MAPPS-ASPRS Joint Specialty Conference to Host Pre-event Professional Development Workshops

Prior to the start of the MAPPS-ASPRS Joint Specialty Conference October 29-November 1 in Tampa, FL, three important workshops will be presented that may contribute to continuing professional development of geospatial practitioners and contracting officers. The workshops include Licensing of Photogrammetrists and Other Geospatial Practitioners, QBS Contracting for Geospatial Services and Preparing Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE) for Geospatial Contract Negotiations. The workshops have been designed for procurement officers at the Federal, state and local level and private practice professionals and firm personnel involved in marketing, business development and contract administration.

The Licensing workshop will focus on legislation and regulations adopted at the state level defining a variety of photogrammetry, LIDAR, orthophoto, GIS and other geospatial activities as the practice of surveying, subject to state license. Today, many individuals may be unknowingly practicing surveying without a license. The workshop will review the NCEES Model Law, the status of current licensing laws in the 50 states, efforts by geospatial organizations to affect laws and legislations, and proposed alternate solutions. The workshop will also discuss differences between licensure and certification, as well as assist firms and practitioners in determining if they are in compliance with applicable laws.

A workshop focused on QBS Contracting for Geospatial Services will be instructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will review the background of the qualifications based selection (QBS) process for procurement of professional services. Topics covered will include the principal requirements of the Brooks Act and similar state laws, and provide details on all phases of implementing a successful contracting process, including acquisition planning, scopes of work, public notification, full and open competition, evaluation and selection, negotiations, contract award, contract management and administration.

The acquisition of geospatial data and services requires considerable specialized knowledge of technology and best practices. Those in need of professional services will generally need to rely on the professional service providers to dictate "methods" because they are experts most familiar with the technology. It is incumbent on government managers to clearly identify their needs, the project scope, and know hot to ask the right questions so the best services and data are procured to assure a fee and value that is fair and reasonable to the government. Technicians and managers in government not involved daily in these pursuits may find it difficult to procure or administer projects for these professional services. The workshop on Preparing Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE) for Geospatial Contract Negotiations is designed to assist technicians and managers in government to understand the significance and importance of factors involved in procuring or administering geospatial professional data and services, provide guidance on developing independent government cost estimates for contract negotiations and help identify the right questions to ask of service providers to describe their needs without having to dictate the methods required to meet those needs.

Workshop registration is separate from the main conference. An individual is not required to register for the main conference in order to attend a workshop.

To view the preliminary program and to register, visit the conference website, www.asprs.org/Conferences/Tampa-2012.

This significant conference is the seventh in a series that originated in 1994 as the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS) began jointly hosting education conferences on emerging mapping and geospatial technologies and applications that have now become an integral part of our everyday lives. The conference seeks to bring geospatial producers, data users, managers, and imaging and geospatial information professionals together to present the latest developments.

About MAPPS

Formed in 1982, MAPPS is the only national association exclusively comprised of private firms in the remote sensing, spatial data and geographic information systems field in the United States. The MAPPS membership spans the entire spectrum of the geospatial community, including Member Firms engaged in satellite and airborne remote sensing, surveying, photogrammetry, aerial photography, LIDAR, hydrography, bathymetry, charting, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS, and GIS data collection and conversion services. MAPPS also includes Associate Member Firms, which are companies that provide hardware, software, products and services to the geospatial profession in the United States and other firms from around the world. Independent Consultant Members are sole proprietors engaged in consulting in or to the geospatial profession, or provides a consulting service of interest to the geospatial profession. MAPPS provides its 160+ member firms opportunities for networking and developing business-to-business relationships, information sharing, education, public policy advocacy, market growth, and professional development and image enhancement.

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