Dear Khaled,
Thank you for your reply on behalf of the Board OEC to our request for
support in the appointment of an external facilitator to enable the
re-start of SSR2-RT. In this message, while ICANN61 is underway, we hope to
answer the questions you have raised to make tangible progress during this
meeting and immediately provide the RT members and the broader community
with much-needed action and clarity. In short, to the extent that a procure
process is necessary, we ask that it commence immediately. The appointment
of the facilitator and all new members (already in progress within the
SO/ACs) will signal the formal "un-pause" or "re-start" of the SSR2-RT.
Our overarching aim is to empower the RT members to come together as a
group and progress their work. To that end, it is absolutely imperative
that the RT members be involved in this discussion. Our responses here
should be interpreted as guidance from the community rather than a top-down
mandate. We therefore have included the RT members in this reply, and ask
that going forward our communications include them, and that they
contribute to these recommendations.
To guide the procurement process (specific details for which are set out
below) we wish to explain in more detail the intended role of the
facilitator. Our email of 15 February stated: "The primary aim of the
external facilitator would be to facilitate this transition process, with a
view to winding facilitation down when RT members and leaders consider that
issues are satisfactorily resolved to continue their work." We consider the
role of the facilitator to be a) onboarding new members who have joined
since the "pause" and agreeing on leadership from within the current
membership; b) helping the group to work through concerns around membership
and scope as identified in a confidential survey conducted by the SO/AC
Chairs shortly after the pause; and c) helping the RT to identify ways to
reach consensus. Specifically in response to the procurement practice:
- Skill set requirements: To most effectively fulfil a), b) and c)
above, the facilitator should be external to ICANN, with expertise in group
dynamics and empowering group members with divergent views and experience
to coalesce around a common goal. The SO/AC Chairs will provide the
confidential responses received to the survey conducted following ICANN60
which sought RT member input on issues relating to membership and scope,
and which generated quite divergent responses. The facilitator must
therefore establish a safe space in which the broad range of views on
membership and scope can be discussed and common positions identified, with
agreement on moving forward in an agreed statement of scope and list of
members.
- Experience requirements: As appropriate to meet skill set requirements
above
- Scope of work: a) helping the group to coalesce around leadership and
onboarding new members who have joined since the "pause"; b) helping the
group to work through concerns around membership and scope as identified in
a confidential survey conducted by the SO/AC Chairs shortly after the
pause; c) helping the RT to identify ways to reach consensus.
- Timing and duration: Facilitation ends when all expected deliverables
(below) are completed.
- Expected deliverables: a) confirmation of membership list of RT going
forward, with chair/s identified; b) an agreed statement of scope; and c)
if considered necessary by the RT members, a request from the RT for
additional or different resources (ie, more members with particular skills,
refinements to staff support), with a clear statement as to how any such
request is necessary to and directly supportive of the RT's work.
We appreciate your positive response to our initial request, and are
prepared to respond promptly to any further questions this week, in order
that the procurement process can commence immediately. We ask further that
this be prioritised by the OEC so that the facilitator's appointment - and
thus the re-start of SSR2-RT - can take place as soon as possible, and *no
later than 1 May* for scheduling to take full advantage of face to face
time at ICANN62.
Kind regards, on behalf of,
SO/AC Chairs
