Frederick, MD (April 24, 2006) - EarthData announced the recent finalization of a 3-year open-end GIS and remote sensing services contract with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The contract requires GIS analysis and reporting, data development, application development, and remote sensing to support the SFWMD in managing the water supply, water quality, ecosystems, and flood control for more than 6 million residents in 16 counties across south Florida.

"The district not only manages water resources to serve the residents in our jurisdiction; we are protecting and restoring an ecosystem that is a unique part of our national heritage," explained Jim Cameron, director of the district's GIS and Web Development Division. "To serve the magnitude of our mission, we awarded contracts to forty-five prime vendors in nine disciplines; EarthData is one of five vendors who offer end-to-end services in GIS and remote sensing."

To help SFWMD meet both programmatic and rapid-response requirements, the EarthData team will acquire and process specialized remotely sensed data, such as hyperspectral, thermal, radar, and spaceborne imagery, as well as provide GIS software, applications, and decision-support tools to manage, analyze, and distribute all types of geospatial data. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with the SFWMD," said Martin Roche, president and general manager of EarthData's Solutions Division. "Having worked with the SFWMD and four other Florida water management districts in 2004 to provide digital orthophotography covering the entire state, we understand SFWMD objectives as well as many of the district's challenges."

The EarthData team includes EarthData, The Alta Vista Company, ITRES Research Limited, Digital Globe, Digital Aerial Solutions, I.S. Consulting, TerraSurv, and L.D. Bradley. "Our team looks forward to supporting SFWMD using the full range of our combined capabilities," stated Roche.

The SFWMD contract expands EarthData's portfolio of contracts for GIS consulting services in the region and contributes to the organization's strategic goals in the GIS marketplace.