OpenGIS RFP and RFIs Mark Progress Toward Interoperable Geoprocessing

Wayland, MA, August 30, 1996. The Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) today announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for engineering specifications that implement the simple geometry components of the OpenGIS Specification (“OGIS”) for major distributed computing platforms, such as OLE/COM, CORBA, the Internet, and ODBC. This major OGC milestone reflects two facts: 1) Basic work has been completed on the OpenGIS Abstract Specification, sufficient to specify common methods for accessing geodata in heterogeneous network computing environments; and 2) An RFP process has been implemented as a way to cause OpenGIS Specification compliant products to be brought to market in as short a time as possible.In response to this first RFP, software vendors in OGC will submit competing specifications for review by the OGC Technical Committee. Letters of intent to submit are due October 29, 1996 and proposed specifications are due December 2, 1996. On a set schedule, this will lead to adoption of a single OpenGIS Implementation Specification for each distributed computing platform, and these will be integrated across platforms as completely as possible. The reason for making the RFP public is to ensure that all interested parties in the geoprocessing industry have an opportunity to submit technology for review.Also on August 30, OGC released two Requests for Information (RFIs). One RFI solicits information on available technologies and suggested interfaces required to imagery-enable geospatial applications and tools. This information will help OGC’s Earth Imaging Working Group develop a standard set of interfaces that will support transparent network access to heterogeneous image data and also communication between heterogeneous image processing resources. The other RFI solicits information on digital catalog architectures, geospatial catalog requirements, and other technologies relevant to geodata discovery in networked environments. The RFIs will ensure that the OGC Technical Committee is fully aware of the entire industry’s needs and capabilities related to two technology areas that will be addressed by subsequent OpenGIS Specification RFPs.The RFP, the OpenGIS Abstract Specification, and the imagery and catalog RFIs can be viewed and downloaded from OGC’s Web site.