Usability Services

The Maryland State Board of Elections is seeking a usability services vendor to review and enhance election-related documentation for the upcoming election cycle. The procurement focuses on improving materials such as the election judge manual, election forms (25-30 PDF and paper), website text, email notices, and candidate-facing materials. The contract term will run from May 12, 2025, to April 30, 2026, with proposals due by May 5, 2025, at 2:00 pm. Vendors must demonstrate at least 5 years of usability analysis experience specifically with election materials and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Maryland's voting process. The solicitation requires vendors to submit a detailed narrative explaining qualifications, experience, a comprehensive quote for required and optional deliverables, and contact information for three professional references. Evaluation criteria will prioritize the vendor's ability to enhance the usability and accessibility of election-related documentation, with a focus on creating clear, user-friendly materials that improve voter and election judge comprehension.

The procurement encourages participation from Small Business Reserve (SBR) program participants and Maryland-certified Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), who are requested to include their respective registration numbers in their proposals. Vendors must submit their comprehensive proposals via email to Whitney.LeRoux@maryland.gov. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated in the documentation, the scope suggests a comprehensive project involving multiple document types and potential optional deliverables such as plain language ballot question reviews and manual assessments. The solicitation indicates a preference for vendors with specialized experience in election documentation usability, suggesting this is a targeted procurement seeking highly qualified specialists in election communication and design. Proposals will be evaluated not just on technical capabilities, but also on the vendor's demonstrated ability to make complex election materials more accessible and comprehensible to diverse audiences.