RE: [registrars] FW: Registrar Approval of Variable Accreditation Fee for 2003-2004

["Rob Hall" <rob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Elana,

I would like to ask that this item be put on the Agenda for the meeting on
the 12th.  I would certainly like to discuss this.

I would also suggest that Registrars hold off approving this until we have
had a chance to discuss it on the 12th.  Following any discussion, a
Registrar if they so chose could immediately sign the documents and hand
them to ICANN.

I see no reason to push this to be done prior to our meeting on the 12th.
We are already months behind in approving it, another week won't hurt.


Rob.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-registrars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Elana Broitman
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 1:52 PM
To: registrars@xxxxxxxx
Cc: halloran@xxxxxxxxx; Paul Westley; Registrars Executive Committee
Subject: [registrars] FW: Registrar Approval of Variable Accreditation
Fee for 2003-2004


Dear Registrars - this is a message regarding approval of the ICANN budget.

The RAA provides that in order for variable accreditation fees to be
collected directly from registrars - as opposed to registries - these fees
must be expressly approved by enough registrars to account for two-thirds of
all the registrar fees to be paid.  As you may recall, we had briefed
registrars regarding the budget at the Montreal meeting, including the
doubling of the fees this year in order to fund the new reorganized ICANN.
We would like to see ICANN take the larger budget and quickly hire the staff
and make other changes that it needs to, in order to become more efficient
and responsive and to finally implement the policies that have been in the
process of adoption, in some cases, for several years.

I would encourage approval of this budget in order to give ICANN the
resources to become the effective institution that Paul Twomey has promised,
as well as to maintain registrars as a direct link to the ICANN budget.
There will be further opportunities for comments and questions to ICANN
staff at the LA meeting.  But, I would encourage us to focus on keeping
ICANN responsible for the changes that this budget will fund, rather than
delay with approving the budget at this time.

Attached is a message from ICANN regarding the budget, the process, and the
approval form that would need to be sent to ICANN by
each approving registrar.  Please send your form prior to our meeting on the
12th.

Please let Paul Westley and/or the ExCom know if/when you send the approval
form.

Thank you very much for your attention to this.  Please feel free to contact
me if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Elana Broitman
Register.com
575 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Phone (212) 798-9215
Fax   (212) 629-9309
ebroitman@xxxxxxxxxxxx



------------------------------
Dear Registrar,

Each year, all ICANN-Accredited Registrars are given an opportunity to
approve the level of registrar contributions to ICANN budget.  Please take a
moment to review ICANN's Budget for Fiscal Year 2003-2004
<http://www.icann.org/financials/budget-fy03-04-14aug03.htm>. This budget
was developed in consultation with the Budget Advisory Group - including
three delegates from the Registrars Constituency.  As indicated in the
budget, ICANN's priorities for this year include the following:

	- Reorganization of ICANN into a more business-like structure,
including retooling of current positions and addition of several key staff
positions.

	- Complete remaining work on the evaluation of the November 2000
round of new gTLDs; complete remaining work on approving and launching a
limited round of new sponsored gTLDs; and develop a framework for
considering further expansion in the top-level gTLD namespace.

	- Improve ICANN's capability for monitoring agreements and ensuring
compliance.

	- Strengthen ICANN as an operating organization, including continued
normalization of financial support, staffing, and administrative operations.

As in the past, the budget provides that ICANN-Accredited Registrars will
contribute to ICANN's budget through both yearly accreditation fees and, if
they elect, quarterly variable accreditation fees.  The yearly fees will
remain at US$4,000 for the first TLD for which you are accredited, plus
US$500 for each additional TLD.  The formula for determining the variable
accreditation fees also remains essentially the same as it is. The effective
per-name fee under the formula this year will, based on the recommendation
of ICANN's Budget Advisory Group, increase from approximately 12 to
approximately 18 cents. (For your reference, you can find a chart showing
all registrar contributions for the 2002-2003 fiscal year at
<http://www.icann.org/financials/gtld-contribution-chart-02-03.htm>.)

The Registrar Accreditation Agreement provides that in order to be collected
directly from registrars, these fees must be expressly approved by enough
registrars to account for two-thirds of all the registrar fees to be paid.

If you would like to voice your approval for the fees, please sign and send
the attached letter to:

ICANN
4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
USA
Phone: 1/310-823-9358
Fax: 1/310-823-8649

Thank you for your attention.