Economic Development Website RFP Alternatives for EDOs: How an RFP Could Hurt Your Organization in 2026

Economic Developers Can Meet ADA Deadlines, Reduce Risk, and Move Faster Without the Traditional RFP Process

If your economic development organization (EDO) is planning a new economic development website, issuing an RFP could cause delays that make it difficult for the organization to achieve its goals - especially if those goals are to bring the website into ADA compliance.

“I have helped economic developers go through the RFP process over the past eight years at Golden Shovel. Depending on the organization, I have provided them with RFP examples, sample language, and descriptions of what the process normally entails,” said Laura Christie, Vice President of Business Development. “We are happy to guide economic developers because a lot of people have never been through the process before. The challenge is that the economic development RFP process is long and can take 18 months to 2 years on average.”

Why does an economic development website RFP take so long to finalize?

In Golden Shovel’s experience, it can take 18 months to 2 years for an economic development organization to finalize their RFP and hire a website developer. There are typically more than 20 steps in the RFP process before ever reaching the contracting phase. Economic developers may do the following as part of the RFP process:

1. Convene the board or organization leadership.
2. Demonstrate why the project is necessary and secure board approval to move forward. Note that this can take two or three meetings, typically. 
3. Convene the budget committee or work with the city/county finance department to determine the budget.
4. Go back to the board or organization leadership with the proposed budget and seek approval to use the budget for an economic development website.
5. Develop an RFP or economic development website committee (if there will be a smaller group evaluating the responses).
6. Prepare a draft of the RFP language.
   Present the economic development website RFP language to the board or organizational leadership for approval
7. Make the requested edits.
8. Get final approval from the board or organizational leadership on the RFP language. Note that some organizations, such as city economic development organizations, will need to send the “final” RFP language to legal for edits and approval, in many instances. 
9. Publish the RFP on the economic development website and any other platforms required by charter
10. Secure the minimum number of bids. Note that sometimes the RFP will need to be reissued because the scope of work was too large, too nebulous, or the budget not large enough to secure sufficient responses. In that scenario, the above process starts all over again because the RFP will need to be changed.

Once RFP responses for the economic development website have been received, the following steps typically occur (though some EDOs will have more steps they follow):

1. Develop a scoring sheet or tool to evaluate the responses and share that with the group reviewing them.
2. Convene the board or website review committee to discuss the process and officially close it.
3. Share the responses for their review.
4. Give them sufficient time to review the responses. We have observed some organizations taking 6+ months to review them.
5. Meet to discuss the responses and review the scoring sheet. 
6. Notify the finalists and schedule an interview with the committee.
7. Conduct finalist interviews.
8. Gather any lingering questions the committee has and send them to finalists for answers. 
9. Convene the committee to discuss the finalist interviews and select a vendor. 
10. Announce your decision to everyone who responded to the RFP.
11. Enter the contracting phase with your chosen vendor. Follow all steps required by law or charter. Note that this process could take months to complete. In our experience, it is taking between three and six months to move city contracts through the purchasing and legal departments. The typical public private partnership economic development organization is taking approximately three months to complete the contracting phase.

Why should economic developers avoid the RFP process when getting a new website?

There are typically over 20 steps necessary to successfully hire a website developer through the RFP process. This can take up to two years, on average. During that time priorities change, the board may turn over, and internal staffing may change as well. The potential upheaval can make it difficult to finish the process.

This is a challenge in a normal year.

But this isn’t a normal year.

This is the year that ADA compliance deadlines start going into effect for economic development organizations. With deadlines looming, a prolonged RFP process can leave EDOs with non-compliant websites exposed to legal liability.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has established firm accessibility deadlines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

• April 24, 2026 for communities with populations over 50,000
• April 26, 2027 for all other organizations

For many EDOs, this creates a critical question: Can we complete an RFP process and launch an ADA-compliant website before the deadline?

In most cases, the answer is no.

The Problem: RFP Timelines Don’t Match ADA Deadlines

Many EDOs default to issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) when selecting a website partner.

However, the traditional RFP process is not designed for time-sensitive compliance projects. Economic developers need to educate their boards on the need to expedite the process of hiring a website development company who can bring their EDO website into ADA compliance. 

Real-World Data from Economic Development Organizations

Over the past 16+ years, Golden Shovel has worked with more than 400 economic development organizations. Based on this experience:

• The average RFP process takes 18 to 24 months
• Volunteer boards often spend six months reviewing proposals alone
• Board turnover can delay or restart the process

This means most economic development organizations cannot complete an RFP process and launch an ADA-compliant website before federal deadlines.

EDO Website RFP Alternatives: Faster, Smarter Approaches

For organizations seeking EDO website RFP alternatives, there are more effective ways to select a partner.

1. Direct Consultation Model

Engage in structured conversations with qualified firms, like Golden Shovel, to assess expertise and fit.

2. Qualifications-Based Selection

Prioritize economic development experience, proven results that align with your EDO’s goals, and economic development specialization over rigid proposal formats.

3. Phased Discovery Engagements

Start with a short-term strategy phase to define scope, timeline, and compliance needs.

These approaches allow your EDO to:

• Move faster
• Reduce risk
• Ensure ADA compliance
• Build stronger partnerships

Contact Laura Christie, Vice President of Business Development, for recommendations that are specific to your EDO’s needs.

Golden Shovel: A Leader in Economic Development Website ADA Compliance

Golden Shovel Agency is a leading provider of ADA-compliant websites for economic development organizations.
With over 16 years of experience and more than 400 EDO clients, we specialize in:

• ADA-compliant website design and development
• Economic development marketing strategy
• Workforce and business attraction tools
• Ongoing website support and optimization

We understand:

• The urgency of DOJ compliance deadlines
• The realities of board-led decision-making
• The importance of speed, clarity, and results

Our process is designed to help EDOs:

• Avoid lengthy RFP delays
• Accelerate project timelines
• Launch fully ADA-compliant websites
• Strengthen their digital presence

Don’t Let the RFP Process Delay Your Compliance

If your organization is considering an RFP, ask:

Will this process help us meet ADA compliance deadlines—or put us at risk of missing them?

For many EDOs, exploring economic development website RFP alternatives is the most practical path forward.

Take the First Step

Before committing to an 18–24 month RFP process, start with a conversation.

Golden Shovel can help your organization:

• Achieve economic development website ADA compliance
• Meet DOJ deadlines with confidence
• Reduce risk and delays
• Build a website that supports long-term growth

Schedule a free consultation today!