The IPR Policy covers the activities conducted by working groups.  The ByLaws and IPR Policy stipulate that it requires a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors to create a specification.  The IPR Process stipulates that it takes a supermajority (2/3) to reference a specification (which would typically not be created by the ICF) as an ICF Recommendation.  Normal working groups can be created by a simple majority board vote, and will produce whitepapers, reports, best practices documents, and other deliverables.

The IPR Policy will be amended to cover the normal output of working groups.

- Download IPR Policy (.pdf)

- Download IPR Process (.pdf)

Per the IPR Policy and Process, contributors to a working group that may encounter IPR issues must sign an IPR Contribution agreement for that working group.  Participants may join the working group mailing list and otherwise participate in the work of that group after returning a signed IPR Contribution Agreement form.

- Download Contribution Agreement for Individuals (.doc)

- Download Contribution Agreement for Organizations (.doc)

Contribution Agreement Submission.

You can digitally sign an electronic version of this agreement or:

 print it out, sign it, and either: scan it and email the .jpg or .png  to

ContributionAgreement@informationcard.net or:

fax it or mail it the ICF (see contact info)