AUSTIN, Texas, November 5, 2026 – SAM, a leading independent provider of mission-critical geospatial, inspection, data and digital solutions services to utility and critical infrastructure customers across North America, today announced its acquisition of SSP Innovations, an Esri Platinum Partner specializing in utility GIS consulting, implementation, and data services, and 3-GIS, an AI-enabled enterprise software provider serving telecommunications, electric, and gas networks.
The acquisition expands SAM’s technology and software capabilities while strengthening its position as a comprehensive solutions provider. By combining SAM’s land and aerial surveying, LiDAR, inspection, and utility engineering capabilities with SSP Innovations’ GIS consulting and implementation expertise and 3-GIS’s enterprise network management software, SAM broadens its ability to serve customers across the infrastructure lifecycle, from planning and design through construction, operations, and modernization.
“SSP Innovations and 3-GIS bring deep industry expertise, proven technology capabilities, and strong customer relationships that align well with SAM’s growth strategy,” said Chris Solomon, President and CEO of SAM. “Together, these capabilities strengthen our ability to serve critical infrastructure markets, deliver greater value to our clients, and create new opportunities for continued growth and innovation.”
SSP Innovations brings extensive experience supporting utility modernization, having completed more than 100 major transformation projects across North America. Its expertise spans GIS deployments, Esri Utility Network migrations, and operational technology integrations across GIS, EAM, WMS, and ADMS platforms. Utilities rely on SSP to evaluate technology, develop strategies, and implement solutions that deliver measurable results.
3-GIS brings a global portfolio of cloud-native enterprise software solutions purpose-built for telecommunications, electric, and gas networks. Its technology connects network planning, design, asset inventory, and operations through a trusted source of network data shared across the enterprise. Through the 3-GIS | Expansion Kit, operators extend the platform with AI-enabled tooling to build functionality tailored to their own requirements. From fiber network deployment and service activation to utility field operations and asset modernization, 3-GIS helps organizations streamline workflows, improve decision-making, and manage increasingly complex infrastructure networks at scale.
“SSP Innovations and 3-GIS have built strong foundations through industry expertise, innovation, and long-standing customer relationships,” said Patrick Vardeman, CEO of SSP Innovations and 3-GIS, “In joining SAM, we see a tremendous opportunity to build on our momentum, continue advancing our solutions, and create even greater value for the organizations that rely on us to manage the critical networks of today and tomorrow.”
About SAM
SAM is a leading independent provider of mission-critical geospatial and inspection services to the utility, transportation, and critical infrastructure industries, with roots dating back to 1994. The company delivers an integrated suite of solutions across land and aerial surveying, subsurface utility engineering, construction and asset inspection, and digital data management, serving investor-owned utilities, transportation agencies, energy providers, and other infrastructure owners. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, SAM employs over 1,800 professionals. For more information, visit www.sam.biz.
About 3-GIS
3-GIS delivers AI-enabled enterprise software solutions for telecommunications, electric, and gas networks worldwide. Its configurable platforms turn network data into a trusted source of truth across the enterprise, connecting planning, design, asset management, and operations to improve efficiency and decision-making. 3-GIS enables organizations to manage complex networks at scale. Learn more at www.3-gis.com..
