American Express POS Certification Participant Program Requirements Guide Amex Req V0.5

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American Express
POS Certification Participant
Program Requirements Guide
Version 0.5
February 29th 2016
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The policies, procedures, and rules in this manual are subject to
change
from time to time by
American Express Global Network
Services.
© 2016 American Express Travel Related Services Co.,
Inc.
All Rights Reserved
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Document Change Control
Date
Version
Change Description
10/2013
11/2013
V0.1
V0.2
Initial release
Added URL for Certification Portal
02/2014
V0.3
Added Record of Amendments Section
01/2015
V0.4
Removed Program enrollment Fee
02/2016
V0.5
Added to Abbreviations and Terminology Used section.
Expanded scope to POS Vendors and Certification Labs.
Added Support for Approved Host Simulators.
Updated Waiver Process section.
Updated Portal Registration process.
Added acceptance of Program Terms and Conditions
through Certification Portal New User Registration
process.
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Table of Contents
Document Change Control ........................................................................................................... 3
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 4
Preface ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Abbreviations and Terminology Used .......................................................................................... 8
Related Documents ...................................................................................................................... 11
1 Overview of the POS Certification Participant Program .................................................... 12
1.1 What is the POS Certification Participant Program? .................................................. 12
1.2 Benefits of Becoming a POS Certification Participant ............................................... 13
1.3 How to Achieve POS Certification Participant Accreditation ..................................... 13
1.4 Conditions to Remain in the Program ......................................................................... 14
2 Requirements of the POS Certification Participant Program ............................................ 15
2.1 Terms and Conditions ................................................................................................... 15
2.2 Program Fees ................................................................................................................. 15
2.3 Relationship with Merchants ........................................................................................ 15
2.4 Training Responsibilities .............................................................................................. 16
2.5 Device Certification / Recertification Criteria ............................................................ 16
2.6 Certification Test Tools Overview ................................................................................ 17
2.7 Host Simulator Test Tools ............................................................................................ 17
2.8 Card Simulator Test Tools ............................................................................................ 17
2.9 Physical Test Cards .......................................................................................................18
2.10 Card / Device Logging Test Tools ................................................................................18
2.11 Test Plan Evaluation Test Tools ....................................................................................18
2.12 Test Tool Upgrade Requirements.................................................................................18
2.13 Requesting Approval of Test Tools ..............................................................................18
2.14 Executing Certification Test Plans .............................................................................. 19
2.15 JCB Certification ........................................................................................................... 19
2.16 Waiver Process.............................................................................................................. 19
2.17 Device Registration via Certification Portal ................................................................ 20
2.18 Level 1 and Level 2 Type Approvals ............................................................................. 20
2.19 Card and Device Interaction Logs ................................................................................ 21
2.20 Device Transaction Receipts ..................................................................................... 21
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2.21 Registration Acceptance or Rejections ........................................................................ 21
2.22 Notification of Rejection for POS Device ................................................................. 22
2.23 Letter of Approval for POS Device ........................................................................... 22
2.24 Production Keys and Parameters ............................................................................ 22
2.25 Notification of Changes to Tools or Operational Environment.............................. 22
2.26 Encountering Issues with a POS Device in Production .......................................... 22
2.27 Inquiry Support and Resolution ............................................................................... 23
2.28 Compliance Violation Reviews ................................................................................. 23
2.29 Documentation Retention ........................................................................................ 23
3 Enrollment and Accreditation Process ............................................................................... 24
3.1 Participant’s Accreditation Checklist .......................................................................... 24
3.2 Accreditation Lifecycle ................................................................................................. 24
3.3 Initiate Enrollment with Program Support .................................................................. 25
3.4 Attend the Program Kick-off Meeting ......................................................................... 25
3.5 Obtain Approved Certification Tools ........................................................................... 25
3.6 Develop Internal Processes and Train Staff ............................................................... 25
3.7 Accept Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................... 25
3.8 Demonstrate Certification Proficiency ....................................................................... 26
3.9 Receive Certification Participant Accreditation ......................................................... 26
3.10 Maintain and Active Accreditation .............................................................................. 26
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Preface
Organization
This guide contains the following sections:
Overview of POS Certification Participant Program
Requirements of the POS Certification Participant Program
Enrollment and Accreditation Process
Purpose of this Guide
The purpose of this guide is to outline the process for becoming an American Express POS
Certification Participant and to publish the requirements for conducting certification in
compliance with the POS Certification Participant Program.
Intended Audience
This document is intended for entities interested in a self directed alternative to certify POS
devices to accept American Express® chip card transactions.
Program Scope and Definition
The Program is a self directed POS device certification option available to Applicants who
have achieved accreditation by demonstrating the ability to conduct certifications and
comply with Program requirements. To be eligible for the Program, the Applicant must
process, or support a customer that processes American Express Card transactions with
the American Express network using one of the message formats listed below. The
Program supports the below POS device type Certifications.
Supported Message
Formats
POS Device Certifications
GCAG
APACS40
GEDC APA
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Abbreviations and Terminology Used
Term
Definition
Applicant
Accredited Participant
An entity in scope of the Program who wishes to
participate in the Program and initiates necessary
enrollment process as further described in this Guide.
A Conditional Applicant who has received an
Accreditation from American Express after successful
completion of the Enrollment Phase, the Proficiency
Review Phase and is in compliance with all
requirements of the Program while in Active
Accreditation Phase.
AEIPS
American Express ICC (Integrated Circuit Card)
Payment Specifications.
American Express Test System (ATS)
The American Express Test System (ATS) is an
American Express Host Simulator approved for use in
the Program.
AXP
Abbreviation for American Express used in diagrams.
Card
Any card, account access device, or payment device
or service bearing American Express’s or American
Express’s Affiliate’s names, logos, service marks,
trademarks, trade names, taglines, or other
proprietary designs or designations and issued by an
Issuer or (ii) the unique identifying number that the
Issuer assigns to the Card when it is issued.
Chip Card
Card with an embedded chip containing AEIPS
(contact) and/or Expresspay Contactless Card
applications and Mobile Payment Application that,
when used at a Chip Card- enabled POS Device,
interacts with the POS Device to initiate AEIPS or
Contactless Card transactions.
Conditional Participant
Contactless Card
An Applicant whose device registration requests are
being reviewed under the Proficiency Review Phase.
A Chip Card that communicates with a POS Device
through a radio frequency interface, usually through a
wave or tap of the card on a designated area of the
POS Device.
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EMVCo
EMVCo, LLC, a company owned by American Express,
JCB, MasterCard and Visa, that manages, maintains,
and enhances the EMV Integrated Circuit Card
Specifications to ensure global interoperability of
chip-based payment cards and acceptance devices,
including point of sale (POS) devices and ATMs and
establishes and administers testing and approval
processes to evaluate compliance with the EMV
Specifications.
Expresspay
The payment program currently known as
“Expresspay” developed by or for American Express
and its affiliates that enables account holders to make
purchases by transmitting American Express Card
transaction information wirelessly from a supported
device to a contactless reader.
Issuer
Any entity (including American Express and its
Affiliates) licensed by American Express or an
American Express Affiliate to issue Cards and to
engage in the Card issuing business
JCB
Japan Credit Bureau
Mobile
A Near Field Communications (NFC) device, such as a
mobile phone, that implements an Expresspay
payment application.
Mobile Payment Application
A mobile payment application which is used with a
mobile device to communicate with a POS Device for
conducting transactions.
POS
Point of Sale
POS Device
An electronic device that is used for verifying and
processing credit card / mobile transactions.
Program Representative
An American Express representative that supports
training, enrollment, and questions related to the
Program.
Program
The American Express POS Certification Participant
Program, described in this guide.
Requirements
All applicable requirements, specifications and
standards provided to Participant, including the POS
Certification Participant Program Requirements
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Guide, and Specifications, as such Requirements may
be amended by AMEX from time to time.
Specifications
AEIPS Card Specifications, Expresspay Specifications,
and other specifications as stated in the POS
Certification Participant Program Requirements
Guide.
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Related Documents
American Express Documentation – (latest versions)
AEIPS Card Specification
AEIPS Implementation Guide
AEIPS Terminal Specification
Global AEIPS Terminal Certification Test Plan
Global Expresspay EMV Terminal End to End Test Plan
Expresspay Terminal Specification
Global Credit Authorization Guide
Terminal Parameters Document
EMV Integrated Circuit Card Specifications for Payment Systems
Application Independent ICC to Terminal Interface Requirements — Book 1
Security and Key Management — Book 2
Application Specification — Book 3
Cardholder, Attendant, and Acquirer Interface Requirements — Book 4
JCB Documentation
Terminal Check for Implementation
Appendix B: Test Cases
Appendix D: Terminal Parameters
Appendix E: Terminal Check for Implementation (TCI) Report
POS Certification Participant Program Training
ATS User Guide
Certification Portal User Guide
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1 Overview of the POS Certification Participant Program
1.1 What is the POS Certification Participant Program?
The Program allows an Accredited Participant to self-certify POS devices to accept
American Express® chip card transactions. The Accredited Participant will conduct
certification testing and evaluation of POS devices with tools approved for use in the
Program. After completing the certification test plan and receiving expected outcomes with
respect to each device, the Accredited Participant will submit the certification results and
other required documentation to American Express. American Express will review the
submitted documentation and if verified as accurate, may issue the Accredited Participant a
Letter of Approval for the particular device submitted for registration. The Participant is
required to continually meet any updates to the Program requirements in order to remain
an Accredited Participant in the Program.
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1.2 Benefits of Becoming a POS Certification Participant
American Express is focused on optimizing the quality of certifications and efficiency of the
EMV certification process through the Program. The benefits of becoming an Accredited
Participant include greater flexibility and control of the EMV certification process,
specialized support and access to advanced certification tools. The Accredited Participant
will receive reasonable training materials and documentation for the Program. American
Express has developed a set of certification tools to support the Program, as well as a
process for approving additional tools created by external vendors. The goal of the Program
is to streamline the EMV certification process and provide for automation wherever
possible.
1.3 How to Achieve POS Certification Participant Accreditation
To achieve accreditation, an Applicant will progress through 3 phases of the Program –
Program Enrollment Phase, Proficiency Review Phase, and Active Accreditation Phase.
Program Enrollment Phase:
Applicants who desire to become Accredited Participants of the Program will initiate the
Enrollment Process as indicated in Section 3 of this Guide. Upon receipt of a request from
Applicant, the Program Representative will work with the Applicant to convey the pre-
requisites and Program requirements. The Applicant will select certification test tools
approved for use in the Program and establish internal processes to conduct certifications
in accordance to Program requirements. The Applicant must accept Program Terms and
Conditions to complete the Enrollment Phase. When the Applicant is confident with its
ability to execute and validate the certification tests, it will request to begin the Proficiency
Review with the Program Representative. Upon completion of the Enrollment Phase an
Applicant is deemed a Conditional Participant and will move to the Proficiency Review
Phase.
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Proficiency Review Phase:
While in the Proficiency Review Phase, the Conditional Participant will submit only one
device certification registration for review at a time. The Conditional Participant will
complete the certification and submit the device registration to American Express via the
Certification Participant portal as referred to in this Guide below. The Program
Representative will analyze the certification results and accept or reject the Conditional
Participant’s device registration. If rejected, the Conditional Participant will receive a
Notification of Rejection that contains the reason for rejection. The Conditional Participant
may correct the rejected registration and re-submit for American Express’ review. If device
registration is accepted, American Express will provide a Letter of Approval for the device.
The Conditional Participant will continue to participate in the Proficiency Review Phase until
American Express determines in its sole discretion that a consistent number of
registrations were acceptable to American Express on first submission. When the Program
Representative is satisfied with the Participant’s ability to conduct certifications in
accordance with the Program requirements herein, American Express, at its discretion, may
approve the Participant for participation in the Program (“Accreditation”). The Proficiency
Review Phase ends when the Conditional Participant receives Accreditation.
Active Accreditation Phase:
Upon Accreditation by American Express, a Conditional Participant is considered an
Accredited Participant and will commence to operate under the Active Accreditation Phase.
While operating in the Active Accreditation Phase, the Participant is free to submit any
number of certification registrations. Only Accredited Participants are permitted to have
multiple device registrations under review for acceptance at a time. During the Active
Accreditation Phase the Accredited Participant must continue to meet all Program
requirements or Accreditation may be revoked.
1.4 Conditions to Remain in the Program
To remain in good standing under the Program, an Accredited Participant must maintain a
consistent record of conducting certifications without errors. If errors do occur, the
Accredited Participant must work with the Program Representative in good faith to rectify
the issue. Changes to the certification requirements or tools may warrant training for the
Accredited Participant. The Accredited Participant must always operate with approved
tools and within the current guidelines of the Program in order to remain as an Accredited
Participant. Accredited Participants must bear all its costs and expenses for participating in
the Program and for fulfilling the Program requirements.
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2 Requirements of the POS Certification Participant
Program
2.1 Terms and Conditions
An Applicant must accept the Program Terms and Conditions by signing the POS
Certification Participant Program Addendum, an addendum to the exiting Authorized
Gateway Provider Agreement between American Express and the processor, or such other
agreement that may be presented to the Applicant agreeing to comply with requirements
set forth in the current version of the POS Certification Participant Program Requirements
Guide as well as any future updates to the Program requirements. New Certification
Participant Portal Users must accept the Program Terms and Conditions in order to
complete the New User registration process.
2.2 Program Fees
There are currently no program fees applicable at this time.
2.3 Relationship with Merchants
Program Participants have the sole right to determine all charges and fees payable by
entities to the Participant with respect to the POS devices certified under this Program,
except that such charges and fees should be reasonable and comparable to the fees and
charges imposed on similar services performed for other similarly situated entities. Any
such fees or charges must not be prohibited by applicable law. Further, Participants must
notify entities that any fees charged to such entities under this Program are charged by the
Program Participant and are not imposed or required by American Express. Program
Participants understand and acknowledge that if it imposes excessive charges and fees that
can be reasonably understood to negatively impact the ability of an entity to accept
American Express Cards, American Express may revoke its Accreditation anytime upon
notice.
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2.4 Training Responsibilities
The Program Representative will provide a reasonable amount of Program training
materials, updates to Program requirements, and documentation that support the Program.
The Participant is responsible, at its sole costs, for training its staff on the processes,
certification tools, and specifications that supports the Program. The Participant staff
carrying out certification activities must understand the current AEIPS and Expresspay
certification process, related test cases, and the certification tools selected by the
Participant. All Participant staff supporting the Program is expected to understand the
requirements of the Program.
2.5 Device Certification / Recertification Criteria
American Express (AEIPS/Expresspay) POS Device certification is required in the following
cases:
When a new terminal is selected for deployment, end-to-end testing/certification is
required to insure chip-card/POS device interoperability.
As otherwise designated by American Express, e.g., due to acceptance, inoperability,
and non-compliance issues.
In the case of an update to an existing POS device that has been previously certified
for American Express AEIPS/Expresspay card acceptance.
Examples of updates include, but are not limited to:
Existing AEIPS/Expresspay certified POS device updated with a new EMV kernel
version.
Any changes to the terminal application/payment component of an existing
AEIPS/Expresspay certified POS device.
Existing AEIPS/Expresspay certified POS device updated with a change involving
peripheral equipment (e.g., signature pad, pin-pad, or reader).
For the following cases, POS Device certification is recommended:
Any change, which may include changes to the gateway or the acquirer/processor
network platform, involving the transaction data mapping into the American Express
network.
An existing AEIPS/Expresspay certified POS device that is updated with a new
communication interface.
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2.6 Certification Test Tools Overview
American Express approved certification Test Tools are important components of the
Program. The Conditional Participant and Accredited Participant as the case may be must,
at their own cost, obtain all licenses and permissions for tools that they select to use in the
Program. The current list of Approved Certification Test Tool Products can be found on the
Certification Participant Portal under the documents tab.
2.7 Host Simulator Test Tools
American Express approved Host Simulator Test Tools are evaluated by American Express
to properly simulate the American Express Host System in a testing environment. The
American Express Test System (“ATS”) is an approved Host Simulator available at no cost
to the Participant. The ATS evaluates the authorization message sent by the device, and
displays the pass or failure of the certification test case criteria.
Certification Participants wishing to use a Host Simulator other than ATS must comply with
the additional requirements defined in the Host Simulators for use in the Certification
Participant Program section of the Approved Solution Provider Program Requirements
Guide. Certification Participants choosing to use a Host Simulator other than the ATS
during certification testing are responsible for additional requirements that include, but are
not limited to, ongoing maintenance to support the current version of message
specifications and test plans, and support during qualification and approval of the selected
Host Simulator. The Participant is responsible for all costs associated with development
and required maintenance of the Host Simulator selected by the Participant. Certification
Participants are not required to sign the Approved Solution Provider Program Agreement,
as use of a Host Simulator in support of the Certification Participant Program requirements
are inclusive of the Terms and Conditions of the Certification Participant Program
Agreement. Certification testing that is conducted with a Host Simulator that is not
approved by American Express will be rejected.
2.8 Card Simulator Test Tools
Card Simulator Test Tools are evaluated by American Express to properly simulate AEIPS
contact and Expresspay contactless test cards. Only approved Card Simulator Tools can be
used in place of physical Test Cards.
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2.9 Physical Test Cards
Physical Test cards may be used if used in conjunction with an approved card and device
logging test tool. Only Physical Test Cards provided to a Merchant or Processor by their
American Express Relationship Manager or purchased from a provider identified on the
Approved Product List may be used during Certification testing.
2.10 Card / Device Logging Test Tools
Card / Device Logging Test Tools capture the communication between the card and the
device. A log of the card and device interaction must be submitted for each test case as part
of the device registration requirements; unless the test case explicitly states that a log is not
required. The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant, as the case may be is
required to review the card and device interaction log and ensure that the interaction meets
the certification pass criteria.
2.11 Test Plan Evaluation Test Tools
Test Plan Evaluation Tools evaluate certification test case criteria by providing analysis and
a pass or fail assessment of the user validation responses and the card and device
interaction. Test Plan Evaluation Test Tools help Participants by automating the test case
evaluation requirements.
2.12 Test Tool Upgrade Requirements
The Applicant, Conditional Participant or the Accredited Participant, as the case may be,
must upgrade their certification Test Tools, at their own cost, when an update impacts
certifications or important Program processes. Examples include, but are not limited to,
new AEIPS or Expresspay certification test case requirements, and functionality that impact
device registration capabilities. Upon receipt of notification from a Program Representative
stating that an upgrade is available, the Participant must upgrade the applicable Test
Tool(s) within 60 days of receipt of such notification. Notification of upgrades may be made
via email or the Certification Participant portal. Certifications and device registrations that
occur with outdated versions of certification Test Tools may be rejected by American
Express.
2.13 Requesting Approval of Test Tools
Please contact the Program Representative – Certification.Participant.Program@aexp.com
to evaluate a certification test tool that is not currently approved for use in the Program.
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2.14 Executing Certification Test Plans
The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant, as the case may be is required to
execute all applicable test cases as indicated in the Certification Test Plans. The AEIPS
Terminal Certification Test Plan is required for all contact and dual interface capable
devices. The Expresspay End to End Test Plan is required for all contactless and dual
interface capable devices. The Test Plans contain instructions on how to complete the test
scripts and evaluate the success criteria. The ATS User Guide provides additional
instructions on how to validate the success criteria while using the ATS.
2.15 JCB Certification
American Express has established a relationship with JCB of Japan, one of the largest card
issuers in the world, whereby American Express is its merchant acquirer in several countries
throughout the world where it generally accepts and processes JCB cards in a similar
manner to American Express Cards. Accordingly, the Conditional Participant or Accredited
Participant, as the case may be, must meet all pre-requisites, execute all test cases and
provide all certification testing results documentation as indicated in the JCB Terminal
Check for Implementation and related appendices. The Terminal Check for Implementation
report and certification testing results must be submitted for acceptance as part of the
device registration via the Certification Portal. The Conditional Participant or Accredited
Participant must not deploy the JCB capable device in market until it receives a JCB Letter
of Confirmation for the device.
2.16 Waiver Process
A waiver to any pre-requisite, test case, or expected outcome requires approval by
American Express. The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must receive
approval for the waiver prior to submitting the device certification registration. The
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant can submit a waiver request through their
American Express Relationship Manager. The waiver request must include the description
of the waiver, reason for requesting, and the expected end date (if requesting a temporary
waiver). If the waiver is approved, the American Express Relationship Manager will provide a
waiver approval reference number. Test case(s) impacted by the waiver must include a
waiver comment that contains the waiver approval reference number, a brief description of
the waiver and the expiration date of the waiver. Please send any questions regarding the
waiver process via email to a Program Representative –
Certification.Participant.Program@aexp.com
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2.17 Device Registration via Certification Portal
When the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant determines that the device
passes all certification test cases with the expected outcomes, the Conditional Participant
or Accredited Participant must register the device with American Express. Device
registration involves submitting device details and certification results in accordance with
this Guide via the Certification Portal - http://certification.americanexpress.com. The
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must submit all required device
information indicated in the Certification Portal device registration page. Please reference
the Certification Portal User Guide for details on the device registration process. The
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant can view the current status of the
submission in the Certification Portal and will receive email notification when the
submission status is updated. A Certification Letter of Approval can only be provided for
devices registered through the Certification Portal.
2.18 Level 1 and Level 2 Type Approvals
The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is required to provide the appropriate
EMVCo and Expresspay terminal type approval numbers in the device registration entry in
the Certification Portal. All EMVCo and Expresspay terminal type approvals must be
current, and not expired or revoked. All EMVCo and Expresspay approvals must reference
the same device (or device family), and kernel as the device and kernel submitted in the
registration.
Contact Only Devices Require: EMVCo Level 1 Contact and EMVCo Level 2 Contact approval.
Contactless Only Devices Require: EMVCo Level 1 Contactless and Expresspay Level 2
approval.
Dual Interface Devices Require: EMVCo Level 1 Contact, EMVCo Level 2 Contact, EMVCo
Level 1 Contactless, and Expresspay Level 2 approval.
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2.19 Card and Device Interaction Logs
The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must provide a card and device
interaction log for each test case result; unless the test case explicitly states that it is not
required. If the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is using physical test
cards, it will need an approved card spy / logging tool to produce the logs. If the Conditional
Participant or Accredited Participant is using an American Express approved card simulator
tool, the tool is capable of producing such logs. Logs uploaded to the ATS for validation are
a subset of a certification results package that is pushed to the Certification Portal upon
completion of testing. When certification results are pushed from a Test Tool integrated
with the Certification Portal (such as ATS), the participant is required to enter the
Certification Confirmation ID in place of attaching the logs.
2.20 Device Transaction Receipts
The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must provide a scanned copy of the
transaction receipt for each test case that indicates the receipt as required evidence.
Receipts uploaded to the ATS are a component of a certification results package that is
pushed to the Certification Portal upon completion of testing. When certification results are
pushed from a Test Tool integrated with the Certification Portal (such as ATS), the
participant is required to enter the Certification Confirmation ID in place of attaching the
receipts.
2.21 Registration Acceptance or Rejections
American Express will review the submission and either “Accept” or “Reject” the
registration in its sole discretion. If the registration is accepted, the device is issued a Letter
of Approval and approved for production deployment. If the registration is rejected, the
device is issued a Notification of Rejection that contains a reason for the rejection. Device
registrations that are rejected may be corrected and re-submitted. If a Conditional
Participant or an Accredited Participant deploys a device into production without a Letter of
Approval, its accreditation may be revoked.
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2.22 Notification of Rejection for POS Device
American Express will issue a Notification of Rejection for a rejected device registration. The
Notification of Rejection will include the reason for rejection. It is the responsibility of the
Conditional or Accredited Participant to address the reason for rejection and re-submit for
acceptance.
2.23 Letter of Approval for POS Device
American Express will issue a Letter of Approval for every accepted device registration. The
Letter of Approval is confirmation that all testing and documentation has been completed
and submitted by the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant as required by
American Express. Upon receiving the Letter of Approval, the device is permitted for
production deployment.
2.24 Production Keys and Parameters
Prior to deployment, a device must have all test keys removed, Production Certification
Authority Public Keys (CAPK) installed, and parameters configured as expressed in the
Letter of Approval. The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is responsible for
providing the Letter of Approval to the provider of the device so they are aware of the
Production Keys and Parameters requirement. The Production Keys and Terminal
Parameters document can be found on the Certification Participant Portal under the
documents tab.
2.25 Notification of Changes to Tools or Operational Environment
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must notify American Express whenever
there are changes to their environment used for conducting device certifications. The
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is permitted to use any American Express
approved certification tools; however, the Program Representative must be notified prior to
the use of a new tool.
2.26 Encountering Issues with a POS Device in Production
If the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant becomes aware of issues in
production with a device that they certified through the Program, it must notify the Program
Representative. If the error was due to an improper certification completed by the
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant, a recertification and re-registration of the
device is likely required.
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2.27 Inquiry Support and Resolution
An acceptance of the device certification registration and Letter of Approval does not
guarantee that the device will function without issue. If the Program Representative
identifies a potential issue and submits an inquiry, the Conditional Participant or Accredited
Participant is required to address the concern and support through resolution. The
Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must respond to an inquiry request within
5 business days, unless the Program Representative agrees in writing to a longer
timeframe. If an issue is identified, the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant
must resolve the issue within a reasonable timeframe, but no later than the deadline
specified by the Program Representative, to American Express’ satisfaction.
2.28 Compliance Violation Reviews
A Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant that experiences compliance violations
may lose accreditation and be required to demonstrate proficiency in order to re-establish
accreditation. If the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant experiences
violations, the Program Representative may notify them of actions required to meet the
Program requirements and maintain accreditation.
2.29 Documentation Retention
The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is required to securely retain device
type approval documents and certification results documentation for 2 years from the date
an American Express Letter of Approval is received for a device. The Program
Representative may request that the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant
provide certification results documentation when the device registration is incomplete or in
question. The Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant must respond to the
requests within 5 business days, unless the Program Representative agrees in writing to a
longer timeframe. Documentation retention applies to accepted device registrations only.
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3 Enrollment and Accreditation Process
3.1 Participant’s Accreditation Checklist
Program Enrollment Phase
Initiate Enrollment with Program Support
Attend Program Kick-off Meeting
Obtain Approved Certification Tools
Develop Internal Processes and Train Staff
Accept Program Terms and Conditions
Proficiency Review Phase
Demonstrate Device Certification Proficiency
Receive Certification Participant Accreditation
Active Accreditation Phase
Maintain an Active Accreditation
3.2 Accreditation Lifecycle
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3.3 Initiate Enrollment with Program Support
Applicants are required to contact a Program Representative –
Certification.Participant.Program@aexp.com to initiate the Program enrollment process.
The Program Representative will confirm if the entity is eligible to participate in the
Program.
3.4 Attend the Program Kick-off Meeting
The Program Representative will host a meeting to review the Program requirements. The
Program Representative will provide a reasonable amount of Program materials including
the current list of approved certification tools, AEIPS Terminal Certification Test Plan,
Expresspay End to End Test Plans, and the applicable User Guides.
3.5 Obtain Approved Certification Tools
The Applicant must obtain the approved certification tools at its expense and notify the
Program Representative of tools selected.
3.6 Develop Internal Processes and Train Staff
The Applicant must develop internal processes and train staff to support the Program. The
Applicant is responsible for ensuring that staff is trained to support the Program. All staff
that supports the Program is required to understand the materials related to their job
function.
3.7 Accept Terms and Conditions
The signed agreement and/or acceptance of the Program Terms and Conditions through
the Portal Registration Process must be submitted to American Express before the
Applicant can enter the Proficiency Review phase.
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3.8 Demonstrate Certification Proficiency
Conditional Participants are required to demonstrate proficiency as detailed in Section 1.3
above.
3.9 Receive Certification Participant Accreditation
After the Conditional Participant demonstrates the ability to comply with the Program
requirements, American Express will issue it a notification of Accreditation in writing. The
notification of Accreditation indicates approval for the Accredited Participant to certify
devices in accordance to the Program and register device certifications at their schedule.
3.10 Maintain and Active Accreditation
The Accredited Participant must conduct certification and device registrations in
accordance to the requirements of the Program. Participant Accreditation can be revoked
at any time under Terms and Conditions of the Agreement. When accreditation is revoked
the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is not authorized to register device
certifications. Any device registrations under a revoked accreditation will not be reviewed
and is ineligible for a Letter of Approval. If a Conditional Participant or Accredited
Participant with a revoked accreditation is interested in re-joining the Program, it can
request a proficiency review with a Program Representative. Re-accreditation will be offered
if the Conditional Participant or Accredited Participant is able to demonstrate proficiency
with all Program requirements.

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