Member submissions guidebook

Status of this document

This document explains how W3C Members send Submission requests to the W3C Team, or withdraw them. The Member Submission process allows Members to propose technology or other ideas for consideration by the Team. The formal process affords Members a record of their contribution and gives them a mechanism for disclosing the details of the transaction with the Team.

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Scope of Submission requests

As described in section 10.1.1 of the W3C Process Document:

When a technology overlaps in scope with the work of a chartered Working Group, Members SHOULD participate in the Working Group and contribute the technology to the group's process rather than seek publication through the Member Submission process. The Working Group MAY incorporate the contributed technology into its deliverables. If the Working Group does not incorporate the technology, it SHOULD NOT publish the contributed documents as Working Group Notes since Working Group Notes represent group output, not input to the group.

On the other hand, while W3C is in the early stages of developing an Activity Proposal or charter, Members SHOULD use the Submission process to build consensus around concrete proposals for new work.

Members SHOULD NOT submit materials covering topics well outside the scope of W3C's mission.

Preparing the Submission request

Submission requirements are described in section 11.1.2 of the Process Document. Members are encouraged to prepare a Submission request by following the Submission template.

Sending the Submission request

The Submitter (one or more Member organizations represented by one AC Representative) sends the Submission request to submissions@w3.org. When several Members participate in a Submission request, only one sends the request. The other submitting Advisory Committee representatives MUST be copied on the request.

In separate email to submissions@w3.org, Advisory Committee representatives from all participating organizations MUST confirm their support of the Submission request. This email SHOULD NOT contain the original Submission package.

Team handling of the request

The Team SHOULD notify the Submitter promptly that the Submission package has been received. If, for any reason, the Submission request is deemed incomplete or incorrect by the Team (e.g., the Submission package lacks information, confirmations of position statements have not been received, Member agreements from participating companies have not been signed, etc.), the Team and Submitter work together until all information that is required has been provided.

The Team sends a validation notice to the Submitter(s) once the Team has reviewed a Submission request and judged it complete and correct. Though the announcement MAY be made at any time, the Submitter(s) can expect an announcement between four to six weeks after the validation notice.

Prior to acknowledgment, the Submitter MUST NOT, under any circumstances, refer to a document as "submitted to the World Wide Web Consortium" or "under consideration by W3C" or any similar phrase either in public or Member communication, nor should there be any implication that W3C is working on the submitted documents with the submission authors. The Submitter may publish the documents in the Submission request prior to acknowledgment (without reference to the Submission request).

The Webmaster SHALL NOT publish the document until the Head of W3C Communications approves publication.

Withdrawing a Submission request

At any time prior to acknowledgment, any Submitting Member may withdraw support for a Submission request by sending a request to withdraw to submissions@w3.org. The request MUST include the name of the Submitting organization and the subject of the Submission request. The request may include rationale for the withdrawal, but this is not required.

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