BIO KEY INTERNATIONAL INC

Change in Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

As previously disclosed, on April 24, 2024, the Audit Committee approved the engagement of Bush & Associates CPA (“Bush & Associates”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and on April 23, 2024, dismissed Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Marcum was retained to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm on July 20, 2022. The audit report of Marcum on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and was not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles except that the report included an explanatory paragraph raising substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Marcum did not audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

During the two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through April 23, 2024, there were (i) no disagreements (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) between the Company and Marcum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Marcum, would have caused Marcum to make reference thereto in its report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, and (ii) no “reportable events” as such term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K except that: (A) as previously reported in Item 9A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, relating to Company’s review and control procedures over the income tax provision in the Company’s financial statement which were not operating at a level of precision to prevent or detect a potential material misstatement in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and a lack of control over the Company’s foreign subsidiaries with respect to the filing of required tax returns on a timely basis; and (B) as previously reported in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2024, the Company concluded on April 16, 2023 that its previously issued consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2023, the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, and the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 included in the Company’s previously filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for such periods should no longer be relied upon. These reportable events were discussed among the Audit Committee and Marcum. Marcum has been authorized by the Company to respond fully to the inquiries of Bush & Associates concerning these reportable events.

The Company previously disclosed this information in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 30, 2024, provided Marcum with a copy of the disclosures, and requested that Marcum furnish it with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether or not it agrees with the Company’s statements therein. A copy of the letter dated April 29, 2024 was filed as an exhibit to such Form 8-K.

During the two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through April 24, 2024, neither the Company, nor anyone on its behalf, consulted Bush & Associates regarding either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered with respect to the consolidated financial statements of the Company, and no written report or oral advice was provided to the Company by Bush &Associates that Bush & Associates concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was the subject of a “disagreement” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a “reportable event” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

Audit and Non-Audit Fees

The following table shows fees for professional services and audit fees billed to us by Bush & Associates for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for review of our financial statements included in our quarterly reports in 2024. The following table also shows fees for professional services and audit fees billed to us by Marcum LLC for review of our financial statements included in our quarterly reports in 2023, services in connection with the audit of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, and for providing various consents in 2023 and 2024:

Audit Fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our financial statements and review of the interim financial statements included in quarterly reports and services that are normally provided by our auditors in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.

Audit-Related Fees consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and which are not reported under audit fees. These fees relate primarily to services provided in connection with registration of securities and review of documents filed with the SEC.

Tax Fees consist of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance assistance rendered during the fiscal year.

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Procedures

The audit committee approves the engagement of our independent auditors to render audit and non-audit services before they are engaged. All of the fees for 2024 and 2023 shown above were pre-approved by the audit committee.

The audit committee pre-approves all audit and other permitted non-audit services provided by our independent auditors. Pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year, is detailed as to the particular category of services and is subject to a monetary limit. Our independent auditors and senior management periodically report to the audit committee the extent of services provided by the independent auditors in accordance with the pre-approval, and the fees for the services performed to date. The audit committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis.

Our audit committee will not approve engagements of our independent registered public accounting firm to perform non-audit services for us if doing so will cause our independent registered public accounting firm to cease to be independent within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. In addition, our audit committee considers, among other things, whether our independent registered public accounting firm is able to provide the required services in a more or less effective and efficient manner than other available service providers.