[ALAC] Urgent - ALAC Statements on Community Applications

[Carlton Samuels]

I would be wary of fingering 'strict eligibility criteria' as cause.  This
may be construed as a plea for an 'elastic' arrangement that enables
gaming.  Buy yourself a claque and you're in!!!

I am also wary of a misreading that could equate de facto  'community'
applications as 'revenue neutral' applications.  That case is not made.

-Carlton


==============================
Carlton A Samuels
Mobile: 876-818-1799
*Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround*
=============================


On Sun, Aug 4, 2013 at 10:16 AM, Rinalia Abdul Rahim <
rinalia.abdulrahim at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
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