Government website redesign RFP builder

Build a city, county, or agency website redesign RFP with accessibility, security, performance, and AI-readiness requirements from ScanGov Standards. Free.

Writing a website redesign RFP means turning accessibility, security, performance, and search and AI readiness into requirements a vendor can be held to. This builder does that for you. It writes the ScanGov Standards into section 3 of a complete RFP, links every requirement to the standard that defines it, and adds contract terms so compliance is verified by scans rather than promised. Free, no signup, and nothing you enter is stored.

ScanGov checks government websites against these same standards, so a vendor who meets the RFP will also pass the public scorecard your residents and your council can see.

See how your current site scores first

Before you write requirements for the new site, look up the old one. ScanGov has already scanned most US government websites and publishes a scorecard for each. The failing standards on your current site are the ones to put in the RFP.

What the RFP requires

Section 3 of the generated RFP covers the four categories ScanGov scores, with each requirement linked to its standard and guidance:

  • Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA and all 66 ScanGov accessibility standards, from color contrast to touch target size.
  • Botability: the site can be crawled and understood by search engines and AI assistants, with content in the HTML rather than only after JavaScript runs.
  • Security: HTTPS, HSTS, a content security policy, security.txt, and the other headers CISA and OWASP recommend.
  • Usability: Core Web Vitals thresholds, plain-language readability, page titles and descriptions, mobile viewport, and social sharing tags.

The rest of the document is a conventional RFP skeleton you can edit: background, functional requirements, CMS and integrations, design, deliverables, timeline, proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract terms.

Frequently asked questions

What does the RFP builder include?

A complete website redesign request for proposal: executive summary, background, compliance requirements, functional and technical requirements, design, deliverables, timeline, proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract terms. Section 3 writes the ScanGov Standards in as requirements across accessibility, botability, security, and usability, with a link to each standard so vendors know exactly what will be checked. Fill in your organization and contact details and the builder produces a document you can copy, print, or edit.

How do I verify that a vendor's website work is actually accessible before signing?

Ask for an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR, produced from the VPAT template) for the platform, then test rather than trust it. Run the vendor's existing government sites through an automated scan and a manual check with a screen reader and keyboard. Every government site ScanGov has scanned has a public scorecard on scangov.org, so you can look up a vendor's current clients before you shortlist them. GSA's Section 508 accessibility FAQ covers verification in more depth.

Should the RFP require a VPAT or ACR?

Yes, for any platform or product the vendor supplies. A VPAT is the template; the completed document is the ACR. Require a current ACR against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, ask how old it is and which version of the product it covers, and treat "partially supports" entries as items the vendor must remediate or explain. GSA's ACR and VPAT FAQ explains what each document is and is not.

What contract language makes vendor-developed content meet WCAG 2.1 AA?

Require that all content, templates, and features delivered under the contract conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA; that the vendor fixes failures found in acceptance testing before launch and failures found after launch within a set period; and that compliance is measured by an automated scan plus manual review, not by the vendor's own statement. The builder's contract terms section includes this. MRSC's guidance on the ADA web rule for local governments recommends the same approach.

What if no vendor can promise full compliance?

Pick the most accessible option and write the gaps into the contract as remediation obligations with dates. The Department of Justice's rule allows for minor failures that do not affect access, but not for known barriers left unfixed. GSA's Section 508 FAQ addresses choosing between products when none is fully accessible, and the ADA Title II web rule fact sheet describes the minor-failure provision.

When does the ADA Title II web accessibility deadline apply?

April 26, 2027 for state and local governments serving 50,000 or more people, and April 26, 2028 for those under 50,000 and for all special district governments, under the Department of Justice's ADA Title II web rule. A redesign contracted now should be scoped to launch compliant before your deadline. Confirm the dates for your entity on ada.gov.