Draft Minutes

INCITS Standards Policy Board (SPB)
Meeting Number 1 - Inaugural Meeting

NIST
325 Broadway
Building 1
Conference Room 1107
Boulder, Colorado 80305
Messages: (303) 497-4500
Faxes: (303) 497-5208

February 12, 2003	1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
February 13, 2003	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

1. Administrative

1.1 Call to Order

Mr. Thewlis, Chairman of the former JTC 1 TAG, called the inaugural meeting of the INCITS Standards Policy Board (SPB) to order at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, February 12, 2003.

1.2 Membership and Attendance

1.2.1 Introduction of Attendees and Members

The meeting participants were introduced. The attendance list for the February 2003 inaugural meeting of the INCITS Standards Policy Board is available in Attachment 1.

1.2.2 For Action - Membership Report

Voting membership on the Standards Policy Board is achieved when voting membership has been established on the Executive Board.

• As reported in it021295, Ms. Stamnes has withdrawn as an Intel alternate representative.
• Mr. Mondello has been named the Sun Microsystems principal representative, and Mr. Hill will serve as the alternate (in030011).
• Boeing has terminated its advisory membership (in030085).
• IEEE has announced that Ms. Gorman will serve as their principal representative with Mr. Holleman and Dr. Pritchard serving as the alternate representatives (in030093).
• As reported in in030129, Mr. Schoechle has been named the Farance, Inc. alternate representative.
• Unisys has changed to advisory membership as detailed in in030179.
• IBM has withdrawn Mr. Adams as their alternate representative on the committee (in030183).
• DCTA Inc. has changed to advisory membership (in030215).
• Intel has named Mr. Thewlis an alternate representative (in030216).
• Imation has terminated advisory membership on INCITS (in030217).

The Executive Board approved the EIA contribution (in030213) requesting an attendance waiver for voting members of the previous organizations.   The INCITS Secretariat had been instructed to notify the following members that if they are not represented at the April 7-11, 2003 meeting of the Executive Board, they will have failed to establish voting membership on the committee and will need to attend two out of three successive meetings to establish voting rights on the Executive Board: EIA, Panasonic Technologies, US DoD/DISA and Xerox.

Those organizations in attendance indicated that they intended to participate as voting members on the Standards Policy Board.  It was agreed that following Executive Board voting members not in attendance would be voting members of the Standards Policy Board unless they notified the Secretariat to the contrary:  EIA, Panasonic Technologies, US DoD/DISA and Xerox.

At this time, voting SPB membership is:

• 13 Business (Large/Small Business): Apple Computer, Farance Inc., Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Network Appliance, Open Strategies, Oracle, Panasonic Technologies, Sony Electronics, Sun Microsystems, Xerox 
• 5 Non-Business (Government/Major and Minor SDOs): EIA, IEEE, NIST, Uniform Code Council (UCC), US DoD/DISA 
• 2 Special Interest (User Groups/Academic/Consortia): ICCP, Purdue University
• 2 Advisory (non-voting):  DCTA Inc., Unisys
  

Voting membership stands at 20 organizations. Quorum is 11 . Fifteen organizations with voting memberships attended the February 2003 inaugural meeting of the INCITS Standards Policy Board. The attendance list is available in Attachment 1.

Reference: it021295 (Intel), in030011 (Sun Microsystems), in030085 (Boeing), in030093 (IEEE), in030129 (Farance, Inc.), in030179 (Unisys), in030183 (IBM), in030213 (EIA contribution), in030215 (DCTA Inc.), in030216 (Intel), in030217 (Imation)

1.3 Review of the Action Items for Consideration by the Standards Policy Board (SPB)

Ms. Garner reported that the Transition Team had reviewed the action items from the previous INCITS and JTC 1 TAG organizations and transferred them to the appropriate body in the new INCITS organization. The action items assigned to the INCITS Standards Policy Board are contained in in030020. Ms. Garner reported that all of the action items had been completed.

As reference, the proposed program of work for the INCITS Standards Policy Board is detailed in  in030159.

Reference: in030020 (action items), in030159 (SPB program of work)

1.4 Approval of the Draft Agenda, February 12-13, 2003

The participants were referred to the second revised draft agenda for the February 12-13, 2003 meeting of the INCITS Standards Policy Board (in030202). The following changes to the agenda were made at the meeting:

• post documents in030215, in030216 and in030217 to agenda item 1.2.2
• post document in030219 to agenda item 3.3
• post document in030214 to agenda item 4.6
• add new agenda item 7 - Items Remanded from the INCITS Boards or Board Committees
• add new agenda item 7.1 - Strategic Review of the US Acquisition, Retention and Relinquishment of Secretariats
• add new agenda item 7.2 - Strategy for Cooperation/Collaboration between INCITS TCs and External Organizations
• renumber old agenda item 7 and beyond accordingly

The second revised draft agenda was approved as revised at this meeting by unanimous consent (Deutsch/Zajaczkowski ). The final agenda for the February 12-13, 2003 inaugural meeting of the INCITS Standards Policy Board is available in Attachment 1.

Reference: in030202

1.5 Review of INCITS Antitrust Guidelines

ITI legal counsel developed antitrust guidelines for all ITI-sponsored activities and requires that the guidelines be reviewed with the committees at the first meeting of the year. The guidelines were revised in 2002. While compliance with the antitrust guidelines is a condition of employment for all ITI staff, the guidelines provide advice to the members committees.

INCITS members were asked to review the INCITS Antitrust Guidelines (in030204) so that any questions could be addressed at the February 2003 Standards Policy Board meeting. Members having specific concerns or questions were asked to forward them to the INCITS Secretariat for consideration by ITI legal counsel.

Reference: in030204

3.1 Review of TC Input on Proposed Issues to be Addressed by the Standards Policy Board

At the November 2002 INCITS Executive Board meeting, the Secretariat was instructed to issue a call for TC Chairmen to submit issues for consideration by the INCITS Standards Policy Board (it021282).  The Standards Policy Board discussed the B10, L2, T10 and T11 contributions (in030067): 

 The SPB agreed that problems with the Chinese government's requirement for compliance with the new character set (and PRC standard) GB 18030 identified in the L2 contribution would be best addressed under agenda item 3.2.

It was agreed that the B10, T10 and T11 contributions addressed procedural matters that were outside the scope of the Standards Policy Board.  The SPB agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board:

INCITS Executive Board remands the B10, T10 and T11 contributions contained in in030067 for consideration by the Procedures Board Committee.

Action Item:  The Standards Policy Board recommendation concerning the B10, T10 and T11 contributions contained in in030067 for consideration by the Executive Board.

Action Item:  The Secretariat will copy the B10, T10 and T11 Chairmen on the Standards Policy Board recommendation that the Executive Board remand their contributions contained in in030067 will be forwarded for consideration by the Procedures Board Committee.

Action Item:  Mr. Neumann, the SDB Liaison to B10 volunteered to contact the B10 Chairman to discuss the procedures with respect to voting requirements and membership retention.

Reference: it021282 (call for input), in030067 (TC responses)

3.2 Brainstorming Session

The Standards Policy Board reviewed the group's program of work (in030159).  It was agreed to start the brainstorming session with a review of the program of work and to follow up with discussion on the following topics:

• L2 contribution on the Chinese character set issue (identified in agenda item 3.1)
• JTC 1 MTPT results (identified in agenda item 4.2.1)
• creation of a strategy for coexistence (identified in agenda item 5)
• results of MIT conference survey - speeding up the standards process (identified in agenda item 3.3)
  

The Standards Policy Board discussion was highlighted by the following items:

• Direct and timely access to ISO Council and IEC Council Board resolutions is needed to ensure that INCITS is able to provide recommendations to assist in the development of coordinated US positions on international matters.
• It would be beneficial to have the Executive Board and Standards Policy Board chairmen represent INCITS on the ITI Standardization Policy Committee.
• Clarification on the relationship between ITI and INCITS is needed.
• Clarification is needed on how the US TAG function is addressed in the new INCITS organization and differentiated from the development of US policy issues.
• The Standards Policy Board will provide recommendations that position INCITS to best influence JTC 1's future.
• The Standards Policy Board should closely strategize with the JTC 1 Technology Watch function as a way to influence JTC 1's future and use the long term monitoring intelligence gathered by the activity.
• Interest in establishing liaison from the Standards Policy Board to identified consortia should be investigated.
• The formation of a group to investigate usability of IT (hardware and software) should be investigated as a possible area of future growth.
• Invitations should be extended to topical experts that deal with specific issues of interest to the Standards Policy Board membership:
  
• ISO copyright usage - codes for location and languages
• Munitions and export laws
• Force of the European Union acting as a single force for coordinating positions
• Influence of EICTA - European trade association
• Accessibility issues (Section 508)
  
• The Standards Policy Board should define and implement methods for INCITS to collaborate with other organizations on technology policy issues such as:
• Establishment of  formal and informal methodologies to address risks
• Increasing our effectiveness when we can influence sectors outside IT
• Leverage the breadth of our membership base and identify when/how to use this ability
• The Standards Policy Board should identify and determine how to form international alliances, partnerships, joint projects, etc.
• Collaboration with international standards bodies 
• Methodology for US TAG to JTC 1 to initiate discussions with other National Bodies 
• The Standards Policy Board should investigate the creation of a coexistence strategy with consortia and other SDOs:
• Hold one on one meetings between two organizations
• Develop a hit list of target organizations
• Recognize the value of a variety of SSOs (standards setting organizations) and determine a way to co-exist
• Hire an Executive Director for recruitment and collaboration efforts
• Investigate other revenue streams - conferences, technology forecasts, etc.  
• Use foundation standards for leveraging application specification work 
• Review the business model - is the value in INCITS management committees or in the specific TCs where technical work is being done? 
• Identify our technical objectives and directions 
• Review operational directions and additional development paradigms
• The Standards Policy Board should investigate the expansion of INCITS' scope to include all of ICT
• Existing TCs and their lifecycles
• IT vs ICT integrator
• Digital communications

Action Item:  The INCITS Secretariat will issue a call for contributions on the brainstorming topics for consideration at the April 2003 Standards Policy Board meeting. In addition, the following topics will be included in the call for contributions:   Chinese character set issue, MTPT results and speeding up the standards process.

The Standards Policy Board agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board will post discussion of the Transition Timeline for the New Organization for consideration at the April 2003 Executive Board meeting.  A call for contributions or questions related to these topics will be issued by the INCITS Secretariat:  reaccreditation, relationship between INCITS and ITI, and the actual functioning of the new INCITS organization with respect to the TAG function.

Action Item:  The Standards Policy Board recommendation concerning the Transition Timeline for the new INCITS organization will be submitted for consideration by the INCITS Executive Board.

During the meeting, Ms. Rajchel provided the clarification from ANSI on the accreditation of the new INCITS organization. Accreditation is held jointly between INCITS and ITI.  Since both INCITS and the JTC 1 TAG approved the transition to a new organization and ITI agreed to the plan, the accreditations are in effect until INCITS has been reaccredited under new procedures.

The Standards Policy Board agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board will post discussion on the nature of the new INCITS organization for consideration at the April 2003 Executive Board meeting.  A call for questions related to the following topics will be issued by the INCITS Secretariat: reaccreditation, relationship between INCITS and ITI, and the actual functioning of the new INCITS organization with respect to the TAG function.

3.3 Report on Joint MIT, US Department of Commerce and ITI Conference

(J. Hill)

Mr. Hill gave a report (in030219) on the December 2002 conference on The Nature and Future of ICT Standards that was hosted by ITI, MIT and the US Department of Commerce.  There was significant discussion following the presentation at which time concern with  the fact that INCITS had not been invited to participate was voiced.

Action Item:  The Secretariat will request that any and all output of the December 2002 ITI-sponsored conference on The Nature and Future of ICT Standards (presentations, evaluation of the conference, participant survey, the report of the participant survey, book) be provided by ITI for distribution to the Standards Policy Board.

Reference: in030219

4.1 JTC 1

4.1.1 For Action - Development of US National Body Position on the Establishment of Additional Category A Liaisons between JTC 1 and Other Organizations (JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 9)

As was agreed at the November 2002 JTC 1 TAG meeting, the consideration of the US National Body position on the establishment of additional Category A Liaisons between JTC 1 and other organizations has been submitted for consideration by the Standards Policy Board of INCITS.  The transmittal (in030075) provides the text of Sophia Antipolis Resolution 9, JTC 1 Directives addressing Category A Liaisons and the list of organizations having Category A Liaison with JTC 1.  The initial tasks of the liaison coordinator are detailed in j1n6827.

Following extensive discussion, it was agreed that this agenda item addressed two separate issues: JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 9 and Category A Liaisons.  The discussion at this meeting focused on Resolution 9 which was not seeking additional category A Liaisons but rather was requesting identification of established liaisons that could be strengthened.  The Standards Policy Board agreed that no recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board.

Action Item:  The INCITS Secretariat will issue a call for contributions on the establishment of additional Category A Liaisons between JTC 1 and other organizations for consideration at the April 2003 Standards Policy Board meeting.

Action Item:  The Secretariat will identify existing liaisons to INCITS TCs for consideration at the April 2003 meeting of the Standards Policy Board.  

Action Item:  Consideration of JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 9 will be posted for consideration at the April 2003 meeting of the Standards Policy Board.

Reference: in030075 (transmittal), j1n6827

4.1.2 JTC 1 SGs to Explore New Areas (JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 10)

At the November 2002 JTC 1 TAG meeting, it was agreed that the issue of JTC 1 SGs to Explore New Areas would be remanded for consideration by the new organization.  The transmittal (in030076) contains the text for Sophia Antipolis Resolution 10. 

The Standards Policy Board agreed that the following recommendation would be submitted for consideration by the INCITS Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board will respond to JTC 1 N 6966 - Request for Identification of Candidate New Study Areas and Call for Experts to Actively Participate and/or Provide Convenership Responsibilities for JTC 1 Study Groups, indicating interest in all three potential JTC 1 Study Groups to explore new areas (middleware, web services and privacy management) with representatives to be named upon formation of the Study Groups.  The US National Body will consider providing a convener candidate.

Action Item:  The Standards Policy Board recommendation on JTC 1 N 6966 will be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board.

Reference: in030076 (transmittal)

4.1.3 Deferred Items from the November 2002 JTC 1 Plenary (JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 13)

At the November 2002 JTC 1 TAG meeting, it was agreed that consideration of the deferred items identified in Resolution 13 would be remanded for consideration at the inaugural meeting of the new organization.  The transmittal (in030077) contains the text for Sophia Antipolis Resolution 13 which notes the following:

Due to resource constraints, JTC 1 resolves to defer action on the following items until a future date:

• Expand the JTC 1 Web Site to Support the External Awareness of JTC 1
• Define JTC 1 Market
• System Integration

Action Item:  INCITS Secretariat will issue a call for contributions on the following topics for consideration at the April 2003 Standards Policy Board meeting:  expansion of the JTC 1 web site to support external awareness of JTC 1, definition of the JTC 1 market and system integration.

Reference: in030077 (transmittal)

4.1.4 For Action - Determination of INCITS' Interaction with the JTC 1 SWG on Technology Watch (JTC 1 Sophia Antipolis Resolution 6)

(T. Nelson)

At the November 2002 INCITS Executive Board and JTC 1 TAG meetings it was agreed that the issue of INCITS' interaction with the JTC 1 Technology Watch activity would be posted to the agenda for the inaugural INCITS meeting for assignment to the Standards Policy Board.  Dr. Nelson had agreed to serve as the US representative on the JTC 1 SWG on Technology Watch activity (jt020601).  The transmittal (in030078) provides the text for Sophia Antipolis Resolution 6.  

The following JTC 1 documents related to the JTC 1 SWG for Technology Watch were posted to the February 2003 Standards Policy Board agenda:

• JTC 1 N 6827 - Technology Watch Activities of the Special Group on JTC 1 Future
• JTC 1 N 6935 - Establishment of a JTC1 SWG for Technology Watch and Request for Participation and Contributions

With regrets for his absence at this meeting, Dr. Nelson requested the INCITS Secretariat to report that the Technology Watch activity had not yet been initiated according to the SWG Convener.

Action Item:  INCITS Secretariat will pull together future trends information from TC annual reports over the past year.   The information will be submitted to Dr. Nelson for editing.  The final contribution prepared by Dr. Nelson will be formally distributed to the INCITS community and submitted as the US National Body contribution in response to JTC 1 N 6935.

Reference: in030078 (transmittal), jt020601 (notification of US representative on JTC 1 SWG on Technology Watch), jtc1n6827 (report on Technology Watch activities), jtc1n6935 (call for participants/contributions for JTC 1 SWG on Technology Watch)

4.2 ANSI

4.2.1 ANSI Response on the JTC 1 MTPT e-Commerce Market Trial

The ANSI response on the JTC 1 MTPT e-Commerce Market Trial is contained in in030066 and reports that ANSI views the trial as a failure.  A contribution from Mr. Coallier (in030186) disagrees with the ANSI conclusion and notes that overall, lower pricing does increase unit sales. 

Mr. Coallier, Ms. Higginbottom and Mr. Hill are the JTC 1 representatives to MTPT activity.  The two major objectives of the trial are outlined in in030186: 

• To optimize the number of standards that are sold (and used)
• Protect the revenues of standards organizations

Ms. Rajchel acknowledged the lack of coordination in the ANSI response that was submitted on behalf of the US.  The ANSI ISO Council (AIC) would meet in February 2003 to establish the ANSI position on the trial.  It was agreed that INCITS should prepare a position for consideration by the AIC.  The proposed contribution was prepared and reviewed.  The Standards Policy Board agreed to submit the following recommendation for consideration by the Executive Board:

The INCITS Executive Board approves the submission of the INCITS contribution on the JTC 1 e-Commerce Market Trial as contained in in030227 for consideration by the ANSI ISO Council.

Action Item:  The Standards Policy Board recommendation on the submission of an INCITS contribution on the JTC 1 e-Commerce Market Trial (in030227) will be submitted for consideration by the Executive Board.

It was further agreed that in the event that INCITS was required to clarify points associated with this contribution (in030227) between now and the April 2003 INCITS meetings, Ms. Higginbottom and Mr. Hill were authorized to respond on behalf of INCITS as the authors of this contribution.

Reference:   in030066 , in030186