The Web Design RFP Mistakes We See Most Often
We review dozens of website design RFPs every year from Canadian nonprofits, healthcare organisations, and businesses. Most of them have the same problems. Not because the organisations writing them are careless — but because most RFP templates for website projects are copied from IT procurement templates that were not designed for creative and strategic work.
Here is what we consistently see going wrong, and what to do instead.
Specifying the Solution Instead of the Problem
The most common mistake: an RFP that says “we need a WordPress website with these 14 specific plugins” rather than “we have these goals and these audiences and this is what our current site fails to do.” When you specify the solution, you eliminate agencies that might propose a better one. You also eliminate the discovery process that determines whether your proposed solution is actually right.
Describe what you need the website to achieve. Let agencies propose how to get there.
Setting an Unrealistic Budget Range (or None at All)
RFPs that say “budget available upon request” or list a range of $10,000–$100,000 waste everyone’s time. Agencies cannot give you a meaningful proposal without knowing your budget. They will either guess conservatively and underscope, or guess ambitiously and propose work you cannot afford.
A custom website for a mid-size Canadian nonprofit costs $20,000–$60,000. A simple brochure site on a template costs $8,000–$15,000. A complex platform with member portals, bilingual content, and custom integrations costs $60,000–$150,000+. If your budget is not in these ranges, it is better to know that before you invest in an RFP process.
Evaluating on Price Alone
Website design is not a commodity procurement. The cheapest proposal is rarely the best value. We have rebuilt websites for organisations that chose the lowest bidder and received a site that was not accessible, could not be updated by their team, and required a complete rebuild within two years.
Evaluate on: the agency’s demonstrated experience with your type of organisation, their process for discovery and accessibility, their post-launch support model, and client references you actually call. Price matters, but it should be one criterion among several — not the deciding one.
Not Specifying Accessibility Requirements
In 2026, an RFP for a Canadian nonprofit or government website that does not specify WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is incomplete. AODA requires it for Ontario organisations with 50+ employees. The Accessible Canada Act requires it for federally regulated entities. Many federal grants require it as a condition. And beyond compliance, accessibility is a core user experience requirement for the audiences most nonprofits serve.
If your RFP does not include accessibility requirements, agencies will not budget for accessibility work. You will receive proposals that are cheaper and non-compliant.
Not Asking About Post-Launch Support
The relationship with a web agency does not end at launch. Your team needs to be trained to manage content. Bugs will need to be fixed. The platform will need updates. New pages will need to be built as your organisation grows.
Ask every agency: what does your post-launch support model look like? What is included and what is billed separately? What happens if we find a bug six months after launch? Who is our point of contact? The answers will tell you a great deal about whether the relationship will work.
Pragmatica works with Canadian nonprofits and healthcare organisations on website projects of all sizes. If you would like a direct conversation before issuing an RFP, get in touch.
