GIS for Federal Government Solving National Challenges with Geospatial Technology

GIS for Federal Government Solving National Challenges with Geospatial Technology

Welcome to the Era of Place-Based Decision Making Over 70,000 national government professionals use geographic information system (GIS) technology to work toward a more efficient, collaborative, accountable, transparent, and sustainable government. Governments around the world make thousands of small and big decisions each day to keep their countries running. Whether selecting the most efficient routes for postal workers or determining the feasibility of alternative energy projects, governments share similar challenges, and their choices often have global impact. Technology has revolutionized government processes by applying data to problems, and geographic context takes that data to a new level. Esri s GIS technology enables any government to bring its vast stores of knowledge into one comprehensive platform for managing, analyzing, and sharing information. The result is a spatial view that reveals trends and patterns on a map, driving smarter decisions and serving as a powerful communication tool among government agencies and with citizens. GIS is not just for scientists and technicians anymore. Today, anyone can access rich geospatial information through simple tools that make it easy to explore issues around the globe. You can examine the facts for yourself instead of relying on others recommendations. Private and commercial sources are increasingly digitizing the features of the world and its inhabitants, but Esri gives governments the power to bring their authoritative information to the forefront. Now more than ever, GIS provides a common framework from which government professionals, elected officials, and citizens can better understand the complex workings of their countries and take informed action. The Navajo Nation Increased road maintenance funding by 30 percent and enabled critical infrastructure improvements by using GIS to map thousands of miles of uncharted roads The US Department of Agriculture Saved taxpayers $20 million in one year by using GIS to better evaluate crop risks throughout the country, reducing crop insurance and subsidy costs NASA s Langley Research Center Cut annual maintenance and operations costs by $1 million and reduced its environmental impact by using GIS to optimize the use of its massive property and facilities The European Union s European Environment Agency Helps inform government decisions on millions of euros in environmental funding by using GIS in the cloud to share essential data among 38 member countries The US Agency for International Development Helped Rwandan coffee farmers increase business returns by 82 percent by funding a project that used GIS to identify optimal crop regions

Get the Full Picture GIS brings together disparate information to provide an informative snapshot of a situation. Understand Your Environment During Gulf of Mexico oil spill operations, the US Fish and Wildlife Service used GIS to produce a daily assessment of oil levels from Louisiana to Florida. The map helped recovery personnel, the media, and the public understand current conditions and respond accordingly. Reveal Potential Danger Thousands of law enforcement agencies depend on a GIS-based system funded by the US Department of Justice that identifies overlapping activities among departments. The system reveals potential conflicts in 30 percent of all operations. That knowledge helps officers adjust their investigations to keep personnel safer. Respond to Disasters More than a dozen organizations formed an International Emergency Mapping Team to provide support and online maps after the Tōhoku, Japan, earthquake and resultant tsunami. The Japanese government used this information to understand conditions on the ground, prioritize relief and recovery efforts, and deploy personnel and equipment. We can present a much more comprehensive picture of what s going on across the entire enterprise and very rapidly draw accurate conclusions that help us make meaningful business decisions. Christopher Smith, USDA Chief Information Officer Make Smarter Decisions Geospatial analysis allows you to layer data onto a map to expose relationships among factors, leading to a richer understanding of our world and stronger public policy. Better Allocate Services Through the MedMap system, staff members of the US Department of Health and Human Services use interactive maps to identify imbalances in resource distribution. This intelligence helps leaders determine where facilities and funding are most needed, both during emergencies and for long-term planning. Prioritize Efforts The US Fish and Wildlife Service s Landscape Conservation Cooperatives use GIS to measure and analyze the redundancy of ecological systems. This knowledge helps federal agencies and local governments adjust conservation projects according to need and potential impact. Predict and Manage Change To understand how urban expansion affects agricultural land, the USDA Farm Service Agency used GIS to analyze imagery such as historical aerial photography. By determining the amount of agricultural acreage lost, the agency gained a clearer understanding of the sensitive relationships between rural and urban areas and the factors of greatest concern. Redundancy of Ecological Systems in Landscape Conservation Cooperatives Legend LCC Boundary 1 Number of 2 Landscape 3 Conservation Cooperatives 4 in which 5 ecological 6 system occurs. 7 8 Human land use Water

Foster Collaboration Because maps bring information into context and make it easier to understand, they are one of the best ways to communicate about complex issues. Esri technology makes it easier than ever to share geographic resources in the cloud through data portals or web and mobile tools. Manage and Share Information US federal agencies collect and manage large amounts of geospatial data, but it can be hard to find in standardized formats. To provide easy access to this information, the Federal Geographic Data Committee used Esri technology to develop its Geospatial Platform at geoplatform.gov. The site provides federal geospatial data, services, and applications from one common platform for use by agencies, their partners, and the public. Save Time and Money Geospatial technology reveals new ways to increase efficiency for more streamlined and productive operations in every area of government. Provide a Portal The US Department of Agriculture used Esri s GIS portal technology to build its Enterprise Spatial Mapping Service from the agency s secure, private cloud. This central repository gives staff members access to authoritative geospatial content and tools for creating and sharing maps and applications related to their work. Work across Boundaries Esri technology serves as the common language for projects that involve multiple governments. The International Boundary Commission, International Joint Commission, and International Boundary and Water Commission collaborate using GIS to harmonize and maintain accurate boundary data along the United States borders with Canada and Mexico. Their work drives more informed and effective decisions related to conservation, natural disasters, and law enforcement. Maximize Government Assets The National Institutes of Health uses GIS to manage extensive property and facilities at its headquarters campus. Managing all assets from a central GIS helps the agency maximize green space, simplify construction planning, save on ground maintenance costs, and reduce environmental impact. Work More Effectively Geography is central to the work of the US Census Bureau, whose findings determine the allocation of over $400 billion in federal funds. Nearly all its operations are powered by GIS, from planning and implementing the national census to sharing the results with other agencies and the public. In the latest census, GIS helped bring more efficiency to address canvassing activities so that operations were completed a full week ahead of schedule, resulting in significant savings. Standardize to One Platform The National Ice Center operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US Navy, and the US Army uses GIS to provide detailed daily snow and ice coverage reports critical to the safe navigation of government and commercial vessels. The center streamlined its workflows and cut costs by migrating nearly all its processes into Esri s GIS platform, which also supports the online sharing of geospatial data for its many end users.

Drive Sustainability GIS is the enabling technology behind solving our nation s environmental challenges, protecting natural resources, and promoting practices that safeguard our planet. Plan for the Future Argonne National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory assisted the Bureau of Land Management in using GIS to explore solar energy options in six southwestern states. This analysis informs decisions on matters such as leasing government land to utility-scale solar power plants. Protect Natural Resources In Hawaii, NOAA uses GIS to analyze fishery habitats, protect sensitive areas, and support sustainable commercial fishing. Meet Global Objectives To assess United Nations project goals, the US Department of State s Humanitarian Information Unit uses GIS to map water demand across borders and track the regional status of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals for improved drinking water and sanitation. Be Transparent Transparency is key to open and effective governance. By sharing information from an enlightening geospatial point of view, government can more clearly convey the data that drives its decisions and enable informed, constructive citizen engagement. Stay Accountable The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board s cloud-based Recovery.gov website features a map that tracks spending of the $787 million economic stimulus package established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The dynamic map shows where funds have been awarded and provides details on each recipient. Share Facts on Key Issues The US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service pooled over 90 indicators of health and lifestyle to create its web-based Food Environment Atlas. This visual interface allows the public to layer and analyze variables that impact Americans access to healthy food and reveals food deserts where services are most needed. Empower Citizens The Environmental Protection Agency s MyEnvironment website offers an easy-to-use online interface that provides the public with environmental information such as air and water quality. This tool incorporates federal, state, local, and private data sources to provide a comprehensive snapshot of environmental indicators. Citizens can create maps, charts, and reports on the environmental factors that impact them.

Get Powerful Geographic Insight from One Comprehensive Solution ArcGIS technology is a complete system for designing and managing solutions through the application of geographic knowledge. It enables you to perform deep analysis, gain a greater understanding of your data, and make more informed decisions. ArcGIS can be used however and wherever you need it: from the desktop to the server and from the field to the cloud. ArcGIS is based on accepted standards for optimal interoperability across platforms, databases, development languages, and applications. Esri offers a variety of training options to ensure that you make the most of your geospatial technology resources. Bring Geospatial Tools to the Cloud You can leverage your investment in GIS by publishing your maps and data to the cloud. Your end users can then access maps, data, and applications from a variety of devices without having to install software or worry about data management. ArcGIS Online: Your Destination for GIS Resources Whether you use ArcGIS on the desktop, the web, or a mobile device, you can get great content and share interactive, intelligent maps through ArcGIS SM Online. You can also join specialized ArcGIS Online groups to share data and tools with government colleagues or specific contacts. Web Cloud Mobile Online Enterprise Desktop To start solving your agency s challenges with GIS, visit esri.com/federal.

Esri inspires and enables people to positively impact their future through a deeper, geographic understanding of the changing world around them. Governments, industry leaders, academics, and nongovernmental organizations trust us to connect them with the analytic knowledge they need to make the critical decisions that shape the planet. For more than 40 years, Esri has cultivated collaborative relationships with partners who share our commitment to solving earth s most pressing challenges with geographic expertise and rational resolve. Today, we believe that geography is at the heart of a more resilient and sustainable future. Creating responsible products and solutions drives our passion for improving quality of life everywhere. Contact Esri 380 New York Street Redlands, California 92373-8100 usa 1 800 447 9778 t 909 793 2853 f 909 793 5953 info@esri.com esri.com Offices worldwide esri.com/locations Copyright 2012 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, ArcGIS, @esri.com, and esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners. Printed in USA 128589 ESRI5M2/12ed