replace exception rule by Incubator status

Standards/scs-0007-v2-certification-integrators.md

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+---
+title: Certification of integrators
+type: Procedural
+status: Draft
+#stabilized_at: YYYY-MM-DD # TODO when Stable
+replaces:
+  - scs-0007-v1-certification-integrators.md
+track: Global
+description: |
+  SCS-0007 defines the process and rules on how to become certified as SCS Integrator.
+---
+
+## Introduction
+
+The purpose of this document is to describe a concept for how an implementation partner (also referred to as an applicant) can obtain certification as SCS Integrator. In essence, this certificate is intended to express that an applicant has sufficient technical knowledge and experience to provide technical support to other organizations using SCS.
+By design, this certification demands to reach a certain score based on a predefined scoring system. As it may take some time for an aspiring applicant to become an SCS Integrator, a lesser variant of the certificate, called SCS Incubator, is also defined which can be achieved with a lower score.
+
+## Motivation
+
+As an implementation partner, I want to become certified as SCS Integrator in order to prove sufficient technical knowledge and experience to provide technical support for SCS.
+
+## Regulations
+
+The certificates are awarded for a period of one year based on the predefined scoring system below.
+The certification is done either by the Forum SCS-Standards or an attestation body nominated by the forum.
+
+### Certificates
+
+- Certified SCS IaaS Integrator: SCS IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) implementation partner
+- Certified SCS KaaS Integrator: SCS KaaS (Kubernetes as a Service) implementation partner
+- Certified SCS IaaS Incubator: aspiring SCS IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) implementation partner
+- Certified SCS KaaS Incubator: aspiring SCS KaaS (Kubernetes as a Service) implementation partner
+
+### General expectations
+
+The general expectation for certification is to provide proof of experience in setting up, operating and supporting SCS-compliant environments.
+
+SCS is an open source community project with the goal of enabling digital sovereignty. As such, the commitment and support of this mission SHOULD be recognized and promoted beyond technical competence.
+
+The applicant SHOULD work towards ensuring that digital sovereignty is implemented in accordance with the SCS definition (Standards and [Mission Statement](https://docs.scs.community/community/mission-statement)). This is expressed in a way that, in addition to the technology used to build environments (not necessarily only SCS environments), knowledge and experience in SCS standards compliance (SCS-compatible IaaS and KaaS) is also available and that environments built by the applicant have already been configured in accordance with the standards and are listed on the SCS compliance list.
+
+The applicant SHOULD work towards ensuring that the cloud environments it sets up and/or manages are also officially visible as SCS clouds, thereby strengthening the SCS brand.
+
+### Scoring system
+
+The applicant MUST achieve a total of at least FOUR points to become SCS Integrator or at least TWO points to qualify as SCS Incubator according to the following scoring system:
+
+- two points for each SCS-compliant environment of a third party successfully brought into production by the applicant in the last 12 months;
+- two points for each SCS-compliant environment of a third party actively being managed by the applicant for the last 12 months, one point for 6 months;
+- two points for each SCS-compliant public-cloud environment with at least two regions or at least three availability zones being operated by the applicant for the last 12 months, one point for 6 months.
+
+Here, an SCS-compliant environment is one that qualifies for [_Certified SCS-compatible IaaS_](https://docs.scs.community/standards/scs-compatible-iaas) or [_Certified SCS-compatible KaaS_](https://docs.scs.community/standards/scs-compatible-kaas), depending on the desired certification.
+
+### Attestation
+
+The audit for the certification of an applicant is carried out by the Forum SCS-Standards or an attestation body. It will assess and, if necessary, obtain evidence from the applicant to be able to estimate which score will be achieved in total and how.

Standards/scs-0007-w2-certification-integrators-implementation-notes.md

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+---
+title: "Implementation hints for achieving Certified SCS Integrator"
+type: Supplement
+track: Global
+supplements:
+  - scs-0007-v2-certification-integrators.md
+replaces:
+  - scs-0007-w1-certification-integrators-implementation-notes.md
+---
+
+## Introduction
+
+The standard scs-0007 documents what requirements integration partners must fulfill to be eligible
+for being certified as SCS integrators.
+This document contains hints how these requirements may be evaluated by the Forum SCS-Standards
+auditor and how the process to get _Incubator_ status will be handled.
+
+### Voting on _Incubator_ status
+
+When someone requests approval for a certification as SCS integrator with _Incubator_ status (criteria are not met yet), this can be waived with a qualified vote in the Forum SCS-Standards.
+To avoid conflict of interests and counteract social pressure, we envision the following process:
+
+- The beneficiary party (the implementation partner in whose favor _Incubator_ status is requested)
+  should be invited to a meeting to explain why they believe that they qualify as incubator for a
+  SCS integrator certification despite not meeting the normal qualification criteria.
+- The forum members may ask the beneficiary party clarifying questions that should be answered.
+- To ensure an open discussion, the beneficiary party should be excluded from the discussions about
+  the matter.
+  The same applies if the beneficiary party is a member of the Forum SCS-Standards.
+  In that case, the expulsion should not be counted against the required quorum to avoid forum
+  members from having a disadvantage.
+  If the excluded party is a voting member, they will automatically abstain from the vote.
+- Any parties that have significant conflicts of interests are expected to make these
+  conflicts transparent and cast abstention votes.
+
+The goal during the period having _Incubator_ status is to work in accordance with the SCS Standards and Mission Statement towards the criteria for the SCS integrator certification.