Shared Staffing
The foundation of the GIS Consortium is its innovative staffing approach.
Since GIS is an information technology that requires multiple skills, specialized staffing is key to success. Affording effective, diversified staffing is a challenge for many communities.
Staffing can be costly, but the GIS Consortium has come up with an innovative staffing approach to share these resources among the members. The GIS Consortium outsources staffing and shares these resources among the members, enabling any community, regardless of size, to gain access to the necessary staffing resources—with competitive rates negotiated through GISC’s collective bargaining power. With many local governments facing the challenge of affording the necessary human resources to be successful, the GIS Consortium provides a unique alternative.
Specialization
GIS is an information technology that requires specialization. Highly trained and diversified staff is necessary to keep pace with rapidly changing systems and capabilities. Successful information technology programs require effective staffing. The most recognized programs in the country share this characteristic.
Redundancy
Programs that have appropriate staffing face a different challenge—attrition. Even aggressively staffed programs do not fund redundant resources to safeguard against vacancies. Single professional programs are particularly at risk. These programs tend to lose continuity when replacement staff wants to restart the program. Many Programs that are not staffed sufficiently has been a common pitfall in the GIS industry.
Long-term considerations
Today, outsourcing is a necessary business alternative for every organization. As human resource costs continue to rise, communities are increasingly looking for innovative ways to reduce costs. Balancing options with the core requirements of local government requires careful consideration. Members of the GIS Consortium recognize that GIS is a vital component of a community’s information system solution. They further agree that local governments should be users, not enablers, of this technology.
An important cost advantage
The GIS Consortium uses a unique outsourcing model that provides its members the most competitive rates in the industry. Most organizations lack buying power when purchasing independently. In the GIS Consortium model, rates are negotiated based on the collective size of the organization. These rates can significantly reduce community costs. The estimated member cost-savings is nearly 40%.
GIS Consortium members are confident in their programs. By shifting the responsibility onto the private sector, the community can focus on core business objectives and leave the GIS-building to highly trained and accountable professionals.