The proposed effort by NASA/GSFC to make various modifications to the GEMPAK/GEMPLT software packages and to make the modified versions available to the UNIDATA development sites on the proposed schedule is essential for the Phase III UNIDATA effort as proposed and funded in ATM-8610726. The GEMPAK/GEMPLT software has always been considered a cornerstone for the VMS/UNIX stream of UNIDATA. Careful consideration by the UNIDATA Program Office has shown that there is no real alternative to having NASA do the work as proposed under the supervision of Mary desJardins. The cost to the Foundation is relatively cheap, considering that this software package has been developed at NASA over the course of years, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
