PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/21/08 -- The Smart Card Alliance is accepting nominations for its "Outstanding Smart Card Achievement" (OSCA) awards, recognizing those who have significantly impacted and influenced the market for smart cards in North America. The OSCA Awards will be presented during CTST 2008 - The Americas Conference, the newly combined Smart Card Alliance Annual meeting and SourceMedia's CTST conference, being held May 12th through 15th, 2008 at the Orange County Convention Center West, in Orlando, Fla.

Nomination submissions are due by Friday, March 21st, 2008. Details and nomination forms can be found at http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/activities-osca-awards, or by contacting the Alliance at info@smartcardalliance.org.

The three award categories are:

--  Outstanding Issuing Organization.  For an organization that is issuing
    smart card technology to its internal clients or external customers for
    their use in North America.
--  Outstanding Supplier Organization.  For an organization with offices
    in North America that designs, develops, manufactures or integrates smart
    card technology or provides services that support smart card usage in North
    America.
--  Outstanding Individual Leadership.  For an individual who stands out
    for his or her individual contributions to the smart card industry in North
    America based on a professional record of leadership, vision, support and
    commitment to the smart card industry in North America.
    

A judging panel consisting of North American smart card industry suppliers, end-users and individuals from the analyst and media communities will review all qualified OSCA applications. They will select three finalists in each category based on the nominee's merits and qualifications as outlined in the applications.

Among the past OSCA Awards recipients: The U.S. Department of State, for its groundbreaking use of contactless smart card technology in passports to better protect our country's international travelers; Gemalto, for its leadership in every sector of the North American smart card market; and Robert Brandewie, director, Defense Manpower Data Center, the personnel arm of the Department of Defense (DoD), for his management of a dozen major operational DoD programs, including the DoD's smart card program, known as the Common Access Card (CAC).

The 2008 OSCA Award winners will be announced at the Smart Card Alliance Networking Reception on Monday, May 12th at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.

Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.

Contact:
Deb Montner
Montner & Associates
203-226-9290
dmontner@montner.com