Define the engagement before counting pages
The GOV.UK Service Manual describes accessibility auditing against WCAG 2.2 AA and includes assistive technology testing. It warns against relying exclusively on automated tools. Use that guidance to understand the work, while checking the actual target and deliverables in the buyer's documents.
A notice for “accessibility services” may ask for evaluation only, changes to the website, training, support for an accessibility statement, or a combination. Keep those tasks separate in your estimate. Being able to produce a scanner report is not evidence that you can deliver every part.
A scope checklist for suppliers
| Scope area | Question for the documents | Evidence from your firm |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | Which journeys, templates, components and documents are included? | A reasoned approach to selecting and testing representative content. |
| Methods | Which manual checks and assistive technology combinations are required? | Named skills and examples of the requested testing. |
| Access | Are accounts, test data and authenticated journeys available? | A safe, agreed approach to testing each environment. |
| Reporting | Who needs the findings and in what format? | An anonymised report showing actionable findings. |
| Follow-up | Are remediation support and retesting included? | Capacity for the expected follow-up and relevant implementation skills. |
Make dependencies part of the price
Record the number and complexity of journeys, rather than assuming that ten pages always take the same effort. A public information page, an authenticated application flow and a complex data table create different work. PDFs, videos, mobile applications and third-party components may introduce additional scope.
Confirm whether the supplier can inspect all of those surfaces and whether the buyer can authorise changes to them. If another team owns remediation, agree how findings will be explained and when retesting can happen. A fixed date for a second audit is difficult to honour if no one owns the fixes.
A worked scope example
Hypothetical example: a buyer asks for an audit of 15 page templates. Its tender pack also includes a logged-in benefits journey and a library of downloadable forms. A specialist can evidence website audits but has not priced the document work or confirmed access to the application.
The initial decision is to investigate those two gaps. Ask whether the document library is sampled or fully assessed, and obtain the agreed journey and environment list. Build the estimate around the clarified scope. Do not silently exclude the difficult parts while calling the whole service compliant.
Useful clarification questions
- Can the buyer provide the agreed sample and the criteria for accepting the report?
- Which WCAG version, conformance level and assistive technologies are specified?
- What support is expected during remediation, and who implements changes?
- How many retesting rounds are included, and what triggers additional work?
- Are training, document fixes or accessibility statement support separate deliverables?
Send questions through the competition's stated channel. For a broader redesign contract, use the website tender checklist to see whether accessibility is one part of a much larger delivery obligation.
Record what you can substantiate
Use relevant audit examples and the actual role of the people who will do the work. Keep an unknown requirement visible until checked. An initial fit assessment can identify a promising notice; the buyer's requirements and the full documents determine what you must evidence in the bid.
Keep working through the decision
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