Iowa Geospatial Infrastructure blog created

In an effort to keep folks up to date and in the loop with happenings related to the Iowa Geospatial Infrastructure (IGI) workgroup and project, a new website/blog has been created:

http://www.iowagi.org

The site will contain links to relevant documents, resources and regular project status updates.

RFP for Business Planning Services

RFP:
http://www.iowagic.org/about/projects-and-initiatives/
the-iowa-map-development-of-the-iowa-sdi/documents
/igi_request_for_proposals.pdf

Today IGIC is releasing an RFP for consulting services to help us develop the business plan. This request will be open to anyone, including individuals, private service firms, academic departments, or other experienced organizations. We hope to have the business plan ready in time for next year’s budget cycle. We will also need help from the GIS community, especially developing the IGI vision, function, costs and benefits. If you want to participate or have questions about the CAP project or the IGI, please contact me. If you know someone who may be interested in the RFP, please forward it to them. The RFP closes on June 11, 2007.

Background:

Last March the Iowa Geographic Information Council received a CAP grant from the Federal Geographic Data Committee to help produce a business plan for a statewide spatial data infrastructure (SSDI). We are calling this the Iowa Geospatial Infrastructure, or IGI for short. The IGI will be Iowa’s contribution to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). During the next several months we will work with a consultant to construct this business plan. We will, as a group, try to envision what we want the IGI to look like, what its function will be, what it will cost to build and what tangible outcomes it will create for Iowa. The business plan will contain a financial analysis of IGI costs and benefits, such as return on investment. We will use this information when we talk to decision makers about funding future GIS development activities in Iowa. The IGI will not only focus efforts at making a seamless GIS database that is readily available, especially during emergencies, but it will create an application framework for services that will benefit the entire Iowa geospatial community. This plan will try to address the needs of both existing GIS investments as well places or programs that have yet to build a GIS program. This plan will address potential sources of long-term funding for the IGI.

Contact:

Jim Giglierano, IGIC CAP grant coordinator
Iowa DNR/Geological Survey
109 Trowbridge Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242-1319

Tel: 319-335-1594
Email: james.giglierano@dnr.iowa.gov

2007 IGIC Conference Review

Well, the 2007 IGIC Conference, held in Sioux City, Iowa, has successfully come to an end.

The most exciting piece of the conference was the fact that Ron Koch, Conference Committee Chair, invited Jack Dangermond, Founder of ESRI, to be the keynote speaker and he accepted. Mr. Dangermond spoke on Tuesday and had a great vision of what GIS is moving towards. It was my hope that the technical difficulty he experienced during his presentation relaxed all the presenters for the conference. I mean, if Jack Dangermond has trouble, then ANYONE could. :) I thought his vision for GIS was exciting and I hope to see that come to pass. It also made me wonder how we can tie that in with what IGIC is doing.

The social on Monday night was a hit as well. The food was good and it was a nice atmosphere for reacquainting ourselves. I enjoyed viewing all the student artwork and comparing opinions with Gary Kaufman from DMACC. It was nice that Jack Dangermond won the drawing for the book on Sioux City since his mother was from there. Serendipitous for sure.

There were great sessions offered and I heard rave reviews about the food! The board meeting on Tuesday night ran late but included much good discussion. The accomodations were convenient - especially the skywalk in the pouring rain. All in all, the conference was a success and I enjoyed meeting and visiting with my GIS friends. There is nothing like being surrounded by a group of people who do what you do and love it as much as you do.

A big thank you to everyone on the conference committee!

2007 IGIC Conference Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following award recipients. Enough can not be said about the three individuals who received awards at this year's conference and what they have done to further the cause of geospatial coordination in Iowa.

The Achievement & Contribution in GIS (A member that you feel is always in the mix, always producing and trying to serve Iowa's GIS community - a member that exemplifies what we want IGIC to be known for) was awarded to Mr. Terry Brase of Kirkwood Community College

The Project Energizer (given to an individual identified as continually putting out ideas, mobilizing people, and seeing it through to completion) was awarded to Mr. Jim Giglierano of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The Networking Award (given to individual that best repeatedly make the connections the group needs) was awarded to Mr. Herb Kuehne with the City of Sioux City Police Department