Case Study 02
Modernizing a Federal Research Agency's Web Portal — and Making It Fully Accessible
A U.S. federal agency’s public web portals were aging, out of compliance, and difficult to manage. We rebuilt their Drupal infrastructure, integrated Single Sign-On, and delivered a platform that met the strictest federal accessibility standards.
Industry
Federal Government
Engagement
Drupal Development
Duration
2 Years
Location
Maryland, USA
508
Full federal accessibility compliance delivered
SSO
CAS Single Sign-On integrated across all apps
2.0
Tripal portal upgraded to latest version
100 %
Responsive design across all content types
The Challenge
An Aging Infrastructure That No Longer Met Federal Standards
The agency’s web portals had been built and extended over many years, resulting in a system that was difficult to maintain, inconsistent in design, and — critically — falling short of mandatory federal accessibility requirements.
Section 508 compliance gaps throughout the site. Key accessibility requirements — including proper color contrast, keyboard navigation, semantic heading structure, and screen reader compatibility — were not consistently implemented across the agency’s web properties.
No unified authentication system. Researchers, staff, and public users each navigated separate login flows across different applications. There was no centralized Single Sign-On — creating friction for users and a fragmented security posture for the agency.
An outdated researcher portal. The agency’s Tripal-based genomics and biological data portal was running on an older version, limiting functionality and creating compatibility issues with dependent modules and workflows.
Inconsistent, non-responsive design. The existing content types and page templates were not built for mobile devices, creating a poor experience for users accessing the site outside of a desktop environment.
Ongoing security risk. Aging modules and an unmaintained codebase created potential vulnerabilities that needed to be addressed proactively — before they became active threats.
Our Approach
Systematic Modernization Without Disrupting Public Services
We approached this engagement methodically — working through the full SDLC from requirements gathering through deployment — while maintaining continuous availability of the agency’s public-facing content throughout.
508 Compliance
Conducted a comprehensive accessibility audit across all pages and content types. Addressed color contrast, keyboard tab order, ARIA labels, semantic heading structure, and form field labeling to bring every page into compliance.
Single Sign-On
Integrated CAS (Central Authentication Service) SSO across the agency’s Tripal portal and all applicable applications — delivering a unified, secure authentication experience for all user types.
Tripal 2.0 Portal Upgrade
Upgraded the agency’s genomics and biological data portal from an older Tripal version to 2.0 — restoring full module compatibility and extending the platform’s functional lifespan significantly.
Responsive Design
Converted all Drupal content types to fully responsive layouts using a custom Bootstrap sub-theme — ensuring a consistent, professional experience on any device, from desktop to mobile.
Security Hardening
Implemented additional authentication layers and access controls to mitigate unauthorized access attempts — reducing security exposure and strengthening the agency’s overall security posture.
Custom Module
Built custom Drupal modules for user registration workflows and file upload submissions — tailored precisely to the agency’s internal processes and data management requirements.
The Result
A Compliant, Secure, and Modern Web Platfrom
By the end of the engagement, the agency had a web infrastructure it could be confident in — one that met federal standards, served all users equally, and gave staff the tools they needed to manage it without relying on outside support for routine tasks.
- Achieved full Section 508 accessibility compliance across all agency web properties — meeting legal mandates and ensuring equal access for users with disabilities.
- Unified authentication through CAS SSO — eliminating fragmented login flows and delivering a seamless, secure experience for researchers, staff, and public users.
- Tripal 2.0 upgrade restored full portal functionality for the agency's research data workflows, extending the platform's operational life and improving data submission processes.
- All content types rebuilt as fully responsive — delivering a consistent experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices for the agency's entire public audience.
- Security hardening measurably reduced unauthorized access attempts, strengthening the agency's overall information security posture.
- Daily maintenance and continuous deployment processes kept all agency web properties current and stable throughout the engagement period.
Technology Stack
Tools & Technologies Used
This engagement required a precise combination of Drupal expertise, federal compliance knowledge, and server-side development skills — all applied within a government security context.
Phyton
Drupal
PHP
jQuery
Tripal 2.0
LAMP Stack
GitLab
Need Help With Government Web Compliance?
Whether you are working on a federal, state, or local government platform — Section 508 compliance, security, and scalability are non-negotiable. We can help.