Process Document Consolidation (procon) Internet Drafts

      
 The Internet Standards Process
 
 draft-ietf-procon-2026bis-00.txt
 Date: 30/09/2025
 Authors: Rich Salz, Scott Bradner
 Working Group: Process Document Consolidation (procon)
 This memo documents the process used by the Internet community for the standardization of protocols and procedures. It defines the stages in the standardization process, the requirements for moving a document between stages and the types of documents used during this process. It also addresses the intellectual property rights and copyright issues associated with the standards process. This document obsoletes RFC2026, RFC6410, RFC7100, RFC7127, RFC8789, and RFC9282. It updates RFC5657. It also includes the changes from RFC7475, and with [bis2418], obsoletes it.
 IETF Working Group Guidelines and Procedures
 
 draft-ietf-procon-2418bis-00.txt
 Date: 30/09/2025
 Authors: Rich Salz, Scott Bradner
 Working Group: Process Document Consolidation (procon)
 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has responsibility for developing and reviewing specifications intended as Internet Standards. IETF activities are organized into working groups (WGs). This document describes the guidelines and procedures for formation and operation of IETF working groups. It also describes the formal relationship between IETF participants WG and the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) and the basic duties of IETF participants, including WG Chairs, WG participants, and IETF Area Directors. This document obsoletes RFC2418, and RFC3934. It also includes the changes from RFC7475, and with [_2026bis], obsoletes it. It also includes a summary of the changes implied in RFC7776 and incorporates the changes from RFC8717 and RFC9141.

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Process Document Consolidation (procon)

WG Name Process Document Consolidation
Acronym procon
Area General Area (gen)
State Active
Charter charter-ietf-procon-01 Approved
Document dependencies
Personnel Chairs Jari Arkko, Leslie Daigle
Area Director Roman Danyliw
Mailing list Address procon@ietf.org
To subscribe https://mailman3.ietf.org/mailman3/lists/procon.ietf.org/
Archive https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/procon
Chat Room address https://zulip.ietf.org/#narrow/stream/procon

Charter for Working Group

The Process Document Consolidation (PROCON) WG will make narrow updates to IETF governance RFCs.

Standards Processes and Procedures

RFC2026 (“The Internet Standards Process – Revision 3”) and RFC2418 (“IETF Working Group Guidelines and Procedures”) define the foundational processes and procedures of the IETF.
Since publication over two decades ago, over 20 RFCs have updated RFC2026 and RFC2418 making understanding of these processes and procedures unwieldy.

This WG will specify a RFC2026bis and RFC2418bis that will merge all documents which update these RFCs, and any associated verified or hold-for-update errata.

Additionally, the WG may consider revising procedures in RFC2026/RFC2418 (i.e., non-editorial changes) around:

  • Treatment of milestones in Working Group charters
  • Guidelines for WG adoption of drafts

Any additional items require re-chartering.

Delegation of Authorities by the IETF Chair

The WG will specify a BCP to provide the IETF Chair latitude to voluntarily delegate select responsibilities to other serving Area Directors. This BCP will also define a temporary succession plan, prior to the NomCom being able to fill a "mid-term vacancy", in case the IETF Chair is unable to serve for any reason.

Milestones

Date Milestone Associated documents
Jun 2026 Submit a delegation of IETF Chair authorities document to the IESG as BCP
Jun 2026 Submit RFC2418bis to the IESG as BCP
Jun 2026 Submit RFC2026bis to the IESG as BCP