Dear Jeff, Cheryl, Steve, Emily, Julie, Firstly, I would personally like to thank you all for your leadership, dedication and drive over the past five + years , in this humungous effort , to enable us all in reaching this milestone. Secondly, it's been a real pleasure working with the very best in our industry. For clarity, I am responding to the consensus call in my own personal capacity, drawing on my own personal opinions formulated over the last five years of attendances. Like many of you in the core team I was heavily involved on behalf of many applicants in the processes , procedures and problems of the first Round. I now have to ask myself , whether these problems, whether policy or implementation issues have now been addressed and rectified. I am particularly pleased we have now found a solution(s) to singles and plurals, COI, financial business models. Topic 35: Auctions Recommendation 35.4 ICANN Auction of Last Resort Like many in the community , I found it extremely unacceptable that over $1 billion profit was made from resolving 234 contention sets, including $234,000 for ICANN in its last resort takes all auction in Round 1. I am now in agreement that Topic 35 and its recommendations and implementation guidelines addresses the complex issues and problems around contention set resolutions. However , whilst I agree with the ICANN Auction Last Resort models using the second price auction method, I cannot see how it would work in the ( unlikely) event of (two or more) Spec 13 closed brands finding themselves in a contention set Valuing a TLD at the best of times is extremely difficult , made more so , in a sealed bid very early in the application process , without any prior knowledge of other applicants in a contention set. Spirt Chartering Whilst I am in total agreement with all the points raised under Spirt Chartering , I feel it does not go far enough and doesn't integrate with the workings of the ICANN.org Round 2 Team. I would most certainly like to serve on this SPIRT team. If not work full time in the ICANN.org team. As a Segway , further implementation advice needs to be given, as to the setting up of a new division, self funded, ring fenced within ICANN.org. Within that division/ cost centre needs to be the appointment of four key F/T employees to head up this new BOLD division. They would be collectively be responsible for the Budget , Operations , Legal and Delegation for the next Round. My suggestion , recommendation would be they would all have a permanent seat on the SPIRT team. I trust this is food for thought as many of us move on to the Operational and Implementation phase of Round 2. Best regards, Phil Phil Buckingham -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus