docs(contributing): add contribution intake and decision record

Signed-off-by: Will Curran <wcurran@nvidia.com>

Author: wscurran

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.yml

@@ -21,13 +21,80 @@ body:
     validations:
       required: true
 
+  - type: markdown
+    attributes:
+      value: |
+        ## Proposal Details
+
+        Answer each required proposal-detail field.
+        If a field does not apply, enter `Not applicable` and explain why.
+        If the answer is unknown, enter `Unknown` and state what must be decided.
+
   - type: textarea
     id: constraints
     attributes:
-      label: Constraints and Non-goals
-      description: List only current constraints or exclusions that materially change the solution.
+      label: Scope and Exclusions
+      description: |
+        State what the proposal includes and excludes.
+        List current constraints that materially change the solution.
     validations:
-      required: false
+      required: true
+
+  - type: textarea
+    id: ownership
+    attributes:
+      label: Ongoing Ownership
+      description: |
+        Who will maintain this contribution after merge?
+        Name the proposed person or team.
+    validations:
+      required: true
+
+  - type: textarea
+    id: placement_support
+    attributes:
+      label: Placement and Support Expectations
+      description: |
+        Request placement in core NemoClaw or NemoClaw Community.
+        State the support expected after merge.
+        Maintainers make the final placement and support decision.
+        Refer to [Community Solutions](https://github.com/NVIDIA/NemoClaw/blob/main/docs/resources/community-contributions.mdx).
+    validations:
+      required: true
+
+  - type: textarea
+    id: validation_plan
+    attributes:
+      label: Validation Plan
+      description: |
+        List the tests, documentation, security analysis, compatibility evidence,
+        or runtime validation required to evaluate this proposal.
+    validations:
+      required: true
+
+  - type: textarea
+    id: compatibility
+    attributes:
+      label: Compatibility Requirements
+      description: |
+        List the versions, operating systems, hardware, providers, and runtimes
+        that this proposal is expected to work with. State any exclusions.
+    validations:
+      required: true
+
+  - type: textarea
+    id: security_privacy
+    attributes:
+      label: Security or Privacy Impact
+      description: |
+        Describe changes to permissions, credentials, personal data, network access,
+        execution boundaries, or third-party trust.
+        Do not include credential values, personal data, or confidential customer
+        or partner information.
+        Do not report a vulnerability in this issue.
+        Follow [SECURITY.md](https://github.com/NVIDIA/NemoClaw/blob/main/SECURITY.md).
+    validations:
+      required: true
 
   - type: textarea
     id: implementation

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -79,6 +79,21 @@ Open an issue when you encounter one of the following situations.
 Use [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/NVIDIA/NemoClaw/discussions) for questions, design exploration, and larger feature proposals before implementation.
 Maintainers may ask you to move broad or still-forming proposals from an issue to a discussion so the design can settle before code review.
 
+### Maintainer Triage and Decision
+
+For a substantive product, architecture, security, integration, or supported-surface proposal, a maintainer must record a decision in the issue or linked discussion.
+The maintainer must record the decision before implementation starts.
+
+The decision record must include these items:
+
+- **Decision:** `Accept`, `Request changes`, `Defer`, or `Decline`.
+- **Reason and placement:** State the reason. For `Accept`, record core NemoClaw or NemoClaw Community. Use `Not applicable` when the decision is not `Accept`.
+- **Accountable maintainer:** Name one maintainer when the decision is `Accept`. Use `Not applicable` when the decision is not `Accept`.
+- **Validation plan:** List the required validation evidence when the decision is `Accept`. Use `Not applicable` when the decision is not `Accept`.
+
+Contributors must not implement a substantive contribution with an `Accept` decision until the record names one accountable maintainer and an explicit validation plan.
+Small documentation changes and low-risk fixes may continue directly to a pull request.
+
 ## Community Response Expectations
 
 NemoClaw is an alpha project, and maintainer availability varies with release, security, and stability work.