National Science Foundation Awards Contract to XTec Incorporated for HSPD-12 Technology.

RESTON, Va. -- XTec Incorporated has been awarded a contract by The National Science Foundation to begin implementing its solution for HSPD-12. The contract is a significant step in the agency's plan for compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12), a mandate which requires all federal workers and contractors to use a standard biometric identification card for access to government buildings and resources.

By using a FIPS 201 service approach, XTec is able to deliver a shared services compliant solution to both large and small agencies. Their hosted and modular approach to HSPD-12 compliance helps shorten the time it takes to enroll an entire organization. National Science Foundation will not only be receiving the FIPS 201 cards from XTec, but also integrating these cards into their current Physical Access Control System using XTec's PIV enabled Smart Card reader line.

"We were able to demonstrate to The National Science Foundation that our solution is compliant and can be integrated into their current LOB systems in a short period of time, thus meeting the October 27th deadline," said Kevin Kozlowski, XTec's Vice-President for Government Initiatives. "Because of the innovative XTec approach to the HSPD-12 mandate, we are able to customize the solution to any federal agency needing to meet that deadline." XTec adds The National Science Foundation to its growing list of federal agencies that are using the XTec AuthentX[TM] solution for HSPD-12 compliance. Other Agencies using the XTec AuthentX[TM] solution include Department of State and Department of Labor amongst others.

In June 2006, GSA announced that XTec, Incorporated was one of the original companies to be qualified as an "end-to-end" integration service provider. This approval authorizes the company to supply services and products related to integration, activation and finalization, card management and production, enrollment and registration, and systems infrastructure.

Earlier in the summer, XTec, Incorporated successfully demonstrated its AuthentX[TM] Card Management Solution for government agencies as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. NIST was responsible for developing the FIPS 201 standard, which outlines the technical requirements for the standard identification card and is the first government-wide standard of its kind related to access and identity management.

About XTec

XTec is a leader in secure, interoperable authentication and verification systems. XTec develops, produces, and licenses enterprise level security solutions for Credentialing, Access Control, Information Systems, and Electronic Commerce for a wide range of government and commercial uses. XTec's focus is on providing a secure foundation from which customers can build secure enterprise web-based applications and cryptographic systems. XTec has a long-standing relationship with the Department of Homeland Security (formerly the United States Secret Service or USSS) for document security using XTec equipment to assist in the forensic tracing of counterfeit cards. XTec is a recognized leader in both government and commercial circles for its expertise and products for credentialing, identity, secure payment and access control.

For more information about XTec, visit our Web site http://www.xtec.com.