LSU 100 Recognizes DQSI as a Fastest Growing Tiger Business

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              

February 28, 2011                                          

Covington, LA– DQSI, LLC announced today that it was selected as an inaugural member of the LSU 100 (http://www.lsu100.com/).  The first annual LSU 100 program had to select from hundreds of companies nominated for the program.  “As one of the top 100, DQSI is in good company!” said Jarett Rodriguez, LSU100 Associate Director.  The 100 honorees include companies from several states as well as locations outside the United States. The former students representing these companies hold degrees from nearly every college within the University.  It is an impressive list.  

LSU PhD computer scientist Dr. Shelly Stubbs started DQSI in 1998.  In addition to serving as CEO, she is an active principal investigator for a 2011 NASA research project involving cloud computing.  Dr. Stubbs stated, “It’s an honor to be recognized by my alma mater.  Our company has benefited greatly over the years from LSU grads.”  DQSI also collaborates with the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI) which is administered by LSU as well as other partners including University of New Orleans, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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DQSI, LLC (www.DQSI.com) is Louisiana-based women-owned, 8a, small business, providing exceptional professional services to public and private organizations in the Gulf Coast region and beyond.  DQSI conducts research through the DQSI advanced research center (DARC).  Today DQSI provides military, civilian, and commercial clients with a full spectrum of technical,  management, and research services, including: Information Technology (IT); Cloud & High Performance Computing (HPC) Services; Geological, Oceanographic & GIS Services; Environmental Services; Green Energy Services; and Construction Services.

DQSI, LLC Announces Acquisition of Terra Logistics, LLC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                          

March 1, 2011                                                                                                                                    

On 3/1/11 DQSI, LLC announced the purchase of 51% of Terra Logistics, LLC. This finalized agreement marks the ongoing expansion of DQSI’s success in the field of heavy construction and a leader in the Gulf Coast Region. Terra Logistics, LLC was founded in 2009 by President & CEO Daniel Martin, as a Heavy Construction Contractor. The Terra Logistics Management Team has over 50 years of combined experience in multiple fields of the construction industry.

Dr. Shelly Stubbs, President  & CEO of DQSI stated, “This acquisition is an important step in the commercialization of heavy construction services by expanding our capabilities and improving our ability to meet our growing customer needs.”

Daniel Martin President & CEO of Terra Logistics stated “I am very excited about joining efforts with DQSI to propel heavy construction management in the Gulf Coast Region.”

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DQSI, LLC (www.DQSI.com) is Louisiana-based women-owned, 8a, small business, providing exceptional professional services to public and private organizations in the Gulf Coast region and beyond.  DQSI conducts research through the DQSI advanced research center (DARC).  Today DQSI provides military, civilian, and commercial clients with a full spectrum of technical,  management, and research services, including: Information Technology (IT); Cloud & High Performance Computing (HPC) Services; Geological, Oceanographic & GIS Services; Environmental Services; Green Energy Services; and Construction Services

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Terra Logistics, LLC is a Louisiana-based company providing expertise in the following areas: clearing, grubbing, dams, reservoirs, flood control, levees, dredging, electrical, transmission lines, fencing, foundations, pile driving, industrial piping, industrial plants, industrial ventilation, landscaping, grading, oil filed construction, oil refineries, railroads, transmission pipeline construction, tunnels, wharves, docks, harbor improvements and terminals.

NASA Invests in DQSI for High Performance GIS Research

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                     

 February 25, 2011                                          

Covington, LA– DQSI, LLC. announced today that NASA has awarded the company a Phase I SBIR project, titled: “Distributed GIS Computing for High Performance Simulation and Visualization.”  Under the project, DQSI will be researching and developing high performance computing (HPC) that address NASA’s mission for Earth Science Applied Research and Decision Support. 

“The SBIR and STTR programs help facilitate innovative research and technology development among America’s most creative small businesses,” said Bobby Braun, NASA chief technologist at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. “These Phase I awards will serve as seed funds for transformative research and technology projects that have the potential to mature new products and services of great benefit to NASA and the nation.”

Today, the ability of sensors to generate geographical data is virtually limitless. Although NASA provides a capability for accessing, manipulating, and visualizing data, an enormous gap still exists between raw and simulated data and the visualization capability.  The challenge addressed in this research is to develop new methods for automating the access and processing of raw sensor data, sharing data and methods among researchers, and integrating visualization throughout the process.  To meet this challenge, DQSI will develop new innovations, particularly Geo-Cloud™ (www.Geo-Cloud.net).   The significance of the Geo-Cloud creation is that it is a highly performing, scalable, network environment that encompasses: 1) a high performance cloud computing (HPCC) environment, and 2) geographical context (HPGIS) whereby users can store, access, and manipulate extensive geographical resources.  Geo-Cloud provides virtualized access to Internet2 and supercomputing resources for processing very large datasets and simulations.

The project will be managed by DQSI’s Advanced Research Center (DARC).  DARC funding comes from a variety of sources including grants from federal and state agencies.  DARC maintains research facilities at the NASA Stennis Space Center through the Mississippi enterprise for Technology (MsET) and the University of New Orleans (UNO) Research & Technology Park.  Collaborators on the project include UNO’s Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Research and the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI).

DQSI President & and CEO, Dr. Shelly Stubbs stated, “This investment is an important step in our continued DARC research in cloud computing and GIS technology.”  DQSI was the sole recipient from both Mississippi and Louisiana of the 1,876 separate 2010 NASA SBIR proposals.  It is rewarding to see our many years of GIS and scientific support recognized in this way by NASA.”   

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DQSI, LLC (www.DQSI.com) is Louisiana-based women-owned, 8a, small business, providing exceptional professional services to public and private organizations in the Gulf Coast region and beyond.  DQSI conducts research through the DQSI advanced research center (DARC).  Today DQSI provides military, civilian, and commercial clients with a full spectrum of technical,  management, and research services, including: Information Technology (IT); Cloud & High Performance Computing (HPC) Services; Geological, Oceanographic & GIS Services; Environmental Services; Green Energy Services; and Construction Services.

UM Center for Traveler Information Selects DQSI for R&D of Geospatial Products for Transit Users

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       

January 26, 2011                                         

Stennis Space Center, MS– DQSI, LLC. has announced that it was selected by University of Mississippi’s Center for Traveler Information (UM-CTI) for research and development of geospatial products for the traveling public. The research is being funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop tools for safely receiving transit and traffic information while traveling. The DQSI project is one of three that UM-CTI will be conducting in conjunction with students and researchers at the University of Mississippi.

Under the project, DQSI’s Advanced Research Center (DARC) will research, develop, test, and evaluate systems that allow Smartphone users to receive geospatial information showing the location of transit vehicles relative to traveler’s location. The research team will also investigate different methods of public access to the transit information, including, public kiosks at key locations. The research will design and test solutions that will provide travelers with location information of transit buses in the City of Oxford, MS. For the project, the buses will be equipped with a GPS system that will transmit tracking information to a cloud computing environment for processing. The location of the buses will be integrated with other geospatial data and information for real-time discovery via Internet, Smartphone and community-based kiosks. A key safety aspect of this effort addresses the need to decrease accidents associated with impaired travelers through integration of a community-based ride service for college students who visit local bars and restaurants after regular transit services have ended for the evening.

“Transportation in the U.S. is a people business with citizens using roads, rail lines, sea lanes, and airports to move about the country every day,” stated Dr. Greg Easson, UM-CTI Director. “The DQSI project will help investigate and develop technology-based solutions that allow travelers to more efficiently use public transportation with, a key aspect of the project being the dissemination of geospatial data to mobile communication devices.”
DQSI President & and CEO, Dr. Shelly Stubbs stated, “This project is an important continuation of our ongoing high performance GIS research. It will allow us to deploy some of our high performance visualization, geospatial, and networking technology developed under our DARC activities.”

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DQSI LLC is Louisiana-based women-owned, 8a, small business, providing exceptional professional services to public and private organizations in the Gulf Coast region and beyond. DQSI conducts research through the DQSI advanced research center (DARC). Today DQSI provides military, civilian, and commercial clients with a full spectrum of technical, management, and research services, including: Information Technology (IT); Cloud & High Performance Computing (HPC) Services; Geological, Oceanographic & GIS Services; Environmental Services; Green Energy Services; and Construction Services. Please visit www.DQSI.com for more information.

DQSI completed Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) for Evans-Graves Engineers; both sites were located within the Siegen Lane Market Place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The Phase I ESAs were conducted to search for evidence of recognized environmental conditions in connection with the subject property and, specifically, to meet one of the requirements to qualify for the innocent landowner defense to CERCLA liability. The Phase I ESAs were performed in general accordance with ASTM Standard E 1527-05, Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments:  Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process. And meets the All Appropriate Inquiries rule (AAI)

Observations were made concerning the following:

• General site setting, current and past uses
• Geologic, hydrogeologic, hydrologic, and topographic conditions
• Improvements including structures, roads, and utilities
• Hazardous substances and petroleum products
• Storage tanks, vents, fill pipes, access ways
• PCB containing equipment
• Strong, pungent, or noxious odors
• Drums or containers of hazardous substances, petroleum products, or unidentified materials
• Stains, corrosion, and stressed vegetation
• Drains, sumps, pits, ponds, and lagoons associated with waste disposal
• Solid waste, waste water, wells, and septic systems

A technical report of our findings was prepared along with maps and pertinent historical information concerning the site.

Evans- Graves Engineers, Incorporated selected DQSI to provide wetland assessments for sites in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Environmental Specialist Robert Boudet assessed wetland extents for Metro Airport Sewer Area Pump stations and Forcemain Upgrades in East Baton Rouge Parish. 

Comprehensive wetland determination maps and environmental technical reports were created by DQSI.

DQSI performed wetland data collection and delineation of multiple sites for jurisdictional determinations and permit compliance inspections. The purpose was to identify the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) regulatory authority under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of March 3, 1899 (RHA), and/or Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Sites were accessed by boat, aircraft, or vehicle, but  investigated and delineated by foot. DQSI furnished all materials, equipment, supplies, personnel, and all other services required to perform wetland investigations, delineations and compliance inspections. This work required coordination with CEMVN Regulatory Branch’s Surveillance and Enforcement Section for their approval of the contractor’s wetland delineation procedures and conclusions, or the appropriate Evaluation Section (East, Central or West) for compliance inspections.

On September 30, 2008 DQSI won a contract to construct  an athletic field including earthwork, storm drainage, grading, topsoil, grassing and goals/goal posts. Also included in this contract were irrigation service for main and yard hydrants, with pedestrian access. DQSI also installed scoreboards. 

The softball field, constructed included earthwork, skinned infield surfacing, storm drainage, grading, topsoil, and grassing. The field included fencing, pedestrian access, and irrigation service with main and yard hydrants. Also included was the  installation of government provided scoreboard.  The new facility included all work required to construct an Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) size (300-foot plate to outfield fence) slow pitch softball field.

Construction of  tennis courts, included earthwork, grading, base, surfacing, fencing, lighting, surface markings, pedestrian access. Also included were access drive and parking, with ADA parking stalls, wheels, stops, storm drainage, and signs.  The new facility included all work required to construct two United States Tennis Association (USTA) tennis courts.

In September 2007, MMS awarded DQSI with a contract  provide the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR), RE with an open ended service contract for scanning hard copy documents (if required) and geo-referencing digital images. RE generated thousands of hard copy and digital files documenting the decisions made over the past decades.  To support RE strategic mission DQSI imaged hard copy documentation and made digital files usable and easily accessible to employees and management in order to accelerate business process cycle-time, increase productivity by making it easier to find and use information, allowing geoscientists to focus work on value added areas, providing real time information to support quick and reliable decisions making and effectively re-use interpreted data, thus saving critical resources.

DQSI wins the Minerals Management Service Field Studies Digital File Conversion contract. 

DQSI provided MMS’s geoscientists with a complete set of easily accessible digital field study files. RE estimated that their geoscientists spend up to 30% of their time gathering data before they can begin their work processes. Having Field Studies easily accessible and in a digital format would accelerate business process cycle-time, increase productivity by making it easier to find and use information, allow geoscientists to focus work on value added areas, provide real time information to support quick and reliable decision making, and effectively re-use interpreted data, thus saving critical resources. The secondary objective is to provide a working set of digital Field Study files that can be easily backed up and restored in support of the MMS, Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Field Study files are unique and the loss of these records would be detrimental to the mission of Resource Evaluation and the MMS. 

The detailed geological, geophysical, and engineering information contained within the 2700 plus Field Studies in the GOMR-RE archives is vital to maintaining reserve and resource estimates, performing tract evaluations (FMV), resource assessments, future production projections, field performance studies, OCS program initiatives, Royalty Management Program functions, and the evaluation of exploration and production incentives and legislation considered by Congress and the Department of Interior.

 The project included:

Geophysical Expertise in Classification of Documents

Provide Documentation

Quality Control (QC) Plan

Knowledgeable Staff

Complete Inventory

A Document Imaging Plan

Digital Image Deliverables

Creation of  a Meta-data Repository (Oracle based database)

Provide a data entry schema form for meta-data capture

Geo-referencing and metadata capture for GOM maps