Common Accessibility Procurement Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Why Accessibility Procurement Goes Wrong

Organizations that get accessibility procurement wrong are rarely doing so out of indifference. More often, the problem is process. The result is a set of common mistakes that create real legal and reputational exposure when not caught early.

Mistake 1: Accepting Any VPAT as Sufficient

A VPAT is a self-reported document. There is no external body that verifies its accuracy. Accepting a VPAT without evaluating its quality is not due diligence. Evaluate every VPAT for completeness, specificity, and recency. A VPAT that fails any of these checks should be sent back to the vendor with specific questions before procurement moves forward.

Mistake 2: Reviewing the VPAT Too Late in the Process

Many procurement teams request a VPAT only after a vendor has already been selected. By that point, there is enormous pressure to find a way to make the VPAT acceptable rather than make a different purchasing decision. Require the VPAT at the RFP or demo stage, before evaluation begins.

Mistake 3: Not Documenting the Review

If an accessibility complaint or OCR investigation arises after procurement, your organization needs to demonstrate it performed due diligence. Produce a written record of your VPAT evaluation that notes what was reviewed, what gaps were identified, and what the vendor committed to in response.

Mistake 4: Not Revisiting VPATs at Renewal

Accessibility conformance is not static. A product that met WCAG 2.1 AA at initial procurement may have regressed after a major update. Include VPAT re-submission as a contract renewal condition and schedule reviews at least 90 days before renewal.

Mistake 5: Relying on One Person to Carry the Process

When a single accessibility coordinator leaves or gets overwhelmed, the process stops and procurement decisions move forward without any accessibility review. Build processes that do not depend on individual expertise.

Inclusive Digital VPAT Evaluator automates VPAT scoring so that any member of a procurement team can produce a consistent, defensible review in seconds, regardless of their level of accessibility expertise.