Federal and Virginia buyers want proof that the tech they buy works for people with disabilities, usually as an Accessibility Conformance Report. We test web products with the DHS Trusted Tester process, test mobile apps and documents against the rest of the 508 standards, and write the report procurement asks for.
Federal and Virginia buyers can both ask for an ACR. One report can cover both when it uses the right VPAT edition and every standard the solicitation names.
Federal agencies generally have to make sure the tech they build, buy, and use meets the Revised 508 Standards, so solicitations ask vendors to show how their product conforms, usually with an ACR. There are some exceptions, and when nothing on the market fully conforms, an agency can buy what best meets the standards. For web content, the standards use WCAG 2.0 AA.
Read about Section 508 on Section508.gov (opens in a new tab)
Since the 2025 HB 2541 update, if a vendor can't certify that its tech conforms, a Virginia public body can require a current, vendor-paid ACR, completed by an accessibility expert with real product evaluation experience or a qualified neutral third party. Virginia's standards include the ADA web rule, which uses WCAG 2.1 AA.
Rules last checked November 2026.
For your bid
- DHS Certified Trusted Tester
- Section 508 web testing
- SWaM certified
- Small and Micro business
- Registered on eVA
- Virginia's procurement system
- Richmond, Virginia
- Remote for bids anywhere
An ACR gives each criterion a conformance level and a remark explaining it. The remarks are where a buyer decides whether to trust the rest.
| Criterion | Conformance level | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) | Partially Supports | Most images have text alternatives. The usage chart on the dashboard has none, so screen reader users miss the trend it shows. |
| 2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A) | Supports | Every function, including the date picker and file upload, works by keyboard alone. |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) | Does Not Support | Normal-size placeholder text and secondary button labels fall below the required 4.5:1 contrast ratio throughout the app. |
| 302.1 Without Vision | Partially Supports | Core tasks work with JAWS and NVDA. Report export can't be completed without sight. |
The last row is from Chapter 3 of the 508 standards, the functional performance criteria: can people use the product without vision, hearing, speech, or color perception, or with limited vision, hearing, movement, language, or cognition. They apply where the other requirements don't cover a feature, and when a product meets a requirement a different way.
Who It's For
Primes and vendors bidding on public work who need a credentialed tester on the team.
- Your solicitation asks for an ACR or VPAT
- A product on your bid has an old ACR, or one nobody's tested
- A Virginia buyer wants the report from a qualified third party
- You need a SWaM certified small business on your team
- An agency flagged accessibility issues after award
The report is only as good as the testing behind it, so that's where the time goes.
The solicitation and the product
Send us the solicitation and access to the product. We confirm the standard it names, the key tasks to test, and your deadline.
Trusted Tester for web
Web content gets the DHS Trusted Tester process. Mobile apps and documents get tested against the rest of the 508 standards. Then everything gets screen readers, keyboard, and zoom, the way people with disabilities actually use it.
For procurement and your devs
You get the ACR on the current VPAT template, with a plain remark for every criterion, and a findings report your developers can work from.
What you walk away with
- An ACR ready to attach to your bid
- Every issue mapped to its criterion and ranked by severity
- Clear guidance on how to fix each one
As the product changes
When you fix issues or ship a new version, we retest what changed and update the ACR, so the next bid has a current one.
Don't see yours?
What is Section 508?
Part of the Rehabilitation Act. It requires federal agencies to make the tech they build, buy, and use accessible to people with disabilities, so agencies ask vendors to show their products conform. For web content, the Revised 508 Standards point to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
What's the difference between a VPAT and an ACR?
A VPAT is the blank template, published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). An ACR is the finished report: the VPAT filled out for one product, with a conformance level and remarks for every criterion. Buyers say both, but they want the ACR. See the VPAT on the ITI site.
Can we write our own ACR?
For federal bids, vendors often do. In Virginia, when a public body requires one, the IT Access Act says it has to be completed by an accessibility expert with significant product evaluation experience, or a qualified neutral third party. Either way, a report built on real testing holds up better when a buyer checks it against the product.
What is a DHS Certified Trusted Tester?
Someone certified in the Department of Homeland Security's Trusted Tester process, a hands-on method for testing web content against Section 508. Agencies that use the process only accept results from certified testers. Read about Trusted Tester on Section508.gov.
Will the ACR say our product supports everything?
Only where it does. An honest "Partially Supports" with a clear remark is better than an inflated "Supports" a buyer can disprove with a quick test. We'll also show you what it would take to move each one up.
Do you test to WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 as well?
Yes. Section 508 points to WCAG 2.0 AA, but many buyers ask for 2.1 AA, and some ask for 2.2. We test to whatever your solicitation names and use the VPAT edition that covers it. The INT edition reports on Section 508, WCAG, and the EU standard in one document.
Can you join our team as a subcontractor?
Yes. We're SWaM certified (Small and Micro) and registered on eVA, and we can work under your contract or test your product directly before you bid.
How long does testing take?
It depends on the size of the product and how many key tasks need testing. Tell us your bid deadline up front, and we'll tell you honestly whether we can make it.
Do you work on bids outside Virginia?
Yes. We're based in Richmond, Virginia, and test remotely, so federal bids anywhere are fine.
Measure twice, cut once. We'll do the measuring before your bid goes in.