Selling software, web applications, or digital products to federal, state, or local government agencies almost always requires a VPAT. Government buyers need documentation that a product meets accessibility requirements before they can complete a purchase, and the VPAT is the standard format procurement officers expect to see.
Federal agencies operate under Section 508, which requires electronic and information technology purchased with federal funds to be accessible. The completed VPAT, called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), shows how a product measures against Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA criteria. Without one, procurement teams have no documented basis to approve the purchase, and the deal stalls.
State and local agencies often follow the same expectation. Many adopt Section 508 language directly, and others reference WCAG conformance levels in their procurement policies. Higher education institutions, public school districts, and government contractors flowing requirements down through their supply chains also request VPATs as part of vendor evaluation.
The right edition matters. The Section 508 edition is the standard for U.S. federal sales. Companies selling internationally may also need the EN 301 549 edition for European public sector buyers or the INT edition when multiple frameworks apply. Choosing the wrong edition can delay procurement just as much as not having a VPAT at all.