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Re: Consensus? #733 Outsourcing principle

2005-01-13 01:08:44
EKR wrote:
Harald Tveit Alvestrand <harald(_at_)alvestrand(_dot_)no> writes:

John Klensin suggested the following text for the first sentence, and
Scott Bradner supported the idea:

In principle, IETF administrative functions should be
outsourced. Decisions to perform specific functions
"in-house" should be explicitly justified by the IAOC
and restricted to the minimum staff required, with these
decisions and staffing reviewed by the IAOC on a regular
basis and against a "zero base" assumption.

We have to adjust the second sentence (referring to "such contracts"
would become ambiguous), so the total paragraph becomes:

  In principle, IETF administrative functions should be
  outsourced. Decisions to perform specific functions
  "in-house" should be explicitly justified by the IAOC
  and restricted to the minimum staff required, with these
  decisions and staffing reviewed by the IAOC on a regular
  basis and against a "zero base" assumption.

  The IAD is responsible for negotiating and maintaining outsourcing
  contracts, as well as providing any coordination necessary to make
  sure the IETF administrative support functions are covered properly.
  The IAOC is accountable for the structure of the IASA and thus
  decides which functions are to be outsourced.  All outsourcing must
  be via well-defined contracts or equivalent instruments.  Both
  outsourced and in-house functions must be clearly specified and
  documented with well-defined deliverables, service level agreements,
  and transparent accounting for the cost of such functions.

Is that OK with everyone? Case closed?


Sorry to be difficult, but no.

I'd like people to explain why they think that the BCP should impose a
bias towards outsourcing as opposed towards doing things in the
most efficient way possible.

I have sympathy with that view, especially since outsourcing can lead
to egregious results if you do it wrong (just think "billable hours").
But on the other hand, we want to discourage egregious bloat of direct
staff posts (I could give some examples, but then I would probably
get sued). And if we just say "do things in the most efficient way
possible" we've said very little. So I ended up thinking the proposed
text was OK.

   Brian

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