VPAT Services

Accurate, defensible accessibility disclosures trusted by procurement, legal, and auditors

Accurate Accessibility Disclosure for Products, Services, and Digital Experiences

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a standardized document used to disclose how a product, service, or digital experience conforms to accessibility requirements. VPATs are widely required in government, higher education, healthcare, and enterprise procurement.
VPAT services support organizations in preparing clear, accurate, and defensible accessibility disclosures that reflect real implementation rather than marketing claims.

What a VPAT Is and Why It Matters

A VPAT is not a certification and does not imply automatic compliance. It is a formal disclosure document that explains how accessibility requirements are met, partially met, or not met, along with supporting explanations.
Procurement teams, auditors, and legal stakeholders use VPATs to:

Evaluate accessibility risk during vendor selection
Compare accessibility maturity across products and services
Support regulatory and contractual requirements
Document due diligence and good-faith accessibility efforts

Because VPATs are relied upon in formal decision-making, accuracy and transparency are critical.

Products, Services, and Experiences Covered

VPAT services can be applied to a wide range of digital offerings, including:

Software products and SaaS platforms
Web applications and portals
Public and customer-facing websites
Mobile applications
Digital documents and media
Cloud services and hosted solutions

The scope of each VPAT is defined explicitly to ensure conformance statements are accurate and defensible.

VPAT Standards and Templates Supported

VPAT documentation is prepared using the official Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) templates, aligned to applicable standards, including:

WCAG 2.0, 2.1, or 2.2 Level A and AA
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (USA)
EN 301 549 (European Union)

The appropriate VPAT edition and criteria are selected based on regulatory, procurement, and market requirements.

How VPAT Services Are Delivered

The process begins with defining exactly what the VPAT covers. This includes identifying:

Products, services, or components in scope
Supported platforms and environments
Known limitations or exclusions

Clear scoping prevents overstatement and reduces risk.

Accessibility is evaluated against the selected standards using a combination of:

Automated testing tools
Manual inspection and expert review
Assistive technology testing
Review of common accessibility patterns and barriers

Findings are mapped directly to VPAT success criteria.

Each criterion is assigned an appropriate conformance level, such as:

Supports
Partially Supports
Does Not Support
Not Applicable

Detailed remarks explain implementation details, workarounds, and known gaps.

A complete VPAT is prepared using the official ITI template, with:

Clear and accurate conformance statements
Plain-language explanations
Consistent terminology
Context suitable for procurement and compliance review

The goal is clarity and honesty, not promotional language.

VPAT documentation is reviewed to ensure:

Internal consistency across criteria
Alignment between findings and conformance claims
Accuracy of scope descriptions
Readability for technical and non-technical reviewers

This step helps reduce misinterpretation during audits, RFP evaluations, and contract reviews.

Who VPAT Services Are For

VPAT services are commonly used by organizations. This includes software vendors, SaaS providers, service organizations, and digital product teams.

Sell products or services to government or higher education
Participate in regulated procurement processes
Respond to RFP accessibility requirements
Need formal accessibility disclosures for products or platforms

Important Considerations

VPATs reflect accessibility status at a specific point in time. Changes to features, content, or design after completion may affect accuracy.
For this reason, VPATs are most effective when supported by ongoing accessibility practices rather than treated as one-time documents.

A Responsible Approach to Accessibility Disclosure

A well-prepared VPAT communicates accessibility status clearly and responsibly. It demonstrates awareness, transparency, and accountability, even when full conformance has not yet been achieved. VPAT services help organizations meet disclosure requirements with accuracy, confidence, and credibility.