Companies will reward GIS/GPS project ideas

Government agencies with great ideas for how to use global positioning systems with geographic information systems could win help executing those programs in a contest sponsored by two companies.

ESRI, which makes GIS software, and Leica Geosystems, which makes surveying and land records products, are sponsoring the contest, the State and Local Government GIS/GPS Demonstration Project Program. The companies will pick 10 state and local government agencies who "thoroughly communicate an understanding of both GIS and GPS technology while exhibiting an ability to complete the project through matching support in management, budgeting, staffing and complementary equipment."

The companies will help the winners establish a model for their ideas and use the resulting programs to demonstrate the benefits of incorporating technology into daily operations. Each winner will receive software, hardware and training totaling $18,900.

The program is open to all state and local government agencies as well as quasi-public agencies and departments within an organization.

"We are looking for projects implementing nontraditional uses of GPS," Christopher Thomas, ESRI's state and local government industry solutions manager, said in a statement. Examples include using GIS/GPS to solve problems in asset management, health care, fire prevention planning and environmental management.

Applications can be submitted through August, 31, 2000. For more information and applications, see the ESRI Web site.