Current Documents Available for Download

Final Guidelines document as published in PE&RS December 2009 (PDF)
ASPRS press release announcing Board approval (PDF)

Background

ASPRS MAPPS and ACSM have formed a joint committee that includes representatives from the private sector state and federal government agencies. This committee is in the process of studying what constitutes professional vs. technical services and what procurement mechanisms are appropriate for these services. The intent is to provide an updated document to assist organizations and individuals in the determination of when it is appropriate to procure geospatial services through a qualifications-based selection process.

The focus of this effort is to provide a document outlining recommendations for procurement methods which are in the opinion of ASPRS the best and most appropriate means of procuring professional photogrammetry remote sensing services and related geospatial mapping services. The guidelines document is not intended to establish any laws rules or regulations. Furthermore the focus of this effort is on the procurement process of the subject services and not whether a license should be required to perform them.

Committee Members

ASPRS
Chair (Professional Practices Division Director):  Doug Smith David C. Smith & Associates Inc.
Co-chair (Past Professional Practices Division Director):  Dan Paulsen Wilson & Company
Federal government:  George Lee USGS
State government:  John Tull Washington  Dept. of Transportation

MAPPS Representatives
Marvin Miller Aero-Metric Inc. MAPPS President
Mike Ritchie Photo Science Inc.

ACSM Representatives
John Matonich ROWE Engineering Inc.
Curt Sumner ACSM Executive Director

Past Documents Available for Download

Power-point presentation presented at ASPRS ’08 Spring conference (PPT)
First draft Guidelines document for Public Review/Comment first comment period closed Jan. 15 2009 (PDF)
Full text of all comments received first comment period through Jan. 15 (ZIP)
Committee’s specific response to organizations that provided comments (ZIP)
Summary of comments received and overall Committee response / proposed actions (PDF)
Second draft revised Guidelines document submitted for Board review and further public comment comment through April 2009 (DOC)
Document markups and comments received second comment period through April 2009 (ZIP)
Committee response to comments/cover letter for final Excom/Board submittal (DOC)
Third draft submitted for final Excom/Board review prior to final vote (DOC redline version)
Third draft submitted for final Excom/Board review prior to final vote (PDF)
Final revision as submitted for Board of Directors vote for approval (PDF)
Final Guidelines document (pre-press version) as approved by the ASPRS Board of Directors August 24 2009 (PDF)

Contact Information

Comments and feedback for committee consideration may be sent to:
guidelines@asprs.org

Charter Summary

Deliver an updated revised document which:

  • Includes updated technological references;
  • Maintains consistency with references to “professional services” included in recent modifications to the NCEES Model Law and Model Rules;
  • Addresses professional services vs. products;
  • Includes guidance for organizations procuring mapping services to assist in determining when qualifications-based selection processes should be used

Draft Guidelines Charter 9-18-2006 (PDF)

Activities to Date 
Oct.  ’06 – Committee Established
April ’07 – ASPRS Spring Conference Tampa – Presented first draft of Executive Summary
Summer ’07 – Received feedback from Board and Hot Topic session
Fall  ’07  – Incorporated feedback / initiated work on full document
Jan.  ’08 – Presented revised Executive Summary to MAPPS membership
April ’08 – Submitted draft of full document to ASPRS Board
April ’08 – E-mailed current Executive Summary to Spring conference attendees for feedback
April ’08 – ASPRS Spring Conference: Panel presentation and Hot Topic discussion
May / June ’08 – Feedback period for GIS Division and ASPRS Board
Summer ’08 – Feedback and comments incorporated into final draft
Fall ’08 – Draft for review submitted for publication in the November issue of PE&RS and for electronic distribution to encourage wide dissemination and comment.
Feb/March ’09 – Comment review and preparation of a response and revised document for Board consideration at the Baltimore Spring Conference
April ‘09 —  Additional 30 day comment period to allow for Board of Directors input and to allow for further comment from COGO member organizations
May ‘09  — Committee review and discussion of additional comments
July ’09  — Submittal of final revision for Executive Committee and Board review with recommendation for Board vote/adoption
August ’09  — Board of Directors approves final version of the “Guidelines for Procurement of Professional Aerial Imagery Photogrammetry LiDAR and Related Remote Sensor-based Geospatial Mapping Services.”

Status

The document has been adopted and published in PE&RS in December 2009 (see link above). 

Nathan Kempf
PPD Webmaster