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July 2014
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
Chapter 1 — Procurement of Professional Geo-
spatial Mapping Services (PGMS)
I. Definition of PGMS
Professional services are those services that require special-
ized knowledge and skill; require independent judgment; and
have an expectation of ethical conduct and professional exper-
tise such that the resulting services will be consistent with the
best interests of the client and public.
Professional photogrammetric mapping services utilize geo-
matics, photogrammetry, and related remote sensing technol-
ogies to produce geospatial mapping deliverables and infor-
mation for which there is an expectation of reliable spatial or
thematic accuracy. Professional photogrammetry and related
remote sensor-based geospatial mapping services are broad in
scope and are not limited to those tasks that are regulated or
licensed by states or other agencies. State laws vary widely
and are not consistent in their definitions of which geospatial
mapping services require licensing. Further, licensure is in-
tended to ensure a minimal level of competence to protect life,
health, safety, property and/or the public welfare. Procure-
ment guidelines should meet a higher standard and seek to
acquire services that will result in a successful project that
best meets overall project objectives and/or public interests.
II. Characteristics of PGMS
ASPRS considers professional geospatial mapping services
(PGMS) to be those geospatial mapping services that:
1. Require specialized knowledge derived from academic
education, on-the-job training, and practical experience;
2. Produce mapping deliverables and geospatial informa-
tion for which there is an expectation or representation
of positional or thematic accuracy;
3. Require independent judgment, ethical conduct and
professional expertise to ensure that the resulting
maps, data and information derived from these services
are consistent with the best interests of the client and/
or public and;
4. Could potentially negatively affect life, health, safety,
property and/or the public welfare if not performed to
professional standards.
III. PGMS Addressed by these Guidelines
These
Guidelines
are specifically intended to apply to those
photogrammetry and related remote sensing services that are
associated with acquiring, interpreting, processing or analyzing
remotely-sensed imagery and data to create geospatial mapping
deliverables. This includes services associated with measuring,
locating and preparing maps, charts, or other graphical or dig-
ital presentations depicting the location of natural and man-
made physical features and phenomena of the Earth.
Photogrammetry techniques / principles / methods and re-
mote sensing are applied in a variety of industries and profes-
sions for a very broad range of applications. Many of those ap-
plications are not related to geospatial mapping and as such,
are not addressed herein.
The term ”professional geospatial mapping services (PGMS)
is used in this document in a very general context to refer to a
much broader scope of geospatial mapping services than those
that involve only photogrammetry and remote sensing. It is
the opinion of ASPRS that the principles and recommenda-
tions presented in this document apply equally to any geospa-
tial mapping services that would meet the broad definition
of “professional services” used herein. However, specifically
determining or identifying all geospatial mapping services
that should be considered “professional services” is beyond
the expertise of the Procurement Guidelines Committee and
is beyond the scope of this document. The primary focus of the
document is on the photogrammetry, remote sensing and geo-
spatial services that constitute the primary area of expertise of
ASPRS and its membership.
IV. Examples of PGMS
This section provides examples of specific task items that meet
the definition of “professional” photogrammetric services.
Geomatics, photogrammetric and remote sensing profession-
als apply the rigorous principles of measurement science and
remote sensing interpretation to develop reliable geospatial
deliverables. Photogrammetric mapping professionals utilize
their knowledge and training to employ the appropriate meth-
ods and technologies to image, measure, calculate, reduce, and
integrate geospatial and attribute data. They then transform
this data into mapping deliverables such as vector and image
maps, charts, reports, and other graphical or digital represen-
tations.
Photogrammetrists and remote sensing specialists must
have in-depth knowledge and expertise in the 1) principles of
geomatics, 2) sensor technologies and their specific applica-
tions, 3) specific processes to be implemented and 4) final ap-
plication of the project deliverables. Professionals may incor-
porate commercial geospatial mapping products (CGMP) when
appropriate to meet the client’s project requirements.
Photogrammetric mapping deliverables are frequently used
to make critical decisions that require accurate and reliable
information about the location of features on the Earth. Pho-
togrammetric mapping professionals may provide services di-
rectly to a public agency or other private sector professional
firms. In the performance of their services, the photogrammet-
ric mapping professional may work in cooperation with other
experts such as surveyors, engineers, architects, land manag-
ers and planners, remote sensing specialists, cartographers,
geographers, GIS specialists, and IT professionals. The pho-
togrammetrist, in direct responsible charge of acquiring and
preparing the contracted geospatial deliverables, is often the
only professional involved in the project who has the experi-
