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Review vendor accessibility evidence
Use ACRs, product evidence, and an accountable follow-up process to inform buying decisions.
Starter draft for review. Use as a conversation or planning aid.
Begin with the service and the purchase
Name the product, version, configuration, purchase or renewal stage, and critical tasks. Agree the applicable requirements with the agency accessibility and procurement leads. Federal Section 508 procurement guidance is a useful reference; state and local purchasing rules and standards must be checked separately.
Open and review the actual ACR
- Match the product: confirm the report covers the version, platform, modules, and configuration you intend to buy.
- Check its scope: review the date, applicable standards, evaluation methods, and stated limitations.
- Read the criteria: check for missing rows, unexplained claims, and remarks that conflict with the stated conformance level.
- Understand barriers: ask which critical tasks and users are affected, and what product-specific evidence supports the claim.
- Resolve gaps: send precise questions to the vendor and record who owns the response. An incomplete report needs clarification before the evidence review can be completed.
- Plan validation: arrange qualified testing or demonstrations for the purchased configuration and important tasks; the depth should reflect the service risk.
Carry the decision into the contract lifecycle
Work with procurement to record the agreed requirements, acceptance evidence, remediation commitments, responsible contacts, and review triggers. Make updates and renewals part of the follow-up process. Contract language and exception decisions belong with authorized agency officials.
A concise evidence review record
- Asset and report
- Product; version; report date; review date; reviewer; scope.
- Evidence reviewed
- ACR sections, vendor responses, demonstration or testing evidence, and known limits.
- Open concerns
- Affected task; missing or inconsistent information; requested clarification.
- Required next action
- Responsible vendor or agency contact; due date; acceptance check; renewal or update trigger.
An ACR review describes what the report supports. It does not establish that every part of the product was tested or certify that the purchased service is accessible.
ACLT connection: access requirements remain attached to everyday buying and acceptance decisions.
Official procurement references
- GSA: request accessibility information from vendors and contractors
- GSA: define accessibility criteria in contracts
Official links checked October 22, 2026. The checklist above is an Institute working aid.