Another value-added service available from Merrick is the customization of applications to meet highly specific and unique client needs. For example, Merrick can customize special queries and routines to analyze spatial data that can improve the client's ability to plan and manage projects.

The company's GIS applications specialists understand the need to integrate the client's short-term and long-term applications objectives. Merrick views its land information products as the foundation of each client's database infrastructure. Accordingly, Merrick's service continues as clients use and build upon the information the company provides. The company's ongoing goal is to improve each client's ability to make data based decisions.

Merrick has many years of experience providing GIS data and application development services to city clients throughout the United States. During this time Merrick has been involved in many projects, which, went beyond the delivery of the mapping data. Many projects required the development of custom programming to assist in the accessing of that data, as well as the connection to "enterprise wide" data servers and legacy data bases to gain access to essential non-geographic attribute data.

Merrick is an ESRI Business Partner, an Authorized Developer, a Value Added Desk-top Software Reseller, and has an Authorized ArcView Instructor on staff.

• As an ESRI Business Partner we have a long standing working relationship with ESRI and have teamed on many projects with personnel from both their national headquarters and many of their regional offices.
• As an Authorized Developer you can be assured that Merrick is involved with the beta testing and the latest software developments. Through this program we have access to developer support which allows rapid resolution to issues that surface during application development and programming.
• As a Value Added Desk-top Software Reseller Merrick can provide for all of your needs with a total GIS solution.
• By having an Authorized Instructor on staff we can meet your training needs through either approved ESRI programs of instruction or through customized training tailored to meet your requirements.

Merrick & Company's solution to decision support and automated decision making are captured in a comprehensive facilities, planning, and management model we call CATS (computer application tooling solution). Rather than being a single application, CATS is a family of solutions built around a core of experiential applications. The modules are open architecture, fully customizable, built in commercial of-the-shelf software (ESRI?s ArcView and MS Access), and designed to run on a PC in standalone/laptop mode or client/server environment. These core applications are based on the experience of each new project and as a result each user of any CATS application receives the benefits of all past experience the firm has acquired in solving facilities, planning, and management problems without the cost of reinvestigation.