Technology Alliance

The use of contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, and proximity cards (collectively referred to at Fargo as e-cards) has created new opportunities for distributed card personalization systems.

In just a few short years the use of distributed card personalization systems has expanded from relatively simple badging systems for door access to much more complex systems for education, loyalty, Health Care, e-commerce, and mass transit (among others). At the same time, encoding has increased from relatively simple bar code and magnetic stripe cards to more complex schemes for e-cards, including hybrid cards that comprise two or more technologies.

The Fargo Technology Alliance unites Fargo's international and domestic network of Distribution Partners with the very best e-card software developers and hardware manufacturers. Working together, they provide complete e-card solutions to meet the growing demand for multiple application ID card systems.

The Fargo Technology Alliance is open to qualified developers of e-card software and hardware products that meet certain minimum requirements defined below.

Fargo Technology Alliance Benefits

• Listing on Fargo's public and reseller Web sites
• Purchase any Fargo e-card-equipped printer for demonstration or development use directly from Fargo at a discounted price (limited to one per model)
• Use of the Fargo Technology Alliance logo
• Opportunity to provide articles for an electronic newsletter e-mailed to Fargo's Partners
• Invitation to participate in Fargo Technology Showcase events held in conjunction with major industry trade shows (a modest fee is charged)
• Opportunity for joint press releases and white papers with Fargo

Fargo Technology Alliance Requirements

• Members lead with or recommend Fargo printer/encoders with any e-card product they offer through the Alliance
• Products:
  
  1. Support the use of e-cards and promote the use of Fargo printer/encoders
  2. Are developed and owned by the Alliance member
  3. Provide Fargo Partners with a "unique" capability or know-how that does not patently replicate products offered by other Alliance members (see the Membership Roster for a list of members and links to their Web sites)
  4. Are available for sale/licensing to Fargo Partners
  5. Provide Fargo Partners an opportunity for incremental sales
  6. Add value to Fargo, Fargo Partners and, ideally, other Alliance members
  7. Are supported by the Alliance member
  8. Are installed, fully operational and well-documented

Application

If your organization and its products meet the above criteria and you wish to apply for membership in the Alliance, please complete and submit the application form. A five-member Advisory Panel (made up of Fargo Partners) reviews each application to determine if a provisional membership should be offered. If offered, the membership will automatically convert from provisional to permanent status once the following items are completed within a reasonable amount of time:

• Sign and return a Fargo Technology Alliance agreement (provided separately)
• Submit a written description of your company (up to 300 words) and corporate logo in GIF or JPEG format for Web use
• For each e-card product you wish to offer through the Alliance:
  1. Submit a written description (up to 300 words) for Web use
  2. Supply one unit/copy for demonstration and training purposes at Fargo
  3. Schedule and provide no-cost training to Fargo Sales and Support Services at Fargo's Eden Prairie facility or other mutually agreed-upon location

For other questions regarding the Fargo Technology Alliance or Fargo's smart card capabilities, please contact:

Glenn Bottomly
Head of Product Marketing for Software and Systems
6533 Flying Cloud Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA

Phone: 952-941-9470, x. 170
Fax: 952-946-8493
E-mail: gbottom@fargo.com