[ALAC] Urgent - ALAC Statements on Community Applications

[Rinalia Abdul Rahim]

Dear ALAC Colleagues,

There are urgent emerging issues related to the new gTLD string contention
that the EXCOMM believes warrant an ALAC intervention.  With the support of
Evan, I have taken the liberty of drafting an ALAC response for your
immediate input.  We need to submit the statements by the second week of
August (latest) to have the possibility of an ICANN response before
community priority evaluation begins.  Please do try your best to provide
comments for improvements or endorsements if you like the text/intent via
the wiki page indicated by Thursday (8 August 2013).

Policy Development wiki page links and statement text pasted below for your
quick review.  If the wiki link is not active, kindly copy and paste the
URL for activation.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Rinalia

*1. ALAC Statement on Preferential Treatment for Community Applications in
String Contention*

WIKI page for your comments:
https://community.icann.org/display/alacpolicydev/ALAC+STATEMENT+ON+PREFERENTIAL+TREATMENT+FOR+COMMUNITY+APPLICATIONS+IN+STRING+CONTENTION

 *DRAFT ALAC STATEMENT ON PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR COMMUNITY APPLICATIONS
IN STRING CONTENTION*

The ALAC notes that due to strict eligibility criteria, some of the new
gTLD applications intended for communities and with wide public/grassroots
support were not submitted as community applications.  These applications
are currently in contention with those that are fully commercial (i.e.,
driven purely by financial gain).

We firmly believe that applications with demonstrable support, appropriate
safeguards and emphasis on community service over revenue maximization
should be accorded preferential treatment in the new gTLD string contention
resolution process.  We thus support the position of the Governmental
Advisory Committee (GAC) as per the GAC Communiqué dated 18 July 2013 and
call on ICANN to review all 688 applications currently in contention and
provide preferential treatment to applications that meet the specification
described above.

END

*2. ALAC Statement on Community Expertise in Community Priority Evaluation*

WIKI page for your comments:
https://community.icann.org/display/alacpolicydev/ALAC+STATEMENT+ON+COMMUNITY+EXPERTISE+IN+COMMUNITY+PRIORITY+EVALUATION

 *DRAFT ALAC STATEMENT ON COMMUNITY EXPERTISE IN COMMUNITY PRIORITY
EVALUATION*

The ALAC has concerns about the sufficiency of community expertise in
panels that evaluate new gTLD community applications in string contention
processes.

We believe that the evaluations have significant implications for community
applications and require sufficient and relevant community-related
expertise in panels that evaluate the applications.  In providing this
advice we draw from the learning provided by the failure of the new gTLD
Applicant Support Program.

*Community Priority Evaluation *

Module 4 of the Applicant Guidebook specifies that the Community Priority
Evaluation is applicable only for community-based applicants.  The
evaluation is an independent analysis (i.e., not dependent on prior
applicant review results) and that any community application that passes
the Evaluation will “eliminate all directly contending standard
applications, regardless of how well qualified the latter may be.”
Furthermore, community applications that fail the Evaluation will proceed
into auction involving all contending parties where they may be at a
disadvantage against fully commercial applications.

As per the new gTLD Program Timeline indicated at
http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/timelines, we note that the
string contention resolution process will begin in September 2013.  We also
note that the Economist Intelligence Unit and InterConnect Communications
have been appointed as service providers for the Community Priority
Evaluation Panel (see new gTLD Program Update at the ICANN Dakar Meeting in
2011).

We have concerns that these entities may have a natural familiarity and
pre-disposition toward business that may discriminate against applications
emphasizing community service over revenue-maximization.

The ALAC thus calls for community-related expertise in the Community
Priority Evaluation Panel and stands ready to offer appropriate and
un-conflicted ICANN community volunteers to serve as panel members or
advisors.

END