The data file I'm planning to use uses state-plane coordinates
rather than lat/long, and the import utility requires lat/long. Does anyone has any idea how I might be able to make that conversion.

Thanks in advance.

There are a number of tools, for me I would use MapInfo because I have it, but it's $1,500.. you can probably find something cheaper -- perhaps Manifold's or Caliper's GIS which are both under $500 I think. Also, I think Safe software's FME has this capabilitiy for around $800 and also has the capability to import drawing objects into MapPoint via a COM add-in similar to the Spatial Data Importer developer sample but more robust.

Eric