2024 NSPS Annual Report BY DANIAL L. PERRY, MBA, PLS, NSPS STATE DIRECTOR Overview I arrived early to support the Student Competition and the UVU team in particular since they were the only school competing from Utah. The same type and style of competition was held, with a scavenger hunt on the first day and three field survey events on the second day. Namely, there was a triangulation exercise — back sighting the Washington Monument (which is an official NGS Monument), Level Loop with an old dumpy level with non‑adjustable tripod legs, and a four-sided compass and chain traverse course. There were 24 teams competing from HS, AAS or BS degree programs. Utah did not place. Tuesday was “Day on the Hill.” Wednesday had NSPS committee meetings of which I attended three. I am a member of the Government Affairs Committee, Workforce Development Committee and Education Committee. Highlights from these committee meetings, as well as the Western States Directors Council and the board of directors business meeting highlights, are found in the following sections. NSPS Government Affairs Committee Report A review of the Day on the Hill was made by all members of the committee. Utah is as follows: 2024 Legislative Agenda The consulting company, Miller-Wenhold, and their registered federal lobbyist, “JB” John Byrd, throughout the year, are involved with politics and legislation at the federal level. They have many connections with and understand the processes involved in obtaining and revising legislation at the federal level. JB does training for all NSPS board members regarding current issues they deem important to be brought to members of Congress and the various committees each serve on or chair. Along with the NSPS executive board leadership, they decide the best legislative strategy to be taken on behalf of the NSPS in regard to the various legislation and issues. Before the official NSPS board and committee meetings begin on Wednesday, board members participate in a “Day on the Hill,” which includes training and visits to senators and representatives and/or their staffs. The consultants set up the appointments and make other necessary arrangements, including a follow-up meeting and an annual report (about 20 pages) describing all legislative issues being addressed in some form on behalf of the NSPS. • TAP Pilot for 2025 NDAA Because of the high demand for surveying and mapping services and the significant shortage of available labor force, NSPS is requesting that members of Congress implement a pilot program into the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (an annual act that authorizes various activities by the Department of Defense (DOD)). This request for a pilot program applies specifically to the DOD’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which exists to help departing personnel obtain work in the civilian sector. NSPS has decided to offer the surveying and mapping profession as a pilot to show the DOD how to tie Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs) directly to Civilian Positions, which has not happened in the past. For example, tying Geospatial Engineer-12Y or Field Artillery Surveyor-13S to a similar civilian job. The titles alone seem to show the private surveying firm that these are skills that can be employed in the civilian surveying and mapping profession. NSPS is behind this pilot program, and we asked members of Congress and Senate to “include a provision to the 2025 NDAA that would authorize a pilot UCLS Foresights 8
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