Supplier Communications
The University of Washington is communicating with our valued Suppliers, Vendors and Contractors regarding the ADA Digital Accessibility Conformance Requirement regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services requiring that all public institutions, including universities, achieve compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards by April 26, 2027 (Please note: In April 2026, the DOJ extended the compliance date from April 2026 to April 2027).
February 2025
An initial email was sent to all current suppliers who do business with University of Washington on February 18, 2025, providing an overview of new digital accessibility compliance requirements and requesting vendors to prepare Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) using latest Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
August 2025
On August 5, 2025, UW sent follow-up emails to a smaller supplier audience, providing individualized instructions for submitting documentation to confirm the accessibility status of digital products and services.
Summer 2026
Additional communication is planned to be released during summer; suppliers that onboarded after February 2025 for a business or research engagement may not have received the prior communications, but will receive an update regarding the university's compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards this summer.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for additional information, including the specific products or services the compliance requirement applies to, planning and reporting, and additional resources.