MAPPS expands scope of membership… from the org… A new definition of a member firm in MAPPS, the national association of private geospatial firms, was approved by a unanimous vote of the association’s membership during the annual business meeting at the MAPPS Summer Conference. Several levels of membership are now available…
Active Member: Any firm whose home office is located in the United States of America and is engaged in the geospatial profession. “Engaged in the geospatial profession” means any private, for-profit organization where one of its purposes is the creation, collection, dissemination and application of geo-referenced graphical or digital data to depict natural or manmade physical features, phenomena, or boundaries of the earth, geospatial intelligence, and any information related thereto, including any such data that comprises a survey, map, chart, geographic information system, remotely sensed satellite or aerial image or data.
Associate member: Any firm engaged in the manufacturing and/or supplying of geospatial equipment, services, supplies, hardware or software, that supports but is not engaged in the geospatial profession, any firm not engaged in but with an interest in the geospatial field, and any firm meeting the definition of “Engaged in the geospatial profession” whose home office is located outside of the United States of America may become an associate member.
Emeritus Member: Any individual who has been an officer of a firm which has been an active, associate or sustaining member firm for at least the preceding five consecutive years, who has reached the age of 60 years, who has retired from such firm and is no longer engaged in a full time practice in the geospatial profession may become an Emeritus Member.
Given this past year’s outcome of the Brooks Act Litigation and the opposition to MAPPS’ position from several other industry organizations (GITA, UCGIS, AAG, GISCI, URISA) you have to expect that competition for membership should be stiff! Recall the “other” orgs felt that MAPPS position with their lawsuit would limit competition for federal mapping contracts to firms of licensed architects, engineers and surveyors. It is somewhat interesting thet MAPPS now will include membership to “Any firm whose home office is located in the United States of America and is engaged in the geospatial profession” – a much broader membership base indeed. (for more info on this topic see MAPPS Releases Statement on QBS Litigation Ruling – http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/11909/)
See www.MAPPS.org or see more on this announcement at http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/12334/
