[alma_na] ALMA Joint Teleconference Minutes - 2001-Nov-05

[Carolyn White]

ALMA Joint Teleconference - 2001-Nov-05

Attendees: Kurz, Brown, Wootten, Simon, Radford, White, Webber, Baars,
Ellison, Mangum, Kingsley, Baudry, Guilloteau, Rafal, Raffi, Payne

Review of Meetings in Washington, DC
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Kurz explained the situation in Japan as we understand it.  They are
unable to get funding for FY2002 for construction.  The Japanese will
however receive monies to build a prototype antenna.  With the new
government, the Japanese expect to receive approximately 2/3 of the 1/3
full partner level, but not until FY2004.  With this information, the ACC
had no option but to proceed with the Project as a bi-lateral project.
The ACC set the ALMA baseline as 64 12 meter antennas with four receiver
bands at an amount of $552.4 million FY2000 U.S. dollars. Due to the
timing of the signing of committed funds in the U.S. and Europe, we intend
to plan for Phase 2 to officially start July 2002.  The EACC will next
meet a year from now.  The EAEC has ceased to exist.  The ACC has
reinstituted the ALG (ALMA Liaison Group) to keep the Japanese informed.
The ALG will meet in approximately six months.  The ACC also stated that
the ASAC will carry the Japanese as observers.  Only the bi-lateral
partners will serve as Chair and Vice Chair the ASAC.

The AEC is charged to provide a complete bilateral Phase 2 plan,
including an updated Project Book, to the ACC by 1 February 2002.  A
plan for producing the updated plan will be sent to the Division
Heads/Team Leaders by 19 November.

At the ACC Meeting, talks were presented on the Chilean negotiations.
There is a meeting with Chilean officials and ALMA members today.  The
ACC agreed with the structure of the proposed Management Plan but
deferred further discussion. The next face-to-face ACC Meeting will be
17-18 April 2002, possibly in Venice.

ALMA week will be moved to Europe, probably Granada. There is the
possibility of an AMAC meeting in Washington, DC January 23 - 24.  AEC
will ask that this meeting not be before February so that the AMAC can
review the new bilateral project plan due 1 February.

The next ALMA Bilateral Project Teleconference will be November 26, 2002
at 15:30 UT.