Executive Agent for PCB and Electronic Interconnect Technology PrCB Trust Accreditation
May 8, 2017 | Steve Vetter, Richard Snogren and John Timler, Ph.D.Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Abstract
Within the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain, trust and trusted have become widely used terms and concepts. Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02, Operation of the Defense Acquisition System, and DoDI 5200.39, Critical Program Information Identification and Protection Within Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, establish the requirements for the Program Protection Plan (PPP) to manage risks to advanced technology and mission-critical systems’ functionality throughout the acquisition lifecycle. DoDI 5200.44, Protection of Mission Critical Functions to Achieve Trusted Systems and Networks defines the protection of mission critical functions to achieve trusted systems and specifically calls out printed circuit boards (PrCBs) as a component of these systems.
The Executive Agent for Printed Circuit Boards and Interconnect Technology (PrCB EA) has been chartered to develop a trusted network of PrCB supply chains, including design, manufacture, and assembly, and therefore is creating the PrCB Trust Accreditation. The PrCB EA has established that in the DoD supply chain for national security systems, trusted status is assigned to a supplier of PrCB related products and/or services when that supplier has consistently demonstrated the ability to meet specified requirements for quality, supply chain management, chain of custody (CoC), and security.
This paper describes the drivers of PrCB Trust Accreditation for the design, manufacture, and assembly of PrCBs and PrCB subsystems. The methodology used to establish the accreditation system and the status of that system are also discussed. This accreditation leverages existing process structures developed and fielded by Defense Logistics Agency (MILPRF-31032/55110), Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) (Trusted Supplier Program), and the Association Connecting Electronics Industries (IPC) specifications and standards. The accreditation places an emphasis on integrity assurance, where historic emphasis targeted quality and reliability.
Insights into the structure of the proposed process methodologies, how the existing structures will be leveraged during the transition toward full implementation, what a potential ideal end-state might look like, and status for the effort are provided.
To read the full version of this article which appeared in the April 2017 issue of The PCB Magazine, click here.
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Building Electronics Excellence in India
09/08/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineFor over two decades, Dave Bergman has helped steer the Global Electronics Association’s work in India, from a single training course to a thriving regional operation with deep government and industry ties. In this interview, Dave explains how the group went from partnering with IPCA to opening its own office in 2010, creating India’s first domestic electronics manufacturing standard, and securing funding for dozens of Indian companies to attend U.S. trade shows.
New Podcast Episode Drop: MKS’ Atotech’s Role in Optimize the Interconnect
09/08/2025 | I-Connect007In this episode of On the Line With…, host Nolan Johnson sits down with Patrick Brooks, MKS' Atotech's Global Product Director, EL Systems, to discuss the critical role that wet processes play alongside laser systems in advancing the Optimize the InterconnectSM initiative. Brooks points to Bondfilm as a key example—a specialized coating that enables CO₂ lasers to ablate more effectively than ever before.
The Global Electronics Association Hosts Successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar
09/03/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationOn August 22, 2025, the Global Electronics Association hosted the successful WorksAsia-AI and Factory of the Future Technical Seminar during the exhibition Automation Taipei 2025. The seminar brought together 81 representatives from 58 companies, focusing on the latest applications of AI in smart factories and unveiling four key directions that will drive the electronics industry’s transition toward intelligence and sustainability.
TRI's AI-Powered Inspection Solutions at SMTAI 2025
09/02/2025 | TRITest Research, Inc. (TRI), the leading provider of test and inspection systems, will be joining the SMTA International Exposition & Conference. The event will be held from October 21 – 23, 2025, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, USA.
More Than a Competition: Instilling a Champion's Skill in IPC Masters China 2025
09/01/2025 | Evelyn Cui, Global Electronics Association—East AsiaNearly 500 elite professionals from the electronics industry, representing 18 provinces and municipalities across China, competed in the 2025 IPC Masters Competition China, March 26–28, in Pudong, Shanghai. A total of 114 contestants advanced to the practical competition after passing the IPC Standards Knowledge Competition. Sixty people competed in the Hand Soldering and Rework Competition (HSRC), 30 in the Cable and Wire Harness Assembly Competition (CWAC), and 24 in the Ball Grid Array/Bottom Termination Components (BGA/BTC) Rework Competition.