AWARE INC /MA/ 10-K

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES Conclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Based on this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. Evaluation of Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, we concluded that there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13(a)-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in 2013. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework , our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2021. ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION None. ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS Not applicable. 53 PART III ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE The information required by Item 10 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from the information contained in the sections captioned “Directors and Executive Officers”, “Corporate Governance ” and “Section 16(a ) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with our June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION The information required by Item 11 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from the information contained in the section captioned “Executive Compensation” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with our June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS The information required by Item 12 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from the information contained in the section captioned “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with our June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE The information, if any, required by Item 13 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from the information contained in the sections captioned “Corporate Governance” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with our June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES The information required by Item 14 of Form 10-K is incorporated by reference from the information contained in the section captioned “Independent Accountants” in the Proxy Statement that will be delivered to our shareholders in connection with our June 15, 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. 54 PART IV ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE The following documents are filed as part of this report: (a) Financial Statements and Exhibits : Page (1) Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID No. 49 ) 25 Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 28 Consolidated Statements of Operations for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2021 29 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2021 30 Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2021 31 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 32 (2) Exhibits: The exhibits listed below are filed with or incorporated by reference in this report. Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit 3.1 Amended and Restated Articles of Organization, as amended (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference). 3.2 Amended and Restated By-Laws (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference). 4.1† Description of the Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference) 10.1* 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, (filed as Annex A to the Company’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 9, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.2* Form of Indemnification Agreement for Directors and Officers of Aware, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 22, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.3* 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan (filed as Exhibit 99(d)(4) to the Company’s Schedule TO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.4* Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan for options granted to executive officers and directors prior to May 21, 2008 (filed as Exhibit 10.6 to Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.5* Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan for options granted to executive officers and directors from and after May 21, 2008 (filed as Exhibit 10.8 to Company’s Form 8-K on May 22, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference) 10.6* Form of Unrestricted Stock Award for outside directors of Aware under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.7* Form of Unrestricted Stock Award for officers of Aware under the 2001 Nonqualified Stock Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.8* Form of Unrestricted Stock Award for executive officers and directors of Aware, Inc. under the 2001 Nonqualified Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference). 55 10.9* Form of Change in Control Retention Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Kevin T. Russell (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.10* Form of Change in Control Retention Agreement between Aware, Inc. and David J. Martin (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2017 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.11* Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Robert A. Eckel (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.12* Performance Share Award Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Robert A. Eckel (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.13* Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Kevin T. Russell (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.14* Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Robert M. Mungovan (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.15* Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Mohamed Lazzouni (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 19, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.16* Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and David B. Barcelo dated May 4, 2020 (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Aware, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.17* Aware, Inc. 2020 Executive Bonus Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Aware, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.18* Amendment to Employment Agreement between Aware, Inc. and Robert Eckel dated March 27, 2020 (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Aware Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2020 and incorporate herein by reference). 10.19 Agreement of Purchase and Sale dated as of April 26, 2021 by and between Aware, Inc. and FDS Bedford, LLC (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Aware Inc. Current Report on Form 8-l filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference. between Aware, Inc. and David B. Barcelo dated May 4, 2020 (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Aware, Inc. Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference). 10.20 Lease dated as of March 1, 2021 by and between 76/80 Burlington Group, LLC and Aware, Inc. 21.1 Subsidiaries of Registrant. 23.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. 31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 101 The following financial statements from Aware, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, formatted in inline XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language), as follows: (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020; (iii) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020; and (v) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 56 104 Cover page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101 * Management contract or compensatory plan. 57 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. AWARE, INC. By: /s/ Robert A. Eckel Robert A. Eckel Chief Executive Officer & President By: /s/ David Barcelo David Barcelo Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) Date: March 15, 2022 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on the 15th day of March 2022. Signature Title /s/ Robert A. Eckel Chief Executive Officer, President & Director Robert A. Eckel (Principal Executive Officer) /s/ David Barcelo Chief Financial Officer David Barcelo (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) /s/ Brent P. Johnstone Chairman of the Board & Director Brent P. Johnstone /s/ John S. Stafford, III Director John S. Stafford, III /s/ Brian D. Connolly Director Brian D. Connolly /s/ Gary Evee Director Gary Evee /s/ Peter Faubert Director Peter Faubert 58