Bend-based geographic information technology firm High Desert Geo-Technologies Inc. has been acquired by national geoscience firm GeoEngineers of Redmond, Wash.

Terms of the deal were not released. The acquisition took effect Wednesday.

Jim Kleppe, GeoEngineers’ corporate business development director, said the acquisition gives his company access to High Desert’s knowledge on web-based geographic information systems, or GIS, and mobile global-positioning devices.

”Some of the technology they bring is not something we had prior to the acquisition,” Kleppe said. ”We’re hoping this deal really accelerates our creativity in technology; people with better data make better decisions.”

High Desert President Ronda Halvorsen, who heads GeoEngineers’ operations in Bend and has been named the company’s lead applied technology manager, said the Bend office would likely increase its employees from six to 10 this year after the acquisition.

”This deal gives us more opportunities in a larger, stronger infrastructure (and) expands the market we can bring our technologies into,” Halvorsen said, adding that employees shouldn’t expect major operational changes.

”Business as usual,” she said.

GeoEngineers employs 270 people after the High Desert acquisition. The company has offices in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Hawaii, Missouri, Alaska and Texas. Clients include the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma.

Bend becomes GeoEngineers’ 14th location.

”I think it’s a great opportunity for Bend,” Halvorsen said. ”As the city looks on the horizon to provide more tech jobs, we feel that this is a good step forward for the community.”