The Iowa Geographic Information Council (IGIC) led a multi-agency return on investment case study for the Iowa Geospatial Infrastructure (IGI), which is Iowa’s contribution to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The study addressed the needs and interests of several groups of stakeholders that produce and consume IGI framework data, especially data needed for economic development activities and related decision making. IGIC was assisted with their ROI project by the Geospatial Information Technology Association (GITA), who participated in two earlier ROI studies of the IGI.
The new ROI study combined financial metrics from the two previous Iowa ROI studies, recalculated previous flood benefits, removed federal funding for imagery, and added a new analysis of economic development activities to suite of benefits from the IGI. The study also included standalone financial analysis of GIS adoption by regional electrical cooperatives and smaller cities, and a business case for acquiring municipal utility work management software.
The 20-year financial analysis of the IGI indicates that development of the IGI (including creation, maintenance and sharing of framework data layers, and a GIS service bureau to lead framework coordination, train users and develop web services) will cost a total of $88 million, while providing benefits back to the state on the order of $694 million. The analysis shows a Net Present Value of $605 million with an annualized Return on Investment of 34.21%, and a payback in the first year.
Final Report -- ROI Study Materials
Iowa Geographic Information Council
Contacts:
Jim Giglierano
319-335-1594
james.giglierano@dnr.iowa.gov