Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)

1. Inspection by a voting system test lab (VSTL) that compares the voting system components submitted for certification testing to the manufacturer’s technical documentation and confirms that the documentation submitted meets the national certification requirements. Includes witnessing the executable system being built to ensure that the certified release is built from the tested components.

Source: Election Terminology Glossary - Draft, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), https://pages.nist.gov/ElectionGlossary/

2. Inspection by an accredited test laboratory that compares the voting system components submitted for certification testing to the vendor’s technical documentation and confirms that the documentation submitted meets the national certification requirements. Includes witnessing of the build of the executable system to ensure that the certified release is built from the tested components.

Source: Glossary of terms database, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, https://www.eac.gov/glossary/