RESTON, VA., 9 March 2007 – The Brooks Act litigation and other issues affecting Federal procurement of surveying and mapping services will be the subject of a special presentation by John Palatiello at the ACSM Convention on Monday, March 12, in St. Louis.

Palatiello, who serves as the Executive Director for MAPPS and Administrator of the Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural & Engineering Services (COFPAES), is scheduled to speak at 8 am on March 12, 2007.

“A terribly inaccurate allegation – that the litigation filed by MAPPS, COFPAES, ASCE and NSPE would exclude everyone but licensed architects, engineers, and surveyors from being awarded US federal government contracts for mapping services – has been spread by opponents of quality in the surveying, mapping and geospatial field. That statement is categorically untrue. In fact, among those Federal agencies that presently use the Brooks Act process of qualifications based selection, many have awarded contracts for mapping and geospatial services to firms other than those with licensed architects, engineers, and surveyors. Firms such as ESRI and many others have won Brooks Act procurements by Federal agencies, via the qualifications based selection process, and they are not considered licensed architecture, engineering or surveying firms,” Palatiello said.

ACSM is the American Congress on Surveying & Mapping. The 2007 ACSM Annual Conference & Exhibition is being held March 9-12 in St. Louis at the Millennium Hotel, America’s Center. For more information, visit www.acsm.net.

For information on MAPPS, go to www.mapps.org. For information on COFPAES, go to www.cofpaes.org. For information on Mr. Palatiello’s firm, go to www.jmpa.us. Contact John Palatiello at 703-787-6996.