ICANN is preparing to release a proposed three year Strategic Plan. This Strategic Plan sets the direction and establishes the three-year goal for ICANN's Staff and Operational Functions. It has been prepared by the office of the ICANN President and CEO in consultation with ICANN's Board of Directors and after receiving input from the ICANN community. The final Plan will be completed after further consultation involving the ICANN Community.

In preparing a multi-year Strategic Plan, ICANN is applying sound business practices which allow ICANN to build on its successes and incorporate improvements over time. While the plan will guide ICANN for the three years 2005-2007, it will be updated annually by the Executive and Board to respond to the dynamic policy resolutions and Interests of ICANN's diverse constituencies.

ICANN underwent a reform process during 2002-3 that restructured and strengthened the ICANN policy process. This Strategic Plan does not revisit the reform process but focuses on defining strategic priorities for operational roles only, those required to sustain a stable, global and multi-stakeholder organisation, and to support the organisation's policy development process.

This Plan also does not seek to make any statement or limitation on how the Internet community may seek to engage the ICANN policy forum, or prescribe
any future direction for policy development.

T he timetable for releasing ICANN's Strategic Plan is as follows:

November 16th: Publication on Website
November 16th: Eight week Public Comment Forum opens (to January 15th
2005)
November 17th-23rd: Briefings for ICANN Community
December 3rd-4th: Presentation at ICANN Cape Town Meetings Public Forum
January 15th-30th 2005: Revision and final drafting of ICANN Strategic Plan
January 31st- February 11th, 2005: Second period of Public Comment on Final Draft version.
February- March, 2005: Submit final version to ICANN Board for approval.