The University of Iowa is committed to making its digital content accessible to members of the university community and the general public. This commitment supports the university’s mission of teaching, research and service, and is maintained in accordance with relevant federal and state laws.

Recent updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require public institutions, including the University of Iowa, to make all digital content, with limited exceptions, conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA) by April 2026.

While these federal rules apply directly to the University of Iowa, we are accountable for compliance of the digital content provided through third-party services and therefore can only continue to partner with vendors who support us in meeting these standards. 

For our current vendors, suppliers and contractors, we ask that you confirm that your products conform with WCAG 2.1AA standards.  This information is necessary to avoid disruption to our partnership or the need to seek alternatives ahead of the compliance deadline. 

For new purchases, vendors, suppliers, and contractors should expect the following:

• The University will request that you provide an up-to-date VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) as part of the purchasing process so that we can review the product for compliance with accessibility requirements. 

  • The University will request a plan to address any gaps in WCAG 2.1AA conformance in a timely manner (before April 2026). 

• Any contract or agreement to provide a digital product, including tools, applications, and software, must include the following provision:

  • Technology provided to the University shall comply with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA and Revised Section 508 Standards for accessibility for persons with disabilities. Technology includes, but is not limited to, software, hardware, web applications, web pages, websites, and nonweb technologies.  The University reserves the right to request that the Contractor provide an acceptable audit and/or test results that document the technology’s compliance and the testing methodology utilized.  If the technology provided by Contractor does not meet WCAG 2.1 AA and Revised Section 508 standards, the University may demand that the Contractor promptly make modifications that will bring them into compliance. In addition, the University may take whatever steps necessary to ensure compliance with the above listed standards and may subtract any costs arising from such mitigation effort from future fees payable to Contractor under this Contract.