What is VPAT certification?
To understand why VPAT certification is critical for businesses, it is necessary to first understand what VPAT certification is. The acronym VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It refers to a document that allows a company or organization to provide a comprehensive analysis of its compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act's accessibility standards.
The VPAT outlines key Section 508 accessibility requirements and provides a structure for an electronic and information technology (EIT) product or service vendor to outline the level of compliance and provide explanatory remarks. Section 508 requires all EIT products and technologies used by federal employees to be compliant.
Furthermore, if your EIT product or service is used by anyone who is directly or indirectly funded by the federal government, you are federally funded by extension, and the Section 508 compliance regulations may apply to you. In other words, your company or organization is most likely missing out on business opportunities because it lacks the necessary VPAT certification.
A completed VPAT report is frequently referred to as VPAT certification. Because a VPAT document is not intended to serve as a pass or fail document, it should not be interpreted to imply certification of compliance. VPAT compliance basically tells you how well an EIT product or service meets the specific standards that make it more accessible to people with disabilities.
When a vendor or buyer requests VPAT certification, they are most likely referring to a completed VPAT. When VPATs are completed, vendors and purchasers of EIT products and services can have more focused and direct discussions during the procurement process.
What makes VPAT certification crucial for businesses?
The US General Services Administration (GSA) developed the VPAT specifically to allow vendors of EIT products and services to easily provide supporting documentation to demonstrate compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards. Here are some of the reasons why VPAT compliance is critical for businesses:
- Protection from legal and financial actions
A business's VPAT accessibility certification proves that it follows the various guidelines that make its EIT product or service accessible to people with disabilities. Companies and organizations are required by law to make their EIT products and services accessible to people with disabilities. Businesses and organizations that do not have access to VPAT risk being dragged into litigation, which could drain their finances and damage their reputations.
- Access to federal business opportunities
If your company wants to do business with the federal government, its agencies, or federally funded organizations, VPAT certification is required. A properly completed VPAT report will assist a company in gaining access to business opportunities with the federal government, federal government agencies, and federally funded organizations.
- Identification of accessibility gaps
The steps a company takes to create its VPAT report provide critical information about the accessibility of its products or services. The VPAT creation prompts the business to list all of the features present or missing in their EIT product or service, making it easy to identify accessibility issues with the product or service.
In fact, when a business collaborates with experienced VPAT certification experts like ADA Compliance Pros, the experts can calculate the accessibility compliance percentage of their product or service and recommend which features it must include avoiding unnecessary litigation and financial loss.
Need help with VPAT certification for your business?
The significance of VPAT certification for a business cannot be overstated. However, appreciating this usually leads to roadblocks when it comes to putting it into action. This is due to the fact that creating a VPAT report usually requires professional assistance in order to fill out the template accurately and completely.
I struggled with this issue for some time when I needed a VPAT report for my EIT service in order to improve my Google rankings and conversions but to no avail.
When I received a demand letter for non-compliance with the accessibility requirements of my web-based service, I was made aware of the seriousness of VPAT accessibility. When faced with this quandary, I remembered the many businesses that had spent a lot of money on legal fees and fines for non-compliance with accessibility standards.
I quickly contacted several VPAT accessibility experts who could help me, but none could work within my budget. When I was nearly despairing, a friend sent me this link to help me check the accessibility of my website for free. This saved my company! You can get similar VPAT certification help by calling (626) 486-2201.