VPAT™ is an acronym for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It is a document that outlines the comprehensive analysis of a business’s conformance to essential accessibility requirements.
In simple terms, a VPAT could be considered a public statement on the compliance of a business’s product. A VPAT is a medium to provide as much detail and specificity as possible to illuminate the many nuances of a product that contribute to its overall level of accessibility compliance.
To understand VPATs, their purpose, and which businesses require the usage of a VPAT, it’s essential to learn more about accessibility standards and to whom they apply.
Section 508 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to develop, procure, maintain, and use information and communications technology that is accessible to people with disabilities.
While Section 508 may appear to apply only directly to federal agencies, private entities seeking to do business with the government or receive government funding must also exhibit Section 508 compliance. This means that these businesses must present accessibility compliance information in a VPAT just as a federal agency would.
Beyond federal requirements, many states and local governments have now adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) in lieu of federally mandated Section 508 requirements. Organizations looking to do business with any government in the United States or agencies that may serve those governments should anticipate the need for an up-to-date VPAT that measures the organization's compliance with either Section 508 or WCAG, depending on the type of agency.
What a VPAT is and isn’t
The purpose of a VPAT is to ensure that a product is eligible to be procured by exhibiting compliance with accessibility standards. A VPAT also provides that no claims have been made about the product that would subject the business or the government to legal action later.
It is equally important to note what a VPAT is not. It is not a guarantee of 100% accessibility compliance under Section 508 as that is arguably impossible, and such a declaration is not something private businesses are required to provide.
Instead, a VPAT is documentation of a product's current level of accessibility. A VPAT is also not a Statement of Accessibility, though the two are not dissimilar.
VPAT versus Statement of Accessibility
A Statement of Accessibility is a statement that appears on a company website that outlines a site or business’s general accessibility efforts. It provides basic information on current accessibility compliance and how the business is working to identify any accessibility failures and improve overall functionality.
In this way, a Statement of Accessibility functions as a mechanism for feedback and improvement, demonstrating a commitment to accessibility and the inclusion of all users. Statements of Accessibility are recommended for all sites and businesses.
On the other hand, a VPAT is less than voluntary, despite its name. For companies hoping to serve a federal agency (or State or local government in many cases), a VPAT will be required. And while most companies likely have a Statement of Accessibility at the ready, the two are not interchangeable, despite their similarities.
As a casual P.R. document, the Statement of Accessibility won’t serve as a substitute for a VPAT, which is much more formal. A VPAT requires an understanding of Section 508 and WCAG guidelines and thus requires much legal and accessibility expertise. Given the level of knowledge required, VPATs can take a considerable amount of time to create compared to the more casual Statement of Accessibility.
VPAT tips
For that reason, if contracting with a federal agency is in the cards, even in the distant future, it’s advisable to begin the VPAT process as soon as possible so that the document is ready for all future partners to access quickly.
To get an idea of what is expected, the current VPAT template designed by the Information Technology Industry Council is available for download.
After that, the next step in the process would be to decide whether it’s a project that can be tackled in-house or is best farmed out to third-party VPAT experts.
Research, compare and shop around to find a service to meet VPAT needs if creating one in-house is not feasible.
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