Add process for Contributor Recommendation Letters

Author: aojea

operations/recommendations-letters.md

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+# Process for Contributor Recommendation Letters
+
+The Kubernetes Steering Committee is committed to supporting the dedicated
+contributors who drive our project forward. We are often asked to provide
+letters of recommendation or statements of contribution for purposes such as
+visa applications, immigration proceedings, or professional recognition.
+
+This document outlines a formal, consistent, and scalable process for handling
+these requests. Its purpose is to enable the Steering Committee to provide
+meaningful support while upholding the integrity and accuracy of any statement
+made on behalf of the Kubernetes project.
+
+## Roles and Responsibilities
+
+* **Applicant:** The Kubernetes contributor requesting the letter. They are
+  responsible for initiating the request, drafting a letter with claims that are
+  demonstrable via project artifacts (e.g., pull requests, design docs, meeting
+  notes), and obtaining peer verification.
+
+* **Peer Verifier:** A recognized leader (e.g., chair, tech lead, subproject
+owner, or maintainer) from the SIGs, WGs or subprojects where the applicant has
+contributed. They are responsible for reviewing the applicant's draft letter for
+factual accuracy.
+
+* **Steering Committee:** The committee is collectively responsible for the
+process. Members individually review submitted materials, ask for clarification
+if needed, and provide their signature to signify approval. The collective
+signatures constitute the official endorsement.
+
+## The Process
+
+### Step 1: Request Initiation
+
+The Applicant sends their initial request to the Steering Committee's official
+contact point: <steering-private@kubernetes.io>.
+
+### Step 2: Applicant Submits Materials
+
+The Steering Committee responds with this process (see Appendix A for a
+template). The Applicant is then responsible for submitting the following
+materials to the committee:
+
+1. **A Draft of the Recommendation Letter:** All claims and contributions listed
+   in the letter must be demonstrable and verifiable through publicly accessible
+   artifacts.
+
+1. **A Peer Verification Document:** : This is a formal document (e.g., a shared
+   document or a Markdown file) approved by at least one (ideally two) Peer
+   Verifiers that validates the claims made in the draft letter. This document
+   must contain:
+
+  * A list of the specific claims or contributions made in the draft letter.
+  * For each claim, one or more links to the specific artifacts that support it
+    (e.g., pull requests, design documents, mailing list discussions, meeting
+    notes).
+  * A clear statement from each Peer Verifier confirming they have reviewed the
+    claims against the provided artifacts and attest to their accuracy.
+
+### Step 3: Committee Review, Signature, and Delivery
+
+Upon receiving the materials, each committee member individually reviews the
+draft letter and the peer verification.
+
+* If a member has questions or requires clarification, they should raise them
+directly with the Applicant, by responding to the email with submitted
+materials, copying  <steering-private@kubernetes.io>. This ensures the entire
+conversation history is maintained in a single thread.
+
+* Members who are satisfied with the letter's accuracy and tone proceed to sign
+the document.
+
+* The letter is considered officially approved once the [required majority] has
+  signed it.
+
+## Appendix A: Template Response to Inquiries
+
+```text
+Subject: Re: Your Request for a Recommendation Letter
+
+Hi [Applicant Name],
+
+Thank you for reaching out to the Kubernetes Steering Committee. We are happy to
+support you with your request for a recommendation letter.
+
+To ensure the letter we provide is accurate, we follow a standard process described
+in https://github.com/kubernetes/steering/operations/recommendations-letters.md
+
+Please provide us with the following:
+
+1. A Draft Letter: A document containing the specific facts and contributions
+you would like us to highlight. All claims in the draft must be demonstrable
+through public project artifacts.
+
+2. A Peer Verification Document: To validate your draft, please create a
+separate document. This document should list each major claim from your letter
+and, next to each one, provide direct links to the artifacts that prove it
+(e.g., pull requests, design docs, meeting notes).
+
+Once you have created this verification document, please share it with one or
+two Tech Leads or maintainers from the areas you've contributed to. They will
+need to review it and add their name, title, and a statement confirming the
+accuracy of the information. This will serve as their official signature.
+
+Please send both the draft letter and the signed Peer Verification Document to
+us. The committee will then review them and manage the final approval process.
+
+Best regards,
+
+The Kubernetes Steering Committee
+```
+
+[required majority]: /charter.md#routine-business