HomeMy WebLinkAbout24 - Submissions - Professional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Services (8)Request for Proposal (RFP) for Professional GIS Services
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Request for Proposal (RFP) for Professional GIS Services
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March 14, 2024
Selection Committee, City of Bozeman, MT
RE: RFP for Professional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Services
Dear Selection Committee,
Cultivate Geospatial Solutions (CGS) would like to thank the City of Bozeman for the opportunity to
submit our response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Professional Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) Services. CGS is a specialized boutique GIS company that exemplifies GIS expertise,
knowledge, and strategic planning services specifically tailored for government clients. As an
accomplished Esri business partner, our team represents decades of GIS industry experience that
communicates through the success of our clients. We understand Enterprise GIS, how it can and
should tactically be organized for success across all City Departments, and how best to organize
applications leveraging GIS data for users and stakeholders. Furthermore, CGS has direct experience
managing day-to-day GIS Program operations that includes working directly with Department
stakeholders to strategize and implement a sustainable and scalable enterprise GIS Program that
benefits all Departments. In fact, the project team we have assembled has over 130 years
combined experience working in GIS, with over 40 years providing GIS and data visualization
needs like the scope of services requested in this RFP. It is this type of success that allows us to
leverage existing template configurations, scripts, and software applications that result in by
lowered costs for the City.
On behalf of CGS, we look forward to the opportunity to work with the City on this important project.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I am the primary
contact for the firm and the individual to whom correspondence should be directed during the
consultant selection process. I can be reached at dlynch@cultivategeospatial.com; my direct phone is
513-600-1316; and my address is 3500 Depauw Blvd, Suite 10807, Indianapolis, IN 46268. I look
forward to hearing from you regarding the next steps.
Sincerely,
Douglas Lynch, GISP
Principal, Government Solutions
Cultivate Geospatial Solutions
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Cultivate Geospatial Solutions, LLC (CGS) is an industry-leader in delivering sustainable
enterprise GIS solutions, specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of government clients like
the City of Bozeman. With a wealth of expertise and a proven track record, CGS stands as a trusted
partner in guiding municipalities toward efficient and forward-thinking GIS Program Roadmap
Planning.
CGS Key Differentiators
Enterprise GIS Program Strategic Planning Expertise: CGS
excels in guiding clients through the process of Enterprise GIS
Program Strategic Planning, leveraging our comprehensive
Discovery analysis process. Through this process, clients
receive a thorough assessment of their GIS needs, challenges,
and opportunities. Key deliverables include:
• Identification of current GIS capabilities and gaps.
• Analysis of organizational objectives and
requirements.
• Development of a roadmap outlining strategic goals
and actionable steps.
• Recommendations for optimizing resources and maximizing return on investment (ROI).
Developing Sustainable Enterprise GIS Solutions: As an accomplished Esri business partner, CGS
has extensive expertise working with and implementing solutions using Esri software and
technologies. Our team of skilled professionals is adept at developing and configuring implementation
solutions that will be aligned with the recommendations derived from the Discovery analysis process.
Key highlights of our capabilities include:
• Customization and integration of Esri software to meet specific client needs.
• Implementation of best practices for GIS data management, analysis, and visualization.
• Provision of training and support of City staff to ensure successful adoption and utilization of
GIS solutions.
CGS is dedicated to being a trusted partner with the City of Bozeman. Our expertise in Enterprise GIS
Program Strategic Planning and our ability to develop tailored solutions based on the Discovery
analysis process, we empower clients like the City of Bozeman to leverage the full potential of GIS
technology. With a focus on collaboration, innovation, and long-term success, CGS looks forward to
being the arm-extension support for the City’s GIS Program for years to come.
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FIRM/INDIVIDUAL PROFILE
CGS Company Overview
CGS focuses on providing technical consulting services
for local government organizations. Specifically, CGS
excels at providing innovative GIS and asset
management solutions for our clients. Assessments,
strategies, and tactics are a hallmark activity for the CGS
team. Managed by professionals with extensive GIS
experience, CGS is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN
and has regional offices in Bend, OR; Fort Collins, CO;
Louisville, KY; Columbus, OH; Orlando, FL; and Tampa,
FL, with additional staff throughout the country. Our
staffing model is set up to easily meet with needs of the
City, whether onsite needs are required, or handling
work remotely, as needed. CGS is also an accomplished
Esri Business Partner. Our website is
www.cultivategeospatial.com
CGS team members provide custom, automated, GIS
and/or web-based software solutions that increase
efficiency and usability while reducing workload and
cost. CGS uniquely offers all the necessary cutting-edge services integrated within one company. CGS
is a highly adaptable technology leader and custom software development firm specializing in GIS
implementation and web and database applications. We excel in the design, development and
implementation of information systems as well as the creation of custom interactive websites that
meet the demands of decision-makers.
CGS Professional Services Offerings
CGS services have evolved in alignment with the GIS industry. This is because many of the members
of CGS are pioneers in the field and are active today. Most CGS members have worked directly for
local or state governments, and all have served many years in delivering GIS-based solutions and
plans. At a high level, the following key services are offered by CGS:
GIS Services: Strategic Planning Administration, COTS Configuration, and Infrastructure Management
Digitization. Our GIS-centric solutions optimize the use of location data to ensure business goals are
achieved and ROI is high.
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Data Services: Data Governance, Data Warehousing
Integration and Conversion, and Business Intelligence
Reporting/Dashboarding. Data holds the answers to
today's and tomorrow’s questions. CGS has a wide range
of supporting services to help organizations achieve data
governance (policy), design, business intelligence,
dashboarding, security and systems integration. As a
turn-key solution provider, we have experience in both
back-office and end-user development.
Asset Management: Strategic Planning Acquisition
Management, Operations Management, Risk Analysis,
and Budget/Forecasting. Asset management is more
than software, it is the harmony of People, Process,
Data, and Technology all working towards a common
goal – getting the agency’s assets to deliver value to
stakeholders at the lowest cost and least risk. As experts
with Cityworks software, CGS offers a range of services
including asset management maturity assessments, to
specialized asset management training, to re-alignment of your GIS and EAM/CMMS (enterprise asset
management and computerized maintenance management systems) to ensure measurable progress
towards asset management goals.
Software Development: Enterprise Architecture Web Development, Mobile Development, and
System Integration Design. Geographic Information System Web and Database applications
development are our specialty. CGS has many years of experience designing and building award-
winning custom software tailored to meet specific client needs.
CGS Technology Understanding and Skills
Members of the CGS team have expertise in the following technologies as an example: Microsoft .NET
technologies, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Pro Desktop, ArcMap, Esri Mobile Apps (Field Maps,
Survey123, Workforce, QuickCapture) ArcGIS Runtime SDK for .NET, Leaflet, and Google Maps.
Building web mapping applications on Microsoft’s ASP.NET MVC framework, SQL Server, HTML5 and
backbone.js, iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems, Xamarin, ArcGIS Runtime SDK for .NET,
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python scripting, C#, VB, PHP, JavaScript, React Native, HTML, CSS, Max OS X /
Server, Windows, Unix, Linux, Adobe Creative Suite, Visual Studio, Eclipse, Databases: MS SQL, Oracle,
PostgreSQL, MySQL, Access, Cityworks, VUEWorks EAMS (Desktop/Mobile Apps), Microsoft ASP .NET
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MVC framework, in addition to extensive experience designing, developing, and managing web
applications, databases and mobile-friendly websites. CGS team members have experience and
training in application development security standards according to ASP.NET with contributions to the
Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). In addition, Microsoft SQL Server, Transact-SQL
Extract, Transform and Load (ETL), and tabular data modeling. Microsoft Power BI, SQL Server
Reporting Services, SQL Server Integration Services, FME Workbench, and FME Flow. Also inclusive is
experience with server and network infrastructure to ensure that reporting systems operate efficiently
and do not impede the performance of other systems. Specialty areas include but are not limited to:
• Analytics / Business Intelligence: SQL Server including integration services, analysis services,
and reporting services; Microsoft Excel and advanced knowledge of the Excel data model;
Microsoft Power BI; MySQL; SQLite; Oracle; Python; VBA; DAX
• Server Infrastructure: Windows Server, Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Hyper-V,
Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server Administration, Microsoft IIS, GNU / Linux (CentOS,
Debian, Gentoo)
• Network Infrastructure: Cisco Voice and Unified Communications, Cisco Contact Center,
routing and switching, Adaptive Security Appliance (APA) Firewall, VLAN (802.1q, LACP), DHCP,
DNS, NTP, SNMP, TFTP
CGS TEAM STRUCTURE AND PROJECT COMMITMENT TO THE CITY
The following identifies the CGS Project Team, our commitment pledge, and Team Organization for
the City’s consideration. The following table identifies the CGS staff capabilities, skillsets, and
availability for the project, followed by our CGS Team organization chart for the Project.
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Name Project Role Years of
Experience
Education / Certifications
Doug Lynch, GISP Project Manager, Direct
POC, GIS SME 23 BS, Geography
Tom Brenneman, GISP Senior GIS Solutions
Architect 25 BS, Environmental Science,
Ashley Hitt, GISP Business Analyst, GIS SME 15 MS, Geoscience and
BS, Geography
Ryen Tarbet, FIAM
Principal-in-Charge, Quality
Control Director, Asset
Management Advisory
23 BS, Environmental Biology and
Management, MA, GIS; MBA
Chad Kostner GIS Specialist 18 AS, GIS Technology
Kirsten Koehn, GISP Senior GIS Specialist 20 BS, Geography
John Puente, GISP Data Lead, Data Governance
SME 36 BS, Management Interdisciplinary
Studies
CGS Key Staff
Doug Lynch, GISP – Senior Project Manager, Direct Point of Contact
Mr. Lynch, CGS’ Senior Project Manager and daily point of contact for this project, has been working
in the GIS Industry since 2000 specializing in GIS project development and management experience
in the areas of local government, transportation, land use, planning real estate and the environment.
In addition to having extensive local government GIS Enterprise administration experience, Mr. Lynch
has also provided numerous enterprise GIS Need Assessment/Audits for strategic planning purposes.
Mr. Lynch stays current in Esri GIS software, including ArcGIS Online and database design and
modeling best practices. He also has extensive experience gathering requirements, documenting as-
is business process workflows, financial cost analysis, and opportunity assessments. Mr. Lynch is
proficient in Esri ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcSDE geodatabase, ArcGIS Data Reviewer, Esri
Extensions, Mobile Applications, and Web Map Application development including web app builder,
Tracker for ArcGIS, Web Experience apps, and GPS software for field data collection (survey/mapping
grade). Mr. Lynch has been serving in similar capacity as GIS Program managers for municipalities.
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Tom Brenneman, GISP – Senior GIS Solutions Architect
An energetic thought leader in the GIS industry with a deep understanding of how to deploy successful
GIS systems. During a 25-year career at Esri, excelled in several roles including Instructor, Author,
Product Manager, GIS Consultant, Business Development Solution Engineer, and Solution Engineer
Manager. Mr. Brenneman has extensive experience providing ArcGIS Enterprise solutions for CGS
Municipal and County government clients in Illinois and Indiana, following Esri industry administration
and system architecture design best practices including the City of Rochelle, IL; Village of Frankfort, IL;
the City of Noblesville, IN, Hamilton County, IN, and the City of Westfield, IN.
Kirsten Koehn, GISP - GIS Specialist
Ms. Koehn currently serves CGS as the GIS Technical Lead, overseeing all facets of the firm’s GIS
services. Her 20 years of experience provides the ability to understand and act upon the business
requirements of an organization, and to place geographic information systems (GIS) and resources in
their appropriate context with respect to the goals and objectives of the organization. Ms. Koehn has
extensive experience with GIS and developing sustainable and scalable ArcGIS Online applications to
improve Department-level workflows.
Ashley Hitt, GISP, PMP – Business Analyst, GIS SME
VP-level geospatial professional with 15+ years of experience. Excels in operations, staff leadership,
strategic planning, written communications, public speaking, client relationships, and business
development. Certified GISP, current URISA President, and instructor/facilitator of the URISA GIS
Leadership Academy. She also has extensive experience gathering requirements, documenting as-is
business process workflows, financial cost analysis and opportunity assessments.
Ryen Tarbet, FIAM – Principal-in-Charge, Quality Control Director, Asset Management Advisor
Mr. Tarbet is a Principal and asset management subject matter expert at CGS. Over the past 23 years,
Mr. Tarbet has developed extensive experience as a leader and educator in the field of asset
management. Ryen has worked with GIS throughout his career, has expertise in the US, Canadian, and
International financial accounting for asset management is familiar with numerous asset management
software systems and is a subject matter expert with infrastructure lifecycle financial planning and the
use of BIM within asset management systems. Ryen has a keen eye for quality product delivery and
will serve as both the Principal-in-Charge and Quality Control Director for this project.
John Puente, GISP – Data Lead, Data Governance SME
Mr. Puente is the Data Solutions Director for CGS and will serve as Data Governance Lead for this
Request for Proposal (RFP) for Professional GIS Services
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project. He is a highly driven leader with over 36 years of experience providing government data
solutions. Core disciplines include data governance, business intelligence, program management,
strategic planning, and GIS. Recently, Mr. Puente served as the Chief Data Officer for the Ohio
Department of Transportation, successfully implementing a data governance program from the
ground up.
CGS Project Team Organization Chart
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SCOPE OF PROJECT – CGS PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
CGS has reviewed the entire RFP, addendum, and questions provided by the City. Our detailed
approach and specifications for the project are found in the subsequent sections of our proposal.
CGS is fully committed to meeting the following project scope of services based on the project
requirements:
Phase 1 – Needs Assessment & Roadmap
• Perform a full assessment of the current GIS environment.
• Develop a roadmap that provides recommendations and detailed project scope needed to
establish a foundation for further development of GIS resources throughout the organization
in accordance with industry standards and best practices.
• Present draft roadmap to GIS & Asset Management Division staff.
Phase 2 – Roadmap Implementation
• Assist in the implementation of roadmap recommendations.
• Establish standard operating procedures for developing and publishing map services to
support multiple applications, including schema changes that might be necessary to manage
required information needed for system integration.
• Develop a Quality Control/Quality Assurance Plan for maintaining database systems.
• Develop training resources for city staff corresponding to various GIS and Asset Management
applications used throughout the organization
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GENERAL AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Conducting a discovery analysis process is crucial for understanding the needs, goals, and constraints
of a project before moving into requirements gathering. Here's an approach to conducting a discovery
analysis process and how the findings can lead to requirements gathering and recommended
deliverables:
• Define the Scope:
o Start by clearly defining the scope of the project. What are the objectives? What are the
expected outcomes? Understanding the boundaries of the project helps in focusing the
discovery process.
• Identify Stakeholders:
o Identify all stakeholders involved in or impacted by the project. This includes end-users,
sponsors, subject matter experts, and any other relevant parties.
• Research and Information Gathering:
o Gather existing documentation, reports, and any other relevant information related to
the project. This could include market research, competitor analysis, user feedback, etc.
• Conduct Interviews and Workshops:
o Schedule interviews and workshops with key stakeholders to gather insights into their
needs, expectations, pain points, and goals. Use open-ended questions to encourage
detailed responses.
• User Personas and Journey Mapping:
Develop user personas based on the information gathered during interviews. Personas
represent the different types of users or stakeholders involved in the project. Additionally,
create user journey maps to visualize the user experience from start to finish.
• SWOT Analysis:
o Conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to identify
internal and external factors that may impact the project's success. This helps in
understanding the project's current state and potential risks.
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• Prototyping and Mockups:
o Create prototypes or mockups to visualize
potential solutions based on the gathered
insights. These prototypes can be used to gather
feedback and validate assumptions early in the
process.
• Requirements Gathering:
o Utilizing insights from the
discovery analysis, each
project task identified will
undergo a comprehensive
requirements gathering
process. This involves
documenting functional
and non-functional
requirements, as well as
defining end-user performance acceptance measures. To ensure clear traceability between
requirements and project tasks, a traceability matrix will be established. This matrix will
meticulously map each requirement to the corresponding project task and associated end-
user performance acceptance measures. By implementing traceability matrices, we can
maintain alignment between project objectives, requirements, and performance
expectations throughout the project lifecycle.
• Validation and Iteration:
o Validate the gathered requirements with stakeholders to ensure alignment and clarity.
Iterate on the requirements based on feedback received during validation sessions.
• Recommended Deliverables:
o Based on the discovery analysis and requirements gathering, recommend deliverables
that will support the project's success. These may include
▪ Requirements Document: A comprehensive document outlining all gathered
requirements.
▪ User Stories: Detailed descriptions of features or functionalities from a user's
perspective.
▪ Wireframes and Design Mockups: Visual representations of the proposed
solution.
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▪ Project Plan: A detailed plan outlining tasks, timelines, and resources required for
project execution.
▪ Risk Management Plan: Strategies for identifying, assessing, and mitigating
project risks.
▪ Stakeholder Communication Plan: A plan for regular communication with
stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
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RELATED EXPERIENCE WITH PROJECTS SIMILAR TO THE SCOPE OF SERVICES
The following project examples are direct experience qualifications pertaining to this RFP. CGS invites
the City of Bozeman to contact any of our clients to learn more about their positive experience working
with CGS.
Client Name, Project Project Summary
Village of Frankfort, Illinois
2022 – Present
Project: GIS Management
Consulting Services
Cost: $50-100k (ongoing)
Contact:
John Burica
Assistant Village Administrator
Village of Frankfort, IL
432 W Nebraska
Frankfort, Illinois 60423
jburica@frankfortil.org
815.469.2177
CGS currently provides ongoing daily GIS Management consulting
support for all Departments in the Village of Frankfort. CGS works
closely with each Department to identify a unique and prioritized GIS
Work Program that is revisited annually based on new priorities and
business needs. CGS manages the Village’s enterprise GIS databases,
exclusive ArcGIS Online content, and associated web maps,
applications, and integrations with 3rd party systems such as their
pending enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. CGS provides the
tools and continuous support for enterprise GIS database design,
system architecture planning, GIS data editing/modifications, data
schema design, metadata design, attribute rules, and custom scripting,
as necessary.
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Client Name, Project Project Summary
City of Rochelle, Illinois
2021 – Present
Project: GIS Management
Consulting Services
Cost: $50-100k (ongoing)
Contact:
Pat Brust
Director, Information Technology
Rochelle Municipal Utilities
910 Technology Parkway
Rochelle, IL 61068
pbrust@rmu.net
815-561-2 052
CGS currently provides ongoing daily GIS Management consulting
support for all Departments in the City of Rochelle. CGS works closely
with each Department to identify a unique and prioritized GIS Work
Program that is revisited annually based on new priorities and business
needs. CGS manages the City’s ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online
content and associated web maps, applications, and integrations with
3rd party systems such as their enterprise asset management (EAMS)
and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. CGS provides the
tools and continuous support for enterprise GIS database design,
system architecture planning, GIS data editing/modifications, data
schema design, metadata design, attribute rules, and custom scripting,
as necessary. CGS provides the following ongoing GIS professional
services support for the City of Rochelle:
• Strategic planning, needs assessment, prioritization, and GIS audits
for up to 10 Departments
• Solution configuration with Esri tools
• Business process analysis to maximize GIS return on investment
(ROI)
• ArcGIS Enterprise administration and management
• GIS system design and implementation
• Geodatabase design
• Performance testing and tuning
• GIS-centric software development
• Asset management and GIS integration support
• Break/GIS (servers, map services, etc)
• Digitization and data conversion services
• Web map and map service creation
• Data governance roadmaps
• Training and training documentation
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Client Name, Project Project Summary
Hamilton County, IN
2020 - Present
Project: GIS Management
Consulting Services
Cost: $50-100k (ongoing)
Contact:
Joan Keene, GISP
GIS Director, ISS Department
Hamilton County, Indiana
1 Hamilton County Square
Noblesville, IN 46060
Joan.Keene@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
(317) 776-8254
CGS currently provides ongoing professional GIS consulting support
services to Hamilton County, IN.
Services performed by CGS include:
• GIS IT technology stack assessment
• System and architecture design
• Assessing, upgrading, and configuring current GIS web
applications
• Migration of Image Server application to a newer version
CGS staff have helped the County with IT assessment, migration of its
ArcGIS Enterprise software to newer versions, application assessment
and upgrading, and project management. Recently, CGS has
supported Hamilton County with a variety of Python scripting,
Microsoft SQL Server geodatabase troubleshooting, web application
troubleshooting, and the design of a distributed multi-user editing
system for county-wide collaboration on the county’s E911 address
dataset. CGS is actively engaged with Hamilton County to assess and
address any priority GIS support needs.
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Client Name, Project Project Summary
Seattle Department of
Transportation
2023
Project: GIS Modernization
Roadmap
Cost: $57,750
Contact:
Chad Allen
Asset & Performance Manager,
Finance & Administration Division
City of Seattle, Department of
Transportation
chad.allen@seattle.gov
O: 206-561-5889| M: 206-561-5889
Previously, SDOT’s GIS production environment suffered from
technical debt, a number of inefficient workflows, and several
applications which are fragile and prone to breakage. This collection
of challenges added costs to annual operating expenses that could
otherwise be eliminated by modernization and rearchitecting the
problematic components of the production environment. CGS
provided the additional resources and expertise needed to synthesize
SDOT’s legacy GIS challenges, prioritize these for modernization, and
then advise on options and proposed solutions to modernize the
platform as a whole and the individual components.
Recommendations from this planning effort included the critical
information and direction needed to guide SDOT and Seattle IT-GIS
toward the development of a long-term SDOT GIS Modernization
effort (staffing, budget, and scheduling).
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Client Name, Project Project Summary
Arizona Department of
Transportation
2023-2024
Project: ArcGIS Online Data
Supply Chain and Maps Update
Project
Cost: $549,869
Contact:
Sara Thompson
Geospatial Analysis Section
Manager
Arizona Department of
Transportation
1611 W. Jackson Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
(602) 712-8636
sthompson@azdot.gov
ADOT’s Multimodal Planning Division (MPD) is seeking to create a
robust ArcGIS Online data supply chain, update all existing online
maps and applications to have current data and consistent branding,
have a defined process with the data supply chain, and create a self-
service online mapping resource to empower non-GIS users to create
their own maps.
CGS began the project by conducting discovery needs assessments
with ADOT resources to determine the current state of products and
make project recommendations. This assessment included informing
how the data supply chain, updated maps and applications, and the
workflows of data and newly published products should be optimized.
A new ArcGIS Online catalog dashboard provides ADOT with a solution
to regularly assess all their published items and identify how to resolve
issues and plan modifications. A StoryMap of branding and design
standards was developed to ensure consistency of all mapping
products. A self-service online mapping tool is currently in
development to bring everything together to allow users to create
customized views of all the data, services, and information managed
by ADOT MPD.
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DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED APPROACH TO THE PROJECT
Following the principles of project execution from the previous GENERAL AND TECHNICAL
REQUIREMENTS section, CGS proposed the following detailed project approach:
Project Management Approach
The CGS Team approach will follow best practice industry guidelines
from the Project Management Institute (PMI) protocols. CGS utilizes an
agile project management approach. Project management principles
that our organization has honed over time include daily standups, close
and transparent relationships between the client and project team, and frequent deliveries. The agile
process is based on collaboration and the ability of the project management and implementation
teams and the stakeholder organization to work together openly and collaboratively. As such, it is a
communications-intensive approach to project implementation. The collective group of practices CGS
actively employs on project implementation is a set of guidelines that encourages frequent
communication and collaboration intensely focused requirements gathering, and frequent
deployment efforts throughout the life of a project.
GIS Program Implementation Methodology
Initialization begins with discussing the City’s expectations, project requirements, and goals, as well as
identifying available and relevant information pertinent to fulfilling the City’s GIS needs, any known
issues, and requirements associated with the GIS system, as well as discussing project management
and communication
protocols. Our team
will next work with
the City to identify
and plan priority projects and supporting GIS applications as part of the GIS Program. The outcomes
of the planning phase will be a prioritized list of projects/applications/dashboards/etc. centered on
optimizing the City’s GIS Program and the documented steps required to execute them. Next, GIS
projects will be undertaken using the previously designed agile methodology until completion and
will include structured training, documentation, and administrative knowledge transfer.
Our Detailed Methodology for implementing an Enterprise GIS Program include:
1. Assessment and Requirements Validation (expedited):
• Provide a quick review of current requirements that have already been established, but check
to see if any updates are needed, or if needs have changed.
• Define clear program goals, objectives, and success criteria.
• Identify any additional data sources, quality, and integration requirements.
2. GIS Program Development and Dashboard Visualizations/Analytics:
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• Develop a robust enterprise GIS system architecture based on industry best practices.
• Create a data model and schema design that aligns with the organization's needs and supports
EAM implementation.
• Ensure data security and compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., ADA, etc).
• Develop custom GIS applications or configure off-the-shelf solutions to meet specific business
requirements.
• Implement geospatial analytics, reporting tools, and dashboards to support data-driven
decision-making.
• Enable business systems integrations to support EAM implementation.
3. Training, Cross-Training, and Capacity Building:
• Conduct comprehensive training programs for end-users, administrators, and GIS staff.
• Provide continuity of service through a structured cross-training plan which includes the
following for the CGS team:
• Mentorship and Shadowing: Pairing experienced team members with less experienced
ones to facilitate knowledge transfer.
• Job Enrichment: CGS implements job enrichment strategies that expose employees to
a broader range of tasks and responsibilities, enhancing their skill set.
• Documentation and Knowledge Sharing: CGS encourages employees to document
their workflows, processes, and insights, as well as create a centralized knowledge
repository where employees can contribute and access information.
• Monitoring: CGS continuously monitors the progress of cross-training initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Teams: CGS creates cross-functional teams where employees from
different departments collaborate on projects, further enhancing their understanding of
various roles.
• Provide ongoing support for skill development and troubleshooting.
4. Quality Assurance and Testing:
• Implement a rigorous testing process to ensure the GIS system's functionality, performance,
and security.
• Perform user acceptance testing (UAT) with stakeholders to validate system requirements.
5. Deployment and Transition:
• Deploy the GIS system in a phased approach to minimize disruption (includes development,
test, and production deployment platforms).
• Ensure smooth data migration from legacy systems.
• Monitor system performance and make necessary optimizations.
6. Ongoing Support and Maintenance (ensuring continuity of service):
• Establish a dedicated support team for continuous monitoring and issue resolution.
• Implement proactive maintenance routines to ensure system stability.
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• Provide regular updates and patches for GIS software and applications.
• Assign backup roles and responsibilities for each team member, especially for mission-critical
functions to ensure redundancy in bench staff.
• Provide detailed documentation that is accessible to all team members through a centralized
knowledge repository to support continuity of service.
7. Performance Monitoring and Optimization:
• Continuously monitor system performance and user feedback.
• Identify and address performance bottlenecks and scalability concerns.
• Keep abreast of emerging technologies and best practices for GIS.
8. Documentation and Knowledge Transfer:
• Maintain comprehensive documentation, including system configurations, workflows, and user
guides.
9. Compliance and Security:
• Regularly audit the GIS system for compliance with data privacy and security regulations.
• Implement robust access control mechanisms to safeguard sensitive geospatial data.
10. Continuous Improvement:
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, regularly reviewing and refining the GIS program's
strategies and technologies.
• Utilizing our agile approach improves responsiveness to changing requirements.
• Develop, review, and update a GIS strategic plan for the Program to ensure alignment with
organizational goals and changing priorities.
• CGS encourages innovation within the GIS team. Exploring new technologies, data sources, and
methodologies to enhance service delivery.
11. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity:
• Deliver a disaster recovery and data backup plan to minimize downtime in case of unforeseen
events.
Through our team’s structured approach and methodology, the City’s GIS program can be designed,
implemented, and supported effectively while adhering to industry best practices and ensuring long-
term success. Regular evaluation and adaptation are key to keeping the GIS program aligned with
evolving organizational needs and technological advancements.
CGS does not anticipate circumstances where additional charges would apply, but if so, they would
most likely be associated with the growth of the GIS program and include additional third-party
software expansion, storage, and general capacity needs.
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Project Task-Level Ticketing System Overview
CGS will implement a GIS project task ticketing system in JIRA, or other City preferred methods for
tracking individual task needs and their progress. The benefit of the ticket tracking system is to
communicate and collaborate with the City on ticket needs and status as constant communication
between CGS and the City is critical to the success of the project. We have found that our process
for setting up the CGS Project-level JIRA ticketing system has been very helpful for both quality
assurance and control, but also to ensure 100% transparency with the City at all times for all tasks.
Each task will be assigned a date entered, project description, priority status, and project end date,
and allows for in-ticket project team collaboration between the CGS staff originator, and the affiliated
City Department. Once a ticket is created, a notification is sent to the CGS task owner and the City
stakeholder to whom the ticket is affiliated.
CGS will also create an Administrative Project dashboard that shows the full GIS Program ticket
snapshot of work, where certain City JIRA notifiers will have the ability to view any ticket 24/7.
Our monthly invoices will include an easy-to-read status report for the City’s Project Manager showing
project-level tickets completed for the month, a snapshot of next period tickets anticipated to be
conducted, and hours worked on each project.
Furthermore, CGS will
provide high performance in
project leadership, schedule
management, tracking
budget and expenditures,
quality control, and
assurance, maintain
accurate record keeping and
follow-up on all action
items, and shall deliver
services within the
established budget.
Changes to the scope that
impact or may impact the
project budget or cost shall be
identified and brought to the City’s attention in a timely fashion such that appropriate measures can
be developed, and actions taken to avoid or control potential impacts. As per the Communication
Plan developed in the Project Plan documentation, CGS will attend meetings as determined to be
appropriate and needed in the various tasks, as well as prepare all related agendas. All agendas and
supporting information shall be distributed via email to the City’s project manager at least one (1)
business day before any meetings.
Sample CGS JIRA GIS Program Overview Dashboard
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CGS Quality Control Processes
CGS takes quality control on projects
very seriously and adheres to the
strictest policies for all our projects. To
that end, CGS has developed a Team
Management Plan process as part of
our project management execution
process. The CGS Team management
plan is intended to ensure the efficient
utilization of team staff and resources;
cost-effective delivery of products,
services, and materials; a quality
assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
procedure with peer review and
concurrence checks at critical
milestones; a realistic scheduling of
activities, and clear communication
between the City and CGS key team
staff. In addition to the project
manager and program manager
assigned to the project, CGS also has
several certified project management
professionals (PMPs) on staff that
routinely assists project staff in a quality
control/quality assurance capacity. For
the project, Ryen Tarbet FIAM, CGS’
Principal, is assigned to the QA process
as the project QA/QC officer.
All CGS deliverables will follow a strict
internal quality control process of (1) checking, (2) concurrence with comments, (3) change
incorporation into the document/product, and (4) verification that the change was completed. In so
doing, we will ensure that the deliverables are held to the highest standards. Sign-off forms and
procedures are necessary at critical junctures in the project and are designed to finalize decisions so
that the project can be finished as proposed. These points of agreement are designed to protect both
the City and CGS if key personnel on the project should change after critical decisions that affect
design, development, and budget have been made.
Work Plan
Utilizing the detailed approach and agile methods described in the previous section, CGS’s Work Plan
for the City may include items such as the following, based on findings from the initial discovery:
CGS Project Quality Control Process Workflow
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1. GIS Program Management: The CGS Teams’ Geographic Information System (GIS) Program
Management Approach involves various elements and processes to effectively plan, implement, and
maintain GIS projects and initiatives. Here are the key elements of a GIS program management
approach:
1) Strategic Planning:
• Vision and Goals: Define the overall vision and specific goals of the GIS program to align
with organizational objectives.
• Needs Assessment: Identify and assess the needs of various departments or stakeholders
within the organization that can benefit from GIS.
• 5-Year Roadmap: Develop 5 year GIS Program of GIS solutions to serve Bozeman's business
needs.
2) Governance:
• Establish a Governance Structure: Create a governance body or committee responsible
for overseeing the GIS program and decision-making.
• Policies and Procedures: Develop policies and procedures to guide data access, sharing,
and security.
3) Data Management:
• Data Acquisition: Identify data sources, acquire relevant spatial data, and ensure data
accuracy and quality.
• Data Standards: Establish data standards and metadata requirements for consistency and
interoperability.
• Data Integration: Integrate data from various sources to create a comprehensive spatial
database.
4) Project Planning and Execution:
• Project Management: Implement project management practices for GIS projects, including
scope, schedule, and resource management.
• Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Establish QA/QC processes to maintain data integrity
and project quality.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate potential risks associated with GIS projects.
5) Stakeholder Engagement:
• Communication: Develop a communication plan to keep stakeholders informed about GIS
activities and progress.
• Training: Provide training and support to end-users to maximize the utility of GIS tools and
data.
6) Performance Measurement and Evaluation:
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define KPIs to measure the success of GIS projects
and the overall program.
• Regular Evaluation: Continuously assess the effectiveness of the GIS program and make
adjustments as needed.
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7) Documentation and Knowledge Sharing:
• Documentation: Maintain comprehensive documentation of GIS processes, data, and
workflows.
• Knowledge Sharing: Foster knowledge sharing among GIS professionals within the
organization.
8) Sustainability:
• Long-Term Planning: Plan for the long-term sustainability of the GIS program, including
data archiving and system upgrades.
• Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt to evolving technology and organizational needs.
A well-structured GIS program management approach is essential for the successful implementation
and continued growth of GIS capabilities within the City. It helps ensure that GIS investments align
with strategic objectives and deliver value over time.
2. GIS Data Governance: Data Governance can be interpreted in multiple ways by various
departmental business units; hence, we typically meet with our clients first, before developing a unified
definition that can be applied enterprise-wide. That said, it is uniform that
providing governance of data relies on an overarching policy and set of procedures to maximize the
availability, integration, usability, quality, and security of organizational data. This can be
accomplished through a defined governance framework specific to Bozeman’s needs, developing
rules of engagement on how and who is responsible for the data at any point through
the data lifecycle.
Data Governance Framework
A properly designed Data Governance Framework establishes how the department’s data will be
managed by providing structure around the rules of engagement for business units. Ideally, a
framework will identify key participants, goals, and hierarchy of decision-making, as well as how
the data is managed through its lifecycle.
The Data Lifecycle itself organizes efforts from the time the data is planned for, through its creation,
maintenance, uses, and distribution until the time it is retired or purged. This is the foundation of any
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program as quality data rolls up to meet program objectives, business KPIs, and other important
performance metrics. These objectives should, in turn, point to the overall goals for Bozeman as it
meets safety, Federal or State mandates, and Critical Success Factors at the organization.
A core piece of a successful Data Governance program is dependent on providing structure
surrounding the people, technology, and processes that exist throughout the organization. As
depicted in the example graphic on the top of the next page, the framework manages the lifecycle
of the data and defines how it targets your business objectives, roles and responsibilities, and data
standards. Included in the framework is a hierarchy of personnel or groups within the organization
that will introduce and make final decisions surrounding data. This hierarchy works both top to
bottom and bottom to top in the decision-making process to meet the business needs of the
organization.
Full Data Governance Program Components
1. Data maturity evaluations
a. Including a current and future state maturity level assessment
2. Data Governance Framework
3. Data Lifecycle Diagram
4. Data Policy
5. Metadata Documentation
6. Data Glossary
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3. GIS Reporting and Mapping Enhancements: Recent advancements in data visualization
technologies have made it increasingly possible to integrate spatial and non-spatial data into common
reports and dashboards to support decision-making in finance, police, fire, public works, parks and
recreation, and associated department workflows. The following examples are potential types of
visualizations that integrate GIS and business intelligence software to provide quick access to complex
analytics and reports:
Provision of geo-enabled dashboards, visualizations, and reports has become more prevalent in recent
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years as tools such as ArcGIS Dashboards, Microsoft PowerBI, and Tableau have emerged as web-
based reporting engines. These tools provide significant opportunities to create public facing
applications that explain safety, services, coverage areas, amenities, and the like; that could highlight
SDOT’s commitment to customer service. Additionally, these technologies can be leveraged to
showcase Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of overall performance to stakeholders, constituents,
and consumers.
Further, these applications can also be maintained internally and for use throughout the organization
in helping manage important aspects of the mission, vision, and goals of Bozeman (i.e. Safety, Equity,
Performance, etc.). The following are a few representative samples of how spatial analysis and data
science can be utilized within a governmental organization:
ADA Compliance
System Performance
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4. GIS Data Development: Data collection and development advancements include imagery from
remote sensing, drones, aircraft, and even satellites and is becoming increasingly available. GIS is
providing the framework to manage all this information. Hence, our challenges of gathering new data
is becoming less, providing ready access to various image types, such as video, classified raster images,
and still pictures. All have a use in municipal applications from monitoring of construction and
mapping of right-of-way assets, to classifying pervious and impervious surfaces for stormwater
runoff and MS4 permitting analytics.
These data capture platforms are making it easier to collect important asset data in mass and
incorporate them in GIS databases to look at conditions, risks, and
overall maintenance and operational needs.
BIM (Building Information Management) is another emerging
technology that can be leveraged by municipal agencies and
enhanced by incorporating GIS mapping and database information
to populate specific attributes of the model. To date, BIM has
primarily been utilized at organizations as part of the project
delivery process for construction management. Provision of BIM
has typically been utilized as a 3D model of building or roadway
rights-of-way, rather than the true opportunity
of using BIM as a data-centric approach for
improving the lifecycle delivery and
management of transportation assets. The
opportunity is to use BIM information to inform
decisions during and after project delivery.
Utilizing BIM for “data as an asset” throughout
a project provides efficiencies that may be
gained where silos are broken down and data is
accessible throughout the full project and asset
lifecycles.
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Another consideration in GIS Data
Development to consider is Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools.
This software enables agencies to use the
power of relationship building and statistics to
be able to make predictions or create new
understanding between elements, assets, etc.
These GEOAI engines are utilizing live video,
LIDAR, and imagery for detecting all kinds of
phenomena including, for example, condition and safety information. Additionally, these tools are
being applied to camera feeds for counting and typing vehicles as well as identifying other right-of-
way assets.
5. GIS Business System Integration and Support: GIS is an excellent platform to support integration
across multiple business systems. The GIS environment is capable of cataloging and bringing multiple
data and systems together in a single, map-based interface. Through a GIS Portal application, access
can be gained to other business systems, mobile applications, web applications, etc.
That said, it is not necessary to be able to leverage GIS for it to be the system of record for interaction
with other business systems. It simply can be a foundational spatial layer that gives location to data
inside other business systems. Integration can be accomplished through several methods such as
Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL processes), direct access to transactional data, data warehouses, and
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
The integration capabilities using location are especially unique as many data sets do not contain the
data linkages (primary foreign keys, common identifier, etc.) to link data from different systems or
sources. Linking a real-time accident location with the nearest access point, and associating an
incident with a maintenance activity with a planned project to the video from a nearby camera is
possible through spatial and temporal integration provided by GIS, for example.
6. Enterprise GIS Implementation: Embracing enterprise/web GIS within the City can be achieved by
inventorying GIS Services and applications within the internal ArcGIS Enterprise portal or ArcGIS
Online. This will support a centralized approach to implementing GIS within the City and associated
departments. A GeoHub architecture approach is a possible solution for achieving the delivery
and usage of authoritative data and a system of record/insights throughout the enterprise.
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The trend in general for municipal GIS business data,
images, documents, accounts, etc. is moving to the Cloud.
GIS in the Cloud provides several advantages for
organizations. Data access, capture, and distribution
become easier in a cloud-based system. Additionally, the IT
management burden is reduced as it runs through the
hosting organization or provider. Real-time data can be
displayed directly in the web application provided to access
geospatial information. Other important components to
consider that are improved through GIS in the Cloud are:
• Can utilize large big data stores
• Improve scalability and reliability
• Better user experience
• Accessibility to end users
• Lower costs by paying only for resources used
Important considerations of moving to the Cloud include ensuring that security and industry-specific
standards are met through the cloud provider, as well as ongoing support of the system. There are
several providers to consider in this space including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure
being the most commonly used. Implementing a common GIS server platform in the Cloud (i.e. Esri,
Mapbox, etc.) provides a framework for leveraging and configuring out-of-the-box tools that support
geo-enabling of the organization:
In addition, emerging trends in mobile GIS fall into two major categories: (1) Mobility to support the
traveling public and (2) Mobility for Field Inventory and Inspection. The first category brings important
information to the consumer (via cell phone, tablet, etc.) that presents publicly available, spatially
enabled, web services for schedules, network locations, route coverage, and alternative mobility
options to the user. Mobile tools are essential for examining social, equity, and environmental justice
evaluations of geographic distributions.
The second category focuses on providing native applications in the field to support facility and asset
inspections, field incident collection, and ADA compliance. The graphic below highlights examples
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of multiple Mobile GIS applications. Today, Mobile GIS is a mature technology and is deployed as
part of almost any GIS enterprise implementation program. Having spatially enabled data content in
the field that can be utilized, modified, updated, and reported on brings efficiency to maintenance
and operation tasks. The CGS team will collaborate with Bozeman to deliver these important
enterprise GIS solutions as part of the overall Program Roadmap.
PROPOSED SCHEDULE
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PRESENT AND PROJECTED WORKLOADS
Please see section “CGS TEAM STRUCTURE AND PROJECT COMMITMENT TO THE CITY” for
requested information.
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RECENT AND CURRENT WORK FOR THE CITY OF BOZEMAN
Please note that CGS has no prior or current work affiliation with the City of Bozeman, MT.
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REFERENCES
Client Name, Project
Village of Frankfort, Illinois
2022 – Present
Project: GIS Management Consulting Services
Contact:
John Burica
Assistant Village Administrator
Village of Frankfort, IL
432 W Nebraska
Frankfort, Illinois 60423
jburica@frankfortil.org
815.469.2177
City of Rochelle, Illinois
2021 – Present
Project: GIS Management Consulting Services
Contact:
Pat Brust
Director, Information Technology
Rochelle Municipal Utilities
910 Technology Parkway
Rochelle, IL 61068
pbrust@rmu.net
815-561-2 052
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Client Name, Project
Hamilton County, IN
2020 - Present
Project: GIS Management Consulting Services
Contact:
Joan Keene, GISP
GIS Director, ISS Department
Hamilton County, Indiana
1 Hamilton County Square
Noblesville, IN 46060
Joan.Keene@hamiltoncounty.in.gov
(317) 776-8254
Seattle Department of Transportation
2023
Project: GIS Modernization Roadmap
Contact:
Chad Allen
Asset & Performance Manager, Finance & Administration Division
City of Seattle, Department of Transportation
chad.allen@seattle.gov
O: 206-561-5889| M: 206-561-5889
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Client Name, Project
Arizona Department of Transportation
2023-2024
Project: ArcGIS Online Data Supply Chain and Maps Update Project
Contact:
Sara Thompson
Geospatial Analysis Section Manager
Arizona Department of Transportation
1611 W. Jackson Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
(602) 712-8636
sthompson@azdot.gov
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PRICE PROPOSAL
Phase/Task Task Cost
Phase 1 – Needs Assessment & Roadmap $15,000
Phase 2 – Roadmap Implementation $34,000
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $49,000
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NONDISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL PAY AFFIRMATION – ATTACHMENT A