The State of Alabama Information Services Division (ISD) has signed a three-year enterprise license agreement (ELA) with ESRI that will allow all state agencies to have unlimited deployments of ESRI geographic information system (GIS) software. Previously, only 29 agencies had access to ESRI GIS software, but through this agreement, more than 90 agencies will have immediate access to this critical technology. The recently formed Alabama Geospatial Office (ALGO), a department in ISD, will administer the ELA for the state.
"I am happy we could work out an agreement between the State of Alabama and ESRI," said Jim Burns, CIO, Alabama ISD. "The enterprise-wide agreement will greatly enhance state agencies’ ability to grow their suite of GIS applications.
"GIS software," he continued, "previously out of reach for most agencies, is now readily available due to the greatly reduced costs offered through the new agreement. I believe this is a win-win agreement for the state, as well as for ESRI, and we look forward to many years of working with ESRI in the development of a world-class GIS environment for the State of Alabama."
For the State of Alabama, the benefits include the following:
· Equalizing GIS expenditures over the course of three years
· Reducing administrative and procurement costs
· Making it easier for multiple organizations to share Web services with each other and the public
"It is important for state governments to have access to the GIS technology they need to best serve the public," said Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. "Geospatial data is tied to most state-level activities. Through this agreement, Alabama can provide all its state agencies with the GIS software they need to enhance productivity and improve efficiency across the enterprise. Additionally, the widespread implementation of GIS applications will allow for better decision support."
The core technology for the ELA is ESRI’s ArcGIS software, which is an open and interoperable technology platform that provides spatial analysis, geographic data management, advanced visualization and cartographic capabilities, and more. ArcGIS software is a complete system to author, serve, and use geographic information. The technology gets geographic information to those who need it, including analysts, decision makers, field staff, and the public, through its support of mobile, Web, and desktop clients.
