[ESSP] interested in a GIS project?

[Vanessa Paulman]

Attached and copied below is a Request for Proposals from The Kestrel
Trust
for a GIS mapping project.  Please post or forward to anyone you think may
be interested in responding.

Thank you.

Judy Eiseman
-----------
The Kestrel Trust

Request for Proposals for Phase One of a GIS-referenced Database and
Mapping
Project

November 2003


Contents

1.  Introduction to the Kestrel Trust
2.  Goals of the Database and Mapping Project
3.  Qualifications
4.  Scope of Services
5.  Completion Date
6.  Compensation
7.  Submission Requirements


1.  Introduction to the Kestrel Trust.  The Kestrel Trust is a
volunteer-based, non-profit land trust seeking to protect significant land
in our nine town region in perpetuity.  The Trust's priorities are
woodlands, wildlife habitat and habitat corridors, land with noteworthy
scenic, historic, and natural features,  farmland, recreational trail
corridors, and water resources.  The towns in which we are active,
Amherst,
Belchertown, Granby, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, South Hadley
and
Sunderland, include such varied topography as bottomland along the
Connecticut River, the Holyoke Range, the hills of Pelham, Belchertown,
and
Shutesbury bordering the Quabbin Reservoir, and the  Mt. Toby and Leverett
uplands.  The Trust is also dedicated to raising public awareness about
environmental issues in our region.

2.  Goals of the Database and Mapping Project.  The Kestrel Trust seeks to
create an ARC-INFO based digital database of land parcels in the area we
serve.  This database should include at a minimum:
ß Boundary polygons of accuracy sufficient for planning
ß Ownership data linked to polygons using assessors' map and lot
identification numbers,
ß Chapter 61a and 61b (current-use tax) status,
ß Information on protected status based on MassGIS standards
ß Acreage from assessors records and calculated from coverages

The geographic data and underlying database should be expandable and open
to
revision.  The Kestrel Trust will use the database in conjunction with
other
available GIS natual and cultural resource data for parcel protection work
and for educational and planning efforts.  The maps will increase our
ability to relate targeted parcels to other conservation lands and to more
effectively locate important areas for future protective work.

We have received funding from the Norcross Foundation for computer and
software purchases related to the project.  We will seek the consultant's
advice on appropriate software and equipment purchases.  We now seek
assistance in setting up a database, and during this first part of the
project, in integrating existing information from the towns in our region
that have already compiled digitized information in the GIS framework.
Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, South Hadley, and Pelham have GIS
information
available, and the Leverett Conservation Commission has a digitized map of
protected parcels.  Some additional information may be available from the
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the Franklin County Regional Council
of
Government, UMass, and other sources such as state agencies and other land
trusts. During later phases of the project we expect to gather and enter
information from the remaining towns and update information in the
database.

The project will be bid and contracted in two phases.

     PHASE ONE.  Digital parcel data is available all or in part for seven
of
the towns in our region.  Phase one of the project will involve collection
and integration of these parcel databases, and gathering of any missing
information in the list of required data given above.

     PHASE TWO.  Phase two of the project will involve creation of new
parcel
coverages for the remaining two towns.  Depending on availability, this
may
require digitization from paper or mylar assessors' maps, or conversion of
CAD-based files.  Once created, the new parcel coverages will be linked to
assessors' tabular records and the other required parcel data.

Ownership of Data,  All newly-generated products of the contract will be
the
sole property of Kestrel Trust and may be copied, altered, and distributed
at Kestrel Trust's sole discretion without further compensation.

3.  Qualifications.  The Trust expects that the consultant will own or be
able to use a computer and software appropriate for compiling the
database.
References and a portfolio documenting past training and experience and
demonstrated facility with GIS information and mapping appropriate  to the
contract is required.

4.  Scope of Services.
ß Take part in meetings with the mapping committee of the Kestrel Trust to
discuss and organize the project.
ß Obtain layers of needed information from the Trust and from offices in
Amherst, Belchertown, Pelham, Hadley, South Hadley, Sunderland and
Leverett
or from other sources.
ß Obtain additional current information about protected land from the
MassGIS office or other sources in consultation with the Trust.
ß Design a useable database that can be expanded and revised.
ß Seek approval of the design from the mapping committee of the Trust.
ß Enter existing information from the five towns.
ß Transfer completed work on disc to the Trust.

5.  Date of Completion.  Work on the portion of the database and mapping
project described above should be completed by March 15, 2004.

6.  Compensation.  At this time the Trust is seeking bid proposals for
Phase
One only

7.  Submission Requirements.  Interested applicants should submit the
following information by December 15, 2003 to the Kestrel Trust, PO Box
1016, Amherst, MA,  01004.  Each proposal shall be submitted in two parts:
a Technical Proposal and a Cost Proposal.  Each part shall be separately
bound and sealed in its own envelope so that the cost proposal can not be
revealed until after all technical proposals have been reviewed and
evaluated.

ß Qualifications, including applicant's educational background, past
experience relevant to the project, and current computer and software
available for work on the project.
ß A description of the work to be done and its organization, demonstrating
familiarity and understanding of the type of work required  by the
project.
ß Examples of past work relevant to the project.
ß Estimation of the fee for future annual maintenance of the database.
ß References

Should questions arise about the project and the application, either of
the
following members of the Kestrel Trust Board are available to address your
concerns:

David Ziomek:    413-863-3221        dziomek at rcn.com

Paul Beaulieu:        413-875-1302         PGBeaulieu at TigheBond.com



-- 
Vanessa Paulman
Science Outreach Coordinator
Center for Science Exploration
Hampshire College

phone: (413) 559-5792
fax: (413) 559-5438
Adele Simmons Hall #132

http://ScienceExploration.hampshire.edu