Frederick MD, 17 December 2007 - Fugro EarthData, Inc. has been selected by the Florida Division of Emergency Management to develop a statewide GIS strategic plan. The project supports the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Fifty States Initiative, an effort led by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) to align public and private stakeholders at the state level for greater return on geospatial investments.

“This is an important step for Florida,” said Martin Roche, general manager of Fugro EarthData’s Solutions Division. “GIS touches nearly every facet of state and local government. Adopting a strategic plan that includes input from and coordination among all stakeholders means smarter use of taxpayer money. This project speaks to the very goal of the NSDI Fifty States Initiative and we are honored to partner with Florida on the effort.”

Serving as the state’s GIS consultant during this contract, Fugro EarthData is facilitating steering committee meetings, performing stakeholder outreach, and collecting existing datasets to assess statewide GIS needs and expectations. This information will be used to create a strategic plan that clearly defines the criteria, characteristics, and activities required for sustainable statewide GIS coordination in Florida. The final plan is scheduled for completion by March 2008.

About Fugro EarthData
Fugro EarthData, Inc., provides a full range of mapping and GIS services to support customer needs in a wide variety of natural resource management, urban planning, economic development, defense, and engineering activities.

Fugro EarthData is a member of the international Fugro group of companies. Fugro is listed on Euronext N.V. in Amsterdam and is included in the Amsterdam Midkap index. Fugro has over 275 offices, more than 11,000 staff and a permanent presence in over 50 countries.

For more information visit www.fugroearthdata.com.