Re: Explosive bolts [Re: Options for IETF administrativerestructuring]

[Pete Resnick <[e-mail]>]

On 9/8/04 at 9:23 AM +0200, Brian E Carpenter wrote:

>scott bradner wrote:
>>>In his scenario, not only the Administrative Czar would need 
>>>explosive bolts, but also the RFC Editor and Secretariat, etc.
>>
>>that depends on the contracts with those suppliers - if the 
>>contract is signed by the IETF chair or the admin czar for the IETF 
>>(rather than for the ISOC)...

This is the most utterly confusing thing I've heard on this topic and 
I really hope Scott can clarify:

1. As far as I can tell, there is no scenario in which the IETF chair 
is signing anything. First and foremost, the IETF chair can't make a 
contract without exposing him/herself to *personal* liability because 
the IETF chair (as such) is not an employee of any corporation which 
empowers such a thing. If I were IETF chair, I wouldn't sign any 
contract which came within 10 miles of me.

2. The admin czar (at least in scenarios A&B) would be an employee of 
ISOC. I don't see how that person could possibly sign a contract on 
behalf of the IETF: Like the IETF chair, there's no legal 
relationship there that I understand. The admin czar could sign a 
contract on behalf of ISOC, or under scenario C&D sign on behalf of 
the "IETF Foundation" (as Carl's report calls it).

So I have no idea what you could mean by "sign for the IETF". And 
this is the core of my concern.

>>I would not expect that any supplier-specific bolts would be required

If all contracts (including the RFC Editor and the Secretariat) went 
through the admin entity (which would be under the ISOC in A&B), I 
agree that no separate bolts are required.

>And it would be pretty simple for ISOC (our incorporated entity 
>designed for this purpose in 1992) to give formal signature rights 
>to the IETF chair if we really needed that. I think a Board 
>resolution would suffice.

But that would entail giving the IETF chair signature rights *to sign 
for ISOC*. That would be sufficient for these purposes, but is 
completely undesirable in that we were trying to get IAB/IESG members 
*out* of the business of administrative tasks.

pr
-- 
Pete Resnick <http://www.qualcomm.com/~presnick/>
QUALCOMM Incorporated - Direct phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]

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