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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=FR link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Dear SO/AC leaders and community members,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>I would like to provide an update on the Operating/Budget process: you may have noticed that we have not published the draft FY15 Budget information for public comment yesterday, as originally planned. Instead, the publication of the FY15 Draft Operating plan and Budget will be delayed until a tentative date of May 8th. Kickoff calls will be rescheduled to the days following this date.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The main driver to this delay is the NTIA announcement and its impact on the budget process: the management needed to change the allocation of resources in order to allow the organization to prioritize the USG transition work, and therefore adjust the resource allocation of the rest of the organization. Performing this exercise, and communicating it thoroughly with the BFC, has added approximately 2 weeks to the process of finalizing the draft budget.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The BFC and Board are meeting during a workshop from Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th of April (next week). During these meetings, the full updated schedule of the budget process until Board approval will be determined by the BFC and reviewed for consent by the Board. We will then publish a more comprehensive announcement relative to this timeline change.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>We are not happy to delay a significant milestone of the process, but needed to dedicate the necessary amount of time to take into account the change of circumstances. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this transition phase.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Xavier<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>