U.S. Section 508 VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Reports: Buyer’s Review Guide

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a reporting format; the resulting Accessibility Conformance Report describes how a product addresses a standard. It is not an independent certification or a substitute for testing. Buyers should map the product’s exact version and configuration to user journeys, inspect “partially supports” and “does not support” claims, and obtain remediation commitments in procurement documents.

A practical workflow

1. Identify the applicable Section 508 standards and the product version in scope.
2. Read every “remarks and explanations” cell instead of scanning only summary labels.
3. Test authentication, keyboard operation, documents, exports, and support channels.
4. Ask how accessibility defects are prioritized, fixed, and communicated.
5. Make acceptance criteria and evidence retention part of the contract.

Before you submit, buy, or publish

• Check report date, evaluator, scope, and exceptions.
• Review vendor-hosted and integrated third-party components.
• Confirm mobile, browser, and assistive-technology coverage.
• Provide a route for disabled users to report barriers.

Caveats that matter

Federal procurement rules and standards references can change. A report may describe a point in time and a particular configuration.

Frequently asked question

Does “supports” mean every user can complete every task? No. Validate the workflows your organization actually needs.

Primary source

Use the official source for current eligibility, forms, dates, fees, limits, and policy changes: Open the primary source. Verify the page immediately before acting; this guide is educational and is not legal, tax, immigration, or financial advice.