Information Technology
www.santa-ana.org/IT
Item # 12
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
April 7, 2026
TOPIC: Website ADA Access Software Subscription
AGENDA TITLE
Agreement with CivicPlus, LLC for DocAccess Software Subscription (Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with CivicPlus, LLC for a DocAccess software license subscription for a one-year term, beginning April 7, 2026 through April 6, 2027, in an amount of $49,618, with two (2) optional one (1) year extensions for a total not to exceed amount of $169,621. (Agreement No. A-2026-XXX) GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule updating regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to establish specific requirements for the accessibility of web content and mobile applications provided by state and local government entities. The rule is intended to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to digital services, programs, and activities offered by public agencies.
The final rule adopts the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA, as the technical standard for compliance. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is a globally recognized set of accessibility criteria that addresses a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments. These standards require that digital content be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Examples of compliant practices include providing text alternatives for images, ensuring sufficient color contrast, enabling full keyboard navigation, offering captions for multimedia content, and maintaining consistent and predictable website functionality. Under the rule, local governments with populations of 50,000 or more, which includes the City of Santa Ana, are required to comply with these accessibility standards by April 24, 2026.
Website ADA Access Software Subscription
April 7, 2026
5 6
8 4
The DOJ’s update reflects the increasing reliance on digital platforms for accessing government services and information. Ensuring compliance not only reduces legal risk but also promotes inclusivity, enhances user experience, and improves overall service delivery to the community.
Staff has been working to make the City website ADA accessible. However, the extensive use of Adobe PDF documents on the website has been particularly challenging. PDF documents are often exported from print tools and lack HTML’s dynamic tagging. Retrofitting scanned or untagged PDFs is labor-intensive and costly.
The DocAccess solution by CivicPlus can batch process, remediate, and publish accessible versions of all City PDF documents on the City’s website by utilizing a website plug-in. DocAccess utilizes a proprietary AI-driven process to remediate PDFs in bulk as well as monitor in real-time for ongoing compliance of PDFs on City websites.
City staff has not identified any other solutions that can perform these functions and recommends approval of a sole source agreement with DocAccess.
Failure to comply with the updated ADA requirements may expose the City to legal challenges and limit access to essential services for individuals with disabilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available in the current FY 2025-26 budget. Future fiscal year funding will be included in the proposed budgets for City Council consideration. Estimated amounts expended per fiscal year are shown in the table below.
Fiscal
Year
Accounting Unit
- Account No.
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit –
Account No.
Description
Amount
2025-26 10920141-66511 Information
Technology
Enterprise Systems–
Software Maintenance
& Support
$49,618
2026-27 10920141-66511 Information
Technology
Enterprise Systems–
Software Maintenance
& Support
$58,538
2027-28 10920141-66511 Information
Technology
Enterprise Systems–
Software Maintenance
& Support
$61,465
Total
$169,621
Website ADA Access Software Subscription
April 7, 2026
5 6
8 4
EXHIBIT(S)
1. CivicPlus DocAccess Agreement
Submitted By: Jack Ciulla, Chief Technology Innovations Officer Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager