To request a Last Call,

• Pull up the document in the Tracker
• Click "Prepare for Last Call"
• Make sure the version number in the Last Call Announcement Text is correct.
• Add the document's abstract to the announcement text
• Make other changes to the announcement text if necessary (see below)
• Use the "Request Last Call" button.

The secretariat will later send the announcement text to IETF-Announce, often on the next business day.

RFC 2026 and RFC 2418 discuss the two-week and four-week IETF Last Call for documents.

The AD can decide to combine several documents in one Last Call, if they have a strong interdependency. This should be weighed against complexity later when Discuss comments are confusing (to which documents do they apply, which documents are clear?).

The AD should review the document for downward references which need to be called out in the Last Call according to RFC xxxx, and edit these into the announcement that goes out - this task can be shared with the WG chair shepherd. More detail on this is found in DownrefRegistry.

Note: in few cases the ADs have placed a document on the telechat agenda before the Last Call has expired and holding off actual approval to the end of the Last Call period. The experience has been that it is very likely that review feedback comes on the last days, and that tracking this, allowing other IESG members to evaluate their position based on the late feedback, and so on is complicated. As a result, this approach is not recommended.

Custom Announcement Text

The method of adding the custom text is press the button for regenerating the Last Call text in the tracker, then to edit the text, then press the button to request Last Call

Add the document's Abstract to the text

Starting 13Jan2011, the IESG encourages, but does not require, adding a copy of the document's Abstract to the last call text just before the "The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks" boilerplate. The hope is that this will increase the accuracy of directorate dispatchers choosing documents for cross area review, and possibly lead to additional review from the community at large.

Some other cases where the announcement text should be modified

• When the document contains a downref, and is being moved forward on the Standards Track anyway, the AD must clearly note this in the Last Call.
• To do an extended Last Call to give extra time, e.g. when a Last Call overlaps a meeting.
• To explain unusual actions, such as a move to Historic status, or

mention of review of a non-WG document by a WG or WGs.

Custom requests

The secretariat will also handle custom tickets requesting Last Call, but let them know if there's custom text in the Tracker already.

---

FUTURE: change so both paths generate a ticket.

FUTURE: is the Secretariat checking of the message (handling of the ticket) needed, or should this be fully automated?

FUTURE: make it easier to add custom text