As we near 2025, about 50% of our new clients are asking for VPATs. Let’s go through the process of getting a VPAT/ACR step-by-step.
Table of Contents
Download the VPAT Right Now
Any edition of the VPAT template is free and available to download right now off the ITIC.org website. There’s no requirement that you go through a service provider to create an ACR.
Note: When filled out and completed, a VPAT becomes an ACR.
However, there are several downsides to filling in our own VPAT and we’ll get straight to the one you care about the most: your buyers very well might discount the ACR because you created it in-house. Here’s why:
- An internal assessment will be bias
- Most organizations don’t have a technical accessibility expert
We move on.
Contact a Digital Accessibility Company
Now we’re talking. The most reliable way to get an ACR is to work with a reputable digital accessibility company and have them fill out the VPAT.
What will happen is a technical accessibility expert will audit your product or service so that the accessibility table accurately reflects your product’s accessibility status.
Here are three positive indicators for companies in this space:
- They don’t sell or recommend overlays or widgets
- They get into audit details (e.g., environments and scope)
- They don’t just offer the service, they can educate you on it
Set Clear Path Forward
When you reach out to a service provider, they’ll gather information from you and provide you a quote. Here’s exactly how the process goes.
- Initial contact: Hey, we need a VPAT for our product/service
- Response: Great, can we get these additional details so we can scope and provide a proposal with quote and timeline.
- Response: Also, would you like to set up a quick Zoom call to go over project details once we send you the quote and timeline.
- Client: Sure, we’re available on this date.
- Provider: That works, here’s a Zoom invite.
- Zoom call: Provider understands the product and objective, Client understands the details.
- Provider sends over a services agreement with the project details in writing and follows with invoice.
- Client sends and makes payment.
- Audit begins. When finished, VPAT is filled in and completed.
- ACR is delivered to the client on or before deadline.
Client Preparation
As a client, you can expect the information bulleted below to be requested by the service provider (if it isn’t clear from discussions / accessing the product):
- VPAT edition needed
- WCAG version needed
- Scope preferences
- Audit using mobile, desktop, or both environments
- Product version information
- Contact person for ACR
- Test login
Work Begins
With the details out of the way, now it’s time for the service provider to begin work.
93% of the work is conducting the audit. The audit will be a formal, thorough evaluation of your product or service where each page/screen within scope will be meticulously evaluated against the technical standard(s) set out in the VPAT.
The remaining 7% involves filling in the VPAT details and then distilling all of the audit findings into the VPAT’s accessibility table.
Timeline Expectations
From start to finish, here’s how long it can take for a VPAT to be filled in and and ACR to arrive in your inbox:
- Initial contact and scoping (1-2 days)
- Proposal and agreement (2-3 days)
- Audit completion (1-2 weeks)
- Fill in VPAT (1-2 days)
- Review ACR and send (1 day)
And for clients who are in a hurry, we even offer rush service for VPATs.
But even without rush service, we’re still really fast. If they match our quickness, many clients have their ACRs delivered within 10 days of intial contact.
Next Steps
Most of our clients are new to VPATs so the documentation can seem daunting, but we can guide you through the process. It really just comes down to we need some information from you and then we get to work.
Ready to start on your VPAT?
We’d love to help, just send us a message and we’ll take care of the rest.
