Texas digital Orthoquads
For many years, Texans relied on US Geological Survey map series that were twenty to forty years out of date. This deficiency created the need for consistent, up-to-date, large-scale maps of Texas. To address this need, the Texas Geographic Information Council (TGIC) passed a resolution in November of 1994 to support the development of a statewide digital base map series. The product selected for the new base map series was color infrared digital orthophoto quarter quadrangles (DOQs) created to USGS standards. The DOQs had to provide users with large scale, highly accurate, and relatively current images that could be used as base maps and combined with other digital map data in an integrated database or used as a detailed information source for derivative products.
Challenge
The Texas Orthoimagery Program (TOP) was created in 1995 under the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) for the purpose of implementing the new base map series with funding from USGS and interested local and regional organizations. DIR undertook a competitive procurement in 1995 to select a contractor to perform production of the DOQs, packaging, distribution, marketing and other value added services for TOP.
The State was not interested in entering into a conventional mapping contract where the selected contractor delivers a set of products that sit unused on a shelf. They were seeking a partnership that would insure the best value while providing maximum exposure and use of the TOP products throughout the State.Solution
After a thorough review of many qualified respondents, DIR selected a team of highly qualified photogrammetric companies for DOQ production lead by Infotech. Key to the award was the proposed approach which offered the most complete package of services, including independent project management and quality assurance, packaging, distribution, technical support and marketing. The Infotech team included Woolpert, EarthData, Inc., 3001, Inc., ADR, Tobin International, Landata Geoservices, Horizons, Inc., Image Scans, and Earth Information Systems Corporation (EISYS), with Dr. Terry Keating acting as QA consultant.
Client
The Texas Geographic Information Council was created to provide cost-effective and useful exchange and retrieval of geographic information both within and among the various agencies and branches of government, and from the agencies and branches of state government to the people of Texas and their elected representatives.
Infotech (formerly VARGIS) is an industry leader in managing the acquisition, quality assurance and delivery of digital orthoimagery to government and commercial clients. Since 1995, Infotech has contracted for the production of digital hundreds of thousands of square miles of orthoimages nationwide.
Results
TOP achieved a very valuable, large scale, digital base map for Texas that was made part of the national digital cartographic database and has placed in the public domain. Agencies of the State use the products in addressing their missions and in updating existing digital layers. Local and regional government agencies use the DOQs to assist with road placement, real estate assessment, and property boundary management. These data are also valuable to private entities with interests ranging from real estate to oil and gas production, providing source material for a variety of value added activities.
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