Geographic data are used in all sectors of society to support a huge range of applications ranging from emergency response to land-use planning to location-based services. In the past, government agencies typically acquired ownership of such data from private-sector and other data producers and distributed these data without restriction. Licensing—whereby the producer may restrict redistribution—has emerged as an alternative business model that agencies must now consider among a suite of procurement options. The report highlights licensing perspectives and experiences of major stakeholder groups and examines the pros and cons of licensing. It concludes that licensing may be a viable option in some instances and advises agencies on how to best serve societal interests.
- Cover
- Front Matter
- Executive Summary
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Society's Goals
- 3 The Geographic Data Market: Offerings, Players, and Methods of Exchange
- 4 Experiences of Government in Licensing Geographic Data From and To the Private Sector
- 5 Legal Analysis
- 6 Economic Analysis
- 7 The Public Interest
- 8 Licensing Decisions and Strategies
- 9 New Institutions
- 10 Recommendations
- Appendix A: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
- Appendix B: List of Contributors
- Appendix C: Digital Geographic Data Available in the United States
- Appendix D: Selected Licensing Models, Selected Licensing Alternatives, and Clearview Contract
- Appendix E: Glossary
- Appendix F: List of Acronyms