 2.2 AA for covered web and mobile properties through professional consulting services that support agencies’ implementation efforts.

· Support agencies in meeting DOJ compliance deadlines, including:

· April 24, 2026, for public entities serving 50,000 or more people.

· April 26, 2027, for public entities serving fewer than 50,000 people

· Identify, prioritize, and plan remediation of accessibility barriers, including but not limited to:

· Missing or incorrect text alternatives (alt text)

· Insufficient color contrast or color-only communication

· Inaccessible online forms and documents

· Lack of effective keyboard-only navigation and focus management

· Inaccessible multimedia (missing captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions)

· Align AFI and PPAs with applicable ADA, Section 508, WCAG 2.1 AA/2.2 AA, and other relevant accessibility standards, while positioning agencies to adapt to future standards such as WCAG 3.0.

· Establish sustainable governance, policy, and training, enabling AFI and PPAs to maintain accessibility over time with internal capacity

· Provide repeatable, scalable service offerings and pricing that can be adopted by PPAs of varying size and complexity through the Cooperative

Standards and Regulatory Compliance Offerors shall provide consulting support to help AFI and PPAs interpret and apply applicable exceptions (e.g., archived web content, pre-existing conventional electronic documents, third-party content) and to document any ‘undue burden’ or ‘fundamental alteration’ determinations in alignment with DOJ guidance.

The awarded Offeror(s) shall provide consulting services, assessments, recommendations, and design support that enable AFI and PPAs to achieve and maintain conformance with current and emerging digital accessibility standards and requirements, including but not limited to:

· Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA and 2.2 Level AA;

· Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended;

· The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including Title II and Title III, as applicable;

· EN 301 549 (Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services); and

· Applicable state and local digital accessibility statutes, regulations, settlement agreements, and consent decrees The Offeror’s methodology must be designed in a future-ready manner to support emerging standards (including WCAG 3.0 when adopted) without requiring agencies to re-start or discard prior work. Offerors shall clearly describe how their consulting practice:

· Tracks evolving standards, case law, and regulatory guidance;

· Updates assessment methods, test cases, and recommended remediation patterns; and

· Communicates and operationalizes these updates for AFI and PPAs (e.g., updated checklists, playbooks, training)

Offerors shall not propose overlay-only or widget-only approaches as a primary compliance strategy. All consulting methodologies must be based on accessible design, code, and content remediation aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2 AA. At a minimum, services must support conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with strong preference for Offerors that can also support WCAG 2.2 Level AA and advise on forward compatibility with emerging standards (e.g., WCAG 3.0)

Service Delivery & Use of Tools AFI recognizes that Offerors may employ various commercial or open-source tools internally to perform assessments, testing, and reporting. However, this RFP is for consulting and professional services only and does not include the licensing, resale, or provision of software platforms or SaaS products as standalone offerings (Note: to submit software pricing please reference RFP-AFI-2025117).

Offerors shall:

· Describe the typical set of tools and methods used to perform audits, testing, and analysis (e.g., automated scanners, assistive technologies, browser extensions, linters, manual protocols)

· Explain how tool outputs are translated into clear, actionable findings and recommendations for agencies

· Confirm that any tools used are either:

· Internal to the Offeror’s service delivery (e.g., used to generate reports and analyses as part of the service); or

· Tools that the agency may independently procure outside this contract, at its sole discretion

· Clearly distinguish between services provided under this contract and any optional software tools the Offeror may sell under separate arrangements (which are expressly outside the scope of this RFP, see RFP- AFI-2025117).

Offerors shall also describe their approach to:

· Protecting agency data and confidential information during assessments and engagements

· Managing access to agency environments (e.g., test credentials, VPNs, staging sites)

· Ensuring secure handling and transfer of test results, reports, and related materials

Proof of Concept and Service Demonstrations AFI and/or agencies may require shortlisted Offerors to participate in a structured Proof of Concept (“PoC”) and service demonstration. The PoC may include, but is not limited to:

· Performing an initial accessibility assessment of one or more sample websites, applications, or documents provided by AFI or PPAs;

· Demonstrating the Offeror’s assessment and reporting methodology, including sample findings, prioritization, and remediation recommendations (not overlay-only approaches);

· Demonstrating how the Offeror provides source-code-level remediation guidance (patterns, code examples, design recommendations) and validates fixes using accepted testing methods;

· Showing how the Offeror’s team works with an agency’s existing development workflows (e.g., version control, CI/CD, issue tracking) and any tools the agency uses;

· Demonstrating reporting and governance deliverables (e.g., sample dashboards, status reports, governance materials) and how stakeholders would consume and act on those deliverables Participation in a PoC may be used as a factor in the overall evaluation and selection process.

EVALUATION SECTION 1: SOLUTION OFFERING & PRICING STRUCTURE

(Binder Tab 2) Please complete your response to the following questions. Responses in this section will be used primarily to evaluate: Technical Solution & DOJ/WCAG Alignment, True Remediation Approach, Deployment Flexibility, and Price & Overall Value.

1.1 Service Offering & Coverage

Clearly describe the professional services you are proposing under this RFP, including which of the following are included:

· Accessibility assessments and audits (web, mobile, documents, multimedia)

· Remediation planning, design guidance, and implementation support (consulting only).

· Ongoing advisory services and program road mapping

· Training, policy development, and program governance support

· Document, PDF, and media accessibility consulting and/or remediation services Indicate the Workstreams (as defined in this RFP) your firm is able to support (e.g., assessments, advisory, remediation planning, training, governance, document/media consulting, etc.).

Confirm your ability to support agencies nationally, and describe any limitations on geography or scope (e.g., U.S. only, limited support for territories, etc.).

1.2 Pricing Structure

Describe in detail your pricing structure for this cooperative contract, including:

· How you price professional services (e.g., hourly rates by role, fixed-fee work packages, engagement-based pricing, training packages, advisory retainers)

· Any volume-based, multi-year, or portfolio-based pricing models (e.g., statewide or multi-agency engagements, enterprise service bundles)

· Any tiered pricing options for different sizes and complexities of agencies (e.g., small, medium, large) Describe any discounts you are offering through this AFI/Edge Public cooperative contract, including:

· Discounts by service type (e.g., assessments, training, advisory retainers)

· Discounts based on volume, term length, or aggregated cooperative usage Identify any services that are not eligible for discounts, if applicable, and explain why Explain whether your proposed pricing under this contract is equal to or better than pricing you offer to individual public entities or other cooperatives with comparable or lower volume, and describe how you will ensure most-favored customer pricing is maintained.

1.3 Changes, Additions & Warranties

Describe how new or expanded service offerings introduced during the term will be priced and incorporated into the contract to ensure continued competitive, cooperative-level pricing.

Describe any service warranties or guarantees you provide, including:

· Quality and completeness of deliverables (e.g., reports, policies, training)

· Rework policies if material errors are identified in your assessments or recommendations.

· Satisfaction or opt-out guarantees, if applicable Describe any additional pricing options you wish to offer (e.g., pilot engagements for small entities, phased start-up packages, bundled assessments and training).

1.4 Cooperative & Administrative Fee

Confirm your understanding and agreement of the administrative fee structure outlined in this RFP.

Explain how the administrative fee is accounted for in your pricing and how you will ensure that net pricing to agencies remains competitive.

1.5 Additional Information

Provide any additional information relevant to your service offering and pricing structure that will help AFI and Edge Public evaluate the overall value of your proposal to agencies of varying sizes and complexity.

EVALUATION SECTION 2: PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES & SERVICE DELIVERY

(Binder Tab 3) Please complete your response to the following questions. Responses in this section will be used primarily to evaluate: Technical Solution, Remediation Workflow, Implementation & Support, Deployment & Security, and Reporting & Governance.

2.1 Overall Customer Experience & Program Delivery

· Describe in detail the customer experience from start to finish for a typical agency utilizing this contract, including:

· Initial discovery and onboarding

· Assessment and roadmap phases

· Remediation and monitoring

· Ongoing governance and improvement

· Outline how an existing AFI or Edge Public member would be transitioned into your program under this cooperative contract. Describe the expected user experience during transition, including any data migration, onboarding, or platform configuration activities

2.2 Orders, Engagements & Online Functions

· Describe the ways in which PPAs can initiate and manage work with your company, including but not limited to:

· Requesting assessments, remediation assistance, training, or advisory services

· Configuring and accessing your platform/portal

· If your company provides a web-based portal as part of your consulting service delivery (at no separate license cost under this contract), describe its key features and ease of use, including:

· Accessibility issue search, filtering, and drill-down capabilities

· Visibility into compliance scores, trends, and risk indicators

· Workflows for assigning, tracking, and verifying remediation tasks

· Access to order history, engagement history, and completed assessments

· Access to invoices, contracts, and reports online

· Describe your ability to integrate with or provide “punch-out” or single sign-on experiences from purchasing systems, portals, or intranets. Include your typical implementation timeline for these integrations

· Describe any minimum engagement thresholds (e.g., minimum professional services hours, minimum commitment level) and how you accommodate small entities with limited budgets

2.3 Monitoring, Changes & Issue Handling

· Describe your ability to monitor ongoing work, including:

· Tracking open assessments, remediation items, and training activities

· Providing status updates and dashboards for both technical and non-technical stakeholders

· Describe how you manage change requests, expansion to new sites/apps, or scope adjustments over the term of the contract

2.4 Payment & Invoicing

· Describe your standard invoicing and payment terms, including any quick-pay or early-payment discounts

· Identify the forms of payment you accept, including but not limited to:

· Purchase orders

· Procurement cards

· Credit/debit cards and ACH

· Identify any additional fees associated with specific payment methods (e.g., credit card convenience fees)

2.5 Service Delivery, Timelines & SLAs

SLAs apply only to ancillary portals used to support consulting delivery, not separately licensed products.

· Describe how you propose to deliver services nationally, including how you support agencies across time zones and with varying technical maturity

· Describe your ability to scale for large portfolios (e.g., state-wide or multi-agency implementations) while also supporting smaller entities

· Describe your standard and proposed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for:

· Response times for critical and non-critical issues

· Resolution/mitigation targets for critical accessibility problems

· If you provide an ancillary web portal as part of service delivery, uptime/availability, maintenance windows, and incident communications for that portal

2.6 Problem Escalation, Warranty & Support

· Describe your problem escalation process, including escalation paths, communication expectations, and how you coordinate with agency staff to resolve issues

· Describe your warranty and rework policies for services and deliverables (e.g., if remediation guidance is later found inadequate, how it is corrected and at what cost)

· Describe how you provide support resources such as knowledge bases, help centers, and technical documentation for any portals, tools, or processes used to support your service delivery.

2.7 Cooperative Administration & Reporting

· Describe how your company will work with AFI and Edge Public to market and promote the awarded contract to eligible entities nationally. How will your team differentiate this contract from other cooperative or state contracts you may hold?

· Describe how customers can verify they are receiving the correct contract pricing and terms (e.g., contract IDs, portal indicators, contract-specific quotes)

· Describe your ability to provide quarterly sales and usage reports showing total gross dollar volume generated from this contract, including breakdowns by:

· Participating agency

· State/region

· Major service categories

EVALUATION SECTION 3: OFFEROR QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

(Binder Tab 4) Please complete your response to the following. Responses in this section will be used primarily to evaluate Offeror Qualifications, Government Experience, and Relevant Expertise.

3.1 Company Information

· Provide the name, address, phone number, and email address for the authorized agent submitting the proposal.

· Provide a brief company profile, including:

· Legal name and corporate structure

· Year established and corporate headquarters location

· Primary office locations relevant to servicing this contract

· Describe the scope of clients you currently service, with emphasis on:

· Public sector entities (state, local, education, special districts)

· Healthcare or other highly regulated sectors, if applicable

3.2 Accessibility & Government Experience

· Describe your company’s experience and expertise in digital accessibility, including:

· Number of years providing accessibility services and/or platforms

· Experience with WCAG 2.x, Section 508, ADA Title II/III, and other…