OSCA Award Criteria

Outstanding Issuing Organization Award

• The impact the issuing organization has made on the North American market either by scope of the project, innovative application of technology, or its leadership within its marketplace as a result of its smart card program. The nominee can be any government or private sector organization.

• Such an organization has demonstrated leadership, innovation, and a commitment to deploying smart card technology using best practices that represent the smart card industry in a positive way.

• Additional consideration is given to an organization that has also helped boost the image of the smart card industry through outreach and communication to peer organizations about benefits and lessons learned regarding the deployment of smart cards.

Outstanding Supplier Organization Award

• The organization must have offices in North America that design, develop, manufacture or integrate smart card technology or provide services that support smart card usage in North America. Such organizations must also have the highest ethical standards worthy of industry-wide recognition.

• Recognition is weighted by the significance and impact the organization’s products or services have on the smart card industry, through innovation of new technology or new applications of existing technology, or the packaging or integration of multiple technologies into a commercial solution.

• Additional consideration is given for organizations with a history of giving back to the smart card industry by their participation in the Smart Card Alliance and other industry groups, conferences, education programs, councils, standards committees or other activities that help to grow the overall smart card market.

Outstanding (Individual) Leadership Award

• The individual must stand 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.

• Leadership can be demonstrated by any one or all of the following personal accomplishments:

• An individual’s years of service in the smart card industry and involvement in smart card-related organizations or standards bodies.

• An individual’s smart card industry contributions such as public speaking, industry education, reports, or publications.

• An individual’s personal and professional reputation for integrity among his or her industry peers.

Eligibility

The nominated smart card organizations’ and individuals’ applications must meet the following criteria to be eligible to receive an OSCA:

• Nominees must have achieved recognition for their success in the North American smart card markets.

• Organizational nominees must use contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, smart chip-based tokens, SIM, or other similar-functioning integrated circuit devices in any form factor.

• The smart card technology or application cited in the organization nomination must have completed the pilot phase and be in a production phase of deployment.

• The individual leadership nominee must work a majority of his or her time in North America.

• Organizations or individual nominees may submit applications for themselves, or nominations can be submitted by a third party, providing the third party is submitting the application with the knowledge and approval of the nominee.

• Previous OSCA Award winners are not eligible to be nominated again within 3 years of their OSCA award.

• The OSCA Awards board review committee will be advised of all submissions and by majority vote may reject any nominations prior to them being reviewed by the judging committee based on reasonable cause for such rejection.