What is the GIS Direct Services Consortium?

The GIS Direct Services Consortium was created in 2007 under the direction of the Executive Board of the Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG). Through the Consortium member municipalities and townships may purchase valuable GIS services from BACOG at a cost-effective staff rate for projects specific to their community. GIS services purchased through BACOG offers the following advantages:

  • Services are bought at staff hourly rates instead of consultant rates. As many or few hours as needed may be purchased from the consortium.
  • GIS staff has high level technical skills as well as practice with regional resources and data.
  • Work is performed locally or remotely depending on resources and local desires.

The full-time GIS Analyst position dedicates 60% of its time to regional BACOG projects and 40% of its time to consortium needs.

Only members who opt-in to the consortium pay for the additional 40% of the GIS Analyst position.

Products/Services Available:

  • Data presentation and map production for newsletters, flyers, grant applications, reports, or stand-alone projects.
  • Designing and organizing a GIS program suited to the short and long term goals of consortium members.
  • Utilizing existing data sources and creating tools to make data more accessible and user friendly.
  • Customized ArcIMS training to improve efficiency of response to requests made by residents.
  • Customized training in ArcMap and other GIS software to promote staff use.
  • High-quality consultation to meet a range of specific departmental needs on an as-needed basis.

Many of the maps that result from the consortium program are available in the Public and Members Map Gallery.