NIMA ready to open toolkit search

The National Imagery and Mapping Agency intends to kick off its search for

proposals for a Commercial Joint Mapping Toolkit during the week of Dec.

18.

The solicitation is for a commercial version of the existing government-developed

Joint Mapping Toolkit. The toolkit provides the military and intelligence

agencies with a common suite of imagery software rather than having the

various organizations build independent versions, a practice that hinders

the seamless flow of imagery between organizations.

NIMA grew out of the merger of the Defense Mapping Agency, the Central

Imagery Office, the National Photographic Interpretation Center and imagery

support offices within the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the

National Reconnaissance Office. The agency provides digital maps and imagery

support to the military and intelligence community.

The agency announced its intent to release official requests for proposals

for the new mapping toolkit in the Commerce Business Daily on Dec. 11.