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Who can join the Public Sector Mapping Agreement?

Nearly every public sector organisation in England and Wales can become a member of the PSMA and experience the benefits of using Ordnance Survey digital map products. This includes all local authorities, central government departments and many health organisations. This page provides some clarity on who eligible to join the PSMA.

Which organisations can join the PSMA?

These have been defined as:

a) Those bodies that fall within the definition of ‘contracting authority’ in Regulation 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 for England and Wales.

Note: ‘Schedule 1 GPA Annex 1 - Contracting Authorities’ gives a more detailed list, including the scope that where an entity listed the Schedule is succeeded by another entity, which is itself a contracting authority and also meets the PSMA eligibility criteria, the successor entity shall be deemed to be included in that Schedule.

b) Where appropriate certain other bodies (as agreed between BIS and Ordnance Survey).

It has been agreed that the following bodies are not eligible to join the PSMA:

  • Those whose remit is mainly in Scotland (and are therefore covered by other  arrangements)
  • Infrastructure bodies
  • Housing associations
  • Social enterprises
  • Community interest companies
  • Charities and charitable trusts

c) In addition to the above, a number of contributing members of the UK Search and Rescue (UK SAR) can join the PSMA, please see the information here

Are you one of the following?

As general guidance, it is intended that the following types of organisations, or future successor bodies, will be eligible for PSMA membership. This will be regularly reviewed to ensure any changes in public sector structures are taken into account.

Central government

  • A body operating under the directions of an Officer of the House of Commons and reporting directly to Parliament.
  • Ministerial departments
  • Non-ministerial departments
  • Executive agencies
  • National or regional administration

 

  • Non-departmental public bodies (executive and advisory)
  • Welsh Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies
  • Tribunals
  • Public corporations listed in the Cabinet Office's ‘Public Bodies Database’

Any other body currently eligible to receive data under the Pan Government Agreement that is not mentioned above.

Local government

  • English county, city, district, borough, town, community and parish councils
  • English unitary (metropolitan, borough, city and district councils)
  • English unitary London boroughs, Greater London Authority and functional bodies (Transport for London , London Development Agency, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and Metropolitan Police Authority)
  • English unitary authorities
  • English and metropolitan police authorities
  • English metropolitan fire and civil defence authorities
  • English fire authorities and services
  • English National Park authorities
  • English town and parish councils
  • English Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) conservation boards
  • Local Government Group

 

  • Passenger transport executives
  • Welsh unitary authorities
  • Welsh police authorities
  • Welsh fire authorities
  • Welsh National Park authorities
  • Welsh town and community councils
  • Search and rescue contributor organisations in England and Wales (such as RNLI & Mountain Rescue)

Any other body currently eligible to receive data under the Mapping Services Agreement that is not mentioned above (such as a joint board, the constituent members are drawn from of any of the bodies specified above).

Health

  • Any NHS® trust
  • Any NHS foundation trust
  • Any strategic health authority
  • Any primary care trust

Any body not identified above whose non-executive directors are appointed by the NHS Appointments Commission.

Any other body currently eligible to receive data under the NHS Digital Mapping Agreement that is not mentioned above.


 

  • Any NHS care trust
  • Any special health authority
  • A Public Health Observatory reporting to the Chief Medical Officer as Chair of the National Governing Board of PHO
  • Cancer registries


Further information

If you work in the public sector, but feel that you don’t fall into any of these categories, please get in touch with us to discuss your options.

Join the PSMA

If you would like to become a member of the PSMA, please start your application by using the link below.

Join the PSMA

Who has already joined as a PSMA member?

For a list of current PSMA members, please see below:

PSMA member list

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For general enquiries, complaints, feedback or suggestions, email: customerservices@ordnancesurvey.co.uk or call us on 08456 05 05 05