Question 1

What makes government software design different from commercial work?

Accepted Answer

Three hard qualifiers. Section 508 accessibility is legally required, not optional. Federal work frequently needs a contracting vehicle and sometimes cleared personnel. And the software has to serve the entire public, including people with disabilities, low bandwidth, old devices, and low digital literacy, rather than a self-selecting commercial audience. A firm without gov experience underestimates all three.

Question 2

Does the agency need a federal contracting vehicle?

Accepted Answer

For direct federal work, usually yes, a GSA schedule or similar, or it subcontracts through a prime that has one. Firms like Nava act as primes; Fuselab holds a GSA contract. This is often the deciding practical factor regardless of design quality, so confirm how a firm would actually contract with your agency before you get attached to its portfolio. State and local procurement varies but carries its own registration hurdles.

Question 3

What about Section 508 and the US Web Design System?

Accepted Answer

508 compliance is a legal baseline for federal digital services, and many agencies standardize on USWDS for consistency and built-in accessibility. Ask whether a firm designs to 508 and WCAG by default and whether it has worked in USWDS. Retrofitting accessibility after the fact is expensive and, for government, a compliance risk rather than just a quality one.

Question 4

Do we need staff with security clearances?

Accepted Answer

Depends on the system and the data. Some federal work requires cleared personnel or US-based staff, which immediately narrows the field and rules out many distributed or offshore teams. If your program has clearance or data-residency requirements, raise them on the first call, because they're disqualifying for firms that can't meet them.

Question 5

What does government software UX cost, and how does procurement affect it?

Accepted Answer

Design engagements broadly track commercial ranges, but procurement adds time and overhead that affect total cost and schedule. Vehicles, compliance documentation, and reporting requirements all add load. Budget for a longer runway than an equivalent commercial project, and expect the procurement process itself to shape who can even bid.

Question 6

How long does a public-sector project take?

Accepted Answer

Longer than the commercial equivalent, mostly because of procurement and compliance rather than design. Discovery and research is often four to eight weeks once work starts, but getting to a signed contract can take months. Modernizing a legacy government system is measured in quarters or years and is almost always phased, since public services can't go dark during a cutover.

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