FSANZ Branded Food Database Prototype

SANZ is a small government agency with limited internal capacity and relies on external providers for reliable, responsive website support. The FSANZ website is a critical channel for delivering authoritative food safety and standards information, attracting over 1.5 million visitors annually, including regulators, industry stakeholders and the general public.

This procurement seeks design, research, user-testing and (optionally) functional development services to support the publication of the Australian Branded Food Database (BFD). A high-fidelity static prototype will demonstrate how users may search, navigate and understand branded food data, drawing on international exemplars such as USDA’s FoodData Central and the New Zealand Food Composition Database, while adhering to FSANZ’s design system and accessibility standards.

The prototype will be tested with stakeholders in early 2026 and will provide the foundation for future scoping of a beta or production-ready release. Although this work is centred on the BFD, the approach, components and insights are expected to be applicable across other FSANZ datasets, including:

• Australian Branded Food Database (BFD)
• Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD)
• Nutrition Panel Calculator database (NPC database)
• AUSNUT

User research and analytics confirm a strong need for unified access to FSANZ datasets. At present, data is dispersed across multiple systems and formats, limiting discoverability and consistent user experience. This project will establish an exemplar design model supporting FSANZ’s broader digital roadmap - improving usability, accessibility, mobile responsiveness and alignment with Australian Government digital standards.

Scope of work

The work will be delivered in phases depending on FSANZ priorities, readiness and budget. The core deliverable is a validated Figma prototype, supported by optional discovery, testing and functional development.

Phase 1 – Research and discovery

• Conduct stakeholder workshops and/or user needs analysis.
• Review existing database structures, workflows and pain points.
• Develop an information architecture (IA) and content model for the BFD, with consideration of related datasets (AFCD, NPC, NPSC, AUSNUT).
• Provide recommendations to inform development of the static prototype.

Phase 2 - Static Figma prototype for user testing

Design features

• Search-driven interface for branded foods by name, brand, category, ingredient or nutrient type.
• Filtering, sorting and side-by-side comparison.
• Ability for users to export data searches, filters or views in a variety of standard formats (i.e. CSV).
• Product detail pages including nutrient information, provenance and methodological context.
• Explanatory tooltips and easy access to supporting materials (e.g. user guides, videos).
• Presentation of the BFD within the wider FSANZ website (landing pages, navigation, search integration).
• Application of FSANZ’s digital design system, including updated components and content patterns for dataset publishing.
• Mobile responsive layouts meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

User testing

• Conduct moderated or unmoderated usability sessions.
• Analyse findings to validate assumptions.
• Deliver a refined final prototype and testing report.

Phase 3 - Functional beta (Drupal) and/or cross dataset alignment

• Build a functional beta based on validated designs.
• Implement search, filtering and comparison functionality with sample or real data.
• Ensure performance, accessibility, security and Drupal compliance.
• Provide technical documentation for deployment, hosting, maintenance and future scaling.
• Document reusable components and design patterns.
• Recommend alignment opportunities across other datasets (AFCD, NPC, NPSC, AUSNUT).

Deliverables

Depending on selected components, deliverables may include:

• High-fidelity Figma prototype and supporting design specifications.
• Refined IA map and content model.
• User testing report and updated prototype.
• Costings and recommendations for a beta build.
• Functional beta build and supporting documentation.
• Reusable templates, components and dataset publishing patterns.

Timeframes

• Statis prototype completed by 31 March 2026.
• Optional beta build delivered by 30 June 2026.

Scope confirmation

FSANZ has allocated up to $55,000 (inc. GST) for this procurement. Following acceptance of the preferred quotation, FSANZ will convene an introductory workshop to confirm detailed scope, priorities and sequencing. Adjustments may be agreed at this stage.

Standards and compliance

• FSANZ’s design system and digital roadmap.
• WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility.
• Australian Government Digital Service Standard.
• Drupal 11-ready design and technical patterns.
• FSANZ hosting, integration and security requirements.

FSANZ website

• Drupal 11 compliant
• Responsive design and cross-browser compatibility
• Accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)
• Integrations (Google Analytics)
• Solr search
• Platform.sh hosting
• Regular security assessments, patching and vulnerability management 

Estimated start date: Monday, 26 January 2026

Initial contract duration: Until 30 June 2026

Extension term: 12 months

Number of extensions: 4

Working arrangements: Remote