This web page outlines the process: http://www.isi.edu/ra/rps/transition.
MCI, RIPE, ANS, RA, Bell Canada, Telestra make up the IRR.
RPSL is an open IETF effort and is about to become a proposed standard.
More accurate representation of policy (and more powerful than RIPE-181)
Three phase transition plan.
There is a ietf draft that documents the transition plan.
Phase 2 has should start around May 18th.
The server for RPSL is running at brind.isi.edu.
The RIPE dbase software is should be ready when Phase 2 starts.
There is a transition tool available already.
During phase 2, two databases will be running in parallel. Write to the RIPE-181 database and it will show up in both. During this time, in-house tools can be modified to support RPSL.
During the second part of phase 2, it will not be reflected back to the RIPE-181 database.
When phase 2 is started, NANOG will be used to announce this.
During Phase 2, there will be tutorial sessions at NANOG, RIPE and APICOT
During Phase 3, object can be sent in via RPSL or RIPE-181, but will only be able read them in RPSL format.
The web page lets you experiment with the conversion process now.