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The AGM is FIRST's Annual General Meeting, where the FIRST members meet and discuss and decide about FIRST and its road ahead. This includes the elections for the 5 Steering Committee slots that go vacant each year at the AGM.
2009 AGM will take place during the 2009 FIRST Conference on Thursday, July 2nd from 15:00 until approximately 18:30 local time in Kyoto, Japan.
The AGM will be conducted in accordance with the FIRST Operational Framework.
Attendance and participation at the FIRST Annual General Meeting is limited to FIRST team members, FIRST liaison members and their invited guests, subject to approval by the Steering Committee.
Please take proper note of the following documents and procedures:
Every year at its Annual General Meeting, the FIRST membership elects five individuals to serve on the FIRST Steering Committee. There are 10 Steering Committee members in all. Each serves a two year term, and the elections are staggered such that 5 terms are completed every year.
A complete list of Steering Committee members, including their affiliations and the length of their terms, is maintained at http://www.first.org/about/organization/sc.html.
The Steering Committee members with terms expiring in 2009 are:
Volunteers to serve on the Steering Committee are being sought now. This communication describes the Steering Committee candidate qualifications, who can run and who can vote, how the elections will be held, and how to nominate individuals to run for the Steering Committee.
The FIRST Operational Framework specifies that the Steering Committee shall be comprised of individuals; not necessarily representatives of FIRST incident response teams (referred to as FIRST Full Members or Liaisons). Therefore, it is not a requirement that a Steering Committee Member be employed by a FIRST Full Member or Liaison. Rather, a candidate for the FIRST Steering Committee should be an individual with a legitimate interest in computer security incident handling, who is willing to adhere to and to uphold the FIRST Operational Framework.
The Steering Committee meets each month in a telephone conference call. Additional to this, in the year ahead, there will be up to four face-to-face meetings of the Steering Committee (including one at the Annual Conference) with partial reimbursement of travel costs.
The link Requirements for FIRST Steering Committee Members serves to detail what is expected from a potential SC member.
FIRST Steering Committee Members need to be aware of upcoming FIRST events, need to follow FIRST-related e-mail traffic, and need to be responsive to requests from the membership and from other Steering Committee Members. Potential candidates need to consider whether their employers will permit them to spend the required amount of time, travel and funding. Candidates should make prior arrangements for support from their management enabling them to serve in the SC.
Steering Committee Members will be requested to become members of the Board of Directors of First.Org, Incorporated. This California, USA, based Non-Profit corporation was set up to provide legal recognition to FIRST, and to handle funding and Annual Conference matters. Board Members (and the SC members as such) as well as Officers of First.Org, Inc., are protected against liabilities that result from acts that they perform on behalf of First.Org, Inc. Potential Steering Committee candidates need to consider whether their work circumstances permit them to become officers of the corporation; see the FAQ document that discusses these issues.
The Nominations Committee (NC) is appointed by the Steering Committee (SC) to help potential candidates prepare for candidacy. This is done so that potential candidates are well aware of SC responsibilities and prepared for the election. The Nominations Committee by no means limits the nominations. The NCs task is promotional and supportive - not directive. Candidates can be nominated without any interaction with the Nominations Committee.
Each FIRST Full Member team has a Representative, whose name is registered with the FIRST Secretariat. Only FIRST Full Member Representatives and their proxy holders can nominate and second Steering Committee candidates, and can vote in the elections during the AGM. FIRST Liaison members have NO nomination or voting rights.
The deadline for all of the below nominations, secondments and acceptations, is July 1st, 2009, 12:00 GMT+9 (local Kyoto time). No nominations will be accepted after this deadline, or indeed from the floor, i.e. during the Annual General Meeting.
To nominate a candidate via email, a Full Member Representative should send PGP-signed mail to first-sec@first.org no later than the above deadline. The nomination should contain the name of the candidate, a statement of support, and should contain the name and organization of the supporting FIRST Full Member Representative. A Representative may nominate or second the nomination of no more than six candidates.
For a candidate to become official, that is, to be included on the Steering Committee ballot during the AGM, each candidate's nomination must be supported by six Full Member Representatives no later than the above deadline, again using PGP-signed e-mail to first-sec@first.org.
Nominated candidates who wish to run for election should send PGP-signed mail to first-sec@first.org no later than the above deadline. The message should contain the candidate's name and organization, and should contain a statement that the candidate is willing to appear on the 2009 Steering Committee election ballot, plus a short biography.
Regular reports containing the current list of Steering Committee candidates, along with the representative who nominated them and all their seconds will be emailed to the first-reps list (cc to the first-teams list) and made available on these AGM pages.
Steering Committee nominations will also be accepted in writing at the Annual Conference prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nomination forms will be available at the Annual Conference secretariat; candidates must be nominated and seconded according to the same rules as described above. The nomination forms must be given to the FIRST secretariat no later than the above deadline.
All nominations received by the above deadlines will be validated in a Steering Committee meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting. The validation will consist of checking if the name and organization of the nominating and seconding Representatives match the FIRST Secretariat's list of FIRST Full Members, and thus if nomination and secondments are in order and enough.
The list of candidates and nominations will be sent to the first-reps list (cc to first-teams) and made available on a message board at the conference premises. The current status of the list is also always available by clicking here. The list will be reviewed at the start of the AGM. The supporting Representatives are encouraged to check the lists provided.
All FIRST Full Member Representatives are required, in accordance with the Operational Framework, to attend the Annual General Meeting, either in person, or via a proxy holder. During the AGM, the Steering Committee ballot will be given to all FIRST Full Member Representatives.
All candidates will be requested to give a short statement, not exceeding two minutes, in support of their candidacy just before the election. Non-member candidates will be allowed by the SC to attend the AGM as guests at least during the election. Candidates not present will deliver a written statement, to be read by a member of the Steering Committee or the Nominations Committee who is not also a candidate for (re-)election.
Questions about the election procedure can be asked during the AGM. Questions directed at specific candidates will not be accepted, as the membership has the opportunity to question candidates before the AGM.
Each Full Member Representative shall vote for no more than five candidates. The five candidates with the most votes will be elected to the Steering Committee. Ties shall be broken by random ballot draw. The votes will be tallied by the FIRST Secretariat and FIRST Membership Committee and announced at the meeting.
It is the FIRST Membership for whom the Annual General Meeting is held. The Membership can influence the course of FIRST, not only by electing SC members, but also by making proposals of any kind - ranging from minor changes to policies unto activities impacting the whole of FIRST. In order to channel this process, a member needs to submit a "motion" in advance. If submitted successfully, a motion will be discussed and voted on during the Annual General Meeting - following the rules set in the FIRST Operational Framework.
Each FIRST Full Member team has a Representative, whose name is registered with the FIRST Secretariat. Only FIRST Full Member Representatives and their proxy holders can submit motions and vote on them in the AGM. Liaison Members can do neither.
The deadline for the below submissions and secondments, is July 1st, 2009, 12:00 GMT+9 (local Kyoto time). No motions will be accepted after this deadline, other than moved during the Annual General Meeting itself.
To submit a motion via email, a Full Member Representative should send PGP-signed mail to first-sec@first.org no later than the above deadline. The nomination should contain the text of the motion, and the name and organization of the submitting Representative.
For a motion to become official, that is, to be accepted for treatment and voting during the AGM, each motion must be seconded by one other Full Member Representative no later than the above deadline, again using PGP-signed e-mail to first-sec@first.org.
Regular reports about the motions, along with the representatives who nominated and seconded them will be emailed to the first-reps list (cc to the first-teams list) and made available on these AGM pages.
Motions will also be accepted in writing at the Annual Conference prior to the Annual General Meeting. Submission forms will be available at the Annual Conference secretariat; motions must be submitted according to the same rules as described above. The submission forms must be given to the FIRST secretariat no later than the above deadline.
All motions received by the above deadlines will be validated in a Steering Committee meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting. The validation will consist of checking if the name and organization of the nominating and seconding Representatives match the FIRST Secretariat's list of FIRST Full Members.
The validated list of motions will be sent to the first-reps list (cc to first-teams) and made available on a message board at the conference premises. The current status of the list is also always available by clicking here. The list will be reviewed at the start of the AGM. The supporting Representatives are encouraged to check the lists provided.
All FIRST Full Member Representatives are required, in accordance with the Operational Framework, to attend the Annual General Meeting, either in person, or via a proxy holder.
The Representative who submitted a motion (or his or her proxy holder) has the right to "move" the motion in question - and thus start discussion - but also the right to withdraw it. If the submitter of a motion is unable to attend the Annual General Meeting, either in person or as a proxy, the Steering Committee will designate a Representative who can move or withdraw that motion.
While a motion is being discussed in the AGM, they can be amended on the floor by every Full Member Representative or designated proxy holder. Once discussion closes, and the motion is not withdrawn, it is voted on - in original form or as amended on the floor. The vote can be open or closed.
All FIRST Full Member Representatives are required, in accordance with the FIRST Operational Framework, to attend the Annual General Meeting. If a FIRST Full Member Representative cannot attend the Annual General Meeting, his or her proxy may be designated to someone who is attending (not necessarily a FIRST Full Member Representative). Individuals holding a proxy should be aware of the voting rules and should seek guidance of the Representative on the issues that he or she would vote on. A designated proxy holder is granted the same rights as would be given the FIRST representative whom they represent - with the exception that they cannot assign the proxy they hold to another person.
Questions and concerns should be directed to first-sec@first.org.
To officially designate a proxy holder for the FIRST AGM, the FIRST Full Member representative must be fill out the form available here and submit it. Once verified by the FIRST Secretariat it will be presented to the FIRST Steering Committee for validation.
The deadline for designating a proxy is July 1st, 2009, 12:00 GMT+9 (local Kyoto time).
The webform is only available for FIRST Representatives who have installed their FIRST client certificate. Those that have not are encouraged to use the on-site registration option outlined below.
Designations will also be accepted in writing at the Annual Conference prior to the Annual General Meeting. Requests must be made by FIRST Full Member Representatives and given to the FIRST Secretariat before the above deadline. Forms for this purpose will be available from the Conference Secretariat at the Conference registration desk.
Requests brought forward by any other method or after the given deadlines will be discarded.
All proxy designations received by the above deadlines will be validated in a Steering Committee meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting. The validation will consist of checking if the name and organization of the Representative matches the FIRST Secretariat's list of FIRST Full Member Representatives.
The list of designated proxies will be sent to the first-reps list and made available on a message board at the conference premises. The list will be reviewed at the start of the AGM. The current status of the list is also always available by clicking here.
Designated proxies are required to sign in at the entrance of the AGM meeting room, and to show a valid passport or equivalent in order to obtain access to the AGM.
Designated proxies are required to take seats in the area reserved for the Representatives with voting rights.
Designated proxies have all the rights of Full Member Representatives, except the right to designate a proxy during the meeting.
Each FIRST Full Member and FIRST Liaison has a team Representative, whose name is registered with the FIRST Secretariat. Only those FIRST Representatives or their designated proxy holder can request guest invitations.
Questions and concerns should be directed to first-sec@first.org.
To officially request that a guest be admitted to the FIRST AGM the request must be submitted through the form available here. Once verified by the FIRST Secretariat it will be presented to the FIRST Steering Committee for final approval.
The deadline for submitting a request is July 1st, 2009, 12:00 GMT+9 (local Kyoto time).
The webform is only available for FIRST representatives who have installed their FIRST client certificate. Those that have not, or designated proxy holders, are encouraged to use the on-site registration option outlined below.
Requests will also be accepted in writing at the Annual Conference prior to the Annual General Meeting. Requests must be made by FIRST Representatives or designated proxy holders and given to the FIRST Secretariat before the above deadline. Forms for this purpose will be available from the Conference Secretariat at the Conference registration desk.
Requests brought forward by any other method or after the given deadlines will be discarded.
All requests received by the above deadlines will be validated in a Steering Committee meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting. The validation will consist of checking if the name and organization of the Representative matches the FIRST Secretariat's list of FIRST Full Member and Liaison Representatives, and designated proxy holders. Subsequently, the Steering Committee votes on the approval of validated requests. The specified reason for a guest to attend is weighed in that approval process.
The list of approved guests will be sent to the first-reps list and made available on a message board at the conference premises. The list will be reviewed at the start of the AGM. The current status of the list is also always available by clicking here.
Approved guests are required to sign in at the entrance of the AGM meeting room, and to show a valid passport or equivalent in order to obtain access to the AGM.
Guests are required to take seats in a designated area.
Guests are not allowed to speak or to take notes.
Guests can be asked to leave the AGM for a period of time if the AGM enters closed session or if instructed to do so by the Chair.
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