Adobe Acrobat expert needed for accessible, expanding PDF forms
We are seeking an experienced Adobe Acrobat and accessible PDF forms specialist to help us develop two downloadable educational packets for families and professionals supporting DHH students in schools.
The Center for Advancement of NEXTGEN Deaf (CANGD) is a nonprofit organization that provides resources, advocacy, and services supporting children and adults who have hearing loss, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
This is a two-phase project. The initial $250 fixed-price contract covers Phase 1, a paid technical assessment. The selected specialist may then be offered a separately funded Phase 2 contract to complete both packets.
ABOUT THE PACKETS
We are developing two educational packets for people to download from our website. Each packet is currently an approximately 18-page Microsoft Word document. We also have a Canva mockup for the cover and established CANGD branding.
The Word documents are still undergoing final revisions. Production will begin after the content has been finalized.
This is not a writing, editing, or proofreading assignment. The approved wording contains carefully developed special education and legal terminology. All wording must remain exactly as provided. The contractor may not rewrite, summarize, reorganize, or otherwise change the approved content without CANGD’s explicit written approval.
CENTRAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT
Each packet contains a section titled “National Communication Plan,” where users will enter narrative information about a child or student.
These response areas must accommodate answers of varying lengths. User-entered information must not be cut off, hidden, reduced to an unreadable size, or omitted when the completed packet is viewed, saved, or printed.
We are specifically seeking someone who understands expanding or dynamic PDF forms and can recommend the most appropriate solution for a publicly downloadable resource.
We understand that standard AcroForms, dynamic XFA forms, and other possible approaches may have different accessibility and compatibility limitations. We are not prescribing a particular technology. We need a specialist who can evaluate the requirements, explain the available options in plain language, and recommend the best approach.
PHASE 1: PAID TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT
Budget: $250 fixed price
For Phase 1, the selected specialist will review one packet, or a representative portion of one packet, and provide a written technical recommendation.
Phase 1 deliverables must include:
* A recommended technical approach for creating the packets
* An explanation of how the proposed solution will accommodate variable-length narrative responses
* Confirmation of how entered responses will appear when viewed, saved, and printed
* An explanation of relevant compatibility limitations across Adobe Acrobat Reader, browser-based PDF viewers, macOS Preview, and mobile devices
* An explanation of whether users will need to download the packet and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader or another specific application
* A recommended accessibility approach for screen-reader and keyboard users
* A description of the accessibility and compatibility testing that would be completed
* Identification of the applications needed to create, edit, and maintain the finished files
* An estimated fixed price and production timeline for completing both packets during Phase 2
* A list of any additional source files or information needed from CANGD
Phase 1 does not include production of both completed packets. Full production work must not begin until CANGD approves the recommended approach, scope, timeline, and price.
PHASE 2: POTENTIAL PRODUCTION CONTRACT
After CANGD reviews the Phase 1 recommendation, the selected specialist may be offered a separate fixed-price contract or milestone for Phase 2. Awarding Phase 2 is not guaranteed and will depend on the quality and feasibility of the technical recommendation.
The anticipated Phase 2 scope includes:
* Creating two approximately 18-page branded PDF packets from finalized Word source documents
* Preserving all approved wording exactly as provided
* Incorporating CANGD’s logo, cover design, and established brand elements
* Creating functional fillable fields within the National Communication Plan section
* Ensuring that longer narrative responses are not hidden, truncated, or omitted
* Ensuring completed responses remain readable when saved and printed
* Making the packets accessible to screen-reader and keyboard users
* Establishing appropriate document tags, heading structure, reading order, document language, field labels or tooltips, and logical tab order
* Testing accessibility, usability, and compatibility
* Preparing final PDF files for public download from CANGD’s website
* Providing editable source files and any associated form-development files
* Providing brief maintenance instructions for CANGD
* Providing clear user instructions for downloading, completing, saving, and printing the packets
* Documenting any known software or device limitations
* Completing an agreed correction and revision period following CANGD’s review
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
Applicants should have:
* Advanced experience creating fillable PDF forms in Adobe Acrobat Pro
* Demonstrated experience with expanding, dynamic, or variable-length narrative fields
* Knowledge of standard AcroForms and dynamic XFA forms
* Experience creating accessible PDF forms for screen-reader and keyboard users
* Experience with PDF tagging, reading order, field descriptions, and tab order
* Experience testing how completed PDF forms behave when viewed, saved, and printed
* The ability to explain technical tradeoffs clearly
* Strong attention to detail
* The ability to preserve approved language without making unauthorized content changes
Experience with Adobe Experience Manager Forms Designer, Adobe LiveCycle Designer, PDF/UA, WCAG, Section 508, NVDA, JAWS, PAC, or similar accessibility tools is strongly preferred.
Experience creating educational, nonprofit, legal, healthcare, or other public-facing documents is also helpful.
HOW TO APPLY
Please address the following in your proposal:
1. Describe your experience creating PDF forms with expanding or variable-length narrative responses.
2. Briefly explain how you would begin evaluating a publicly downloadable packet that must accommodate long responses without cutting off information.
3. Describe how you test fillable PDF forms for screen-reader accessibility, keyboard accessibility, reading order, tab order, saving, and printing.
4. Identify the applications, PDF viewers, and accessibility-testing tools you typically use.
5. Provide a blank, redacted, or sanitized example of a comparable accessible or dynamic PDF form you personally created, if available.
6. Confirm that you understand the initial $250 contract is for the Phase 1 technical assessment and written recommendation only.
7. Confirm that you would be interested in providing a separate fixed-price proposal for Phase 2 if your Phase 1 recommendation is approved.
Please do not recommend a standard fixed-height, scrollable text box unless you can demonstrate how all entered information will remain visible and readable when the completed packet is saved and printed.