How to Evaluate a VPAT: A Step-by-Step Guide for Procurement and Compliance Teams

What is a VPAT?

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a standardized document that software vendors use to self-report how their product conforms to accessibility standards, primarily the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If your organization is subject to ADA obligations, Section 508 requirements, or state-level accessibility laws, you are likely required to verify that the software you purchase meets those standards before signing a contract. The VPAT is how vendors communicate their conformance level. It is up to you to evaluate whether that conformance is sufficient.

Why VPAT Evaluation Matters

Procuring inaccessible software exposes your organization to legal liability, ADA complaints, and reputational harm. It also creates real barriers for employees and customers with disabilities who depend on those tools every day.

A strong VPAT evaluation process protects your organization and ensures you are only signing contracts with vendors who take accessibility seriously.

What to Look for in a VPAT

Not all VPATs are created equal. Many vendors submit documents that are incomplete, vague, or outdated. Here is what a rigorous evaluation looks for:

1. Completeness
A valid VPAT must address every applicable WCAG 2.1 criterion at Level A and AA. If a vendor has left criteria blank or marked them "not applicable" without explanation, that is a red flag. Incomplete VPATs cannot be relied upon for compliance purposes.

2. Specificity of remarks
Each criterion should include a support level (Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable) and a specific remark explaining why. Generic responses like "we are committed to accessibility" or "our team is working on it" do not constitute conformance. Look for concrete, technical explanations.

3. Recency
A VPAT that was written two or three years ago may not reflect the current state of the product. Accessibility conformance can improve or regress with software updates. Best practice is to require VPATs updated within the last 12 months, and to re-evaluate at each contract renewal.

4. Version and standard
Confirm the VPAT was completed using the correct template version (VPAT 2.4 or later for WCAG 2.1 coverage) and the correct standard for your jurisdiction. Federal contractors typically need Section 508 conformance. Most organizations need WCAG 2.1 AA at minimum.

5. Third-party audits
Self-reported VPATs are not independently verified. A vendor that has commissioned a third-party accessibility audit carries significantly more credibility than one relying entirely on internal assessment. Ask whether an audit exists and request supporting documentation.

The Problem with Manual VPAT Review

Evaluating a single VPAT manually takes an experienced reviewer anywhere from one to several hours. Across a portfolio of ten, twenty, or fifty vendors, that time adds up fast, and the results are rarely consistent. Different reviewers weight criteria differently, interpret support levels differently, and focus on different sections of the document.

Manual review also makes it difficult to compare vendors side by side, track changes over time, or produce defensible documentation for audits and legal review.

For most organizations, the manual process is not scalable, and it creates exactly the kind of inconsistency that becomes a liability when accessibility complaints arise.

The Fastest and Most Accurate Way to Evaluate a VPAT

Inclusive Digital VPAT Evaluator is the only AI-powered platform purpose-built to automate VPAT scoring. Upload a vendor's VPAT and within seconds you receive a structured accessibility risk score with a breakdown by WCAG criterion, identification of vague or missing responses, a comparison against industry benchmarks, and an audit-ready report your compliance team can act on immediately.

There is no other product on the market that does this. It was designed specifically for ADA coordinators, procurement officers, and IT security teams who need to evaluate vendor accessibility at scale, without the hours of manual review that process currently requires.

Pricing starts at a fraction of what a single manual accessibility review costs, and every plan includes unlimited VPAT uploads.

If you are responsible for vendor accessibility compliance, this is the tool that replaces the spreadsheet.