<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">I have updated the wiki at <a href="http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook#Finances" class="">http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook#Finances</a> with my thoughts (slightly amended from the previous mail). Suggest comments are highlighted in red on the wiki with a user name for the moment so that we can easily track without going through edit history.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I have asked the Board to provide us with copies of past ‘agreements’ (formal and verbal) so that we can get a view of what has been agreed in the past</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I have requested the Board to determine the level of reserves that they are willing to set aside to underwrite FOSS4G events<br class=""><div class="">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">______<br class="">Steven<br class=""><br class=""></span>
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<br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 19 Aug 2015, at 21:19, Cameron Shorter <<a href="mailto:cameron.shorter@gmail.com" class="">cameron.shorter@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">Hi Till, Stephen, Girt,<br class="">Your suggestions all make sense and I like what is being suggested.<br class="">Who owns the risk can be different for each conference, whether that be a LOC legal body, or the OSGeo Foundation, or a proportion of both.<br class="">The key is that the risk is defined, and that their is a strategy for all scenarios.<br class="">Typically there will be a requirement to pay a deposit by DATE1, more to be paid by DATE2, ...<br class=""><br class="">I feel a plan should be put in place, which goes something like:<br class="">By DATE1, if the exposure is greater than $XXXX, then the conference will be cancelled.<br class="">By DATE2, ...<br class=""><br class="">With regards, to defining a process, I'd encourage you to draft some suggestions into the wiki here:<br class=""><a href="http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook#Finances" class="">http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/FOSS4G_Handbook#Finances</a><br class="">(Feel free to change existing content)<br class=""><br class="">Once it is in a reasonable state, invite the conference committee to review, and we can finalise it.<br class=""><br class="">On 19/08/2015 10:24 pm, till.adams@fossgis.de wrote:<br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class="">Steven, @Conference committee,<br class=""><br class="">many thanks for your thoughts on that. I have some comments inline.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class="">I agree that it is time for OSGeo to formalise our commitment to<br class="">‘underwrite’ a FOSS4G (Global or Regional). The reasonably loose<br class="">understanding that has worked in the past is probably past it’s<br class="">time.<br class=""><br class=""></blockquote><br class="">+1<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class="">Thoughts on the process:<br class=""><br class=""> * We need a clear statement from any FOSS4G seeking OSGeo’s<br class="">financial backing<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">Yes, I think that is in progress.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * Initial advance(s) required and timing<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">(+1) I am working on this for now.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * Potential loss through cancellation at different stages<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">(+1) I am working on this for now.<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * Potential loss if conference goes ahead but attendance is less than<br class="">target<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">(+1) I am working on this for now.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><br class=""> * OSGeo will confirm the maximum level that it will underwrite<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">How will OSGeo come to this maximum level-number? Maybe good to formalize this as well...<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * OSGeo will need to set aside a reserve to cover the maximum<br class="">underwritten losses of all FOSS4G events that it is supporting. This<br class="">will probably limit our ability to underwrite multiple events and may<br class="">require the Conference Committee to select between competing regional<br class="">events if there are several applications<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">In my eyes, OSGeo should keep the number of covered events very limited.<br class="">The lighthouse of OSGeo events is FOSs4G.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * It would probably be prudent for the Conference Committee to<br class="">require a member to join the LOC with financial oversight of<br class="">expenditure, forecasts and risks.<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">I absolutely agree on that - and give the question back to the committee to appoint someone.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * The Conference Committee will need to continuously review financial<br class="">risk and may require changes to the financial and operational plans of<br class="">an event.<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">That's exactly what we are planning to do and I recently spoke to Torsten (our "finance minister"). We will do a financial review every month starting now.<br class="">COuld be senseful to densify this next year.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * The LOC will need to accept that OSGeo will not accept unlimited<br class="">financial liability for their event, any losses exceeding the maximum<br class="">level underwritten will need to be borne by the LOC or insured<br class="">locally.<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">As said - now the time has come to fix this. So I would accept that but we'll have to cover not covered losses by an insurance.<br class="">This is an important issue for the upcoming bidders as well - please tell them ;-)<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * The LOC agrees to remit xx% of any surplus to OSGeo to support<br class="">future events and other OSGeo activities (I would suggest at least 85%<br class="">but no doubt this could be a subject for discussion across the<br class="">community but it should be standard for all events)<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">I agree on this as well. But can't put in a number here, as the covered amount is not clear yet.<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""> * OSGeo will need to draft a legal agreement with the LOC that sets<br class="">out these terms<br class=""></blockquote><br class="">Who?<br class=""><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><br class="">Sorry if this sounds very formal but if OSGeo are making financial<br class="">commitments running into the $50-100k region which could be the case<br class="">for a global FOSS4G then there needs to be some proper process and<br class="">limits in place.<br class=""><br class=""></blockquote><br class="">No - as this is such an important point, I think a formalized way is the best we can go.<br class=""><br class=""><br class="">One last point to add from my side: I know, the Conference committee looks briefly over the financial plannings of the bidding teams,<br class="">but the above mentioned potential losses should already be part of the proposal and then be examined on a more realistic base later in the planning process.<br class="">Or however, but a more formalized budget planning for the proposal could make things easier later...<br class=""><br class="">So my last bid to the Conference committee is to formalize a clear procedure and pass it to the board for decision.<br class="">In the upcoming month we'll have to sign some contracts ;-)<br class=""><br class="">Till<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""></blockquote><br class="">-- <br class="">Cameron Shorter,<br class="">Software and Data Solutions Manager<br class="">LISAsoft<br class="">Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf,<br class="">26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009<br class=""><br class="">P +61 2 9009 5000, W www.lisasoft.com, F +61 2 9009 5099<br class=""><br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>