User Testing Experience Services

The contract solicitation for User Experience Testing Services is issued by the Department of Employment and Social Development under solicitation number 100030269, with a deadline for responses on July 28, 2026. The goal is to award a single three-year contract with a one-year optional extension, beginning August 21, 2026, and potentially running through August 20, 2030. The work involves delivering accessibility-focused UX testing for digital training products and learning solutions used by College@ESDC and the Canadian Digital Service (CDS), specifically testing with individuals who use assistive technologies to identify and document accessibility and usability barriers. The contractor must adhere to WCAG and EN 301 549 standards and produce high-quality reports with unique issue identifiers, severity ratings, clear descriptions, supporting evidence, and actionable remediation guidance that developers can implement without further interpretation. Performance is entirely remote within Canada, with no network access required, and work is divided into discrete deliverables based on individual requests—up to 45 per quarter from College@ESDC and up to 20 from CDS—with standard turnaround times of five business days absent prior agreement for complex cases. The evaluation process prioritizes technical merit at 60% and price at 40%, with bids required to pass mandatory thresholds including responsiveness to all requirements and a minimum technical score of 50 out of 100. Key technical evaluation criteria include accessibility testing methodology (20 points), inclusion of assistive technology users (15 points), quality assurance controls (10 points), workload management (10 points), professionalism of past work (10 points), and expertise in eLearning accessibility and reporting quality, though exact point allocations for the latter two are unspecified. All proposals must be submitted electronically in three separate sections—technical, financial, and certifications—with pricing strictly confined to the financial section. The contract is governed by Quebec law, and contractors retain ownership of foreground intellectual property. The contractor must maintain detailed, machine-readable accounting records, allow Canada to audit those records during normal business hours for up to seven years after final payment, and invoice separately for each of the two client organizations, maintaining distinct communications, timelines, and deliverables. Payment is made via direct deposit or wire transfer, following strict invoice requirements that exclude taxes and must detail all labor rates, quantities, and subcontracting. Contractors must also certify compliance with integrity provisions, the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy,