Rules of Procedure
for the OASIS eGovernment Member Section
1 Aug 2007

1. The Name of the Member Section

   This group is named "OASIS eGovernment Member Section" (or as abbreviated, "eGov MS").

2. The Member Section Statement of work

   OASIS, and e-business data standardization in general, have benefited from strong leadership from technology-using governments since their inception. Regulatory and public administration activities are a key use case for many XML and e-commence projects. Many OASIS XML specifications have been initiated, enabled and strongly supported by global, regional, national and local government agencies.

   Further, many data flows in commercial, legal and household activities must flow through or share data with government sources. So compatibility with public administration needs is an important requirement, even for many non-governmental, commercial and private harmonization projects.

   The purpose of the eGov Member Section is:

   • To serve as a focal point for discussions of governmental and public administration requirements for e-business standardization, and the outputs of OASIS technical committees.
   • To assist in the dissemination of, and collection of responses for, public reviews and other appropriate events generated by OASIS TCs seeking technical input, to encourage feedback from relevant governmental implementers and users.
   • To facilitate and encourage the re-use and information sharing for electronic government standards across multiple standards and other relevant organizations.
   • To assist OASIS in organizational liaisons, as appropriate, with other open standards projects relevant to public administration.
   • To facilitate government-oriented demonstration and interoperability materials and events employing open standards, to improve the quality of those standards, help evaluate their fit to public administration use cases, and increase their familiarity in the government sector.
   • Where the specific needs suggest additional work, to discuss, scope and if needed initiate additional standardization projects within OASIS.
   • To promote more effective sharing of eGovernment related experiences and best practices that could enhance the open standards environment.
   • To serve as a common information point for those OASIS TCs working on public administration matters who wish to affiliate with the eGovernment Member Section.
3. The Rules for Electing Steering Committee Members

   After the terms of the initially designated members, all Steering Committee seats will be filled by election as follows: (a) at least one-half of the seats must at all times be filled by employees of governmental or public administration entities who are OASIS AGA members, and (b) the remainder may be filled by any member of the Member Section. All qualified electors among the Section's membership may vote in each Steering Committee election. Each Member Section Supporting Entity shall be entitled to have one Member Section Qualified Elector (as those terms are defined in the OASIS Member Section Policy). The Member Section Qualified Elector for a Member Section Supporting Entity that is an OASIS Organizational Member shall be that entity's Primary Representative (as those terms are defined in the OASIS TC Process), or that person's designate.

   Vacancies on the Steering Committee shall be filled as provided by the Member Section Policy.

4. Initial Makeup of Member Section Steering Committee

   The Steering Committee initially shall be composed of 9 members. One member from each of these governments or public administration entities: Canada, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, The World Bank plus one member from each of these organizations BAH, Cap Gemini, Tsinghua Tongfang and Pensive shall serve on the initial Steering Committee. At their first Steering Committee meeting, the Steering Committee members shall select who will serve an initial two-year term and who will serve an initial one-year term.

5. Process for Changing the Number of Steering Committee Members

   The Steering Committee may at any time change the number of seats on the Steering Committee to 3, 5, 7 or 9 members. The Steering Committee will decide how to effect any reduction in the number of Steering Committee members, if this is necessary in order to comply with the provision of maintaining at least one-half of the seats from employees of governmental or public administration entities who are OASIS AGA members. Members of the Steering Committee shall serve for 2-year terms. The Steering Committee may add any additional seats (up to a maximum of 9) with an initial term of either one or two years, so as to maintain overlapping, staggered committee terms for continuity purposes.

6. Funding Model for the Member Section

   OASIS policies permit Member Sections to propose, subject to consortium approval, that a portion of dues of OASIS Members who choose to join the Member Section should be retained as operating funds for the activities of the Section. The eGov Member Section initially shall retain no separate membership dues percentage.

   The Section may receive funds directly from sources other than membership dues, and may at the election of its Steering Committee pursue revenue generating and business activities, such as events, grants and donations, so long as these are consistent with OASIS policies and the consortium's not-for-profit tax-exempt status. All such activities and expenditures will be subject to OASIS policies, budgeting and reporting practices, and the approval of OASIS management.

7. Provisions that Apply to Affiliated Technical Committees

   OASIS Technical Committees may seek to affiliate with the Member Section as provided in the OASIS Member Section Policy.

   Affiliated TCs may choose to operate under any of the IPR modes allowed by OASIS policies, and in language as indicated in their TC charters.

8. Other Provisions

   The Steering Committee will elect its own chair, and set its own meeting schedule and agenda, operating under Roberts Rules of Order (newly revised) and all applicable OASIS policies.

   All meeting minutes and official Steering Committee activities will be published on the publicly archived Steering Committee mail list.

   The Steering Committee may adopt additional standing rules for its operations and Section operations, if not inconsistent with these Rules or OASIS policies.

   Once the Steering Committee is established, it may modify these Member Section Rules of Procedure, subject to approval of the OASIS Board of Directors as provided in the OASIS Member Section Policy.