An Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) is a formal document that details the degree to which a digital product supports Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) criteria. It is generated by completing the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
For agencies serving the non-profit and government sectors, digital accessibility is a critical requirement rather than an optional feature. While the industry frequently discusses accessibility at conferences and in thought leadership pieces, many agencies, ourselves included, had never formalised this commitment into a documented ACR. For years, it simply wasn’t a standard requirement from our clients. However, when a recent RFP explicitly requested an ACR as part of our proposal, I took the opportunity to finally dive into the process.
Admittedly, there is some nuance to using a VPAT in a service-based agency model. The template is designed for “products,” yet agencies typically sell custom builds that are developed after a contract is signed. Since you cannot evaluate a product that doesn’t exist, I chose to base our ACR on our proprietary Drupal and WordPress starting points. By assessing these foundational frameworks, I could document our baseline compliance while clearly identifying where specific client-side choices might ultimately impact final conformance.
What began as a compliance exercise quickly evolved into a valuable internal audit. Reviewing our technical foundation through the rigorous lens of each WCAG criterion provided insights that years of attending sessions hadn’t fully captured. It forced us to confront aspects of the user experience with fresh eyes, identifying subtle areas for improvement that are easily overlooked in high-level discussions.
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This documentation process also served to centralize institutional knowledge. By spelling out how our builds handle complex criteria—such as Unusual Words, Abbreviations, or Pronunciation—we created a resource that is accessible to everyone in the company. More importantly, it highlighted the shared responsibility of accessibility. I realized that while some criteria depend on our code, others rely on the content editor’s input. Having these distinctions documented ensures we can have more proactive and informed conversations with our clients about their role in maintaining a compliant site.
Ultimately, creating an ACR has proven to be an essential endeavor for our agency, far beyond simply checking a box for an RFP. The process has fortified our internal knowledge base and significantly sharpened our client communication regarding accessibility expectations. I encourage other agencies to take the initiative and complete a VPAT for their own starter kits now. Rather than waiting for a request for proposal to force your hand, proactive documentation will position your team as a prepared, expert partner in the quest for a more inclusive web.