GDC full kernel with IBT off is not just sign the kmod - say no unless it fits, do not reopen the contract, Peter and Kelly own the Tissa conversation

Situation

On 10/29, with the GDC contract about to be signed, Google asked for a 6.18 full kernel with IBT off for the following week. Peter framed it in #google-partnership-governance: the ask pushes CIQ from just sign our kmod into supporting kernel development, which CIQ told Google it must staff up for and is still hiring for; it falls back into the CIQ needs to do the live patching work bucket and cannot be delivered in a couple of days. If Justin path works, fine; otherwise the answer is no. He told Nathan he did not need to manage the contract, stopped the engineering thread (Let us spend no more time on this and Kelly and I will talk to Tissa), and refused to change the order of anything or reopen any question while the contract was being signed. He emailed and then called Tissa; Tissa dropped the full-kernel requirement, and Peter confirmed in writing the plan is the minimal kernel with IBT disabled for next week, with Kelly, Nathan and Justin on the thread.

Reasoning

The kmod-signing arrangement was Google own shortcut around CIQ staffing constraint; an ask that reaches past it is new kernel work and must be named as such, not absorbed. Holding the line protects the near-signed contract and the commercial ladder (live patching gets priced and staffed). Peter takes the commercial conversation himself so engineers are not negotiating scope, and resolves it by finding what Google actually needs (minimal kernel only) rather than by saying yes to the stated ask.

Additional Context

Continuation of 9/25 (no live-patch work before Google pays) and 10/1 (near-zero-cost flags only before commercials). Peter also asked Kelly how much the contract grows year over year to size how material the ask is.

Observed Evidence

Slack: We need GDC to realize that the things they are asking push this from just sign our kmod into supporting kernel development. / If Justin path works, fine. But otherwise we tell them no. / Nathan - you do not need to manage the contract. / Let us spend no more time on this and Kelly and I will talk to Tissa. Email to Tissa: Minimal kernel + IBT disable is the plan.

Matching Patterns

Confidence Breakdown

Reasoning Depth Analysis