USDA PENS SITE LICENSE FOR ESRI GIS PRODUCTS.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and ESRI, a provider of geographic information system (GIS) software, signed a sweeping purchase agreement recently for a department-wide site license for ESRI software.

The Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) was negotiated from ESRI's General Service Administration Schedule Contract and will enable USDA to embark on an ambitious and far-reaching program and strengthen program delivery by extending the functionality of ESRI GIS throughout the entire organization.

The BPA sets in motion a five-year effort that will expand the use of GIS technology throughout the USDA by providing a complete enterprise suite of ESRI's GIS software to all USDA agencies. The $32 million agreement includes the roll-in of legacy software currently within the U.S. Forest Service and other USDA agencies. GIS software applications and extensions from ESRI include ArcInfo, ArcEditor, ArcView, and ArcIMS, which features an array of Internet-aware solutions, browsers, and mobile devices.

Established in 1862 with a mission to acquire information on subjects connected with agriculture and make it available to the American public, USDA is using GIS to help achieve this mission in the 21st century.

Before choosing ESRI, USDA Service Center agencies began a rigorous selection process more than three years ago that involved extensive market research, a benchmark period, and several pilot installations. ESRI came out on top as the vendor with the most complete suite of end-to-end software solutions.

"We are delighted to receive this commitment from USDA, and it reinforces our dedication to provide its many agencies with technology that is rich in functionality, quality, and performance," said Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. "ESRI's strength in developing open, interoperable, and server-based software was evident during the selection process. We welcome the opportunity to help USDA with its efforts to integrate data, coordinate activities, and serve its community in a more effective, efficient, and sustainable manner."

For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,200 business partners. ESRI's goal is to provide users with comprehensive tools to help them quickly and efficiently manage and use geographic information to make a real difference in the world around them.