[council] Input sought on ICANN budget and operating plan

[Denise Michel]

Your opportunity to provide input -- collectively, and individually -- on
ICANN's budget and operating plan for the next three fiscal years has
begun.  A public comment email list will be opened on the "Initial Operating
Plan and Budget Framework" <
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-04feb08.htm>, and it will be
discussed in Delhi at a workshop on Wednesday, 13 February from 16:30 -
17:30.  Additionally, ICANN's COO, CFO, and I will be available to discuss
the  overall proposals, and elements directly related to Policy Development,
with constituencies in Delhi and via conference calls afterwards. Please
email me Glen to schedule a discussion.

As I noted previously, a new approach has been taken this year to allow more
time for community consultation and to provide a three year projection for
ICANN's operating plan and budget.  The process was launched four months
earlier this year with the posting of initial proposals to jump-start
discussions at the Delhi meeting.  The proposed budget and operating plan is
based on the June 2008 - July 2011 Strategic Plan <
http://www.icann.org/strategic-plan/>, on which public comment was sought
last year, and on the current operating plan and department budgets.  A
series of consultations and a public comment period will be held through
March (approximately), and then staff will incorporate the input, as
appropriate, and a proposed Operating Plan and Budget will be available for
further public comment until mid-May (approximately). The Board is scheduled
to consider and vote on the Operating Plan and Budget in June.  ICANN's next
fiscal year begins on 1 July 2008.

Please take time to review these initial proposals and provide your input.
Items that may be of particular interest to the GNSO include:

- A revenue budget for FY09 of about $61MM. This assumes modest transaction
growth, contractually planned increases in Registry fees, and factors in the
proposal of the elimination of ICANN fee refunds during the AGP.
- Increases in the new gTLD and IDN projects from a base cost of about
$3.7MM in FY08 to almost $14.3MM. This includes expenses to complete the
policy implementation elements, and the start-up expenses for going into
operation. In the three-year projection model, total expenses go down by
almost $5MM in FY2010 as these start-up expenses are no longer needed.
- Increases in other initiatives from about $13.1MM to about $19.9MM,
including compliance activities, registrant protection, infrastructure, and
security. The deliverables are shown in the operating plan.
- Increases to complete organizational reviews and implement organizational
improvements, including funding operational and structural changes to the
GNSO.
- Increases in Policy Development support over the next three fiscal years,
including funds to retain expert analysis to inform key policy discussions,
and provide additional secretariat support to SOs, constituencies and
Advisory Committees.

Again, the intent is provide a rough draft to engage the community in
meaningful budget and operating plan discussions that will help us produce a
draft plans for further comment.

I look forward to seeing those of you who will be in Delhi.

Regards,
Denise

-- 
Denise Michel
ICANN VP, Policy
denise.michel at icann.org
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