[RDS-WHOIS2-RT-Leadership_Staff] FW: Additional budget question

Larisa B. Gurnick larisa.gurnick at icann.org
Sun May 20 17:05:44 UTC 2018


Hello Alan, Susan and Cathrin,
Thank you for taking the time to discuss your concerns about the Public Comment on Short-term Options to Adjust the Timing on Specific Reviews.
In response, we have put together the below summary and information, addressing requests ## 153, 156 and 157 on the Leadership Meeting Tracking Tool.<https://community.icann.org/display/WHO/Leadership+Meeting+-+Tracking+Tool>

Questions:
Alan wrote in an email<https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff/2018-May/000375.html> on Wed May 16 00:46:36 UTC 2018:  “I believe the presentation in the document is not accurate. It says "the Review Team planned to defer some of its work" whereas in fact the ToR says that "the review team may choose to defer some or all of its work in relation to the..." The work "MAY is critical as we have not made any such decision. as reflected in the later statement "Should any work be deferred". Moreover, I do not believe that the financial details presented with the options are accurate (although I never did receive the financial details that were asked for ages ago).”

Additionally, in an email<https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff/2018-May/000377.html> on Thu May 17 02:00:08 UTC 2018:  “The budget on the Factsheet shows a total of $690,000. Expenses started in June 2017, which fell in FY17.  As ICANN budgets annually, can you please provide the details of exactly how much was budgeted in FY17 and FY18 as well as the total expenses for FY17 and as I previously requested the FY18 expenses up until the end of April (covering the 2nd Brussels F2F), as well as what is in the original draft FY19 budget. If the revised FY19 budget for the RDS-WHOIS2 Review is known, please provide that as well.”

ICANN org response regarding Terms of Reference:  the public comment documents are being updated to include the exact language from the Terms of Reference. We will let you know when the posting has been completed, current target is 22 May.

ICANN org response regarding financial details and the additional questions noted in Alan’s email<https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff/2018-May/000377.html> on Thu May 17 02:00:08 UTC 2018:
Option B and C are estimated to result in a savings of $460,000 in FY19.

RDS-WHOIS2 Review Envelope was $690,000 to cover the work of the review team from start to finish, regardless of the fiscal year -  consisting of:
•       Travel & Catering                                                                       $340,000
•       Professional Services – Review Team component                                   $200,000
•       Professional Services – Contractors engaged by ICANN org to support RT work             $150,000

This envelope was calculated based on past experience and available information at the time.  Travel & Catering assumption was based on 21 Review Team members (the maximum number according to the Bylaws). We had briefed you on the RDS-WHOIS2 review envelope in July 2017, at the start of your work.

FY17 - As the Review Team was appointed in June 2017, at the end of Fiscal Year 2017, there were minimal expenses in that Fiscal Year - $15,000.  Additionally, in FY17 the review budget allocation was handled at an aggregate basis, not by review.  The expenses of $15,000 related to an informal meeting that took place at ICANN59 in Johannesburg.  These expenses are reflected on the Travel & Catering Expenses Summary (see attached).

FY18 - During the current fiscal year, the Review Team had two face-to-face meetings and incurred expenses of $54,000 as of 30 April 2018.  Some additional expenses pertaining to the April 2018 meeting are expected to come through in May 2018, estimated at $7,500.  The Review Team has not opted to engage any outside experts, therefore the professional services allocation of $200,000 (Review Team component) has not been used.  ICANN org has engaged a contractor to support Review Team’s substantive work, at a cost of $46,000.

This means that since the start of the review, a total of approximately $115,000 has been spent as of 30 April 2018;  with an additional $7,500 yet to be reflected.  The expected unspent funds at the end of FY18 would be $568,000.

FY19 - In the FY19 budget, to achieve predictability in review expenditures and exercise fiscal responsibility, we planned to implement a new “standard” assumption of 10 supported travelers for each review.  This assumption aligns closely with the actual number of RDS-WHOIS2 team, which has 10 review team members.  Thus, the FY19 Proposed Budget for this review is $460,000 (Travel & Catering $160,000; Professional Services total of $300,000 – RT component and contractor engaged by ICANN org).  Based on the run rate during FY18, the current work plan, and especially because of the leadership’s focus on fiscal control, the budgeted amount is expected to meet the needs of the review team.  The RDS-WHOIS2 made significant progress while controlling costs.

We understand from our Finance colleagues that they will publish the FY19 Operating Plan and Budget Proposed for Adoption by the Board on Monday, 21 May.

To summarize, the estimated savings of $460,000 used for Options B and C represents the amount of funding for the work of the RDS-WHOIS2 Review Team that may not be needed, IF either of those options would be agreed upon by the ICANN community and the Review Team.  A chart summarizing this information is posted below.

We realize that at this late stage in FY18, the cost saving in FY18 is not relevant to the presented options and will remove references to FY18 savings from the Public Comment posting.  This applies to Option C and will be reflected in the updated Public Comment.  (Same applies to ATRT3 Option C.)

A detailed accounting of the actual Travel & Catering expenses incurred since the start of the Review has been updated to include April data and is attached.  It includes expenses by category (airfare/travel, hotel, per diem, and catering)  by month, and supports the expense figures noted above.  I highlight that in response to the Review Team’s earlier request for more detailed financial information than what was shown on the original Fact Sheet, an “Expenses” Fact Sheet was developed and has been posted on a quarterly basis since September 2017.  With the help of our Finance colleagues, we have made several improvements to this detailed information, to align with ICANN’s fiscal years.  We hope that you find this information useful.   Please note that  it is posted on the wiki as part of the quarterly updates of the Fact Sheet<https://community.icann.org/display/WHO/Fact+Sheet>.

ICANN response to other items:
The public comment documents are being updated to include the actual language provided by the ccNSO in their notice about their decision not to appoint members to the RDS-WHOIS2 Review Team.

After you’ve had a chance to review this information, along with the upcoming publication of the FY19 Operating Plan and Budget Proposed for Adoption by the Board, should you have additional questions or concerns, Becky Nash and I can join your leadership call or make other arrangements to discuss with you when convenient.

Thank you,
Larisa

Chart summarizing the financial details discussed above:



-----Original Message-----
From: RDS-WHOIS2-RT-Leadership_Staff [mailto:rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff-bounces at icann.org] On Behalf Of MSSI Secretariat
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2018 1:20 PM
To: Alan Greenberg <alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca<mailto:alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca>>
Cc: RDS-WHOIS2-Leadership <rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff at icann.org<mailto:rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff at icann.org>>
Subject: Re: [RDS-WHOIS2-RT-Leadership_Staff] Additional budget question

Dear Alan,

Thank you very much for your note. I would like to acknowledge receipt of your requests sent to us yesterday and today, and to let you know that we understand the urgency of these matters and are working diligently to try to address them.

We’ll keep you posted on the progress we are making towards providing you with responses on your requests.

Kind regards,
MSSI team



On 5/16/18, 9:01 PM, "RDS-WHOIS2-RT-Leadership_Staff on behalf of Alan Greenberg" <rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff-bounces at icann.org on behalf of alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca<mailto:rds-whois2-rt-leadership_staff-bounces at icann.org%20on%20behalf%20of%20alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca>> wrote:

    To RDS-WHOIS2-RT MSSI staff,

    The budget on the Factsheet shows a total of $690,000. Expenses
    started in June 2017, which fell in FY17.

    As ICANN budgets annually, can you please provide the details of
    exactly how much was budgeted in FY17 and FY18 as well as the total
    expenses for FY17 and as I previously requested the FY18 expenses up
    until the end of April (covering the 2nd Brussels F2F), as well as
    what is in the original draft FY19 budget. If the revised FY19 budget
    for the RDS-WHOIS2 Review is known, please provide that as well.

    Please log this as a formal request and treat it as extremely high priority.

    Alan

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