Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP)- Request for Information (RFI) on Information Communications Technology (ICT) Standards and ICT Procurement Tool Kits

This Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP) is to notify suppliers, end-users, national associations and government departments that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) intends to publish a Request for Information (RFI) related to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility standards and tools in March 2019. The Government of Canada (GC) introduced Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, in June 2018. The goal of the Act is to create a barrier-free Canada and set the highest standard of accessibility and inclusiveness for persons with disabilities in Canada. Once passed, the Act will apply to areas under federal jurisdictions, including procurement. At this time, the GC is interest in exploring options or mechanisms to ensure goods and services it procures are inclusive by design and accessible by default in the realm of ICT. Through the RFI, PSPC and its partner departments will be seeking feedback from various stakeholders, including industry, the disability community, end-users, and national associations, on their experience with international accessible ICT standards and/or ICT procurement toolkits. PSPC will also seeking to understand industry suppliers’ progress toward any international ICT standards that currently exist, the challenges to meeting those standards, as well as the impact those standards have on the disability community.