IAOC Communications Plan

1. Introduction

   
   

   The IAOC recognizes its responsibility to oversee IASA on behalf of the IETF community in a transparent manner and to that end publishes this Communications Plan. This Communications Plan identifies the information to be communicated to the community, the desired frequency and the preferred channel for those communications.

   
   

2. Requirements and Implementation

   
   

   2.1 Transparency

   
   

   RFC 4071 provides general and specific guidance to the IAOC and IAD regarding their responsibility to ensure transparency in the operation of the IASA. This Plan implements the requirements of RFC 4071 and provides additional reports to the community to enhance its visibility into the operation of the IASA.

   
   

   1. Plan Matrix

      
      

      The IAOC Communications Plan Matrix attached to this document provides the details of the reports, when and where they are published, and the applicable RFC 4071 reference.

      
      

   2. Communications Channels

      
      

      The IAOC will employ several channels to communicate with the community, including its website, and IETF meeting Plenaries. Section 4 of this Plan identifies these communications channels.

      
      

   3. Reports

   
   

   Section 5 defines the reports and provides the applicable RFC 4071 reference.

   
   

3. Definitions

   
   

   1. Confidential Information

      
      

      Confidential information will not be posted publicly.

      
      

   2. IASA Confidential

      
      

      This confidential information consists of contract negotiations; memoranda, staff evaluations, or other records prepared by or for the IAOC or IAD for the evaluation

      and negotiation of proposals; work papers; unaudited financial statements, and IASA salary information.

      
      

   3. Vendor Confidential

      
      

      Confidential information consists of contract negotiations; confidential proprietary records voluntarily provided by private business pursuant to a promise of confidentiality; confidential financial statements, balance sheets, trade secrets, and revenue and cost projections; proprietary data; bids; and proposals.

      
      

4. Communication Channels

   
   

   1. IASA Website

      
      

      The IAOC provides the content for the IASA website at iaoc.ietf.org. This website is the IAOC’s primary communications channel for the IETF community. Confidential material shall be posted and maintained on the IAOC private website.

      
      

   2. Mail Lists

      
      

      The IAOC shall utilize appropriate IETF lists, including ietf-announce@ietf.org and ietf@ietf.org where appropriate, to notify the community of IAOC pending actions where community input is desired, actions adopted, contractual opportunities, contracts entered into, information, and the availability of updated reports.

      
      

   3. Office Hours

      
      

      The IAOC and IAD shall maintain office hours at all IETF meetings to enable the community to meet and discuss matters of interest directly. The IAD shall work with the IETF and IAB Chairs to announce the dates, times and meeting room location for all “IAOC Office Hours” held during IETF meetings to the community via the IASA website, on ietf@ietf.org, the Meeting List and the Meeting wiki no less than 1 week before the start of each IETF meeting and updated during the meeting.

      
      

   4. IETF Meeting Plenary

      
      

      The IAOC shall report to the community on the financial and operational status of IASA’s responsibilities at each IETF Meeting Administrative Plenary.

      
      

5. Reports

   
   

   1. Publication

      
      

      The following financial and operational reports will be published in accordance with the attached matrix and, unless otherwise indicated below, will be produced by the IAD and publicly published on the IASA website.

      
      

   2. Financial Reports

      
      

      Financial reports are intended to reflect the financial health of the IASA operations. The IASA fiscal year begins on January 1st.

      
      

      1. Budget

         
         

         The Budget reflects the revenues and expenses needed to provide administrative support to the IETF. It is expected the annual Budget will be published in November or December following its adoption by the IAOC and the Internet Society for the following year. [RFC 4071, §3.1]

         
         

      2. Unaudited Financial Report

         
         

         The unaudited Financial Report, prepared by Internet Society, will provide a review of the annual financial performance of IASA against budget. This report will be available as soon after the end of the calendar year as possible, and will be made public. [RFC 4071, §6, 7]

         
         

      3. Financial Statement

         
         

         The IASA monthly Financial Statement reflects the month's revenues and expenses compared with the budget, and a year-to-date comparison to the budget. The month’s financial statement will be posted within 30 days of the end of the month. The report is prepared by the Internet Society. [RFC 4071, §3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6]

         
         

      4. Detailed Financial Statement

         
         

         The Detailed Financial Statement is the month's detailed expenses and compares it to year-to-date expected budget performance for IETF, IAB, and IASA Support, and Other Meetings expenses. The IETF and IAB reports are intended for the IETF and IAB chairs respectively; the IASA report for the IAOC chair; and Other Meeting Expenses for the IAD. These reports will be available within 30 days of the end of the month. The report is prepared by the Internet Society. These reports will not be published on the IASA website. [RFC 4071, §7]

         
         

      5. Financial Forecast

         
         

         Year-End-Forecasts shall be prepared by the IAD using the financial statements prepared following the first and second IETF meetings of the year as advice to the Internet Society, and for the IAOC and IAD to manage operations against the current annual budget and take appropriate actions. [RFC 4071, §6]

         
         

      6. Budget Revision

         A Budget Revision will reflect the original Budget, the Revision, the variance to the budget and a summary of the reasons for the revisions. Revisions will be published within 30 days of occurrence. [RFC 4071, §6]

         
         

      7. Meeting Financial Statement

         
         

         Meeting Financial Statements reflect the revenues and expenses associated with each Meeting. A final statement will be published within 90 days of the meeting.

         
         

         1. Operational Reports

            
            

            The Operational Reports are intended to reflect the services being performed in support of the IETF, such as those services provided for the publication of RFCs, the assignment of numbers, and the support for the processing of technical standards. These reports can be found at: http://iaoc.ietf.org/reports.html.

            
            

            1. IASA Founding Documents (RFCs)

               
               

               RFC 4071, RFC 4371, RFC 4748, and such other documents as adopted, identify the services to be performed by IASA.

               
               

            2. IAOC Administrative Procedures

               
               

               The IAOC Administrative Procedures provides information concerning the IAOC’s decision-making rules, including rules for quorum, conflict of interest, and the breaking of tie votes. [RFC 4071, §3.4, 3.5]

               
               

            3. Minutes

               
               

               Minutes of IAOC meetings shall be published following their adoption by the IAOC, and in any event not later than 30 days after the meeting. Minutes are prepared by the IAOC scribe and adopted by the IAOC. [RFC 4071, §3.4]

               
               

            4. Annual IASA Goals

               
               

               The IAOC shall adopt annual goals for the IASA and the IAD by December of each year for the succeeding year. The IASA goals shall be published online.

               
               

            5. IAOC Chair Report

               
               

               The IAOC Chair may periodically prepare a report for the IETF Journal.

               
               

            6. Operations Report

               
               

               The IAD shall provide an Operations Report to the IAOC monthly, and to the ISOC Board as required; all such reports shall be published online. The report shall provide

               an update on the Budget, the performance of all contractors, and other relevant information as shall be decided. Confidential information shall not be posted on the IASA website. [RFC 4071, §3.1, 3.2]

               
               

            7. IETF Meeting Plenary Reports

               
               

               The IAOC shall publish an IAOC, financial, and vendor performance report online one week before the IETF Meeting.

               
               

            8. Contracts, SLAs, MoUs, SoWs

               
               

               Non-confidential agreements shall be posted upon execution. Public agreements include ICANN/IANA MoUs and SLAs. The entire agreement with confidential matters therein shall be posted to the IAOC private website. [RFC 4071, §3, 7]

               
               

            9. Contract Summaries

         
         

         When a contract contains confidential information, that information shall be summarized if possible to protect its confidentiality, or if not, extracted. The balance of the contract shall be published on the IASA website within 14 days of execution. The entire agreement shall be published on the private IAOC website. Summaries shall include the SoW and performance standards of each agreement. Agreements with confidential information include the Secretariat, RFC Editor, Copy Editors, Legal, NOC, and hotels. [RFC 4071, §7]

         
         

         5.3.19. RFPs and RFIs

         
         

         RFPs and RFIs shall be published upon announcement.

         
         

         1. IAOC Expense Reimbursement Policy

            
            

            The IAOC shall set and publish rules covering reimbursement of expenses, and such reimbursement shall generally be for exceptional cases only. [RFC 4071, §4]

            
            

         2. IETF Administrative Support Function Location Decisions

            
            

            The IAOC shall publish an Administrative Function Location Decision and its justification when it determines that additional administrative functions are to be performed; how or where they should be performed, internally or by outside organizations, so as to maintain an optimal balance of functional performance and cost of each such function. [RFC 4071, §3]

            
            

         3. Procedural Variant Decisions

            If the IASA cannot comply with the procedures described in RFC 4071 for legal, accounting, or practical reasons, the IAOC shall report that fact to the community along with the variant procedure that the IAOC intends to follow. [RFC 4071, §3]

            
            

         4. Guidelines for Contracted Services

            
            

            The Guidelines for Contracted Services set out the conditions under which the IASA intends to establish normal business relationships with the IETF service providers. The Guideline is located at < http://iaoc.ietf.org/contracts.html>.

            
            

         5. Announcements

            
            

            IAOC Announcements on an IETF list shall also be published on the IASA website upon occurrence.

            
            

         6. IETF Meetings Venue Selection Criteria

            
            

            The IAOC shall produce and publish the IETF Meetings venue selection criteria upon adoption.

            
            

         7. IETF Meeting Network Requirements

            
            

            The IAOC shall produce and publish the IETF Meeting Network Requirements describing the meeting’s connectivity and network requirements upon adoption.

            
            

         8. Hosts and Sponsorship Program

         
         

         The IAOC and ISOC will collaborate to produce and publish a Hosts and Sponsorship Program.

         
         

         5.4 Legal Matters

         
         

         5.4.1 Subpoenas and Other Legal Requests

         
         

         All subpoenas and other legal requests received by the IAOC or the IETF will be published on the IAOC website together with their responses, unless disclosure is prohibited by law, court order, contract or other legal commitment, or would compromise personal, financial or other sensitive information held by the IETF.

         
         

6. Review

   
   

   The IAOC shall review this policy annually, and update it as appropriate. The IAOC will invite community review and input during the annual review cycle.

   
   

7. Adopted

This policy is adopted July 12, 2007.

This policy was reviewed, modified and re-adopted on February 20, 2014.