# AI workability — Board of Management Secure Online Portal

*Buyer: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) · Source: nstenders · Closes: 09 Sep 2026 00:00 UTC*

**AI workability: 69%** (majority AI-deliverable) · notice-only read · bid call: **MAYBE**

- Effort: 1,420 h total · 982 h AI · 438 h human (low confidence)

## Verdict

AI can perform the majority of the software delivery effort (~69%), but security clearance and client-facing roles prevent full autonomy.

## Bid call

**MAYBE** — AI can deliver ~69% of effort, but security requirements are unspecified and the shop lacks facility security clearance. If security clearance can be met via subcontractor or is only reliability status, this is a strong go. Otherwise, no-go. Need full solicitation documents before committing.

## Deliverables

| Deliverable | Mode | AI share | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Requirements & Architecture | ai_assisted | 60% | 100 |
| UX/UI Design | ai_assisted | 70% | 100 |
| Backend Development | ai_agent | 85% | 300 |
| Frontend Development | ai_agent | 85% | 250 |
| Security & Compliance Implementation | ai_assisted | 50% | 120 |
| Testing & QA | ai_assisted | 80% | 150 |
| DevOps & Deployment | ai_assisted | 80% | 100 |
| Documentation & Training | ai_agent | 90% | 80 |
| Data Setup & Migration | ai_assisted | 70% | 60 |
| Project Management & Stakeholder Communication | human_only | 10% | 100 |
| Security Clearance & Compliance Administration | human_only | 0% | 40 |
| Bid Submission & Contract | human_only | 0% | 20 |

## Risks

- **[high]** Security requirements unknown and shop lacks facility security clearance. — *Request full solicitation documents; assess if reliability status is sufficient; partner with cleared subcontractor if needed.*
- **[high]** Missing detailed SOW and technical specifications. — *Base estimate on notice-level scope; submit clarification questions before bidding.*
- **[medium]** Canada Post Connect submission process is mandatory and error-prone. — *Assign human bid administrator; test Connect workflow before closing.*
- **[medium]** Lowest-price evaluation may favor larger incumbents. — *Use AI-driven delivery to keep costs competitive while meeting all mandatory criteria.*
- **[medium]** AI-generated code may contain security vulnerabilities. — *Perform human security review, automated scanning, and OWASP testing.*
- **[medium]** Short timeline from publication to closing. — *Start immediately and use AI agents to accelerate documentation and development.*

## Human roles

- **Contract sign-off and legal/financial accountability** (10%): Cannot be delegated to AI.
- **Client workshops and stakeholder facilitation** (20%): CRA users need human interaction and trust.
- **Security-cleared compliance and sign-off** (20%): Security requirements require cleared personnel.
- **Project management and communication** (25%): Relationship management and decisions.
- **User acceptance testing and business validation** (15%): Business users must approve functionality.
- **Deployment and production operations oversight** (10%): Production access and accountability.

## Why not more AI

- Cannot hold security clearance or sign compliance attestations.
- Cannot perform in-person client workshops or build stakeholder trust.
- Cannot submit bids through Canada Post Connect or sign contracts.
- Cannot provide professional/legal accountability for CRA.
- Requires human review for security-sensitive code and production deployment.

## Requirements & compliance

| Ref | Requirement | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annex A / Statement of Work | Portal must be a browser- and app-based software as a service (SaaS) used to upload, store, view, search for, print, share, download, edit and annotate documents. | met |
| Statement of Work | Access for a maximum of forty (40) active users. | met |
| Submission instructions | Bids must be submitted using the Connect service provided by Canada Post Corporation and delivered to the CRA Bid Receiving Unit at BRUg@cra-arc.gc.ca. Bids will not be accepted if emailed directly to this address. | met |
| Language | Proposal documents and supporting information must be submitted in either English or French. | met |
| Security | There are security requirements associated with this requirement; consult the bid solicitation document. | unclear |
| Eligibility | This solicitation is open only to Canadian suppliers and to suppliers of an applicable trading partner. | met |
| Evaluation | A bid must comply with the requirements of the bid solicitation and meet all mandatory evaluation criteria to be declared responsive. | met |
| Contract options | Includes options to extend the term of the contract by up to six additional one-year periods under the same terms and conditions and to add, remove or modify products or services. | met |

## Evaluation criteria

- **Mandatory evaluation criteria** (Pass/fail): All mandatory criteria must be met; non-responsive if any fail.
- **Price** (Lowest bid evaluation price): Award to lowest responsive bid, subject to pre-award conditions.

## Key dates

- 2026-08-06T00:00:00+00:00 — Publication
- 2026-09-09T14:00:00-04:00 — Closing Date

## Gaps in source documents

- Full bid solicitation and security requirements checklist not provided.
- No estimated contract value or pricing structure.
- No detailed technical requirements, integrations, or accessibility standards.
- No information on existing CRA infrastructure or identity provider.
- No evaluation weight/price formula beyond lowest price.
- No information on data residency or hosting location requirements.

## Assumptions

- The portal is a greenfield SaaS build with no legacy integration constraints.
- Security requirements are limited to personnel screening, not facility clearance, but this is unverified.
- CRA will provide content/access requirements during workshops.
- AI agents can operate under human supervision for code and documentation.
- Total effort estimate is based on notice-level scope; actual SOW may change.

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*Generated by GovContract from public tender documents. Human review required before acting on bid decisions.*