https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/details/icann-presents-estimated-ssad-costs-and-fees-to-gnso-council-21-12-2021-en 

21 December 2021

Göran Marby, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

I'm pleased to announce that ICANN org has completed its assessment and potential design for the System for Standardized Access/Disclosure (SSAD) as a part of the Operational Design Phase (ODP). The Operational Design Assessment (ODA) is the final outcome of the ODP, which we expect to deliver to the ICANN Board and publish in February 2022. With this work, we have reached a significant milestone in supporting the Board's preparation to consider the Recommendations 1-18 of the Final Report [gnso.icann.org] of the GNSO Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data Phase 2.

The Board is reviewing the draft ODA, which highlights some of the challenges inherent in the set of policy recommendations related to the SSAD. As work on finalizing the ODA continues, ICANN org and several Board members met [icann.zoom.us] with the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council on 20 December 2021 to brief them on the initial findings of the org's analysis.  In that discussion with the GNSO Council, the SSAD ODP team presented its overall findings of what will be required to implement the SSAD-related recommendations, including the estimated range of costs and fees, related assumptions and considerations, and noted strategic questions that the ICANN Board is considering. It was a useful and important opportunity to work together and engage with the GNSO council to discuss the findings and reasoning behind the design choices.

When the GNSO Council adopted the EPDP Phase 2 Team's policy recommendations, they requested a formal engagement with the Board to further discuss the costs and benefits of the SSAD. The 20 December meeting was a first step as the org prepares to brief the full community on the costs and overall findings, and was meant to help prepare for the Council and the Board to engage in that cost/benefit analysis discussion.

The next step will be a webinar held by the SSAD ODP team for the community that expands on the presentation that was made to the GNSO Council on 20 December 2021. That webinar will take place 18 January 2022 at 1500 UTC. After the community webinar on the SSAD costs and overall findings, the Council and the Board will discuss the costs and benefits of the SSAD.

The Board and I are eager to discuss these findings with the Council and engage in a dialogue with the community. As such, the Board will discuss the next steps during the upcoming Board Workshop, and engage with the Council on the planned formal consultation following the community webinar that will expand upon the findings presented to the GNSO Council. Click here for more information on how to register for this webinar. If you would like to provide input or ask questions, I encourage you to attend the webinar, which will provide information presented to the GNSO Council in more detail.

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