NearMap.com is the latest firm to be appointed to the Australian government’s geospatial supplier panel.
The panel is intended to help federal, state and local government agencies who want quick access to geospatial data avoid a lengthy tender process.
Although individual agencies who want to access data will still have to negotiate prices and technical details, other legal aspects will already be agreed, streamlining procurement.
Geoscience Australia led the process to appoint the panel, which commenced in April 2010
Nineteen other firms on the panel, which commenced selection in April, are listed on the Geoscience Australia web site. They include AAM, Aerometrex, Fugro Spatial Solutions, SKM, and SPOT Image.
All firms will work with lead agency Geoscience Australia in the administration of contracts awarded under the panel.
By the end of this month it is expected there will be 25 companies on the panel, five of which will be international satellite providers.
Nearmap.com is the brainchild of Stuart Nixon, former founder of ER Mapper. It features imagery regularly collected by a Hyperpod aerial camera system and processed quickly so that images are usually no older than a month.
The firm was acquired by Ipernica in a $16m deal in 2008. Its ultimate goal is to have the service provide updated images monthly of all the major cities in the world.
It was recently announced that the firm will also supply images to Sensis.
