Bentley's MLS offers municipalities all the software they need to design and manage all their infrastructure for a fixed annual fee based on population. The breakthrough program enables them to improve productivity and reduce administrative costs by outfitting their entire mapping and engineering organizations with fully integrated software for GIS and engineering workflows. This leads to improved services and more efficient government.

Helsinki, the capital and largest city in Finland, serves a population of more than 560,000. The city will use Bentley software in 10 departments within its City Planning and Public Works service bodies.

As Jurgen Gronfors, city surveyor for Helsinki, explained, "Initially, we were mostly interested in Bentley's ProjectWise system of collaboration servers and all of the workflow efficiencies it provides. However, when presented with the opportunity to benefit from all of Bentley's GIS and engineering applications for a fee that wasn't that much higher, we decided to go with the MLS. We felt it was a very cost-effective, easy way to gain access to all the applications we need in our various departments."

Added Gronfors, "Bentley's MLS program allows us to start up projects without having to worry about software costs, which simplifies budgeting and speeds project execution. In addition, the program is a lot easier to administer since we don't have to be concerned about the number of users accessing applications concurrently."

Bentley's MLS program provides municipalities with unlimited access to a comprehensive portfolio of integrated GIS and engineering software for all of their infrastructure, including:

-- Public works - roads, bridges, water, sewer, and storm

-- Land development

-- E-government

-- Light rail design

-- Community broadband

-- Water and wastewater treatment plant design

-- Urban planning

-- Cadastre management

-- Public safety

-- Municipal building design

-- Mapping and 3D modeling

Because the program's fee is fixed, Bentley's MLS guarantees predictable software costs and budgeting. In addition, it removes the administrative burden of complex software licenses, shortens procurement cycles, speeds project starts, and ultimately leads to more efficient government.

For more information about Bentley's MLS program initiative and software or to contact a Bentley representative, visit www.bentley.com/MLS.

About Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and its largest city, serving a population of more than 560,000. The Helsinki City Planning Department is responsible for the city's structural and aesthetic development, town planning, as well as the planning and control of traffic. Helsinki is essentially a maritime city with a particularly rich shoreline and different spaces linking the city and water. The city sits on a narrow peninsula, limiting development northwards and presenting many planning challenges.

The City Planning and Real Estate Service is responsible for a range of activities including town planning, zoning, and other planning requirements related to land use, such as traffic planning, as well as real estate services, city building regulations, housing policy and public housing. Public Works is responsible for maintenance of the city's streets, parks, and green areas. For more on Helsinki, visit www.hel.fi/english.

About Bentley

Bentley Systems, Incorporated provides software for the lifecycle of the world's infrastructure. The company's comprehensive portfolio for the building, plant, civil, and geospatial verticals spans architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) and operations. With 2005 revenues of $336 million and more than 2000 colleagues around the world, Bentley is the leading provider of AEC software to the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms and major owner-operators and was named the world's No. 2 provider of GIS/geospatial software solutions in a recent Daratech research study.

To receive Bentley press releases as they are issued, visit www.bentley.com/bentleywire. For more information, visit www.bentley.com. To view a copy of Bentley's May 2006 Annual Report online, go to www.bentley.com/annualreport.

Bentley, the "B" logo, Municipal License Subscription, and ProjectWise are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For further information: Bentley Systems, Incorporated Ron Kuhfeld, 610-321-6493 ron.kuhfeld@bentley.com

Source: newswire