VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Report
Pubrica completes VPATs as tested, evidence-based Accessibility Conformance Reports for software suppliers, publishers and platforms responding to procurement requirements. Our accessibility specialists test every applicable criterion against your product, record the method used and write specific remarks in the edition the buyer has requested. Buyers review these reports closely, and an accurate “Partially Supports” remark with a remediation date carries more weight than unsupported claims of full support. You receive the completed ACR and a prioritised remediation list.
- The right edition: WCAG, Revised Section 508, EN 301 549 or the international edition covering all three, selected according to the buyer’s requirement
- Every criterion tested, with the method recorded so that the result can be reproduced at the next revision
- Specific, informative remarks: a “Partially Supports” remark that names the gap and explains it is more credible than a “Supports” claim that a buyer can disprove
- Written to withstand scrutiny, because an ACR is a representation about your product and buyers review it critically
- A prioritised remediation list, so that every gap recorded in the report has a plan to address it
Testing against the chosen editionIncluded
Completed ACR with written remarksIncluded
Remediation list with prioritiesIncluded
Re-issue after remediationIncluded
Legal certification of complianceNot available from any provider
Product → tested → recorded → remarked → ACR
- Edition matched to the buyer
- Every criterion tested
- Method recorded and reproducible
- Remarks specific enough to act on
- Remediation list attached
Deliverables
Four Components of Every Accessibility Conformance Report
Every report covers four components. The report may only claim what was tested for one product, edition and version.
From the scopingA WCAG-edition VPAT supplied to a US federal buyer who requested Section 508 does not fail outright, but it leaves the buyer to do the mapping and suggests that the request was not read closely.
From the test record1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): Supports.1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): Partially Supports. Body text and headings meet 4.5:1. Disabled form labels measure 3.1:1 in the settings panel. Measured with a contrast analyser against the rendered values, with a screenshot on file.
From the reportPartially Supports. Some content may not meet this criterion.Partially Supports. The data table in the reporting module is not programmatically associated with its headers, so a screen reader announces cell values without context. This affects one view, and remediation is scheduled for the next release.
From the handoverAn ACR records conformance at a point in time, and buyers understand this. Evidence that the gaps are tracked shows that the supplier has a process for addressing them.
The samples shown are illustrative and anonymised. Hover over a sample to replay it.
Compliance and Standards
VPAT Editions and Accessibility Standards
The edition depends on the buyer, while the underlying success criteria are largely the same.
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (completed as an ACR)
The template maintained by ITI, in WCAG, Revised Section 508, EN 301 549 and international editions. Conformance is recorded as Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support or Not Applicable.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (level AA)
The success criteria almost every procurement requirement resolves to, whether it is cited directly or through Section 508 or EN 301 549.
Procurement standards (Revised Section 508, EN 301 549)
What US federal and European public-sector buyers require, both of which incorporate WCAG success criteria rather than replacing them.
Quality management (cert. H3CR9TCU20251212INDQM10N)
How the audit or the remediation is run, recorded and released.
Responsible Use of AI
Our Approach to AI Use in VPAT Authoring
A zero-error result from an automated checker does not, on its own, show that content is accessible. Alt text that describes a chart as "a chart", a reading order that is technically valid and useless, tagging that passes validation and fails a screen-reader user — all of it is conformant and none of it works.
Why We Do Not Publish an AI Accuracy Figure
Accuracy figures for AI tools are usually reported by the companies that sell them.
Pubrica therefore does not quote a self-generated accuracy figure, because it would carry the same conflict of interest. Instead, we tell you which tool was used on your project, at which stage, and what a specialist changed afterwards.
Our Process
How Our VPAT and ACR Authoring Process Works
We agree the edition and the scope first, because both determine which criteria apply.
Edition and scope
We confirm who is requesting the report, which edition they require, and which product, version and functionality the report covers.
Testing
We test each applicable criterion with a recorded method against the live product rather than a design file.
Report authoring
We complete the template with conformance levels and written remarks specific enough for a buyer to evaluate.
Remediation list and re-issue
We prioritise the gaps with effort and target dates, and re-issue the report once remediation is complete.
Our Experts
Your VPAT and Accessibility Testing Team
A named team of subject specialists stays with your project from scoping to delivery. Your project coordinator introduces each team member by name before work begins.
Reviews the scientific content for accuracy and confirms that each conclusion is supported by the evidence. Each expert is matched to your field.
Reviews content for accuracy, pedagogy and conformance with the applicable curriculum, assessment or accessibility standard.
Checks the finished work independently against the agreed scope and the applicable checklist. Findings are logged and resolved before delivery.
Manages the timeline, keeps you informed at each stage and coordinates the team so that questions are answered and deadlines are met.
Packages
VPAT and ACR Packages
Pricing depends on product scope, the number of applicable criteria and whether testing must cover several platforms.
Conformance report
For suppliers responding to a procurement requirement
Quoted per projectBased on product scope and edition
Delivery By scope
- ✓Edition matched to the buyer
- ✓Every applicable criterion tested with a recorded method
- ✓Completed VPAT as an Accessibility Conformance Report
- ✓Written remarks specific enough to evaluate
- ✓Prioritised remediation list
If a bid deadline applies, please tell us, because the scope can be limited to the modules included in the bid.
Deliverables Request a quoteReport programme
For publishers and platforms with a portfolio of products
Quoted per projectBased on product count and release cadence
Delivery By arrangement
- ✓Reports across a product portfolio
- ✓Consistent testing method and remark style
- ✓Re-issue on a release cadence
- ✓Remediation tracked between reports
- ✓One evidence base across the portfolio
Consistent reports across a portfolio show buyers that accessibility is managed centrally.
Deliverables Request a quoteSend your current VPAT and we will identify, free of charge, which claims are unlikely to withstand testing. In our experience, these usually concern contrast, data tables and focus order.
VPAT and ACR FAQs
VPAT and ACR FAQs
If your question is not listed here, ask an expert. No quote is required.
The VPAT is the blank template maintained by ITI. Once it is filled in with your product’s conformance information, the completed document is an Accessibility Conformance Report.
The two terms are often used interchangeably, and buyers who ask for “a VPAT” usually want a completed ACR.
It depends on the buyer. Use Revised Section 508 for US federal procurement, EN 301 549 for the European public sector, WCAG for a general requirement, and the international edition when you sell into all three.
The international edition takes more work, but it avoids producing three separate documents that must be kept consistent.
No. Buyers assume that a report claiming full support for every criterion has not been tested. Accessibility teams can disprove such claims quickly, which affects your credibility for the whole bid.
An accurate “Partially Supports” remark with a specific gap and a remediation date shows that you know your product, which is a stronger position.
No. An ACR is a representation of what your product does, at a point in time, against a set of criteria. It is not a certification, and no provider can issue one.
It allows a buyer to make an informed decision and gives you a tracked list of issues to fix.
Related Services
Related Accessibility Remediation Services
The report records the gaps, and these services address them.
1REMEDIATIONremediation
PDF remediationTagging, reading order and structure. Accessibility complianceDocuments and media made conformant with WCAG 2.2.2CONTENT DEVELOPMENTaccessible content production
Scientific alt textAlt text written for data-heavy figures. Visual and accessibility editingAccessible figures and visual content.3WORKFLOW ADVISORYpreventing recurring defects
Publishing workflow advisoryBorn-accessible, XML-first production workflows. EPUB accessibility validationMetadata and conformance validation.Request a Free Review of Your Current VPAT
We will identify, free of charge, which claims are unlikely to withstand testing. These usually concern contrast, data tables and focus order.