This document summarizes the parts of the Project Charter outlining the process under which the QIR Alliance operates.
The QIR Alliance ("the Project") is a subsidiary/series of Joint Development Foundation Projects, LLC. The Joint Development Foundation’s role in the Project is limited to confirming that Projects conduct their activities in accordance with the Joint Development Foundation’s corporate purpose and policies, such as its non-profit status and regulatory guidelines. Projects are otherwise independent.
Steering Members are organizations that sign a legal agreement capturing the ideas summarized in the documents on this repository. They may participate in each Working Group and the Steering Committee. The Steering Member designates an individual to represent the organization in Steering Committee meetings. The current Steering Committee votes on accepting new Steering Members taking the following factors into consideration, among other aspects:
- Organization has demonstrated a sustained interest and commitment in standardizing a quantum intermediate representation.
- Organization has a track record of public efforts and contributions that benefit the quantum ecosystem.
- Organization has an active implementation effort to contribute to and/or integrate with the standard(s) developed under the QIR Alliance.
- Organization has demonstrated good faith in advancing quantum computing.
- Organization will enhance Steering Committee geographic and/or business model diversity.
- Availability of seat(s) in the steering committee.
General Members may participate in each Working Group, but do not participate on the Steering Committee. New parties may join the Project upon Approval of the Steering Committee.
Contributors may participate in Working Group(s) designated by the Steering Committee, but do not participate on the Steering Committee and are not eligible to participate in decisions that require a Supermajority Vote.
The Steering Committee is the body that is responsible for governing the Project, coordinating Working Groups, and managing assets. To keep discussions productive and balanced, attendance is generally limited to two attendees per organization. The Steering Committee may grant an exception to this rule for a specific meeting and purpose only.
The Project will have a Chairperson whose responsibilities include leading the Steering Committee, organizing meetings, managing finance, organizing voting, identifying new Working Groups, tracking Working Group progress, ensuring Working Group meet their goals, organizing community calls and official events, serving as contact and representing the QIR Alliance, updating and maintaining the official webpage, and any other activities approved by the Steering Committee. The Chairperson may delegate responsibilities to another party. The Steering Committee may Approve a new Chairperson. The Chairperson may designate an interim chair if they may be absent from one Steering Committee meeting. The Chairperson can be an external person. The Chairperson doesn’t have to be an employee of one of the Steering Committee member organizations. The Chairperson doesn’t have any voting privilege unless they are also appointed as the designated voting delegate by one of the steering committee members. The Chairperson is appointed for a duration of a year or until their affiliation changes and they can be reelected. The Steering Committee may call for a new Chairperson nomination at anytime.
The seat of a Steering Member may be vacated if a Steering Committee delegate is not designated or absent for more than one third of Steering Committee meetings in one year without the prior consent of the Steering Committee. A Steering Member can nominate a temporary stand-in. Prior consent can be requested to the Steering Committee by sending a written communication to the chairman for consideration at the next Steering Committee meeting. If approved, the chairman will send a written confirmation that the request has been granted. An organization should make sure to have an updated contact on file. By default, we consider the retirement of Steering Members once a year, but the Steering Committee is free to add a new member throughout the year.
Core Maintainers take an active role in maintaining content in one or more of the repositories under the QIR Alliance. The two primary designated maintainers for each active public repository under the QIR Alliance are automatically attributed the title of a Core Maintainer. Additional people that contribute significantly across various repos may be added and removed at the discretion of the Steering Committee via a vote. When doing so, the Steering Committee will consider the affiliation of the people and prioritize diversity.
The Steering Committee will endeavor to make all decisions by consensus. Where the Steering Committee cannot reach consensus with respect to a particular decision, the Steering Committee will make that decision by a Supermajority Vote.
Steering Committee decisions may be appealed by issuing a written appeal to the Chairperson, and that appeal will be considered by the Chairperson and the Steering Committee in good faith. The Chairperson will respond in writing within a reasonable time.
The Project adheres to consensus-based due process, including openness, balance, adequate notice and review periods, and fair and impartial consideration of views and objections.
The Project may have multiple Working Groups, and each Working Group will operate as set forth in its Working Group Charter.
The Steering Members, General Members, and Contributors acknowledge that they may compete with one another in various lines of business and that it is therefore imperative that they and their respective representatives act in a manner that does not violate any applicable antitrust laws and regulations. Each Steering Member, General Member, and Contributor may have similar agreements with others. Each Steering Member, General Member, and Contributor may design, develop, manufacture, acquire or market competitive deliverables, products and services, and conduct its business, in whatever way it chooses. No Steering Member, General Member, or Contributor is obligated to announce or market any products or services associated with or based on the Project. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Steering Members, General Members, and Contributors agree not to have any discussion relating to any product pricing, methods or channels of product distribution, division of markets, allocation of customers or any other topic that should not be discussed among competitors.
The Project has adopted the terms of the Code of Conduct available here. To report an issue or concern under this Code of Conduct, contact the Project Chairperson or the Joint Development Foundation General Manager.
The Project may use any Steering Member’s, General Member’s, and Contributor’s logo, trademark or service mark to identify the party as a Project member. All other uses are subject to that party’s express prior written authorization.
Any Working Group use of a Project trademark, including for Approved Deliverables, must be Approved by the Steering Committee.
Any distributions of technical information to third parties must include a notice materially similar to the following: “THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS.” The parties expressly disclaim any warranties (express, implied, or otherwise), including implied warranties of merchantability, non-infringement, fitness for a particular purpose, or title, related to the materials. The entire risk as to implementing or otherwise using the materials is assumed by the implementer and user. IN NO EVENT WILL THE PARTIES BE LIABLE TO ANY OTHER PARTY FOR LOST PROFITS OR ANY FORM OF INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY CHARACTER FROM ANY CAUSES OF ACTION OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THIS DELIVERABLE OR ITS GOVERNING AGREEMENT, WHETHER BASED ON BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), OR OTHERWISE, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE OTHER MEMBER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.”