The Section 508 edition of the VPAT is the right choice when a U.S. federal agency or a contractor selling into the federal market requests an Accessibility Conformance Report. Section 508 applies to federal procurement of information and communication technology, so vendors responding to government RFPs, GSA schedules, or agency purchase requests should document conformance against the Revised 508 Standards. If your buyer is a state government, a private enterprise, or an international organization, a different edition fits better. The Section 508 edition maps your product to the technical and functional performance criteria the federal government measures against.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary Audience | U.S. federal agencies and contractors selling ICT to the federal government |
| Standard Referenced | Revised Section 508 Standards (incorporates WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA by reference) |
| When to Use | Federal RFP responses, GSA schedule listings, agency procurement requests |
| When Not to Use | State government buyers, EU buyers, private sector buyers without 508 requirements |
| Evaluation Required | Yes, an accessibility evaluation is needed to accurately complete the report |
What the Section 508 Edition Covers
The Section 508 edition organizes conformance reporting around the Revised 508 Standards published by the U.S. Access Board. These standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA by reference, then add federal-specific requirements covering hardware, software, support documentation, and functional performance criteria.
When you complete a Section 508 ACR, you are reporting against five chapters: functional performance criteria, hardware, software, support documentation and services, and the referenced WCAG success criteria. Most SaaS products only need the software and WCAG chapters, but the structure exists to cover the full range of ICT.
Who Should Request a Section 508 ACR?
Federal procurement officers ask for the Section 508 edition because their purchasing process is governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, which requires agencies to verify accessibility before buying ICT. If you sell software, web apps, mobile apps, or hardware to a federal agency, you will be asked for this report at some point.
Government contractors and resellers who package products for federal sale also need Section 508 ACRs from their upstream vendors. The document moves through the procurement chain as evidence that the product meets federal accessibility requirements.
How Does It Differ From the WCAG and INT Editions?
The WCAG edition reports only against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It is the default choice for SaaS companies selling into the commercial market, where buyers care about WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA conformance without the federal procurement overlay.
The EN 301 549 edition reports against the European harmonized standard, which matters for EU public sector buyers and EAA-related procurement. The INT edition combines WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 into one document for vendors who sell across all three markets and want a single ACR.
If your buyer pool is mixed, the INT edition can reduce the number of separate reports you maintain. If your buyer is strictly federal, the Section 508 edition is cleaner and more familiar to federal reviewers.
What an Accurate Section 508 ACR Requires
A credible Section 508 ACR is grounded in an accessibility evaluation. The evaluation identifies issues across the product, and those findings map directly into the conformance table with supporting remarks that explain partial conformance or nonconformance.
Filling in a VPAT without an evaluation produces a document that does not hold up under federal review. Procurement officers and agency 508 coordinators read these reports carefully, and inaccurate claims can disqualify a vendor or trigger contract risk after the sale. Accessible.org always pairs the ACR with a full evaluation so the report reflects the actual state of the product.
VPAT details are covered further in the video below.
Common Situations That Call for the Section 508 Edition
A SaaS vendor responding to a Department of Health and Human Services RFP needs a Section 508 ACR with the response. A hardware manufacturer listing a product on a GSA schedule needs one before the listing is approved. A consulting firm subcontracting to a prime that holds a federal contract may be asked to produce one for the prime to forward to the agency.
Outside of federal procurement, the Section 508 edition is rarely the right choice. State governments often reference WCAG directly. Private enterprises almost always want the WCAG edition. International buyers lean toward EN 301 549 or INT.
FAQs
Do I need a Section 508 ACR to sell to the federal government?
In practice, yes. Federal agencies are required to evaluate accessibility before procurement, and the Section 508 ACR is the document they expect. Without it, your bid can be set aside or returned for the missing documentation.
Can I use the WCAG edition instead of Section 508 for a federal buyer?
You can submit the WCAG edition, but federal reviewers may push back and request the Section 508 edition. The Section 508 edition includes the functional performance criteria and software requirements that the WCAG-only report does not cover.
Does the Section 508 edition expire?
ACRs do not have a formal expiration. Accessible.org recommends updating the report after significant product changes or roughly every 12 months so the document continues to reflect the current state of the product.
What WCAG version does Section 508 reference?
The Revised 508 Standards reference WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA. Many vendors now also report against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA in the same document to meet broader buyer expectations, since most modern procurement requests look for the newer standard.
How long does it take to produce a Section 508 ACR?
Timing depends on the evaluation scope. For a typical SaaS product, the evaluation and ACR together can be completed in a few weeks, though larger or more complex products take longer. Learn more about how the VPAT and ACR process works and how to plan around your procurement deadlines.
Choosing the Right Edition
Match the edition to the buyer. Federal sale, federal edition. Commercial sale, WCAG edition. EU public sector, EN 301 549. Mixed buyer base, INT. When the Section 508 edition is what the buyer wants, it should be backed by an accessibility evaluation that gives the report its credibility.
Need a Section 508 ACR for an upcoming federal opportunity? Contact Accessible.org to get started.
