What is WCAG 2.1 AA, and why does it apply to us?
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). Version 2.1, Level AA is the international technical standard for web accessibility. It covers four principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust — broken into 50 specific success criteria addressing things like text alternatives for images, keyboard navigation, color contrast, form labels, and error identification.
It applies to your agency because the DOJ issued a Final Rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act in April 2024, adopting WCAG 2.1 AA as the legal standard for all state and local government websites and mobile applications. Compliance is mandatory by April 24, 2027 (with a two-year delay for smaller jurisdictions under 50,000 population).
What happens if we don't comply by April 2027?
The DOJ may open an enforcement investigation triggered by a complaint from any constituent. If found non-compliant, your agency could face a consent decree requiring years of supervised remediation, the appointment of an ADA coordinator, mandatory public progress reporting, and payment of plaintiff attorney fees. Separately, private ADA lawsuits are increasingly common against government websites — and unlike DOJ investigations, private suits move on the plaintiff's timeline.
The rule also requires agencies to post an accessibility statement. Absence of that statement alone can serve as evidence of non-compliance in a complaint.
What's included in the $9,500 audit?
Six deliverables: a 200-page WCAG 2.1 AA findings report covering all 50 success criteria; a prioritized remediation roadmap with developer-level code guidance; a DOJ-compliant accessibility statement ready to publish; a completed VPAT 2.5 (WCAG 2.1 Edition); an interim findings report at Day 15; and final delivery by Day 30. The audit covers your entire website up to 50 unique page templates using a combination of automated scanning (axe-core, IBM Equal Access Checker), manual keyboard-navigation testing, and screen reader testing with NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver.
You can review a full sample audit report before ordering.
How long does it take, and what do we need to provide?
Thirty calendar days from kickoff to final report delivery — guaranteed. You need to provide your website URL, a sitemap (or list of representative page types), and your CMS platform. No credentials or server access required. At Day 15, you receive an interim findings report so your development team can begin remediation two weeks before the final report arrives.
Most government IT teams find that having the interim report lets them knock out 40–60% of Critical and Major issues before final delivery, which significantly reduces the remediation runway they need post-report.
Does the audit cover our entire website?
The $9,500 fixed fee covers up to 50 unique page templates. For most municipal, county, or state agency websites, 50 templates cover the vast majority of content — homepage, department landing pages, forms, news/press, contact, document libraries, event calendars, and similar recurring patterns. If your website has more than 50 distinct templates, contact us at andrew@morton-digital.com for a custom quote before ordering.
How do we pay? Is this within our procurement threshold?
Payment is via Stripe (credit card or ACH bank transfer). At $9,500, the engagement falls under the federal micro-purchase threshold of $10,000, meaning most government agencies can complete the purchase with a government credit card or purchase order without a formal RFP or competitive bid process — though you should confirm your jurisdiction's specific micro-purchase policy. If your agency requires a W-9 or sole-source justification letter, email andrew@morton-digital.com and we'll provide both within one business day.