Effective April 24: Accessibility Compliance Required for Vendor Documents

Location:	Arizona
Posted:	Apr 14, 2026
Due:
Agency:	City of Casa Grande
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	D - Automatic Data Processing and Telecommunication Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Bid Title:	Effective April 24: Accessibility Compliance Required for Vendor Documents
Category:	BID/RFP/RFQ/SOQ
Status:	Open

Description:

Dear Vendor/Contractor,

The City of Casa Grande is committed to ensuring all procurement materials are accessible to staff, elected officials, and members of the public in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the new ADA Digital Accessibility Rule.

Beginning April 24, 2026, all vendors and contractors submitting proposals, bids, qualifications, presentations, or supporting documents must ensure materials meet digital accessibility standards aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. To read the Fact Sheet on the Ruling, visit Fact Sheet: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments | ADA.gov

These requirements apply to all:

Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
Requests for Qualifications (RFQs)
Invitations for Bids (IFBs)
Statements of Qualifications
Vendor Presentations
Supporting Materials and Attachments

Accessibility Requirements

Submitted documents must:

Be searchable and not scanned images.
Use proper headings and document structure.
Include alternative text for images and graphics.
Meet color contrast requirements.
Include accessible tables and hyperlinks.
Provide captions for video content (if applicable).

Preferred formats include:

Microsoft Word (.docx)
Accessible PDF
Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)
Accessible Excel (.xlsx)

Accessibility Check Required

Vendors are required to run an accessibility checker prior to submission. Examples include:

Microsoft Accessibility Checker
PAC PDF Accessibility Checker
WebAIM Contrast Checker

Please note that the Adobe Accessibility Checker does not meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements.

Non Accessible Submissions

If submitted documents are not accessible, the city may request an accessible version, delay the review of proposals, or consider the submission incomplete.

Why This Matters

These requirements help ensure compliance with the ADA Digital Accessibility Rule, provide equal access to procurement information, and support transparent and inclusive government processes.

For questions regarding accessibility requirements, please contact:

Procurement Division
Email: For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address.
Phone: 520-421-8601

We appreciate your cooperation and partnership in ensuring accessible and inclusive procurement processes.

Sincerely,
City of Casa Grande

Publication Date/Time:

4/13/2026 12:00 AM

Closing Date/Time:

Open Until Contracted

Attachment Preview

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Accessible Bid Submission Requirements for Vendors and Contractors

ADA Digital Accessibility Rule Compliance

Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) establishes accessibility requirements for all vendors,

contractors, consultants, and partners submitting bid documents, proposals, qualifications, or

supporting materials to the City.

These requirements ensure compliance with:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• ADA Digital Accessibility Rule

• Section 508 Accessibility Standards

• WCAG 2.1 Level AA Guidelines

Accessible bid submissions ensure that City staff, elected officials, and members of the public

using assistive technology can review procurement documents equally.

Scope

This SOP applies to all external submissions including:

• Requests for Proposals (RFP)

• Requests for Qualifications (RFQ)

• Invitations for Bids (IFB)

• Statements of Qualifications

• Vendor Presentations

• Supporting Attachments

• Technical Documents

• Marketing Materials submitted with bids

Responsibility

Vendors and Contractors are responsible for:

• Submitting accessible documents

• Verifying accessibility prior to submission

• Providing remediation if documents are not accessible

The City reserves the right to:

• Request accessible versions

• Require corrections

• Delay review until accessible documents are provided

Required Accessible Formats

Preferred formats:

• Accessible PDF

• Microsoft Word (.docx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)

• Excel (.xlsx) with accessible formatting

Avoid:

Scanned PDFs

Image-only documents

Locked or secured files that prevent accessibility review

Accessibility Requirements

1. Readable Text

a. Documents must:

i. Use real text (not images of text)

ii. Be searchable

iii. Be selectable with cursor

b. Not acceptable:

i. Scanned brochures

ii. Flattened PDFs

iii. Screenshots of text

2. Font Requirements

a. Minimum 12 pt body text (14 pt preferred)

b. Use readable fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana)

c. Avoid decorative fonts

d. Avoid all-caps paragraphs

3. Color Contrast

a. Documents must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards:

i. 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text

ii. 3:1 for large text

b. Avoid:

i. Light gray text

ii. Yellow text on white

iii. Color-only meaning

4. Headings and Structure

a. Documents must use:

i. Proper heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.)

ii. Logical reading order

iii. Structured formatting

b. Avoid:

i. Manual bold-only headings

ii. Floating text boxes

5. Images and Graphics

a. All images must include:

i. Alternative text (Alt Text)

ii. Meaningful descriptions

iii. Readable graphics

b. Example:

i. Poor Alt Text: "Chart"

ii. Good Alt Text: "Timeline showing project phases from July 2025 to March

2026"

6. Tables

a. Tables must:

i. Include header rows

ii. Use simple formatting

iii. Avoid merged cells when possible

7. Hyperlinks

a. Use descriptive links:

i. Acceptable: "View Project Schedule"

ii. Avoid: "Click Here"

8. Tagged PDFs

a. Accessible PDFs must:

i. Be tagged for accessibility

ii. Include logical reading order

iii. Include document title metadata

9. Multimedia Requirements

a. Videos or audio submitted with proposals must:

i. Include captions

ii. Include transcripts when available

iii. Avoid autoplay with sound

Accessibility Check Requirement

Vendors must run accessibility checks before submission:

Recommended Tools:

· PAC PDF Accessibility Checker PDF Accessibility Checker - PAC

· Microsoft Accessibility Checker

· WebAIM Contrast Checker

All accessibility errors must be resolved prior to submission.

Submission Requirements

Vendors must:

• Submit accessible documents by deadline

• Provide alternate accessible version upon request

• Ensure attachments are also accessible

Non-Compliant Submissions

If documents are not accessible:

• Vendor may be asked to resubmit

• Review may be delayed

• Submission may be considered incomplete

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessible procurement documents:

• Ensure legal compliance

• Improve transparency

• Support inclusive government

• Allow equal participation

Questions and Assistance

For questions regarding accessible submissions, contact:

Procurement Division

City Clerk’s Office

Effective Date

Effective: April 24, 2026

Issued By: The City of Casa Grande

Review Cycle: Annual

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