Germany-based Seeburger AG will next month unveil a hosted radio frequency identification service designed to let companies jump-start basic RFID programs without breaking the bank.

IDNet automates an array of basic jobs so customers can concentrate on tagging merchandise with labels that have embedded RFID tags.

The service is based on Seeburger's RFID Workbench software, an application designed to support everything from pilot RFID projects to large-scale deployments. Seeburger's B2B Gateway makes it possible to reach out to a range of enterprise applications and data.

In effect, IDNet customers get a Web interface to a subset of RFID Workbench features that let them translate product codes - for everything from clothing to office furniture - into the corresponding Electronic Product Codes used in RFID, and print these out as labels.

The printing can be done at the customer site with a customized Printronix printer, or through a service bureau arrangement with Seeburger partner NCR.

RFID-labeled goods are increasingly required by retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, and by the U.S. Department of Defense. Unique RFID numbers can be associated with inventory and order databases and allow retailers to track where items are and how long they are held.

When the Defense Department is involved, IDNet can be used to format and send the complex advanced shipping notice (ASN) that the Defense Department requires. The service also provides an audit trail and reports on such things as shipping times. An optional service will check the RFID tags at, for example, a loading dock and identify any defective tags before they're put onto trucks.

The problem with RFID mandates, says Philip Calderbank, Seeburger's vice president for RFID, is that many companies facing the new requirements are small and cannot afford investment in RFID infrastructure, or they need RFID labels quickly. IDNet is designed as a turnkey offering: it requires no upfront investment or software installation.

The only rival offering seems to be Imobile Systems , which has a hosted option for its RFID Sentinel software.

With the on-site printer, Seeburger charges $500 per month for the service. Users must sign up for a 24-month contract. Without the printer, the monthly fee is $300.

IDNet will be formally unveiled at the EPCglobal conference , Sept. 13-15, in Atlanta.