IETF Administration LLC

Mission

The best possible support corporation to the IETF/IRTF/IAB

Values

• Trusted.  The LLC will uphold the values and policies of the IETF/IRTF/IAB as if they were its own.
• Transparent.  The IETF community can expect the LLC to keep it informed about its work and to keep comprehensive records which are public by default and only make them confidential where there is specific justification.
• Responsive.  The LLC will act consistently with the documented consensus of the IETF community, adapt its decisions in response to consensus-based community guidance, and engage with the community to obtain consensus-based guidance for how it operates where none exists.
• Diligent.  The LLC will always do its job diligently by following professional best practice, acting ethically and minimising risks.
• Evidence-led.  The IETF LLC will use evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, as the primary driver of its decision making.
• Focused.  The LLC will focus solely on its defined role and within its defined mandate.
• Equitable.  The LLC will deal with all members of the IETF community equitably regardless of sex, race, geography, culture, religion, age, health or other status.

Responsibilities

• Operations. Supporting the ongoing operations of the IETF, including meetings and non-meeting activities.
• Finances. Managing the IETF's finances and budget.
• Fundraising. Raising money on behalf of the IETF.
• Compliance. Establishing and enforcing policies to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and rules.

The IETF LLC has no role in the oversight or steering of the standards process as currently conducted by the IESG and IAB, the appeal chain, the confirming bodies for existing IETF and IAB appointments, the IRTF, or ISOC's memberships in other organizations.

Strategy

The IETF LLC holds an annual strategic retreat to develop its annual strategic plan, which is then shared with the community for feedback before it is finalised:

IETF Administrative Strategic Plan 2024
IETF Administrative Strategic Plan 2020

Relationship to the Internet Society (ISOC)

The IETF LLC is a single member LLC disregarded entity of the Internet Society. It is a 501(c)(3) charity but does not have a separate IRS registration as a single member LLC disregarded entity and so any charitable contributions to the IETF are treated as contributions to the Internet Society, and the IETF LLC does not complete a Form 990 as it is included on the Form 990 of the Internet Society.

LLC Agreement
Transition and Shared Services Agreement
Certificate of Formation
IETF-ISOC Funding Agreement (2020)
IETF-ISOC Funding Agreement Amendment (2020)
IETF-ISOC Funding Agreement Amended and Restated (2024)

Relevant RFCs

The IETF LLC implements the v2.0 IETF Administrative Support Activity (IASA), replacing the previous IETF Administrative Oversight Committee (IAOC) as documented in a set of RFCs produced by the IASA2 working group:

RFC 8711 Structure of the IETF Administrative Support Activity, version 2.0
RFC 8713 IAB, IESG, IETF Trust, and IETF LLC Selection, Confirmation, and Recall Process: Operation of the IETF Nominating and Recall Committees
RFC 8717 IETF Administrative Support Activity 2.0: Consolidated Updates to IETF Administrative Terminology