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    <div class="moz-forward-container">For those who had questions re
      Westlake and the bidding process, it was raised at GNSO.  Here is
      the answer.<br>
      Stephanie Perrin<br>
      <br>
      -------- Forwarded Message --------
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            <th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
            </th>
            <td>[council] Follow up items from GNSO Council Meeting on
              24 September</td>
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          <tr>
            <th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
            <td>Mon, 28 Sep 2015 19:26:02 +0000</td>
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            <th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
            <td>Larisa B. Gurnick <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:larisa.gurnick@icann.org"><larisa.gurnick@icann.org></a></td>
          </tr>
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            <th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
            <td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:council@gnso.icann.org">council@gnso.icann.org</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:council@gnso.icann.org"><council@gnso.icann.org></a></td>
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            <th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">CC: </th>
            <td>Jen Wolfe (<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:jwolfe@wolfedomain.com">jwolfe@wolfedomain.com</a>)
              <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:jwolfe@wolfedomain.com"><jwolfe@wolfedomain.com></a></td>
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear members of
            the GNSO Council,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">I understand that
            there were some questions raised at your meeting on 24
            September in connection with the briefing on the GSNO
            Review, and staff would like to provide additional
            clarifying information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">Competitive
              Bidding Process and Selection of Independent Examiner<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In connection
            with the open competitive bidding process used to select the
            independent examiner, a total of 7 proposals were submitted.
             All bids were reviewed and evaluated for all data
            responsive to the RFP, not just the low bid.   Price was one
            of many considerations.  Bids received ranged from less than
            $50,000 to over $1 million, with the lowest and highest
            representing significant outliers.  Westlake’s bid pricing
            was in the median range when adjusting for the significant
            outliers.  Once all bids were evaluated, Westlake was
            selected as the most qualified consultant relative to, but
            not limited to, the following high level selection criteria:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">1) Understanding of the assignment
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">2) Knowledge and expertise<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">a. Demonstrated experience in conducting
            broadly similar examinations
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">b. Not-for-profit experience
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">c. Basic knowledge of ICANN
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">d. Geographic and cultural diversity,
            multilingualism, gender balance
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">e. Suitability of proposed CVs
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">3) Proposed methodology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">a. Work organization, project management
            approach, timelines
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">b. Suitability of tools and methods or
            work
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:1.0in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">c. Clarity of deliverables
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">4) Flexibility, including but not
            limited to meeting the timeline
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">5) Reference checks
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">6) Financial value
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:.5in;text-autospace:none"><span
            style="color:black">7) Conflict of Interest
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">=> Additional
            information about the
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-22apr14-en.htm"><span
                style="color:#0563C1">RFP</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">=> GNSO Review
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="https://community.icann.org/x/zbXhAg">
              <span style="color:#0563C1">FAQs</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Staff is
            available to provide the GNSO Council a more complete
            overview of how the competitive bidding/RFP process
            functions, including what information is required to be kept
            confidential for the benefit of the process’ integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><span
            style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">Review
              Methodology<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The methodology
            used for the GNSO Review followed best practices and
            professional standards for independence, proficiency and due
            professional care.  The current GNSO Review achieved 178
            completed 360 Survey responses and 40 one-on-one interviews,
            compared with an average of 71 survey responses and 60
            interviews for prior Organizational Reviews.  Information
            was collected through a variety of means – online 360 Survey
            with quantitative and qualitative aspects, one-on-one
            interviews that resulted in twice as many individuals
            interviewed as originally planned, extensive desk review of
            documents and in-person observations during three ICANN
            meetings.  Additionally, Westlake participated in the
            majority of the 21 GNSO Review Working Party calls and 23
            public sessions held at ICANN meetings and considered
            feedback provided by the GNSO Review Working Party as well
            as by others through formal  public comment process and
            other feedback means. 
          </span>The Independent Examiner provided their rationale in
          response to community feedback throughout the process<span
            style="color:#1F497D">
          </span><span style="color:black">(for example, see</span><span
            style="color:#1F497D">
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/56136596/GNSO%20Review%20Recommendations%20-%20changes%20from%20Draft%20to%20Final%20Report.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1443222114000&api=v2"><span
                style="color:#0563C1">Comparison Chart</span></a>)</span><span
            style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">=> Detailed
            information on Review Methodology is included in the
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/gnso-review-final-15sep15-en.pdf"><span
                style="color:#0563C1">Final Report</span></a>, Section 3
            (pages 24-30).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Thank you for
            your continued interest and support of this important
            accountability mechanism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri
              Light",sans-serif">Larisa B. Gurnick<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal">Director, Strategic Initiatives<o:p></o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal">Mobile: 1 310 383-8995<o:p></o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal">Skype: larisa.gurnick<o:p></o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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