CompassData Inc. added to USDA FAS/IPAD

24 March 2009, 3:45am

Washington, D.C., 24 March 2009 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Office of Global Analysis (OGA), International Production Assessment Division (IPAD) announces CompassData Inc. of Centennial, Colo., as the latest addition to the Prime Vendor Contract.

CompassData Inc. is the international leader in the collection of high-accuracy GPS ground control points (GCP) for the processing of digital remote sensing imagery. Under the USDA Prime Vendor Contract, CompassData will provide new and archived ground control points to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA will use the CompassData control points to process digital imagery used in domestic and international projects.

In 2007, CompassData introduced an online archive of more than 10,000 GCPs that have already been collected worldwide and are available for immediate purchase with delivery in as little as 24 hours. The archive contains 7500 North American and 2500 international GCPs that have been collected either by CompassData’s in-house team of professional “Control Freaks” or its 30 certified mapping partners in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

Robert Tetrault, USDA FAS, Satellite Imagery Archive Manager states, “The Prime Vendor Contract administered by ASRC MS will ensure that USDA has a fast and low-cost means of obtaining consistent ground control points – either new or off-the-shelf – at a variety of accuracy levels to support mapping projects agency-wide. High-quality ground control reduces the cost of processing, orthorectifying and quality-checking aerial and satellite imagery, satellite of course is our main interest at FAS.”

The Office of Global Analysis of the USDA FAS/IPAD is responsible for global crop condition assessments and estimates of area, yield, and production for grains, oilseeds, and cotton. The primary mission of OGA is to target, collect, analyze, and disseminate timely, objective, useful, and cost-effective global crop condition and agricultural market intelligence information. One of OGA’s key missions is to provide unbiased commodity estimates and forecasts to create a marketing edge for U.S. producers in world markets. (Source: USDA and NASA) The Prime Vendor Contract vehicle allows them to obtain agriculture analysis solutions using satellite imagery and ancillary information quickly and cost effectively.

Dr. Bradley Doorn, Division Director for the FAS, International Production Assessment Division (IPAD) stated, “The premise of this contract is to promote efficiency. We are trying to make the best use of every dollar the taxpayer gives us.” FAS requests from our prime vendor the type of imagery solution information needed. Then ASRC MS obtains quotes from the vendors on the Prime Vendor Contract list for the imagery or solutions which fit that need best. “The Prime Vendor Contract helps the USDA achieve our goal – which is to have a contract in place that allows us to access products provided by the commercial industry and get the best price and performance possible. The Prime Vendor Contract vendor interface is managed by Global Marketing Insights, Inc. who ensures that the USDA FAS is provided the best possible global agriculture analysis solutions at the best possible prices with final products which also meet our stringent delivery specifications as well as ensuring open lines of communication with our vendors.”

Geo: International