ICANN Meetings in Year 2001 Call for Proposals

ICANN is actively seeking proposals from organizations interested in hosting one of ICANN's meetings in the year 2001. In the Internet's tradition of bottom-up self-organization, ICANN relies on the efforts of local Internet organizations and/or ad hoc host committees to make its meetings possible.

The Board has tentatively decided to hold its meetings according to the following schedule and regional rotation:

	March 2001	South Asia/Pacific (possibly Australia)
	June 2001	Europe
	September 2001	Latin America/Caribbean
	November 2001	West Coast United States or Canada

 

 

 

General meeting requirements are described on this page.

Proposals and inquiries should be sent via email to Andrew McLaughlin <ajm@icann.org>. For the March 2001 meeting, proposals should be sent no later than 31 July, 2000.

ICANN meetings run at least four days. A set of ICANN meeting typically runs four days:

Day 1 - Orientation session for new participants; Advisory Committees; DNSO Constituencies and Working Groups; Governmental Advisory Committee

Day 2 - Advisory Committees; DNSO Names Council and General Assembly; Governmental Advisory Committee

Day 3 - ICANN Public Forum

Day 4 - ICANN Board of Directors meeting (open to public observation)

Days 1 and 2 entail a range of differently sized rooms (detailed below). Days 2, 3, and 4 require a large auditorium with Internet connectivity suitable for webcasting (see below). The large auditorium, and all locally-provided facilities associated with it, must also be available starting on "Day 0" to allow two full days of setup.

By way of example, previous ICANN meetings have been held in Yokohama, Cairo, Los Angeles, Santiago, Berlin, and Singapore. Local sponsors and hosts have provided essential equipment, logistical, and financial support in each of those locations.

As a small non-profit organization, ICANN asks the local host organization (or committee) to provide substantial in-kind support for the costs of a set of meetings. For some past meetings, the local hosts have secured sponsorships from local sources; for others, a local host organization has assumed responsibility for providing the necessary meeting space, equipment, personnel, and logistical support. ICANN will independently seek sponsors from the broader Internet community to offset the costs of Board travel and expenses, webcasting services, receptions, and coffee breaks.

ICANN's objective is to keep its direct expenses as low as possible (i.e., as close to zero as possible). One of the most important factors in choosing a meeting location will necessarily be the ability of the local organization or host committee to provide (directly or through local sponsors) the necessary meeting space, equipment, personnnel, and logistical support.

At a minimum, ICANN asks the local host organization to divide responsibilities as follows:

• Responsibility of local host organization/committee:
  • Meeting spaces
  • Work space for ICANN Board and staff
  • Equipment (see below)
  • Network connectivity and related equipment
  • Personnel for registration, video, help with equipment setup and take-down
• Responsibility of ICANN
  • Travel and hotel expenses for ICANN Board and staff
  • Webcasting expenses (except network connectivity and certain equipment)
  • Receptions and coffee breaks (via sponsors)

The requirements for ICANN meetings are divided into nine categories: Rooms, Electrical, Audio, Video, Telephone, Network, Computer Hardware, Live Streaming, and Personnel.

Rooms:

• Main Auditorium (Days 2, 3, 4)
  • A ballroom or auditorium ("main room") with capacity for 400 (for the main large meetings: DNSO Names Council; DNSO General Assembly; ICANN Public Forum, ICANN Board Meeting).
  • Long table for 20 people on a raised platform or stage, seated in a U arrangement with 12 seats across the long back side and four extending forward on each side.
  • Podium.
  • Several tables at a front corner of the room for tech equipment.
  • Several additional low tables for computer monitors in front of raised platform or stage (so Board can see what is being projected on the screens).
  • Two large screens (ideally rear projection), each measuring at least 15 feet diagonally (ideally 18 or more feet diagonally).
  • Main room should be available for setup two full business days before the first meeting is to begin.
  • All main meetings must take place in this same room; no other meetings can take place in this room between when setup begins and four hours after the end of the last meeting; it must be available for access by ICANN staff at all times; and it must be completely and professionally secured (with its contents insured) when not in use

• Orientation session; DNSO Constituency and Working Group Rooms (Days 1 and 2)
  • Three rooms with capacity for 100.
  • Four rooms with capacity for 50.
  • Two rooms with capacity for 30.
  • Each room with audio equipment to record proceedings onto standard audiocassettes (ideally auto-reversing cassette decks).

• GAC Room (Days 1 and 2)
  • A conference room with capacity for 100.
  • Tables in a square or rectangle, with seats for 50.
  • Additional seats for 50 around the perimeter of the room.
  • An LCD projector.
  • Screen measuring at least 10 feet diagonally.

• Board/Staff workroom (Days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
  • Informal workroom with conference table capable of seating up to 20.
  • Laser printer (a standard model, HP LaserJet much preferred and native-Win98 driver support appreciated, with English-language drivers).
  • Internet connectivity (ideally Ethernet, with connectivity to the main auditorium)
  • Photocopier., and conference table.
  • Room and Ethernet should be available beginning 2 days before first main meeting until one day after the end of the ICANN Board meeting

Electrical:

• Main Auditorium
  • AC available at numerous locations throughout the room, with plenty of extension cords and power strips available as needed. At least sixteen outlets for the Board, at least thirty-six more for technical equipment. At least 50 outlets in at least twelve locations for audience members.

• Board/Staff workroom
  • AC available at the conference table in the workroom.

Audio:

• Main Auditorium
  • Sound reinforcement system
    • ten microphones for board members
    • one microphone at the podium
    • two microphones at front of room on floor stands for audience Q&A
    • one additional microphone.
  • Must be able to accept at least two signals on standard XLR or 1/4" connectors from equipment to be provided by ICANN for amplification through the house audio system, and must provide a mix output on balanced 1/4" or XLR connector to the front of the room.
  • Ideally, the mixer itself would be located at the front of the room for easy access by technical staff.
  • Must provide operator of sound equipment to adjust levels, etc., as needed.

• DNSO Constituency and Working Group meetings
  • Audio equipment as needed to record proceedings onto standard audiocassettes (ideally auto-reversing cassette decks).

Video:

• One video camera, US NTSC standard, and long cable to tech table at front of room. Ideally, multicamera live switching with at least two, perhaps as many as four cameras (potentially a mix of manned and unmanned cameras, and/or remote controlled motorized panheads), according to available resources.
• One US NTSC VCR.

Telephone:

• One telephone and telephone line capable of receiving calls from the US, with detachable RJ9/RJ11 handset connector.

Network:

• TCP/IP access to the Internet cloud via a high-speed connection.
• At least 1Mbps, ideally 2Mbps.
• To be accessible both from main room and from Board/staff workroom.
• Local hosts to provide the router and all other line-terminating equipment.
• Ethernet hubs (10BaseT) and ample Ethernet cabling for ten network connections at Board table, twenty at tech table, and no less than fifty at no fewer than twelve locations around the room for audience members.
• Ethernet autoconfiguration via DHCP.
• IP addresses (at least for tech table, and ideally throughout) should be genuine routable addresses, not virtual addresses, not behind a firewall, proxy server, or Network Address Translation gateway. ICANN staff will need to know IP address block at least seven days in advance to configure external IP-based security.

Computer Hardware:

• Twelve 19" or 21" monitors, or sixteen 17" monitors.
• Two laser printers, ideally Hewlett Packard Laserjet 4, 4Plus, 5, or 4050 (8+ pages per minute, parallel interface, supported by standard English Win95/98 drivers, non-host based) (one for main room, one for workroom).
• Two LCD projectors -- 2000 or more lumens (2500+ preferred), 1024x768 resolution; take into account placement of projector relative to audience and tech equipment, with only options generally being rear projection or very long-throw lens. Provide long high-quality VGA 15-pin "D" connector extension cables for each; video source to be PCs at front of room. Provide video pass-through to front of room.
• Ideally, computer terminals for audience -- primarily placed in a "computer lab" outside the main room, with ~2 computers in the main room for use by a few audience members during meetings.
• One PC computer in the workroom for ICANN Board/staff work.

Live Streaming:

• Ideally, streaming audio/video encoding and serving capability. In general, ICANN plans to provide publicity, registration, wrapper HTML; this would be just additional streaming capacity. RealMedia, Windows Media, or alternatives all acceptable as available.

Personnel:

• Audio equipment operator.
• Video equipment operator(s) as appropriate for equipment to be used.
• Assistance with running and taping down cables and taking down equipment / repacking (two days before meeting starts, and four hours after last meeting ends).
• English skills helpful with all personnel, as available.
• At least three registration desk workers on Days 1, 2, and 3, with good English skills -- these workers will take registration information, and distribute and print name tags, schedules, and directions.