The contract is worth $394 million, and major foreign and local technology and telecommunications companies have submitted bids -- not only to supply cards but also the optical readers and the computer database that will store information on millions of thumbprints.
Investigating the accident, inspectors found a series of labor and safety violations at the factory, Yiuwah Stationery, which supplies cards, gift boxes and other paper goods to Disney, the British supermarket chain Tesco and other companies.
Study participants were supplied with diary cards to assess and record their symptoms (stool frequency, bleeding, and abdominal pain) on a daily basis.
In covertly recorded conversations, Stroguine said he could supply forged credit cards, to order, for £300 each and also admitted distributing hi-tech skimming machines - the size of a cigarette pack and able to be easily clipped on to belts.
But American Express did supply Gardiner with cards to make her Academy Award gown.
Last year, a search of Mabetex offices by the Swiss federal attorney's office found documents related to credit cards supplied to members of former President Boris N. Yeltsin's family.
The company recently announced that it would supply 32 MB Multimedia Cards to LG Electronics to bundle with its new Portable MP3 Audio Players.
