[arin-announce] Updated 4th Draft SLA for the IANA Numbering Services

[ARIN]

This update is provided on behalf of the Number Resource Organization (NRO).

UPDATED FOURTH DRAFT SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT FOR THE IANA NUMBERING
SERVICES (SLAv4) AND CALL TO ICANN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SIGNING THE SLA

25 February 2016

Background

On 15 January 2015, the Consolidated RIR IANA Stewardship Proposal
(CRISP) Team submitted the Internet Number Community Proposal to the
request for proposals issued by the IANA Stewardship Coordination Group
(ICG).

https://www.nro.net/wp-content/uploads/ICG-RFP-Number-Resource-Proposal.pdf

One of the key elements of the Internet Number Community proposal is to
replace the current NTIA IANA agreement with a new contract, a Service
Level Agreement (SLA), between the IANA Numbering Services Operator and
the five RIRs.

A first draft of the SLA was published on 1 May 2015 and opened for
public comments until 14 June 2015. The first draft of the SLA is
available at:

https://www.nro.net/sla-v1

A second draft of the SLA was published on 6 August 2015 and opened for
public comments until 31 August 2015.  The second draft of the SLA is
available at:

https://www.nro.net/sla-v2

A third draft of the SLA was published on 30 October 2015 and invited
ICANN legal staff to provide comments by November 30th 2015. The third
draft of the SLA is available at

https://www.nro.net/sla-v3

Fourth Draft SLA

As a result of ICANN comments on the third draft of the SLA and a
clarification call on Tuesday January 26th a fourth draft of the SLA has
been produced and available at

https://www.nro.net/sla

For the sake of clarity, you can find a track changes version of SLAv4
against the third draft at:

https://www.nro.net/sla-track-changes

Additionally, a document with the comments on SLAv3 and the legal team
responses is available at:

https://www.nro.net/slav3-comments

In accordance with the transparency commitment with the community, we
share the exchange of a clear track of comments between ICANN and RIR
staff working towards a final SLA document.

About the Fourth Draft SLA

The fourth draft of the SLA has been developed by a team consisting of
individuals from different RIRs. It responds to the principles included
in the Internet Number Community proposal and is based on the already
existing provisions of the NTIA IANA agreement. The content of SLAv4 is
the result of consideration of public comments received during the
public comment period on the second draft SLA as well as informational
meetings with ICANN staff regarding the operational provisions of the
SLA and ICANN’s written comments regarding the third draft SLA.  It
remains written in such a way that it can be signed as part of the
implementation of the IANA transition when this occurs or before,
without pre-judging the outcome of the ICG coordinated proposal.

The SLA includes legally important provisions, such as those that
regulate the five RIRs acting together and being responsible
collectively in its dealings with ICANN under the SLA. It includes
background and definitions.

The SLA also includes explanatory footnotes that reference the source of
each article according to the Internet Number Community proposal
principles or the NTIA IANA agreement.

Next Steps

The RIRs thank the community and ICANN staff for its thoughtful comments
and now publish this SLAv4 in the interest of transparency and keeping
the community apprised of progress being made on the SLA.  We trust that
all comments and concerns have been addressed and that the current
draft, SLAv4, represents a mutually acceptable SLA that is consistent
with the principles found within the Internet Number Community
proposal.  We invite ICANN staff to take the appropriate steps so that
we can move forward with signing of this SLA as soon as possible,
preferably during the ICANN 55 Meeting in Marrakech Morocco.