Major Investment in US Geospatial Industry

 

When The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed, GIS workers and GIS investors everywhere should have been at least a little excited. Because once you pick apart the bill, there"s a startling discovery to be made. Are you ready to hear the grand total for potential spending on geospatial data, services, and applications in 24 federal agencies? The total: $73 billion.

 

 

John Byrd at the Reston, Virginia headquarters of MAPPS crunched the numbers to come up with the figure of $73 billion. MAPPS, an association of more than 170 firms in the geographic information systems and remote sensing field, has been advocating for the entire GIS industry since 1982 (http://www.mapps.org). The breakdown of the numbers is provided to MAPPS members at the MAPPS website.

 

"Regardless of one"s views on the stimulus, we want to make sure MAPPS members optimize the opportunities the legislation provides to do business, keep and hire employees, and contribute to the Nation"s spatial data infrastructure,- said MAPPS Executive Director John Palatiello. "This analysis will help our members target their business development efforts by identifying the potential geospatial demand.-

 

"The $73 billion is a conservative estimate of programs that will require some geospatial applications,- Palatiello noted. "Our analysis provides insight on specific geospatial activities, ranging from funding for the National Map in USGS, to construction programs that will require geospatial data and highways and rail lines in the Department of Transportation. Whether one is looking at the Census, health IT, or broadband deployment, there are a number of programs funded in the stimulus bill that will create a geospatial demand. The summary we compiled is designed to give MAPPS members a broad outlook on the business opportunities that may be available from the stimulus bill.-

 

So, geospatial firms, get your pens and contracts out, because federal agencies are preparing their budgets for upcoming years. May the best bid win!