Relevant Links

Questions concerning the ACSP itself should be sent to info@arin.net.

ARIN Consultation and
Suggestion Process

Objective

From time to time, the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) needs to consult with either the members of ARIN or with the community at large regarding ARIN services and practices.

Additionally, from time to time the members and the community need to be able to suggest changes or additions to ARIN services and practices. The ARIN Consultation and Suggestion Process (ACSP) will:

  1. Enable communications in an organized, deliberate, and transparent manner.
  2. Provide a feedback mechanism whereby the sense of the community or members regarding a specific issue can be gauged.

Scope

The process described here is not meant to remove or impinge upon the ability of the ARIN Board or President to carry out their legal, fiduciary, or operational responsibilities. Unusual or exigent circumstances or legal or policy issues may require truncated or different procedures and require abandonment of usual practices. This is strictly an internal ARIN policy and creates no rights or expectations for any ARIN Member or third party.

The ARIN Consultation and Suggestion Process

The ACSP consists of two parts, a consultation process and a suggestion process. The consultation process will be used by the ARIN Board of Trustees or the President to consult either the members of ARIN or the broader community in the ARIN region. The source of the consultation issue will be an initiative that originates with either the Board, the President, or the suggestion process. The suggestion process provides the members of ARIN or the broader community in the ARIN region a formal means to suggest changes or additions or suspension of ARIN services or practices.

Part A. Consultation Process

  1. ARIN will, when appropriate, announce a proposal on which consultation is sought at www.arin.net, and through the arin-announce mailing list. At a minimum the announcement will contain:
    1. A description of the proposal.
    2. The time frame by which the service is intended to be implemented.
    3. The deadline to provide comments for consideration.
  2. The comments will be used by the Board or President as appropriate in making the final decision regarding the proposal.
  3. In special circumstances, the Board may determine that a vote by the membership is useful or appropriate. In that circumstance the ARIN voting software may be used to conduct a referendum election.

Part B. Suggestion Process

  1. Any person in the ARIN community is welcome to make a suggestion regarding an existing or potential ARIN service or practice. Such a suggestion will be sent to ARIN as described at www.arin.net.  At a minimum the suggestion should contain:
    1. A description of the proposal.
    2. The time frame by which the service is desired.
    3. Contact information of the person making the suggestion.
  2. ARIN staff will confirm to the sender that the suggestion has been received. The President will evaluate the proposal, and determine the appropriate response or evaluation. The evaluation by the President may include:
    1. A cost and implementation analysis by the ARIN staff.
    2. A legal and liability analysis by the ARIN General Counsel.
    3. A policy impact analysis by the ARIN Advisory Council.

In those cases where the President believes that the Board should discuss the proposal a recommendation will be submitted to the Board.

  1. If the President or Board thinks that the proposal requires public review then members of ARIN or the broader community in the ARIN region will be consulted following the steps in Part A of the ACSP.
  2. In special circumstances, the Board may determine that a vote by the members of ARIN is useful or appropriate. In that circumstance the ARIN voting software may be used to conduct a referendum election.