Richmond Web Accessibility Rules for Contracts

The City of Richmond, British Columbia requires web and digital accessibility considerations in its procurement and contracting processes for public-facing services and vendor deliverables. This guide explains where accessibility obligations typically arise in Richmond contracts, who enforces them, and the practical steps vendors must take to comply when bidding or delivering work for the city. It summarizes applicable procurement expectations, complaint routes, and how to document conformance so municipal teams can accept deliverables with minimal delay.

Overview of Accessibility in Richmond Contracts

Richmond’s procurement framework asks vendors to meet accessibility obligations as part of contract terms, particularly for public websites, applications and digital documents. Vendors should expect requirements about accessible formats, user testing with people with disabilities, and documentation of conformance to recognized technical standards. Procurement documents and accessibility guidance are issued by the City of Richmond Purchasing group and the City’s accessibility services. City Purchasing^[1] Accessibility Services^[2]

Common Contract Requirements and Standards

• Contract clauses requiring delivery of digital assets in accessible formats and accessible markup.
• Requirements to provide accessibility test reports, remediation plans, or attestations of conformance.
• Delivery schedules that include time for accessibility remediation and re-testing.
• Provisions for ongoing maintenance to preserve accessibility during updates.

Penalties & Enforcement

The City enforces accessibility obligations through its procurement and contract management processes and may use non-monetary remedies for non-compliance, such as requiring remediation, withholding acceptance of deliverables, or terminating contracts. Specific fine amounts or daily penalties for accessibility breaches are not specified on the cited pages. Purchasing^[1]

• Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page.
• Escalation: first and repeat offence ranges not specified on the cited page.
• Non-monetary sanctions: remediation orders, withholding acceptance, contract termination and damages claims are referenced in procurement enforcement practices.
• Enforcer: City of Richmond Purchasing and Contract Managers together with Accessibility Services and By-law/Compliance teams; see official contacts in Resources below.
• Inspection and complaints: vendors or the public can report accessibility concerns through the City’s accessibility contact page. Accessibility Services^[2]
• Appeals/review: contract dispute and procurement review processes apply; specific time limits for appeals are not specified on the cited purchasing pages.
• Defences/discretion: allowances for phased remediation or approved variances may be negotiated in contract terms; if not formalized, this is managed case-by-case by contract managers.

Applications & Forms

The City does not publish a single universal form for vendor accessibility attestations on the purchasing pages; vendors must follow instructions in each solicitation document and may be asked to submit test reports, declarations or sample deliverables during evaluation. For provincial legislative context on accessibility obligations, vendors should consult the Accessible BC initiative. Accessible BC^[3]

Practical Compliance Steps for Vendors

• Review each solicitation’s accessibility clauses and required standards before bidding.
• Provide WCAG conformance reports, remediation timelines and user-testing summaries when requested.
• Include budget line items for remediation and ongoing accessibility maintenance.
• Designate a point of contact for accessibility questions during the procurement and delivery phases.

FAQ

Does the City of Richmond mandate a specific technical standard for web accessibility?

The procurement pages refer vendors to accessibility requirements in solicitations but do not list a single mandatory technical standard on the general purchasing page; check each solicitation for the standard required.

Who do I contact to report an accessibility problem with a city website?

Use the City of Richmond accessibility services contact options available on the city accessibility page to report issues.

Are there fines for failing to meet accessibility clauses in a contract?

Monetary fine amounts are not specified on the cited procurement pages; enforcement relies primarily on contractual remedies such as remediation, withholding acceptance or termination.

How-To

How vendors should prepare an accessible web deliverable for a Richmond contract.

1. Read the solicitation and identify all accessibility clauses and required standards.
2. Run automated WCAG checks and perform manual testing with assistive technologies.
3. Document defects, prepare a remediation plan with timelines and costs.
4. Submit test reports and remediation plans as specified in the solicitation or when requested by the contract manager.
5. Fix issues and provide evidence of re-testing for acceptance by the City.
6. If required, negotiate schedule and payment terms tied to successful accessibility acceptance testing.

Key Takeaways

• Check each solicitation for specific accessibility standards and deliverable requirements.
• Provide testing evidence and remediation plans to avoid delays in acceptance and payment.

Help and Support / Resources

• City of Richmond Purchasing - contact and procurement information
• City of Richmond Accessibility Services - reporting and guidance
• City of Richmond By-law Services
• Accessible BC initiative - provincial context

1. [1] City of Richmond Purchasing - procurement pages
2. [2] City of Richmond Accessibility Services
3. [3] Government of British Columbia - Accessible BC