An apparatus for managing and maintaining process control system field devices using RFID devices, the apparatus comprising: a non-volatile memory ; a radio frequency identification tag ; a microcontroller coupled to the non-volatile memory and the radio frequency identification tag ; the apparatus being characterized by further comprising: a modem communicatively coupled to a field device over a first communication bus and coupled to the microcontroller , over a second communication bus, wherein the modem converts data received from the field device on a first communication protocol associated with the first communication bus to a second communication protocol associated with the second communication bus, wherein transmission on the second communication bus is at a higher speed than the first communication bus; wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to store data received from the field device , the data comprising maintenance records associated with the field device , and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to store at least a subset of the data in an onboard memory ; and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the at least subset of data to a radio-frequency identification reader , the non-volatile memory and the radio-frequency identification tag being physically coupled to the field device . a non-volatile memory ; a radio frequency identification tag ; a microcontroller coupled to the non-volatile memory and the radio frequency identification tag ; the apparatus being characterized by further comprising: a modem communicatively coupled to a field device over a first communication bus and coupled to the microcontroller , over a second communication bus, wherein the modem converts data received from the field device on a first communication protocol associated with the first communication bus to a second communication protocol associated with the second communication bus, wherein transmission on the second communication bus is at a higher speed than the first communication bus; wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to store data received from the field device , the data comprising maintenance records associated with the field device , and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to store at least a subset of the data in an onboard memory ; and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the at least subset of data to a radio-frequency identification reader , the non-volatile memory and the radio-frequency identification tag being physically coupled to the field device . a modem communicatively coupled to a field device over a first communication bus and coupled to the microcontroller , over a second communication bus, wherein the modem converts data received from the field device on a first communication protocol associated with the first communication bus to a second communication protocol associated with the second communication bus, wherein transmission on the second communication bus is at a higher speed than the first communication bus; wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to store data received from the field device , the data comprising maintenance records associated with the field device , and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to store at least a subset of the data in an onboard memory ; and wherein the radio-frequency identification tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the at least subset of data to a radio-frequency identification reader , the non-volatile memory and the radio-frequency identification tag being physically coupled to the field device . <EOS>