^{II Business Capabilities and Plan (RFP Section D13)}

The NeuStar/Melbourne IT Joint Venture (henceforth the JVTeam) has the requisite and proven capability, experience, and integrity to meet and exceed the responsibilities and requirements posed by ICANN in its request for a registry for new TLD services to ensure the registry is an incontrovertible success

The domain name system is more complex than most people realize. Although the Internet has grown exponentially over recent years, the growth of the domain name system it relies upon has been hampered by conflicting interests, standards, and opinions which threaten to endanger its future stability and utility. For competition to be introduced successfully at the registry level, the selected registry operator must have a proven ability to function efficiently in this complex environment and facilitate the controlled, systematic evolution of the DNS. The domain name system is unique; only a handful of organizations in the world specialize in its operation. Historically, the domain name registry business has not been a competitive one; few registries have successfully provided domain name services in a manner perceived by consumers to be fair and even-handed. In many cases this is simply a lack of experience and a failure to understand the technical, operational, and policy issues required by the administrators of a domain space.

To be successful, a new TLD registry must incorporate a comprehensive understanding of domain names and their administration. Simply allowing for the establishment of a database record is not enough; it also must address the long term management issues associated with servicing domain names throughout their entire life cycle. These include registrar transfers, renewals, cancellations, policy changes, and all the other administrative issues associated with domain name management. In addition, to meet previously unmet needs, a registry must be able to design, build, and administer a robust database, requiring extensive software development and infrastructure management capacity that is accessible by multiple, external organizations. A registry is not merely a records repository; it must ensure the security of personal contact data and license holder information, provide the facility for that data to be accessed by multiple customers in real-time, ensure that access to the data is not hampered by system outages or unnecessary downtime, and be capable of maintaining the physical infrastructure to support all of its operations. In addition, the registry operator must be capable of designing and building a database that can scale seamlessly in response to the exponential growth of the Internet. JVTeam is that registry.

JVTeam offers an intimate understanding of the DNS environment combined with a proven record of registry operations that will ensure the stability of the Internet by providing a reliable, robust, and scalable infrastructure. JVTeam has a demonstrated history of developing and maintaining complex databases, designing software solutions, and providing effective management and policy implementation for equitable administration of critical public resources. More importantly, JVTeam understands that to maximize global acceptance and participation, the TLD registry must be administered with integrity. In order to cultivate a truly competitive registrar environment, the TLD registry must assume the role of responsibly managing the public resource entrusted to its care. It must do so by demonstrating that it can operate in an entirely impartial manner as a trusted third party. JVTeam founded its business operations on integrity and neutrality. Our viability as a company and our reputation is dependent on our neutrality.

JVTeam will leverage its experience and reputation as a trusted third party to ensure that the introduction of new TLDs is an unquestioned success. We have the credentials, experience, and resources necessary to deliver in accordance with the stated objectives of ICANN. As described in this document, our strong business and marketing plans will facilitate the broad market acceptance and promotion of diversity in the new TLD namespace, and substantiate JVTeam’s corporate commitment to ensuring the successful introduction and ongoing operation of the new TLD registry.

II.1 Overview of Registry Operator’s Capabilities
(RFP D13.1)

The JVTeam Story

JVTeam brings to the domain name market the combined capabilities of NeuStar and Melbourne IT in order to provide the next generation domain name registry through technological innovation and proven channel management expertise by delivering the world’s most advanced domain name services on a trusted third party basis.

The Beginning

When ICANN announced its intention to initiate a formal process to introduce new top level domains (TLDs), both Melbourne IT and NeuStar saw a unique opportunity perfectly aligned with their individual business goals. Independently, each company saw itself as a strong competitor. Melbourne IT is a trusted provider of registry and registrar domain name services and operates a shared registry system to aggregate resellers’ requests and interface to the existing registry system. NeuStar is a trusted third party provider of critical clearinghouse services that enable communications networks to interoperate.

Similarities in experience and principles were identified and discussed in depth. Neutrality is a major focus of both companies and they are committed to impartiality and fairness. Both recognize the importance of understanding and working successfully within regulatory environments. Both companies have registry experience but in different arenas. Each is committed to developing and cultivating long term relationships with clients. Both are focused on technological innovation and quality service. Both see the Internet as a truly international public resource. In addition to the similarities, complimentary experience was also considered. Melbourne IT is a recognized industry leader in domain name channel management, and NeuStar is a recognized industry leader in shared registry and data center operations.

Through the course of these discussions it became apparent to both companies that while each was a strong competitor independently, together they could combine their respective talents and resources to serve the Internet community’s need for a stable, experienced registry. As shown in Exhibit II.1-1 it was this mutual recognition of overlapping core competencies and complementary skills, combined with a desire to make a significant contribution to the Internet that was the genesis of JVTeam.

Team Formation—A Team for Success

In reviewing the evaluation criteria presented by ICANN, Melbourne IT and NeuStar agreed that to address the issues raised in the RFP and comply with the spirit of the request, the successful introduction of new TLDs requires the following:

· A reputation as a trusted, neutral third party administrator to promote fair and evenhanded competition among registrars

· Geographical diversity of operations to support a global enterprise

· Proven registry development and operations experience to ensure the highest levels of quality service to customers

· Proven, evenhanded policy administration expertise

· Technological innovation to provide high quality service and new features and functionality

· Proven channel management expertise to facilitate early and streamlined adoption by the registrar community

They further agreed that a successful registry operator committed to increasing competition in the Internet must:

· Understand the Internet environment

· Build on the strength of its DNS experience

· Have substantial database and distributed network experience

· Have proven credentials in managing a significant public database

· Operate the registry with integrity in a consistent, equitable, and neutral manner

· Develop policy guidelines and long-term solutions for secure management of vital public resources

In addition, Melbourne IT and NeuStar recognized they shared a philosophy which incorporated a commitment to competition with a vision of the Internet as a global resource readily available to individuals as well as organizations. As these issues continued to be discussed, the two companies realized their vision must become a reality. Together they would be a formidable team committed to the responsible, evolutionary development of the DNS. They formed JVTeam.

JVTeam Overview and Structure

JVTeam is a Limited Liability Company (LLC) formed by Melbourne IT, a public Australian company, and NeuStar, a United States corporation. JVTeam combines the capabilities, experience, and resources of these two outstanding organizations to ensure the stability of the Internet by providing a new generation of registry services that will provide high quality service as well as new features and functionality beneficial to the end user. JVTeam has the full corporate support and financial backing of both Melbourne IT and NeuStar to successfully support the needs of the Internet industry.

JVTeam will be managed by its own set of officers, and will assume all responsibilities and contractual obligations for the registry services outlined in this proposal. In this regard we will:

· Design, build, and/or customize all registry system components

· Establish and manage the network infrastructure required

· Deliver all registry services

· Provide all support services: billing, customer support, etc.

· Provide overall quality assurance

JVTeam is managed and staffed by experienced, dedicated individuals from within the industry who are keenly aware of the sensitivities and needs of the industry including:

· Experienced, neutral, and evenhanded third party administration

· Consistent service and stable systems that are extremely reliable and secure

· Sensitivity to the demands, timetables, and ever-changing landscape of the evolving Internet environment

· Subject matter expertise and experience in key technologies

· Commitment to the ongoing cooperative development of a first-of-its-kind industry capability through a fully open, non-proprietary environment

· Awareness of the need for flexible, scalable management and technical operations

Neutrality in a Competitive Environment

Neutrality for us is not a platitude; it is our identity, conveying impeccable, high-quality, evenhanded service essential to the central role we will play in the industry. We will process extremely sensitive and proprietary data to the highest security and confidentiality standards. We will not provide registrar services in competition with our customers. JVTeam is committed to the promotion of competition at the registry level and its goal is the equitable treatment of all registrars. Our previous experience as a registrar provides us the registrar perspective: We understand their needs, concerns, and issues. This understanding clarifies our responsibility to act in strict adherence to the principles of a neutral third party. All of our services will be available to all registrars on non-discriminatory terms. Neutrality is a belief we embrace and have embodied in the JVTeam Code of Conduct we have developed and by which we will abide.

JVTeam intends to maximize our strengths, and leverage our marketing power, database skills, and investment to pursue DNS related opportunities. We are committed to the long-term viability of this company, and the domain name registry business. We plan to deliver quality registry operations in the most cost-effective and equitable fashion possible. And we plan to succeed.

II.1.1 Company Information (RFP Section D13.1.1)

JVTeam, L.L.C.

Date of Formation: September 21, 2000

Legal Status: Limited Liability Company

Established in the State of Delaware, USA

Primary Location: 1120 Vermont Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20005

USA

Size of Staff: *See Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.1.7

Formal Alliances: *See Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.1.3

References: *See Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.1.3

Corporate or Other Structure: Limited Liability Company

Ownership Structure: 55% owned by NeuStar, Inc.

45% owned by Melbourne IT Ltd. Pty.

*As explained in the preceding section, JVTeam is a limited liability company created to function as a registry. Therefore, to obtain formal alliance and reference information, it is necessary to look to the history of our parent companies which is described in detail in Section II.1.3 of this document.

II.1.2 Current Business Operations (RFP Section D13.1.2)

Services and Products Offered

Because JVTeam was formed for the specific purpose of developing a domain name registry, it is necessary to look to the services and products offered by our parent companies as well as the duration of their provisioning to understand fully, the depth and breadth of our core capabilities. This information can be found in Section II.1.3 of this document.

Core Capabilities

The core capabilities of JVTeam are summarized on the following chart. Our personnel have the experience, skills, and expertise to successfully develop, manage, and maintain a complex database required for TLD registry operations and to effectively create, organize, and implement the comprehensive operations plan necessary to introduce new TLDs into the marketplace successfully.

CORE CAPABILITIES
Critical Success Factors	JVTeam Capabilities
Development of a Robust, Full-featured Registry	· Experience in the design, development, implementation, and operation of .com.au registry · Experience in the design, development, implementation, and operation of NPAC SMS Master Registry
Channel Management Expertise	· Manages over 250 User Agreements, manages, interfaces with over 4,000 Service Providers · NeuStar’s management of over 700 telcos · Melbourne IT’s management of over 700 channel partners worldwide
Management of vital public resources	· North American Numbering Plan Administrator providing solutions and working to delay the exhaust of the Numbering Resource for the U.S., Canada, and some Caribbean countries · Management of the com.au domain name space for the commonwealth of Australia
Even-handed policy expertise	· NeuStar is the only neutrality-certified entity in the world · Melbourne IT’s even-handed policy administration of the com.au space
Unquestioned neutral administration of registry operations	· JVTeam’s combined experience will build a robust, reliable and fully scalable system that will effectively compete with the current gTLD system
Enhancement of competition for registry services	· JVTeam will effectively address the current flaws with the TLD registry, thus offering additional functionality to the end user and bringing confidence to the new registry

II.1.3 Past Business Operations/Entity History (RFP Section D13.1.3)

JVTeam fuses the DNS management expertise, registry operations experience, and technical database management capabilities of its parent companies and is dedicated to ensuring the stability of the Internet by providing a new generation of high quality registry services incorporating new features and functions beneficial to the end user.

JVTeam’s vision to make a significant, responsible contribution to global communications by serving as a trusted, neutral Internet domain name registry operator is derived from the high standards and business ethics fundamental to our parent companies. Likewise, JVTeam’s entrepreneurial spirit and the confidence of our skilled, talented workforce in their ability to deliver is an innate part of the culture from which we came. JVTeam’s passionate commitment to integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality while providing high quality products and services to its clients is directly attributable to the values shared by our parent companies—Melbourne IT and NeuStar.

^{Melbourne IT Ltd.}

Date of formation: April 1996

Listed on Australian Stock Exchange on December 14, 1999

Legal Status: Proprietary limited company (Australia)

Primary location: Level 2, 120 King Street

Melbourne, Victoria

Australia 3000

Size of staff: 161

Formal alliances: 1. Verio Inc.

2. Ericsson Australia Pty. Ltd.

3. i-DNS.net International

4. Digital Envoy Inc.

5. eSign

References: Please see Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.4.2, References

Corporate or other structure: Limited Corporation

Ownership structure: Melbourne IT is incorporated in Australia as a public company limited by shares. Melbourne IT’s largest shareholder is Melbourne Enterprises International Ltd., a Melbourne University Company.

History and Overview

Melbourne IT was founded on a simple yet powerful idea. Melbourne IT is a place where highly skilled, uniquely talented people utilize leading edge technologies to produce innovative, first-of-a-kind technology solutions. Melbourne IT was founded in 1996 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Melbourne. At that time the company’s focus was to commercialize the University’s immense IT and telecommunications expertise. From a humble beginning, this quickly evolved into one of Australia’s most respected and successful information technology companies. This success continued in all areas of operation throughout the late 1990s and in 1999, Melbourne IT became a publicly traded company, expanding its customer and product base on a global scale.

Melbourne IT is a unique technology company that constantly seeks to learn, explore, and improve. It has an established culture of research and knowledge, where staff members are actively encouraged to explore ideas, to experiment with new technologies, and constantly expand the application and usefulness of information technology. Melbourne IT employees are given every opportunity to try new things, to be creative, to make mistakes, to learn and grow. It is a true culture of creativity and innovation.

Melbourne IT has played a leading role in the development of e-commerce in Australia and the Asia Pacific region, participating as a subject matter expert in forums on many of the technology areas in which it currently operates. It has also fostered the development of innovative technologies through an incubator program, providing many young software engineers with an opportunity to turn creative ideas into commercial solutions.

While technological innovation has permeated Melbourne IT’s product development, integrity and responsibility have characterized its ongoing involvement with the global community. Melbourne IT has built its global reputation on the strength of its interaction with customers and the community at large. Melbourne IT has cultivated long-standing, positive relationships with all of its clients, partners, and industry bodies throughout the world. In addition, Melbourne IT has actively participated in the development of standards and policies which serve to institute fairness and openness in the application of information technology. Melbourne IT has developed leading edge products through innovation and creativity and has built a global, successful business on the strength of strong and trusted relationships.

Services and Products

Melbourne IT offers a diverse range of technology products and services which can be broken down into four main categories:

1. Domain name registration, maintenance, and related services and products

2. Advanced telecommunications services and products

3. Incubator program

4. Research and Development.

Domain Name Registration, Maintenance, and Related Services and Products

com.au Domain names—On October 8, 1996 Melbourne IT became the delegated administrator of the com.au domain space. Melbourne IT leveraged its application development, project management, database, and networking experience to produce a domain name registration system that is automated, scalable, and eminently reliable.

Prior to Melbourne IT becoming the administrator of the com.au domain space, fewer than 5,000 com.au domains were registered. Because the space is tightly restricted by the com.au domain allocation policy, every application required manual verification for accuracy and completeness. This resulted in long delays and threatened to hamper the growth of e-commerce in Australia. Melbourne IT developed both front-end and back-end components of an automated registration system and within a very short space of time registrants enjoyed much faster service and a com.au domain name became an integral part of doing business in Australia. Melbourne IT currently processes up to 12,000 applications each month and the space has grown to over 190,000 domain names, making it one of the largest, most highly prized ccTLD spaces in the world. Melbourne IT has continued to innovate by providing the world’s first, live trademark check for new domain name applicants, implementing automated policy validation, and by providing registration services to a network of more than 500 Australian channel partners. All of Australia’s top 500 companies actively promote their com.au address in preference to .com because Melbourne IT has successfully differentiated com.au as a domain space specifically for genuine Australian registered businesses. Australian and international consumers have come to trust com.au as a domain space that has maintained the highest standards of integrity both commercially and technically.

generic Top Level Domains—In April 1999, Melbourne IT was selected to be one of five test-bed registrars for the introduction of competition in the .com, .net, and .org domain spaces. On July 1, 1999, Melbourne IT launched a domain management system called SPIN (System for Processing Internet Names) that is unique in the industry. Unlike the highly manual legacy systems of other vendors, SPIN, the synthesis of four and a half years experience in domain management, is a multi-million dollar software investment engineered to be highly scalable and rapidly adaptable to new naming rules and domain products. SPIN supports multiple interfaces allowing channel partners of many varying technical standards and backgrounds to easily interface to a real-time registration system. Melbourne IT has been a pioneer in the introduction of new TLD features such as 63-character domains, enhanced domain name security, and excellent 24-hour multi-lingual help desk support. It is continually and rapidly customizing the registration platforms to meet the needs of its channel partners.

Advanced Telecommunications Services and Products

Melbourne IT has also played a significant role in the development of advanced telecommunications technologies through The Advanced Services Application Centre (ASAC). ASAC began as an unincorporated joint venture between Melbourne IT and Ericsson Australia. Based in Melbourne, ASAC was established in 1995 to bring together IT and telecommunications competencies to build intelligent network (IN) and mobile data applications.

The following is a summary of some of the achievements of ASAC since 1995:

· Development and Installation of an Infoserver Product—ASAC developed, integrated and supported an Infoserver product known as Smart Message Services (SMS) from concept through to commercial operation in the Telstra network in Australia. The associated applications allow the delivery of personalized information to a GSM subscriber using the SMS facility. The product first went into service in 1996.

· Development and Support of an Enhanced Service Node—ASAC played a leading role in the development and support of the Enhanced Service Node (ESN) platform and the Personal Assistant (PA) application. ASAC was subsequently selected by Ericsson Sweden to build a commercial version of Personal Assistant on an industrialized service node.

· Development and Deployment of an Internet Gateway Platform—ASAC developed an Internet Gateway (ING) product that allows web-based control of network intelligence applications. This product currently supports the operation of a number of Telstra’s IN services.

· Development and Delivery of IN Services to Regional Telephone Companies—ASAC has successfully developed and delivered fully integrated IN and IT applications to Ericsson customers globally and within the Asia Pacific region.

· Joint Development of a Standard Infoserver Product—ASAC has worked with Ericsson Germany to develop the Web-on-Air Infoserver core platform and recently has been responsible for the successful development of the meta-service ‘Channel Studio’ that will allow the development of simple information style services.

Incubator Program

Since 1996, Melbourne IT has operated an Incubator program to support and develop new enterprises seeking to commercially develop information and communication technologies, particularly in relation to e-commerce. The Incubator program seeks to support new enterprises by providing them with access to low cost facilities, mentoring, and business networks.

The initial Incubator program was run over a three-year period, from 1996 to November 1999. Melbourne IT has maintained a continuing relationship with three companies that successfully graduated from the program during this period.

The majority of these incubator businesses are Internet-focused and all are premised on technological innovation and imagination. One program fostered the development of the extremely successful web-tracking tool, FunnelWeb. Another incubator company, Interactive Worldwide, specializes in Multimedia development. The Melbourne IT incubator program also fostered an online education tool that was one of the first software applications to utilize Java based technologies to interface with a database via a web-based client.

Research and Development

Melbourne IT is at the forefront of Internet technologies and maintains constant research and development in a wide range of applications that are complementary to the eCommerce solutions provided to its clients. Working together with the University of Melbourne, Department of Computer Science, and key strategic partners, Melbourne IT is able to maintain and deliver the latest developments in Internet technologies to its clients.

Key areas of research and development include:

· Metadata - XML tools, B2B XML schemas, Intelligent Agents, Intelligent Document Extraction

· Automated Distributed Database Integration

· Automated online registration systems

· eCommerce B2B software applications

· eCommerce fully integrated fulfillment and delivery systems

· Online instructional training management systems

· Interactive online business-to-business communities

· Mobile data application.

^{NeuStar, Inc.}

Date of formation: December 8, 1998

Legal Status: Corporation
Incorporated in State of Delaware, USA

Primary location: 1120 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005
USA

Size of staff: 192 employees

Formal alliances: None

References: Please see Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.4.2, References

Corporate or other structure: Corporation

Ownership structure: 68% owned by Warburg Pincus Equity Partners and affiliates
4% owned by Lockheed Martin Corporation
3% owned by Universal Telecommunications, Inc.
25% owned by NeuStar management

History and Overview

Rampant change is underway throughout the communications industry worldwide. With the proliferation of new technologies, services, providers, competition and regulatory change, as well as globalization, ensuring interoperability between networks has become a huge challenge. Yet, interoperability is essential to providing ubiquitous service, whether calling any phone or sending an Internet packet to any device on the planet. NeuStar, Inc., is the leading provider of critical clearinghouse services that enable communications networks to interoperate.

The challenge of enabling the interoperability of networks is great and unprecedented.

Increasingly, the industry relies on the unique power of NeuStar's clearinghouse solutions to fundamentally solve these challenges and pave the road ahead. Whether administering crucial public resources (telephone numbers), managing vital real-time network routing databases (number portability routing registry), or exchanging data for provisioning and billing, fiercely competing communications service providers rely on NeuStar as their trusted third-party provider of these services.

Since its founding in 1996, originally as an independent Communications Industry Services business unit within Lockheed Martin, NeuStar has been selected time and time again by the industry in open competitive procurements to provide first-of-a-kind mission critical services. In this capacity, NeuStar designed, built, and manages one of the largest data bases in the world and now serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). It operates the telephone numbering registry for the North American Numbering Plan as a public numbering resource. NeuStar is also the Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA) for the U.S. and Canada, operating the enormous routing registry, the Number Portability Administration Center Service Management System (NPAC SMS) for North America. The integrity and accuracy of this service is essential for virtually every telephone call placed within North America.

The "Neu" in NeuStar refers to its trusted, neutral third-party role. All of its services are available to all service providers on non-discriminatory terms. Its entire staff is sworn to a corporate Code of Conduct and voluntarily subjects itself to independent quarterly audits, reported publicly, of its compliance to this Code. The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has affirmed NeuStar as a neutral third party in FCC 99-346, CC Docket No. 92-237. No other entity or company has undergone such a thorough assessment and resounding endorsement of its neutrality. The criticality of the industry functions NeuStar has been entrusted with leads it to serve all stakeholders: regulators, standards bodies, industry and public interest groups, as well as all segments of the communications industry itself. It does so in a policy-neutral manner, providing instead important technical and operational subject matter expertise. Its mission is to remain the trusted, neutral third party that all these stakeholders have come to rely upon.

The "Star" in NeuStar refers to this central role as a trusted clearinghouse, the hub to which all communications networks connect. NeuStar’s systems are engineered and operated to connect with all networks, providing high volumes of reliable transactions and its mission requires it.

Since 1996, NeuStar has been the company that the communications industry turns to for neutral, trusted support. It demonstrates its reliability in managing large databases, consistently executing millions of transactions daily, maintaining secure and confidential data, and enabling the secure exchange of network and business information to ensure interoperability between next generation networks. The Federal Communications Commission as a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 sanctioned NeuStar to provide essential, secure clearinghouse and database administration services.

Services and Products

NeuStar offers a diverse range of the products and services that can be broken down into three main categories:

1. Regulated Services

2. Deregulated Commercial Services

3. NeuStar Worldwide Services.

^{Regulated Services}

North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)—NeuStar operates the telephone numbering registry for the North American Numbering Plan as a public numbering resource, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and many of the Caribbean islands. It is the centralized source for assigning all area codes and central office codes, and coordinating area code relief as the demand for numbers increases. NeuStar became the NANPA on October 9, 1997 for a five-year period that began formally on February 21, 1998. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the North American Numbering Council (NANC), an industry group advising the FCC on numbering issues, selected NeuStar through a competitive bidding process. As designated in NeuStar's agreement with the FCC and the NANC, NeuStar ensures timely, equitable, and efficient administration of the rapidly growing number of requests for area codes and central office codes.

Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC)—In April 1996, NeuStar was chosen to serve as the Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA) through 2003. In that role, NeuStar operates the call and signaling/routing registry for North America that allows customers to keep their existing phone numbers when changing local service providers. NeuStar’s development and operation of the NPAC in Chicago, Illinois, provides a master registry of routing information that interfaces with local carriers. Through this center, NeuStar coordinates the porting of local telephone numbers between carriers in North America, serving more than 250 service providers daily and porting more than 700,000 numbers each month. For its innovative design, on-time delivery, and quality database, the company was presented the Supercomm Award in 1998 for excellence in Operational Support Systems.

Number Pooling Administration—As proven by NeuStar, number pooling has the potential to extend the North American Numbering Plan’s (NANP) life well into the next century. NeuStar has been the Pooling Administrator for over two years for U.S. pooling trials in several states and numbering plan areas. Number pooling, also known as thousand-block pooling, allows for the disbursement of numbers to service providers in 1,000 number parcels. NeuStar worked with the telecommunications industry to develop the initial Pooling Administration guidelines in New York and Illinois in 1997-1998. The current guidelines are based upon those findings and have spurred the demand for pooling implementation in several other states. NeuStar continues to work with the Industry Numbering Council (INC) to suggest and modify changes to current pooling guidelines based upon NeuStar's actual experiences with pooling trials. Number pooling is a rapidly expanding service that requires a knowledgeable, experienced staff like that of NeuStar.

Deregulated Commercial Services

NeuStar’s commercial services build on the company’s strength as a neutral third party in developing and managing complex database systems and network elements. New commercial services are designed to help the industry improve operational efficiencies while saving time and money.

CARE Clearinghouse—An industry solution for Customer Account Record Exchange (CARE), the Clearinghouse simplifies the mechanized exchange of customer information between long distance and competitive local exchange carriers. NeuStar’s CARE Clearinghouse service supports CARE industry standards. CARE Clearinghouse participants benefit from expedited CARE processing and reduced costs.

IdentiBaseÔ—A solution to number registry problems resulting from deregulation, number portability, pooling, and local competition. With IdentiBase, the Local Service Provider of any telephone number—ported, pooled, or not—can be identified whenever it is needed, in whatever format is desired. Information from IdentiBase can help improve billing, provisioning, order entry, trouble management and universal emergency services. IdentiBase’s flexible, easy-to-query, timely data allows each department to better serve the customer base, increase revenue, decrease costs, and reduce customer churn.

NeuStar Worldwide

NeuStar is rapidly expanding its service offerings beyond North America. In Europe, initial offerings include:

Number Portability Administration Service—providing centralized, standardized access to multiple in-country number portability administrations.

Intelligent Network Services—providing C7 switch and transport services, Pan-European intelligent network number portability database and other intelligent network services such as carrier pre-selection, indirect access and freefone, even in non-intelligent network countries.

Inter-Carrier Clearinghouse Services—providing a transaction clearinghouse for exchanging number portability service orders and unbundled network elements with other operators.

Internet Protocol Services—providing intelligent network services for Internet protocol-based network elements for number portability and telephone number directory services.

Conclusion

JVTeam is the synthesis of two companies who value innovation and integrity above all else. NeuStar and Melourne IT have each thrived in their respective fields as neutral, third party providers of word-leading technology solutions. The composite business experience of JVTeam’s parent companies has produced an organization replete with the people, skills, knowledge, and vision to deliver the next generation domain name registry.

II.1.4 Registry/Database/Internet Related Experience and Activities
(RFP Section D13.1.4)

JVTeam brings a comprehensive pedigree in the development of Internet based software and database applications to the registry operations by combining the extensive DNS experience it inherits from Melbourne IT with the unparalleled registry database know-how of NeuStar.

Effective and responsible management of a new registry requires that its operator understand the fluid, innovative environment of the Internet and build on the strength of its DNS experience to ensure the successful introduction of new TLDs. A registry operator must have substantial experience and proven credentials in managing a significant public database, the ability to facilitate discussions about standards development and technical issues between competing parties, and a commitment to the security of proprietary data to ensure competition. In addition, a registry operator must have demonstrable evidence of its ability to design, build, and maintain a robust, responsive, scalable, and secure database to ensure the highest levels of quality and flexibility in the changing world of global communications. NeuStar and Melbourne IT are leaders and innovators in their respective fields and are instrumental in the effective management, solution development, and policy guidelines for managing critical public resources.

Internet and Domain Names

Melbourne IT is dedicated to supporting innovative technological development and responsible management of the Internet. Since its inception in 1996, it has:

· Operated as a proactive member of the Internet community especially through its involvement with DNS.

· Played a leading role in the growth of eCommerce and online activities within the Asia Pacific region through its role as the delegated administrator of the .com.au domain space.

· Been active in the development of solutions exploring the convergence of telecommunications, IT, and multimedia in producing online applications using technologies such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

· Actively supported technological innovation through its development of and commitment to its Incubator Centre which sponsors and fosters the innovative ideas of talented young businesses.

· Been at the forefront of the latest and emerging Internet technologies by maintaining constant research and development in areas such as metadata, automated distributed database integration, three-tier web based systems, e-Commerce applications, and mobile data applications.

In addition, Melbourne IT has had a substantial involvement with and dedication to the Internet. It has been actively involved in key industry associations, including:

· com.au: Appointed Administrator October 8, 1996

· Internet Society of Australia: Founding member, 1997

· Internet Industry Association: Founding member, 1997

· ICANN Domain Names Support Organization (DNSO): Participant since 1998

· ICANN: Participant in meetings, 1998-2000

· ICANN Test-Bed Registrar: Appointed April, 1999

· ICANN President’s Task Force: Staff member appointed, 1999

· DNSO Names Council: Staff member elected, 1999

· Australian Domain Name Administration (ADNA): Member, 1997-98

· auDA (.au Domain Administration): Founding member, 1999

· auDA Board: Staff members elected, April, 1999 and re-elected October, 1999

· Asia Pacific Top Level Domains Forum (APTLD): Member

· IETF: Contributor and participant, on-going

· MINC (Multilingual Internet Names Consortium): Staff member elected to board, September, 2000

· W3C (World Wide Web Consortium): Member since 1999

· ITU: Contributor to network standards relating to ATM

JVTeam will leverage the intimate domain name knowledge of Melbourne IT into development of the next generation registry facilitating automation of every component of domain name registration and management. JVTeam will create a TLD registry service which takes zone file creation and distribution into the next stage of evolution with near real-time updates, enabling an active web site and/or email address within an hour of registration. JVTeam’s experience with the DNS, zone file management, and distribution make this possible.

JVTeam and Registry Operations

One of the most significant benefits of a domain name is its portability and free movement between Internet Service Providers. With the introduction of the Shared Registry System, domains may also be moved between registrars. Parallels exist between the DNS and telephone number portability. Prior to 1996, consumers were unable to enjoy the benefits of telephone number portability because of the monopoly environment at the Local Service Provider (LSP) level. In April, 1996, NeuStar was selected by the Illinois Commerce Commission SMS/RFP Subcommittee to develop a Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) and provide turnkey and operational NPAC services initially within Chicago.

The Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) Service Management System (SMS) is a master Registry of routing information that interfaces with the local carrier’s administration systems. The NPAC SMS interfaces directly to Local Exchange Carriers’ key operational systems and operation processes. The NPAC SMS developed and maintained by NeuStar coordinates the porting of telephone numbers between carriers and downloads routing information to carrier’s local systems which in turn updates local databases.

Since the introduction of NPAC, Local Number Portability has revolutionized the U.S. telecommunications industry. Through competitive procurement processes, NeuStar was selected to provide telephone number registry services for a five-year term in four regions of the U.S. The competing vendor was selected in the three remaining U.S. regions and Canada. In early March, 1998, the other three regions - Southeast, Western, and West Coast - terminated their vendor contracts due to poor performance and executed contracts with NeuStar for NPAC SMS services, with Canada following soon after. Consequently, NeuStar now provides telephone number portability services to all of the United States and Canada, processing in excess of tens of millions of transactions per day, and serving more than 4,000 service providers across North America.

As the operator of the NPAC master telephone registry, NeuStar:

· Facilitates technical discussions and standards development between competing carriers.

· Safeguards sensitive information.

· Ensures equal and fair access to vital network routing data.

· Provides impartial data measurement and analysis.

· Coordinates Local Number Portability implementation and testing.

· Provides independent and impartial certification of systems and databases.

· Provides impartial opinions (technical, policy, schedule) to industry regulators.

· Provides services under industry agreed guidelines and performance standards.

· Provides full billing and collections services to over 4,000 service providers.

NeuStar’s unparalleled experience in developing and administering a master registry for a significant public resource provides the JVTeam the background and knowledge to administer the proposed TLD Registry.

NeuStar is an active member of the following trade associations:

· Association for Local Telecommunications Services (ALTS)

· Competitive Telecommunications association (CompTel)

· Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA)

· Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO)

· United States Telephone Association (USTA)

· International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

· Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

· European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)

· Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)/Industry Numbering Committee (INC)/Operations and Billing Forum (OBF)

· Telemanagement Forum (TM Forum)

· TeleMessaging Industry Association (TMIA)

JVTeam blends NeuStar’s comprehensive telephone registry experience with Melbourne IT’s four and a half years worth of experience in managing registry operations for the com.au domain space. Since 1996, Melbourne IT has been responsible for management of records stored within the centralized .au database referred to as AUNIC (Australian Network Information Centre). Melbourne IT administers registry updates by facilitating entry of new registration records, contact modifications, license holder changes, and re-delegations. Melbourne IT has developed unique internal systems, processes, and security procedures to assist registrants in the secure management of their domain names.

As the administrator of the com.au domain space, MelbourneIT:

· Provides efficient domain registration services for the entire Australian business community.

· Actively participates in the global DNS community to evolve the DNS.

· Administers a tightly restricted allocation policy in a fair and impartial manner.

· Provides effective and neutral dispute resolution mechanisms.

· Develops innovative back-end software solutions to enhance domain registration and maintenance services.

· Supports more than 500 Australian channel partners providing critical registration and maintenance interfaces along with integration and change management assistance.

· Provides domain name maintenance and support services to more than 190,000 end users.

· Plays an ongoing role in the evolution of a competitive environment for the .au domain space.

· Provides information and impartial advice to industry regulators.

· Actively explores means for improving DNS and related technologies through its research and development unit.

JVTeam can provide a level of skill and experience in registry operations that simply cannot be matched. Since 1996, NeuStar has developed technologies to provide telephone numbering services within the United States and globally. The registry systems developed by NeuStar to administer telephone numbering are directly analogous to a domain name registry. The telephone numbering system in North America is broken down by area codes and a second set of three digits referred to as the NXX component of a phone number. It is a hierarchical delegation system which directly mirrors the DNS.

The JVTeam offering represents substantial registry experience and knowledge in delivering solutions for the management and distribution of information in a distributed user environment. Melbourne IT and NeuStar have ten years combined operational knowledge and skill in providing neutral and fair administration of registry services for critical public resources. Only JVTeam is capable of bringing this level of knowledge to the new TLD registry.

JVTeam and Database Management

NPAC SMS Database

JVTeam’s database design and management expertise will facilitate a TLD registry which is robust, responsive, scalable and secure.

NeuStar is broadly acknowledged as an industry leader in distributed database solutions, systems design and implementation, as well as ongoing administration and change management. The database components of the current NPAC SMS have provided the framework for supporting telephone number portability and pooling throughout the U. S. and Canada.

· NeuStar delivered the first of its kind NPAC SMS system for all regions on time.

· The NPAC database operates as the master registry for number portability and pooling services and provides support for these services to over 250 Local Service Providers (LSPs).

· NPAC SMS is a mechanized, high volume, fault tolerant, transaction processing service.

· NeuStar is the original developer of the NPAC/SMS and continually improves its service through a significant level of functional enhancements and refinements to meet industry standards, as Local Number Portability continues to mature.

Key achievements in the development of the NPAC/SMS systems include the following:

· NPAC supports and interfaces with large, complex, and diverse systems.

· NeuStar developed and implemented an interoperable interface specification for the NPAC/SMS system as a non-proprietary standard.

· NPAC is fully operational throughout the United States and Canada with possible expansion of NeuStar solutions throughout Europe.

· The database servicing NPAC acts as a central (Golden Database) electronic repository of Local Number Portability routing information for its users in all regions of the U. S. and Canada.

· NeuStar continues to provide responsive requirements management, process improvement, system and software development to the industry in its support of number portability administration.

· NeuStar successfully developed the requirements specification document following consultation with several hundred competing service providers.

JVTeam will benefit from the unparalleled design, implementation, and management knowledge of NeuStar’s database solution for North America’s telephone numbering systems.

Whois Database

Melbourne IT became one of five test bed registrars for the .com, .net, and .org domain names in April, 1999. Under the Shared Registry System (SRS), each registrar is required to maintain and publish a Whois database containing all domain names under its management. Melbourne IT developed a database incorporating a set of fully automated fail-over and backup procedures. The Melbourne IT Whois database currently holds more than one million records and has been tested to accept up to six million new registrations per month. The underlying architecture will allow scaling to several times this tested volume.

Features of the MelbourneIT gTLD Whois database:

· Real time user level update facility

· User level modification via secure password access

· Strict and secure staff access and change management procedures

· Automated, real time access to all key domain name operations

· Fully automated fail over mechanisms and 7x24x365 automated monitoring and alerting system

· Extensive logging of all database transactions

· Additional security levels for critical operations such as ownership changes and registrar transfers.

· Automated auditing and reporting components

· Fully integrated within a 3-tier, trans-continental architecture

The combination of NeuStar’s unparalleled database management experience and Melbourne IT’s Whois database knowledge will enable JVTeam to produce a robust, secure, next generation registry database capable of meeting current data requirements and seamlessly scaling for future needs.

II.1.5 Mission (RFP Section D13.1.5)

Our mission is to provide the next generation domain name registry and to contribute positively to the evolution of the domain name system. We will innovate by building on the strengths of the existing DNS and will ensure its integrity by acting as a responsible member of the Internet community.

The JVTeam registry will pave the way for the successful introduction and expansion of competition in the top level domain marketplace. Our expansive knowledge of domain name services, database management, registry services and distributed networks makes JVTeam the only choice.

The domain name system is at a crucial turning point in its evolution. In many ways the DNS has not changed significantly since it first entered the commercial world in 1992 with the award of the gTLD contract to Network Solutions Inc. In those early years, the domain name system was predominantly a tool for larger businesses and technically oriented organizations, but now the playing field has changed and the Internet is utilized by small businesses from all industries and service types as well as individuals of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Like the telecommunications system before it, the underlying architecture of the DNS must grow to meet the changing needs of a new and expanding Internet community. JVTeam believes that the process of introducing new top level domains in a commercial environment is a critical milestone in this process.

History has taught us that competition is the single most powerful driver for effecting innovation and growth and the domain name system provides a perfect opportunity for it. One of the reasons the environment has not changed dramatically to date is that the world’s dependence on a stable domain name system has grown in direct proportion to the world’s dependence on the Internet itself. So even with the introduction of competition, change is a process that must be carefully planned, tested and evaluated to ensure that the stability of the DNS is never undermined. At the same time however, the DNS must be allowed and encouraged to evolve through innovative solutions and applications. The controlled introduction of competition into the TLD marketplace is certain to foster creativity, improved service and to introduce new directions for domain names generally. JVTeam is committed to playing an active, positive and responsible role in this process.

JVTeam is conscious that substantial efforts have been made by many different organizations to build the domain name system into what it is today. The value of work undertaken by organizations including IANA, The Department of Commerce, ICANN and its supporting organizations, standards bodies such as the IETF and IAHC, national governments, the scientific and academic institutions as well as countless individuals cannot be underestimated. JVTeam wishes to build on the outstanding achievements of these entities and continues to participate as a responsible, active member of the Internet community in providing the next generation domain name registry.

This next step for the DNS will not be an easy one, nor is it by any means clearly defined. Like evolution in nature, this process should build on what already exists and be directed by the pressures and requirements of its environment. Such change must be undertaken by an organization that understands the environment in its entirety and has the ability to implement the solutions required for DNS evolution. JVTeam is that organization.

JVTeam and Expansion into the Registry Operation Field

JVTeam’s mission is more than just words. It is a resolute commitment to the advancement of the domain names system for the benefit of all. JVTeam is committed to the successful introduction of new TLDs in a manner that ensures stability and sustainability. This will benefit the whole Internet community by providing greater consumer choice, enhancing the uses and performance of domain names and facilitating growth so the DNS can continue to meet the needs of all who rely on it. As such, JVTeam’s mission is founded on a number of key precepts. These are:

· The registry will maintain the stability of the Internet

· The registry will pave the way for the future introduction of new TLDs

· The registry will enhance competition for registration services at all levels

· The registry will enhance the utility of the DNS

· The registry will provide solutions to previously unmet needs

· The registry will enhance the diversity of the DNS and of registration services

· The registry will support effective and manageable policies and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The Registry Will Maintain the Stability of the Internet

The world depends on the Internet for communication and commerce at all levels. Since the Internet relies on the DNS, the global community simply cannot afford a domain name system which is unreliable in any way. An unstable DNS would have disastrous effects, many thousands of businesses would be unable to communicate and trade with their customers and individuals would be unable to communicate with each other. In addition, there are many core infrastructure systems which are entirely dependent on the DNS for their operations. JVTeam is acutely conscious of the immense responsibility attached to the administration of such a significant public resource and will undertake all measures required to ensure the continued stability of the DNS and the Internet.

1. By providing a stable and secure zone file distribution network—The JVTeam registry will not impact the operation of the existing root network. Our solution will be entirely interoperable with the DNS in its publication and distribution of TLD zone files. Our zone file distribution network (described in detail in Registry Operator’s Proposal, Sections III.2.4 and III.2.5) will operate in parallel with the existing root server network.

The zone file network will be eminently secure. The root servers for the network will be protected by software and hardware protection mechanisms at all levels (described in detail in Registry Operator’s Proposal, section III.2.9). The JVTeam zone file distribution network will also ensure the integrity of name resolution within its own space through provision of extensive security, redundancy, and self-correcting mechanisms. The JVTeam system will be developed and tested to more than adequately meet the requirements of today and will scale seamlessly to provide TLD name service for many years to come. The JVTeam zone file distribution network will not only maintain the stability of the Internet, it will improve it.

2. By preserving the unique global domain name system—The JVTeam design will be developed on the principle of maintaining consistency and interoperability with existing standards such as those described in RFC 1034 and RFC 1123. In addition, JVTeam is committed to working closely with the Internet Engineering Task Force and other relevant organizations to ensure the stable evolution of the domain name system. JVTeam is also supportive of implementing policy restrictions to exclude certain second level strings such as those described by ISO-3166-1. JVTeam is committed to the administration of new top level domains in a manner that preserves the current system’s strengths and acknowledges the DNS as a critical, public resource.

3. By acting according to sound business practices and operational management—JVTeam is founded on principles of strong management, a tight user focus, and a clear vision. Market analysis and understanding will at all times be the driver for JVTeam solutions. We believe that doing a great job for customers means giving the right people the right responsibilities and direction. The JVTeam executive team brings an abundance of experience in designing, implementing and maintaining technology products especially in an Internet environment.

The JVTeam registry solution will provide exceptional services well beyond the initial phases. We are acutely conscious that support for domain names extends far beyond the initial registration and into the domain name’s entire life cycle. By providing effective, long term operational solutions, the domain space will thrive ensuring its own stability and encouraging the improvement of service levels within existing domain spaces.

4. By providing dedicated and responsive channel management—The JVTeam registry will deliver its solutions via the registrar community. In this context, it is critical that a strong, open business and technical relationship be established and maintained between the registry and registrars. JVTeam understands the importance of providing an absolutely neutral third party registry service to facilitate the advancement of effective relationships in an extremely competitive environment. In addition, the JVTeam registry will not undertake products or services which compete directly with the registrar community ensuring there are no conflicts between the interests of a neutral registry and registrars.

JVTeam will also provide dedicated account managers to ensure active two-way communication and close personal relationships between the registry and registrars. In this way, customer needs will drive the registry in all areas of operation ensuring the commercial success and stability of the domain space.

The Registry Will Provide an Effective “Proof of Concept” for the Future Introduction of New TLDs

JVTeam understands that there is little knowledge or experience of introducing a new top level domain. We are also conscious of the importance of this first round of TLDs as a means of providing valuable information for the future, stable expansion of the DNS. JVTeam’s mission is to extend and enhance the existing DNS environment in a measured, even- handed manner and will collect and share its experiences with ICANN and the Internet community generally. In this way the DNS can continue to evolve by building on the strengths of each progressive step forward without endangering the Internet’s stability or growth.

1. By capturing, measuring, and analyzing customer feedback— JVTeam understands the importance of gathering as much information as possible for use in launching future TLDs. The JVTeam will actively encourage registrars and end users to provide feedback, criticism and suggestions as to how the various components of the JVTeam registry are meeting their requirements. This data will then be compiled and provided to ICANN so that the launch of future TLDs will benefit from the sum of our experiences. Continuous self-improvement, precipitated by this feedback will be intrinsic to all of JVTeam’s technical systems, processes, and people.

2. By providing an effective solution to anticipated start-up issues—The JVTeam registry will ensure the smooth introduction of the new TLD with an innovative solution to the complex technical and policy issues associated with the initial registration period. Our strategy is to moderate the allocation of domains with the round robin solution – this is described in more detail in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section IV.4. The round robin solution provides a mechanism which not only manages the predicted volumes of registrations for this period but is also scalable to support volumes far in excess of those predictions. After implementation, the results of this solution will be gathered and provided to ICANN and all other interested parties for consideration in effectively managing the start-up period for future TLDs. This will ensure the ongoing stability and evolution of this process.

3. By providing a mechanism that assists in the protection of intellectual property—There is no one, easy solution to the issues of intellectual property protection. In addition, JVTeam believes these issues should be resolved within appropriate forums such as those described in the UDRP. However JVTeam acknowledges the importance of the registry’s role in facilitating the effective application of the UDRP. With this in mind, the JVTeam registry will offer an Intellectual Property Notification Service. This service will offer holders of registered national trademarks an opportunity to monitor registration of domain names which they believe infringe upon their intellectual property rights. While we look forward to open discussion of this service during the proposal evaluation and negotiation periods, we believe the concept is viable and will discourage the registration of domain names in “bad faith”.

4. By carving a trail for the multiple registry environment—The JVTeam’s suite of registry solutions will provide a competitive alternative to the existing registry. Registrants will have access to a domain name which is more secure and easier to administer. Additional functionality such as near realtime zone file updates and increased domain name security mechanisms also offer significant competitive advantages over .com. In offering broader and more reliable registry services, registrars and ultimately consumers will reap the benefits of competition and consumer choice.

5. By participating in ongoing ICANN consultation—JVTeam will meet regularly with ICANN representatives to review the success and progress of stated goals for the operation of the TLD. JVTeam recognizes the importance of the first round release of TLDs in the success of a multiple registry system and will provide feedback regarding its experiences to ICANN. This will constantly improve the new TLD roll-out phases and ensure that any TLD being administered by the registry is successful in achieving stated goals.

JVTeam will seek to cultivate a strong relationship between the registry and ICANN. Open communication will guarantee the ongoing success of the introduction of new top level domains and ultimately will benefit the Internet community in paving the way forward for the continuing evolution of the domain name system.

The Registry Will Enhance Competition For Registration Services At All Levels

JVTeam is committed to the principles of fair and open competition. As a neutral third party, the JVTeam registry will facilitate competition amongst registrars as well as at the registry level. JVTeam will effectively compete with existing registry services by providing a high quality, clearly differentiated option. Competition will facilitate the further evolution of the DNS and ensure the provision of high quality, stable registry services now and well into the future.

1. By acting as a neutral third party registry—JVTeam welcomes competition at all levels and believes that the domain name system can only benefit from the development of a multiple registry environment. The key to the success of competitive registries, however is absolute and uncompromising neutrality. To this end, all activities undertaken by the JVTeam registry will be governed by a strict code of conduct. Policies, processes and all commercial operations will function in compliance to that code. JVTeam will not compromise the neutrality of the registry. The registry code of conduct may be read in full in Policy Proposal section I, General TLD Policies.

2. By cultivating a more diverse pool of registrars—JVTeam will provide an enhanced registry service which will significantly reduce the technical barrier to entry for registrars. This will enable a more diverse and expanded registrar community, thereby increasing competition and improving price and service standards. As applications for domain names continue to merge into new arenas, we anticipate that registrars will emerge from many areas other than the traditional Internet Service Provider field. The eXtensible Registry Protocol (XRP) solution will facilitate this expansion and diversification of the registrar community by extending the abilities of the registry/registrar interface. An expanded registrar community is certain to further enhance competition amongst providers and propagate choice for consumers.

3. By providing a true competitor for the existing registry—By offering a technically and functionally superior registry solution, the JVTeam registry will ensure that the TLDs it services can be marketed on the strength of additional functionality such as an XRP interface, a centralized Whois service, advanced security options for registering and managing domain names as well as greatly improved performance for key domain name operations. Through fair and open competition, the standards and scope of registry services will be enhanced. The domain name system will forge ahead and the whole Internet community will benefit.

4. By implementing a carefully researched marketing plan with long term goals—JVTeam realizes that the successful roll-out of any new TLD must meet a market need identified by research and consultation. To ensure the viability and sustainability of the new TLD, JVTeam has, with the assistance of an outside firm, developed an extensive marketing plan. The purpose of the plan is to maximize market awareness of the domain space, ensure the market understands the key benefits and differentiators of the TLD, and ensure that the new domain space continues to hold a competitive place amongst other domain spaces. Effective marketing operations will guarantee the competitiveness of the registry and any TLD for which it provides services.

The JVTeam Registry Will Enhance the Utility of the DNS

If the domain name system is to prosper, it must be given every opportunity to expand into new and unexplored areas. The service provided by the registry for a new TLD will play a significant role in facilitating this expansion. If the registry offers static, undifferentiated legacy solutions, then new top level domains will be more of the same, leading to further dilution of the top level domain space. If on the other hand, the registry builds on the strengths of the existing system and facilitates an evolutionary step for the DNS, then the new top level domains will represent a new choice for consumers and a new direction for the domain name system. Then, how the internet community utilizes the DNS is limited only by imagination.

1. By providing an extensible registry solution— JVTeam is proposing a new open standard for transactions between the registry and registrars. The XRP will facilitate the introduction of many new domain name services and applications. While some of these are mentioned within this proposal, it is expected that an XRP facilitate many and varied applications of domain names outside of the traditional uses. Any member of the global Internet community can develop these applications because XRP will be a non-proprietary standard. More than this, XRP will have the capacity to grow and expand with the needs the Internet community for many years to come and the domain name system will continue to evolve as a medium for any number of imaginable uses.

2. By enhancing and simplifying the domain name experience for end users—The JVTeam registry will simplify the end user experience by providing consistency and clarity in all registry processes and by ensuring that registrars have access to comprehensive business information and educational material. The JVTeam registry will be in constant communication with registrars, listening to their experiences and incorporating their suggestions into the ongoing development of the registry. Domain names ultimately exist for end users and even though the registry will not have direct contact with domain name license holders, JVTeam will undertake every effort to develop services that meet those needs as communicated through the registrar community.

3. By providing a fully automated, real-time experience for end users—Once a registrar has full access to the functions provided by the registry, end users will be able to register, update, and re-delegate their domain name in real time. This means that an end user may register a new domain name and have a fully functioning web site within less than one hour. As with many utilities, the provision of a near real-time service can have run on effects in how that service is used. For instance, the result of a sporting event can be delivered online via an event specific domain name within an hour of its happening.

The Registry Will Meet Previously Unmet Needs

Historically the domain name system has focused on servicing a technically oriented community. Since the user base of the Internet has now broadened significantly, the DNS must expand to meet the needs of a new type of user. In addition, there are several important domain name operations which currently are not being efficiently managed. The JVTeam solution will grow and expand with the changing needs of the Internet community. The following principles illustrate key areas in which the JVTeam solution will meet previously unmet needs.

1. By providing simple and secure domain name management—The current registry / registrar system is laden with complicated and ineffective domain name management processes. For example, the current process for transferring domains between registrars has created immense confusion and has opened the door to domain hijacking. The JVTeam registry system will simplify the process and solve these problems by centralizing and standardizing the authentication procedures for these key domain name operations. Consequently domain name management will be simpler and faster; in many cases real-time or near real-time operations will be possible.

2. By providing user-driven improvements and innovations—The JVTeam approach is to listen to needs of both registrars and end users. Registrars and domain name registrants will have access to discussion lists and feedback forms to provide constant feedback. This feedback will be compiled and carefully considered in determining the ongoing development of the registry’s systems, procedures and services.

3. By providing live delegation/re-delegation of domains—Utilizing a record-based update solution, delegations and re-delegations will be enacted in the zone file within one hour of submission. The current DNS can at best achieve 24 hour updates because the entire zone file must be reloaded to implement even a single modification. This commonly means that registrants must wait between 48 and 72 hours before their domain name is activated. The JVTeam solution will only modify the specific records that are being changed without affecting the rest of the zone file thereby removing the necessity to reload the entire zone file in each update.

4. Through ongoing consultation of the registrar community—For any product to be successful it must meet the needs of its users and for this to happen, users must participate in the development of that product. Domain names are no different. One of the keys of the registry mission is to develop and grow a system in close consultation with the registrar community. JVTeam will measure registrar satisfaction through surveys with the goal of achieving very high levels of satisfaction in areas such as system performance, customer service and policy.

The Registry Will Enhance The Diversity Of The DNS And Of Registration Services

If the DNS is to continue to prosper as a tool for global communication and commerce, it must be capable of constantly expanding its usefulness as well as its user base. For this to occur, registries must be capable of identifying and delivering new domain name services and applications. JVTeam’s registry solution will innovate through developments such as the XRP, a centralized Whois and an Intellectual Property Notification Service. The JVTeam will constantly explore new arenas for the DNS so the Internet community continues to enjoy a domain name system that grows with their needs.

1. By adding functionality for domains in the new top level domain space—As the next generation registry, the JVTeam solution will be developed to easily incorporate new domain name functionality. This functionally will be exposed directly to the registrar community who will then be able to offer it to registrants under their own branding. JVTeam will continually evaluate new functionality and will actively discuss proposed functionality with ICANN and the registrar community on a continual basis. Imagination and innovation will be encouraged within JVTeam team members in an ongoing program of improvement and enhancement.

2. By cultivating an international focus in all of the registry’s operations—JVTeam is committed to making the top level domain space accessible by the entire Internet community. JVTeam brings to the registry environment a rich cultural background both in terms of people and in business operations. JVTeam’s parent companies currently provide services to organizations spread across 20 different countries spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia and India. JVTeam will leverage this international focus and experience in providing a registry that is truly global with multi-lingual support staff, documentation and web site communications. In addition, JVTeam will constantly review its decisions within a global context and through business development activities actively pursue registrar relationships in non-English speaking nations and communities.

The Registry Will Protect The Rights Of Others And Provide Effective Dispute Resolution Mechanisms

As the administrator of a significant public resource, it is imperative that the registry maintains fairness in all of its undertakings. The registry must maintain a sensitivity and commitment to policy, legal and privacy issues. Within the JVTeam registry Code of Conduct are provisions to ensure the privacy and security of registrant data. JVTeam recognizes the substantial progress already made on these issues in the UDRP, registrar accreditation procedures, and registration agreements. JVTeam intends to build on and enhance these existing mechanisms to ensure fluidity and consistency across domain spaces. This approach will benefit all stakeholders by incorporating the experiences gained from development of the existing TLDs. Registrants, registrars and the Internet community will enjoy stable legal, policy, privacy and dispute resolution mechanisms which make best efforts to ensure the rights of all parties.

1. By providing an Intellectual Property Notification Service—JVTeam is aware of the issues involved with domain names and intellectual property. JVTeam will implement an innovative solution to the intellectual property issue by providing an Intellectual Property Notification Service to holders of registered national trademarks. JVTeam will also support the implementation of the Uniform Charter Dispute Resolution Policy as a mechanism for resolution of intellectual property disputes.

2. By protecting the privacy of registrants—JVTeam has more than ten years experience in managing the security and privacy of large end user databases. JVTeam will draw on the research and recommendations developed by relevant public bodies to implement a privacy policy and technical solution which adequately addresses these needs. In particular there will be provision for an opt-out of certain personal contact details appearing in the public Whois record.

3. By adopting a strict code of neutrality—Reflecting the established business models of both of JVTeam’s parent companies, the registry will operate with a resolute commitment to neutrality. As the administrator of a substantial and critical public resource, the JVTeam registry will operate according to clear, stringent guidelines for all staff, procedures, and interactions. These basic principles will be incorporated into a JVTeam registry Code of Conduct (see Registry Operator’s Proposal section I, General TLD Policies). In addition, the registrar arm of Melbourne IT will be governed by a code of conduct to ensure all interactions between these two entities occur within strict guidelines. The neutrality of the registry will not be compromised.

4. Supporting effective policy development and implementation—JVTeam’s parent companies have an exemplary history in policy development and execution with a particular emphasis on establishing policies which protect consumers and ensure neutrality and evenhandedness. The JVTeam registry will have the benefit of this unique knowledge in providing registry service. This experience and neutrality will permeate the registry in all its operations - especially policy formulation and implementation.

JVTeam’s mission is to provide a registry service which is technically and functionally superior to the current registry - one which facilitates the ongoing evolution of the DNS, better services the needs of end users and the registrar community, and paves the way for the successful introduction of a multiple registry environment.

II.1.6 Management (RFP Section D13.1.6)

JV Team is the only neutral supplier of registry services with proven management experience in the provision of registry system solutions, data center operations, and ongoing neutral administration of a vital public resource.

The successful introduction of new TLDs is replete with challenges. By the very nature of the space and the requirements set forth by ICANN, the proposed solutions must be innovative and creative. The solutions must, at a minimum:

· Lead to an effective proof of concept for ways in which the DNS might evolve in the future

· Enhance competition for registration services; responsibly enhance the utility of the DNS

· Meet previously unmet needs of the Internet community

· Enhance the diversity of the DNS and of registration services in general

· Ensure the appropriate protection of third party rights in connection with the operation of the TLD

In addition, and this is where the challenges lie, it is absolutely critical that while meeting the aforementioned requirements, any proposed solution ensure the continued stability and integrity of the Internet and DNS. Anything less is failure. This is not an endeavor to be entered into lightly. JVTeam fully understands this, and for us, failure is not an option. We are ready to meet and effectively overcome any challenges to ensure the success of this opportunity.

It is our experience that the single factor having the highest correlation with the success of a complex program such as this is the quality of the management team. Superior technology, skilled staff, and effective operational procedures are all important ingredients in a successful service supplier, but the essential component is effective leadership capable of galvanizing all other components to ensure the requisite ICANN objectives are met.

JVTeam Management Team

The JVTeam Management Team is made up of outstanding professionals with the right blend of industry experience, technical capability, and customer service orientation to manage a critical public resource.

In accordance with our management philosophy, we have identified a highly competent and experienced management team (Exhibit II.1-2) with directly relevant experience in successfully managing similarly complex projects of this scope and size. Their vast experience covers financial planning, operations, communications, channel management, systems development and deployment, and resource management. Equally important, our managers have proven experience in achieving results in a highly competitive and politically sensitive environment where volumes fluctuate, technical sophistication of the players varies, and continual market/operational assessment and decisive, timely courses of actions are required. Further, we are confident that the high quality of our key managers, each of whom is highlighted below, will be evident during the selection interview process.

JVTeam’s Executive Management Team reports directly to the JVTeam Board of Directors and consists of Clive Flory in the role of Chief Executive Officer and Andrew Field, Chief Financial Officer. Together, they have overall responsibility for managing all aspects of the business.

Our Board of Directors consists of highly experienced and seasoned industry professionals. For added insurance, we have assembled a Management Review Board to oversee all operations and ensure immediate access to any additional resources that may be required for implementation and ongoing operations.

Board of Directors

Adrian Kloeden, Chief Executive and Operating Officer, Melbourne IT

Adrian joined Melbourne IT in July 2000 to assume the role of Chief Operating Officer. Since then he has also taken on the role of Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Melbourne IT, Adrian was Managing Director of the Woolmark Company Pty. Ltd., where he was responsible for the company's worldwide development as a multinational intellectual property company specializing in wool innovation, branding, and information. Adrian has also undertaken leadership and change management roles with leading Australian companies in retail and wholesale industries. These roles involved considerable focus on strategy development, relationship building, increasing market share and focusing on the “bottom line” of the businesses. Adrian has a Masters Degree from London Business School and a Science Degree from the Australian National University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

John Harry, Managing Partner, Arthur Robinson and Hedderwicks

John Harry is a Partner of Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks, which provides a full range of commercial legal services in Australia and through the Asia Pacific. John returned to the firm in early 1998 after three years as the Managing Partner in Singapore of Allens Arthur Robinson, the Asian law firm joint venture of Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks and Allen Allen & Hemsley. Prior to his departure he was the Administration Partner of the firm's Commercial Department. In Singapore, John was responsible for the development of the Allens Arthur Robinson practice in South Asia. John is a recent past Director of the Asian Law Centre at the University of Melbourne and has maintained a strong interest in Asian business and legal affairs throughout his professional career. He was Vice-President of the Singapore Australian Business Council. John has recently retired as Executive Partner of the international network of Allens Arthur Robinson with management responsibility for its six offices in Asia. He is Chairman of Sedimentary Holdings Limited (an Australian gold mining company) and the Singapore Australia Business Alliance Forum, an inter-governmental organization formed to plan and develop Asian business joint ventures between Singapore and Australian companies and to assist in the process of regional reconstruction. He is also the Chairman of the Lowell Asset Management Group, a substantial Australian funds management enterprise. John graduated with honors from the Law School of the University of Melbourne and completed his Masters Degree in Law at the University of Virginia.

Jeffrey Ganek, President and Chief Executive Officer, NeuStar, Inc.

Jeffery Ganek is responsible for overall management of NeuStar, Inc. Jeff has close to 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Before heading the CIS division within Lockheed Martin IMS, Jeff served as Vice President of Asian Operations for Global Telesystems Group, where he developed and managed competitive telecommunications services companies in fast growing Asian markets. He also was Vice President of Marketing at GTE Spacenet, Director of Global Communications Services at MCI, and Division Manager of Corporate Development at AT&T. He holds bachelor and master degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Edward Frietag, General Counsel, NeuStar, Inc.

Edward Freitag is General Counsel of NeuStar, Inc, responsible for oversight of legal matters for the Company. Prior to joining NeuStar, he was with MCI Communications Corporation and MCI WorldCom, Inc. from 1975 to 1999, last serving as Chief Corporate Counsel. During his career at MCI, he was responsible for supporting mergers and acquisitions, financing, SEC reporting, international ventures and other corporate matters. Prior to joining MCI he was an associate with Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine and Pro Se Law Clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He also has served as Chairman of the Corporate and Securities Law Section of the American Corporate Counsel Association. Mr. Freitag is a graduate of Princeton University and the Columbia University School of Law.

Robert Poulin, Vice President Corporate Development, NeuStar, Inc.

Robert R. Poulin is responsible for early stage development of new business initiatives as well as alliance and acquisition opportunities. He is actively pursuing opportunities where NeuStar's proven capabilities as a neutral provider of clearinghouse services can facilitate the interoperability of networks. Robert has 12 years of experience in the communications industry. This includes positions with Global TeleSystems Group and with GTE. He has also held a variety of business development and finance positions for business ventures in the U.S. and abroad.

Executive Management Team

Clive Flory, Chief Executive and Operating Officer

Clive Flory joined Melbourne IT in 1997 with the assignment to take charge of the com.au Internet name registration bureau and build a world-class international business in Internet domain names and related services. In recognition of his role in domain name registration in Australia, Clive was invited by the Australian Government to be one of Australia’s representatives at a series of international forums which debate the future structure and function of the Internet domain name system. Before joining Melbourne IT, Clive was a highly sought after IT consultant, specializing in aligning information technology processes and infrastructure with business goals. Prior to consulting, Clive spent more than 15 years as a successful developer, publisher and marketer of software products, exporting these products around the world. He is a founding member of the Australian Software Publishers Association and a member of the Internet Society of Australia.

Clive brings to JVTeam his widely-recognized and respected understanding of and dedication to the domain name industry. In his new role with JVTeam, Clive will be 100% dedicated to making the registry a success, and will pass his responsibilities for Melbourne IT’s current TLD registrar business on to a successor. JVTeam is proud to have a leader of Clive’s caliber and integrity in this key role.

Andrew Field, Chief Financial Officer (Interim)

Andrew Field has more than 14 years experience in the finance and Information Technology industries and holds degrees in both accounting and information technology. The majority of his career has been spent in the financial management of IT companies, and he has also spent time as an IT consultant. Mr. Field joined Melbourne IT in 1998 and is responsible for its effective financial management. To this end, he works closely with all aspects of the business ensuring that the company achieves a better than average return on investments. Andrew also has significant knowledge and experience in the areas of tax planning, strategic management, and measurement programs.

Management Review Board

The JVTeam Management Review Board is made up of management professionals and subject matter experts whose role is to oversee business operations at a high level and ensure senior management attention and focus.

Many of the members of the Management Review Board hold senior level positions within NeuStar and Melbourne IT. While they will not in any way be involved in the day-to-day running of the business, they will meet on a regular basis to review operational status and respond with targeted assistance to address issues when required. They have been selected for their ability to provide guidance in all aspects of the business and their ability to apply their subject matter expertise to ensure the successful implementation and continued operations of the registry system and related services.

Jerome Haynesworth, Vice President of Human Resources and Administration, NeuStar Inc.

Jerome Haynesworth is responsible for organizational development, compensation planning, human resources development, employee relations, and equal employment programs. Jerome manages the human resources function for the technical and non-technical components of NeuStar with more than 200 employees internationally. He has more than 20 years of experience in managing human resources and administration. This includes positions with KPMG, LLP, Hughes Aircraft Company, The Interface Group/Mass., Inc., and IBM.

Mark D. Foster, Chief Technology Officer, NeuStar Inc.

Mark is responsible for strategic technology initiatives, standards, program management, and the design, development, and operation of NeuStar's complex network and systems infrastructure. A widely recognized subject matter expert, Mr. Foster pioneered number portability in the industry in 1994-1995 and subsequently led the development of NeuStar's Number Portability Administration Center in 1996. He has over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in developing innovative solutions to industry problems with inventions such as a voice-controlled intelligent network service node platform, a new computer language for developing telephone switching systems software, and the first SS7-to-IP signaling gateway (1990).

Joseph F. Franlin, Senior Vice President of Operations, NeuStar Inc.

Joseph Franlin is responsible for NeuStar operations and customer satisfaction of clearinghouse and numbering products and services. Joseph’s organization managed the successful introduction of Local Number Portability in the United States and Canada as well as assumed the role as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and many of the Caribbean islands. Joseph has more than 30 years of experience in telecommunications and systems engineering, most notably with NYNEX, AT&T, and Lockheed Martin.

Dr. Bruce Tonkin, Chief Technology Officer, Melbourne IT

Bruce Tonkin is currently Chief Technology Officer at Melbourne IT, where he oversees the company’s technical infrastructure and strategy, as well as evaluates new technologies for commercialization. Prior to joining Melbourne IT, Bruce directed a research venture at Monash University in partnership with Telstra and Siemens in the area of digital video, and coordinated the operations of the Research Data Network Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) from 1994 to 1999. Bruce has wide experience in advanced computing and communications, both in Australia and overseas at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the USA. He has advised organizations in industries such as building and construction, natural resource management, telemedicine, automotive, film and television, and education in the application of new telecommunications technologies. Bruce has been on the Board of Directors of ATUG (Australian Telecommunications Users Group) with a focus on telecommunications industry policy since 1997, and is a member of the Competition Committee for the “.au” domain.

Guye Engel, General Manager of Development and Production, Melbourne IT

Guye Engel joined Melbourne IT in August 1999, and is General Manager Production and Development, responsible for the operation and technical support of the com.au as well as the .com, .net and .org domain name registration systems. In addition, Guye is responsible for overseeing the development of all new systems and functionality for all lines of business with Melbourne IT. Prior to joining Melbourne IT, Guye spent 17 years with the IT division of a leading Australian bank where he gained experience in Project Management and Team Leadership with projects spanning Retail Banking, Finance, Information Management, Strategic Marketing, and Infrastructure Services. Throughout his career, Guye has also led a variety of development support and critical application support teams in which he has gained an in depth knowledge of IT disciplines and methodologies.

Robert Dowski, Chief Financial Officer, NeuStar Inc.

Robert joined NeuStar in 2000 assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to NeuStar, he held similar positions with Gilat/GE Spacenet, Inc., PCS, Telecorp Inc. and Hughest Network Systems, Inc. He has worked in the telecommunications and Information Technology industry sectors for over 10 years, concentrating on managing large full scale accounting, financial planning and strategic planning departments. In addition, he has managed the development of a series of financial systems.

Senior Management Team

Members of the Senior Management Team bring a wealth of professional experience to their new roles with JVTeam.

John Pope, Engineering

John Pope joined NeuStar in 1998 and assumed the role of Chief, Systems Engineering. John has over 25 years of experience in computer software and hardware including programming, systems integration, telecommunications software design, implementation, and testing. He has held senior engineering roles with Status Computer, Phonebase Systems and Telos, as well as founded his own systems and software integration company specializing in telecommunications software applications.

Richard Tindal, Business Relationship Management

Richard joined Melbourne IT in January 2000 and is responsible for business development, channel partner relationships, and international strategy. Born and raised in Australia, Richard has resided in the United States for the past ten years, and in March, 2000, launched Melbourne IT’s first presence in the U.S. Prior to joining Melbourne IT, Richard was Director of Channel Business Development with a large, U.S. based domain name registrar. He brings more than 15 years experience in international business including several years with Texas Instruments, Inc., where he was responsible for introducing new digital communications products to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. Richard is an associate of the International Affairs Society and a member of the Washington Area International Officers Organization. He graduated with distinction and the highest honors in Business Management from the University of Southern Queensland.

George Guo, Operations

As the Chief of Technical Operations at NeuStar, George is responsible for providing 7x24x365 technical operations and support, global information technologies and services for all NeuStar products and services, corporate users and business units. George is also a member of NeuStar Council, overseeing core business operations and cross-functional coordination of the whole company. Since early 1997, George has been closely involved and played key roles in the successful implementation, integration, testing, troubleshooting, certification, deployment, operations, administration, and maintenance of the world’s first true LNP system and NPAC/SMS. He is an industry recognized and respected subject matter expert in LNP and NPAC/SMS. Before joining NeuStar, George was Vice President of Crosscentury Technologies, Inc., a technology, business and financial consulting and trading firm he co-founded. Previously, at In-Flight Phone Corporation (majority owned by MCI and founded by John “Jack” Goeken, the founder of MCI, GTE Airfone and FTD), George directed software engineering and development functions of the FlightLink^â system, the world's first all-digital air-to-ground voice/data communication and interactive entertainment system. During his tenure with In-Flight Phone, George conceptualized, designed and implemented the world's first ground-to-air interactive "up-link call" system and world’s first two-way “in-flight fax” system for general aviation aircraft.

John Manning, Quality Assurance

John is responsible for the successful implementation of the NeuStar Neutrality Compliance Program. These responsibilities include the implementation of the NeuStar Neutrality Compliance Procedures which require individual employee training on NeuStar's neutrality obligations, the establishment of an ongoing education and information program concerning neutrality to company personnel to assure compliance, and the coordination of NeuStar's preparation for quarterly compliance audits. Through his involvement with number administration, John has also been involved with ensuring appropriate adherence to industry-developed guidelines and procedures used in the assignment and management of numbering resources. Further, John has managed a number of different industry organizations responsible for the development of industry processes and procedures. One of his primary duties was to ensure due process is `followed during all deliberations of these groups.

Dr. Philip Branch, Product Development

Dr. Philip Branch is a Technical Project Manager with Melbourne IT. In this role he has responsibility for technically complex projects the company may wish to undertake. From 1994 until 1999 he was a Senior Research Engineer with ANSPAG, a joint venture between Telstra, Siemens and Monash University. One of his projects won an award for best new broadband application at a major Australian industry exhibition. Before joining ANSPAG, Philip was a Senior Systems Analyst with Trust Bank. From 1986 until 1992 he was with the Trust Bank in Tasmania; from 1990 as Senior Analyst. This was a managerial role where he supervised small teams of programmers. His qualifications are a Bachelor of Science, Master of Technology, Doctor of Philosophy (Telecommunications Engineering) and a Diploma of Business.

Tom McGarry, Standards Engineering

Tom McGarry has more than 14 years experience in the telecommunications industry with a strong emphasis on management, analysis, design, testing, and integration of communications networks. His background includes extensive work in the areas of cooperative network and systems testing, test analysis and execution, network planning and engineering, product development, project management, switch technology, and number portability. He has held positions as Chief Technical Liaison for Lockheed Martin and Director positions in Network Engineering for Geotek, Inc. and NYNEX Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, May 1993.

Linda Heafey, Project Management

Linda Heafey has 10 years experience managing complex software development and system integration projects. She joined Melbourne IT in January 1998 as a Senior Project Manager and has since rolled out a series of systems for both Melbourne IT and the Advanced Services Application Center joint venture with Ericsson Australia. Prior to joining Melbourne IT she managed system development teams at LookSmart International, where she successfully delivered a series of web-based search and directory applications, assisting the company to grow from a small startup to a highly successful Internet portal site. Prior to moving to Melbourne, Australia in 1995, she spent seven years with Agfa Corporation in Boston, MA. Her background includes extensive work in Internet-based application development and electronic publishing systems, and she has held a range of roles in product marketing, product management and project management. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a teaching credential from Sacramento State University.

Fernando España, Customer Account Management

Fernando España joined Melbourne IT in March, 2000, to assist with business development and channel partner management for the U.S., Latin American and European regions. Prior to joining Melbourne IT, Fernando was the Senior International Account Manager with a large, U.S.-based domain registrar. Fernando managed international accounts in a number of countries including: China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, U.K., Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, and Brazil. Fernando assisted in the expansion and training of the International team from three to nine members and the management of International accounts from 20 to over 180 in the period of 18 months. Fernando brings over three years experience in the domain name industry having participated in a series of international forums which resulted in the evolution of the industry from a single registry to the current registry/registrar model. Fernando participated in the IFWP meeting held in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Aug, 1998), the ICANN meetings held in Santiago, Chile (Aug. 1999) and Yokohama, Japan (July, 2000). Fernando received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish with concentrations in Latin American Studies and International Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Resumes for key management are provided in the Appendices of the Registry Operator’s Proposal.

II.1.7 Staff/Employees (RFP Section D13.1.7)

Staff Resources

The JVTeam Registry Operations Team will be staffed with dedicated, highly qualified personnel to ensure a timely implementation and smooth transition to effective ongoing operations.

JVTeam’s philosophy is that the company achieves its business goals through its people. It promotes the philosophy among its employees that they are individually and collectively critical to the company’s success and will share in its rewards. A sense of ownership is encouraged among employees – ownership of their own work, as well as responsibility for the overall performance of the company. JVTeam will consistently maximize its business goals by hiring staff members who are highly productive and of high caliber, ensuring the highest levels of service.

JVTeam will be a reliable, skilled, competent, experienced group of individuals who will embody the qualities of true customer service, teamwork, and innovation. We will seek individuals who are customer-focused and perform their job in a results-oriented, efficient manner. We will use best efforts to augment our English-speaking staff with speakers of French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Korean in order to effectively service our international registrar customer base. In addition to technical skills, we recognize the need to screen for intangible qualities such as capacity to learn, motivation, and a customer-service orientation, all of which are key traits for success.

JVTeam will begin operations with a core management team made up of highly qualified, proven staff members secured from our parent companies. (JVTeam’s senior management team is described in Registry Operations Proposal Section II.1.6, Management). JVTeam can and will draw upon an enormous reserve of managerial and technical skills from within the parent company environments to provide highly qualified staff. The executive management teams of the parent companies have a firm commitment to ensuring that JVTeam is amply staffed with experienced personnel who will perform the activities described in the Implementation Plan provided in Registry Operations Proposal Section IV.2, Project Plan.

To staff the operational team, JVTeam can today draw upon the combined strength of more than 353 people. 238 of those employees are actively engaged in technical disciplines, including systems integration, software engineering, database design and maintenance, and network engineering.

Staffing allocations may need to be adjusted as demand for our services increases. Adjustments could include overall staff size or refinements to required technical skills. Cross-training will be used in all positions to promote job interest and esprit de corps. It also allows for back-up staffing, and provides a better overall understanding of our systems and services across the organization. Our parent companies have an unmatched depth of relevant systems experience which will be drawn upon when required. Specific factors which could affect staffing levels include:

· Increase in the number of registrars

· Higher than anticipated system activity

· Higher than anticipated demand for our services

· Increase in the complexity of our services

· Increase in newly defined work that requires an increase in management and/or administrative staff

Additional staff requirements will be met through a rigorous recruitment process. JVTeam is in the unique position of being able to draw liberally upon both the human and physical resources of NeuStar on an ongoing basis. A breakdown of current staffing resources and their functional areas of expertise follow.

STAFF BREAKDOWN BY FUNCTION
Function	Current Staff
Executive Management	20
Research and Development	121
Operations	29
Sales and Marketing	24
Customer Service & Production Support	117
Finance and Administration	42

To ensure we satisfy the requirements of ICANN to provide high quality, consistent, reliable, and even-handed service, we have adopted the following organizational structure (shown in Exhibit II.1-3).

Staff Organization

First and foremost, the JVTeam organization is structured to meet the needs of its customers: ICANN registrars, registrants and the Internet community at large which will address the overall needs of ICANN. In designing our functional organization, we placed four key requirements on ourselves:

· Prominent quality assurance and neutrality. Overall quality assurance, and strict operational adherence to the JVTeam Code of Conduct ensuring neutrality is our highest priority. Hence, those involved in quality assurance supervision report directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

· Dedicated and centralized customer relations and support. Superior customer service is critical for registry success. Registrars are assigned to a dedicated Account Manager. All customer service functions share a manager.

· Equally strong, yet distinct engineering and operations teams. To further ensure quality product development focus on the part of the Engineering Team, final system integration testing is performed by the Operations Team before system deployment. This provides a healthy check-and-balance approach ensuring stable and successful deployment of new systems into production.

· Strong project management. JVTeam has a firm belief in a strong, structured project management approach to reaching business goals. We adhere to a strict methodology for project planning, scheduling, progress tracking, and reporting.

As shown in the following table, each functional group is responsible for providing a distinct set of services.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Functional Group	Roles	Key Responsibilities
Management Review Board	Oversight	· Oversee all business operations at a high level · Provide assistance and guidance as required. · Provide additional subject matter expertise
Senior Management Team
	Chief Executive and Operating Officer	· Provide company leadership · Responsible for ensuring the success of all business operations
	Chief Financial Officer	· Manage all financial aspects of the business
	Legal Counsel	· Manage all legal aspects of the business · Advise on matters of policy adherence and supervision
Engineering
Product Development	Product Development Engineers	· Work with customers and other stakeholders to define new system features and functionality · Work with System Engineering Team in designing appropriate implementations
Standards Engineering	Standards Engineers	· Define and propose industry standards · Work with standards bodies to evaluate options
Project Management	Project Managers Technical Writers	· Manage the planning, execution, and delivery phases according to project objectives · Deliver projects on time and on budget · Manage technical writers
System Engineering	System Architects Software Engineers System Engineers Software Programmers Test Engineers	· Requirements management · System design · System development · Software and system testing · System integration · 3^rd party product evaluation · Development system configuration and release management
Administration
Human Resources	Human Resource Officers Clerical Support Staff	· Manage the recruitment and induction process · Manage staff development · Manage staff training · Manage the provision of clerical support to the rest of the organization
Billing and Collections	Billing and Collections Officers	· Manage registrar accounts · Provide registrar reports to the respective Account Manager
Financial Analysis	Financial Analysts	· Provide financial analysis and reporting to the Executive Management Team
Business Relationship Management
Account Management	Account Managers	· Develop and maintain relationships with registrars · Solicit input from registrars regarding registry product and service improvements
Marketing	Marketing Specialists	· Develop promotional materials to market TLDs · Develop brand awareness campaigns
Customer Support	Customer Support Representatives	· Provide 1^st line support to registrars · Registrar integration · Problem resolution
Operations
Production Support	Production Support Engineers Web Developers	· System integration testing · Provide 2^nd line support problem resolution · Systems monitoring and maintenance · System documentation · Production system configuration and release management
Database Administration	Database Designers Database Administrators	· Database design, administration, and maintenance
Network Administration	Network Designers Network Administrators	· Network design, administration, and maintenance
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance	Quality Assurance Specialists Neutrality Supervisors	· Monitor all operations for adherence to neutrality guidelines · Develop and deploy quality assurance initiatives, and monitor performance against them

Hiring Policy

The Internet industry requires an employment process that is timely, responsive, reliable, competent, and customer service focused. Any process should also handle information in a secure and proprietary manner. Accordingly, we propose:

· Our staffing strategy is designed to ensure the highest levels of service. JVTeam staff will meet or exceed the stated requirements in skills, competence, and experience. The staff will be augmented during the implementation phase and thereafter, as necessary, by subject-matter experts.

· All of the key management positions will be staffed with employees who have demonstrated successful previous employment experiences.

· Our staff will embody the qualities of customer sensitivity and friendly efficiency, crucial to achieving a positive client reception to the registry services.

Like its parent companies, JVTeam will maintain an automated database with a skills inventory on current employees, as well as an automated web-based candidate sourcing and tracking system. These tools contribute to the expedient identification of required skills for even the most specialized positions. When necessary, we will use recruiting aids in the form of search firms, using executive search techniques to identify and attract the best individuals for positions at all levels. In addition to technical skills, we recognize the need to screen for intangible qualities such as the capacity to function in a learning organization, a team setting, and an environment focused on impeccable customer service, all of which are keys to success.

Standard background investigations will be conducted on all employment candidates, both permanent and temporary. We will verify employment and check references with prior employers, perform credit and criminal checks, and explore any employment gaps.

Staff members will be required to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary information for the JVTeam and its clients as well as the commitment to our code of conduct.

Employee Training

JVTeam recognizes the need for continual training in all technical fields. It is critical that JVTeam engineering and operations staff members in particular are up-to-date with advancements in technology and the release of new hardware and software products and tools.

Ongoing staff training will focus on:

· Continual upgrading of skills to enable individuals to enhance their career development and promote advancement.

· Cross-training which will allow for more flexible utilization of staff members across the organization.

In addition to using standard training vehicles, JVTeam will employ web-based employee training for some of its training needs; existing online courseware includes Customer Service, Project Management and Performance Management. Using this vehicle allows us to:

· Deliver state-of-the-art learning on virtually any topic while dramatically reducing our “time to market”.

· Create and deliver learning as quickly as the business demands or as new technologies evolve.

Space for Additional Staff

JVTeam will base its operations at the Sterling, Virginia data center. The site is currently equipped to house approximately 160 personnel. Current occupancy stands at fewer than 100 allowing us to accommodate substantial additional growth as circumstances demand.

Conclusion

The JVTeam registry will be much more than a technical solution. It will be a team of dedicated, talented and qualified individuals working collectively as a customer-driven organization.

II.1.8 Commercial General Liability Insurance (RFP Section D13.1.8)

Prior to the execution of definitive agreements pursuant to which it will provide registry services, the JVTeam will have in place liability insurance in the amount and coverage appropriate for the activities it is undertaking pursuant to such agreements.

II.2 Business Plan for the Proposed Registry Operations (RFP Section D13.2)

JVTeam has developed a registry solution which incorporates realistic business goals, thorough market analysis as well as comprehensive financial and operational planning.

The success of a competitive registry environment and the introduction of new TLDs is not just dependant on good ideas. It requires detailed analysis, understanding and planning for all components of the registry. It also requires a substantial commitment of time, resources and people. JVTeam has carefully considered all of these issues in its approach by leveraging our existing knowledge of registry operations, by undertaking market research and most importantly by thinking through the implications of our choices. The decisions we have made represent, we believe, the best available and most sound solution, one which will ensure the stable and successful introduction of new top level domains. This section provides explicit detail of our business planning and an explanation of how we will achieve our goal of providing the next generation registry. Following is an overview of issues discussed in this section.

JVTeam’s suite of registry services will provide the registrar community with access to the highest standards of support, security and administration. In addition, these services will be provided in an entirely neutral and even-handed manner. The JVTeam registry will maintain a tight customer focus in all its operations and will cultivate effective two-way communication between registrars and the registry.

In order to facilitate the timely provision of the registry’s services, we have carefully evaluated the requirements for resources, capital expenditure, facilities and people. Our plans incorporate details of exactly what the registry will need and how. JVTeam will acquire and fund each and every component. JVTeam will implement proven program management techniques to maintain a balance between the needs of our customers and the resources required to meet those needs.

Our revenue analysis and projections are founded on intensive market profiling, bottom up forecasting and a rigorous analysis of market sensitivities and dependencies. We have been meticulous in understanding the addressable market for the new TLD and have developed a revenue model that will ensure the registry is both competitive and commercially viable.

While the JVTeam registry is committed to success, we are also cognizant of the fact that any successful business plan must take into account both current and future risks. Our approach to risk management includes proven techniques for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks and potential risks on an ongoing basis.

JVTeam’s business plan is designed to ensure success for both the registry and the current program for introducing new TLDs. The JVTeam registry will contribute responsibly to the evolution of the domain name system and a competitive registry environment for the benefit of the whole Internet community.

II.2.1 Services to be Provided
(RFP Section D13.2.1)

By combining experience and innovation, JVTeam will redefine the meaning of registry services. Together with ICANN, the JVTeam registry will set new performance and reliability standards for fundamental domain name operations and will provide integration, reporting, and support services that make the registration and administration of domain names simple, efficient, and secure.

For a TLD registry to provide services in the appropriate way it must have an in-depth understanding of the technical, business and policy components of the space. More importantly, the registry must understand the needs of both the registrar community and the end users. This kind of knowledge cannot be found in books or business plans. Knowledge of the domain name system and the needs of its users can only be gained through experience. Many organizations will recognize the financial opportunity of operating a TLD registry, making assumptions based on speculation. The registry provider must bring substantial knowledge to this kind of operation if it is to provide services which will meet the needs of the DNS community and blaze a trail for the introduction of true competition to the TLD registry marketplace. JVTeam is the only entity capable of bringing such a wealth of experience in registry operation to management of a new TLD.

Since the new TLD will exist in a competitive environment, it is critical that the registry be fair and even-handed in its provision of services. The registry must implement policies and procedures that ensure impartiality and objectivity. Registrars must be able to anticipate and rely on clearly defined services and service levels. JVTeam, in co-operation with ICANN and the registrar community, will develop clear guidelines and service levels for the provision of TLD registry services. In addition, the JVTeam registry will operate according to a strict code of conduct which ensures its absolute neutrality. This will result in an open and fair competitive environment beneficial to registrars, other registries, and most importantly the Internet community.

JVTeam Understands the Issues

JVTeam brings to this process an intimate understanding of the key operational issues involved in administering and publishing zone files as well as with the existing registry/registrar system for TLD names. Combine this with unparalleled experience in registry operations, data administration, and IP networking, and you have the world’s most qualified registry solution team. Not only does JVTeam understand what registry services are needed, it also has the know-how and experience to deliver these services effectively.

JVTeam Sees the Opportunities for Innovation

The domain name system is still in its earliest stages of growth. As the user base of the Internet continues to expand into all areas of personal and commercial activity, the DNS will continue to play a significant role. JVTeam benefits from having a diverse commercial background which includes activity in telecommunications, e-commerce solutions, software and database development, telephone numbering systems, electronic trust products, and most importantly the DNS itself. This affords JVTeam access to an expansive network of information and opportunities which provides the foundation for the ongoing evolution of the DNS. But for the DNS to evolve in this way, it requires the next generation of registry services. Only JVTeam has the experience and the vision to provide those services. Exhibit II.2-1 provides an overview of the services to be provided by the JVTeam registry.

Core Domain Name Services—The JVTeam registry will offer a complete suite of domain name registration and administration services. These will include all functional domain name operations and will be accessible via the registry’s main system interface, the eXtensible Registry Protocol (XRP).

Registrar Support Services—The JVTeam registry will provide the registrar community a range of support services to assist them in providing high quality domain name services to end users. These services will include 24 x 7 x 365 technical support, billing assistance, and dedicated account management.

Information Services—The JVTeam understands the critical nature of information flow between the registry and registrars. The registry will facilitate multiple means of two-way communication. The JVTeam web site will also serve as a central information source for registrars.

Enhanced Registry Services—In addition to basic registration and support functions, JVTeam registry will provide workable solutions to the real world problems currently experienced by registrars and registrants and continue to innovate and enhance the role of the registry. As part of its mission to foster the evolution of the DNS, the JVTeam registry solution will build upon the basic services already offered within the RRP through enhancement, extension, and addition.

II.2.1.1 Core Domain Name Services

The JVTeam registry will support all of the domain name operations currently using the Registry-Registrar Protocol (RRP). In addition, JVTeam’s solution will introduce new operations and enhance some of these components with greater security and administration tools. The JVTeam registry will provide services exclusively to accredited registrars and will not provide these services directly to end users. In this way the registry can maintain absolute neutrality in performing domain name administration functions.

Top level Domain Registration Services—Accredited registrars will be able to enter new domain names into the registry database in real time. This will be done through the XRP interface using a multi-faceted security procedure. The JVTeam registration functions will be more robust and extensible than the current system, allowing registrars to benefit from more control over the way in which they interact with the registry. The functions required to create a new domain name will be augmented by two supporting components enabling registrars to A) check the availability of a domain and B) to cancel the registration within a specified time frame without incurring a registration fee. The XRP interface will provide these services in real-time, enabling registrars to fully integrate their own domain name registration web sites and brand them as their own. When combined with near real time zone file updates, the JVTeam registration services will facilitate the creation of a fully functioning domain name in less than one hour. This represents a significant advantage over the current 24-48 hour time frame. As part of the whole JVTeam offering, the registration services will provide a more automated, efficient service enabling the new TLD to compete effectively with .com and raise the standard for the registration services across the board.

Top level Domain Administration Services—Registration is only one component of a domain name’s life cycle. It is easy to forget that a domain name must be maintained throughout its license period. In many cases this will be as long as ten or more years. During that time it is critical for registrants to have easy access so they can move their domain names between Internet Service Providers (re-delegation) as well as between registrars if they so choose. It is also imperative that all relevant information for the domain name be kept current and valid. For registrars to ensure that their customers can perform these tasks easily, they must have access to simple, real-time maintenance functions. Registrars must be able to automate these processes wherever possible so their support costs can be kept low and the price provided to the registrant remains competitive.

Using the XRP protocol, accredited registrars will have access to all required domain name maintenance operations including contact information updates, registrant changes, re-delegations, license renewals, registrar transfers and cancellations. All of these services can be engaged directly, allowing the registrar to fully automate all domain name maintenance operations. Currently, several of these operations require expensive manual authentication. The JVTeam solution will facilitate easy automation of these operations by combining the XRP with a centralized Whois service and a “fat” registry. In this way, the operating costs for registrars will be significantly reduced, registrants will enjoy real-time maintenance services, and the TLD will offer a substantial competitive advantage over existing TLDs.

Top Level Domain Whois Service—The Whois service is central to the operation of a top level domain. The JVTeam Whois service will centralize all relevant data for domain name registrations in the registry, including contact and authentication data. As under the current system, accredited registrars will have responsibility for creating and maintaining all associated registrant records for any domain name registered under their account. By providing this service at the registry level, the difficulties currently experienced in operations such as registrar transfers will be solved as initiating and authorizing such a request will be simply an additional function call on the registry. In addition, modifications to the Whois database will be enacted and visible in near real-time, further facilitating automation of operations such as ownership changes. The next- generation Whois service provided by JVTeam will enhance the stability of the Internet by cultivating consistency and minimizing end user confusion. The Whois service is described in detail in Section III.2.8

Zone File Update, Administration and Distribution Service—The most important function of the DNS is to assist users in finding an Internet address and accessing the information stored there. Therefore, it is essential that domain names can be easily directed and re-directed to the appropriate IP address. To facilitate this, the zone file for the TLD must be easily updated and secure. Under the current system, it can take as long as 48 hours for a domain name to be redirected from one host to another. The JVTeam solution will allow registrants to easily modify the delegation details for their domain name and for those changes to be reflected in the TLD zone file in less than one hour. Utilizing the XRP interface, registrars will be able to facilitate these changes in real time allowing complete automation of the process. The registry will then make the requested changes directly into the zone file by updating the specific zone file entry. The registry will update all TLD zone nameservers across the network simultaneously and because of this, registrants will enjoy a real-time domain name experience and the TLD will be able to leverage this as a point of differentiation from .com. JVTeam will provide zone file administration and distribution services which will ensure a secure and stable top level domain space.

Nameserver Administration Service—A domain name may also be used to construct a host name. For example, the domain name example.com (referred to as the parent) has a nameserver called ns1.example.com (referred to as the child). These nameservers are created by making an entry in the .com zone file which assigns the host name to a matching IP address. Since several thousand domain names may be delegated to a single nameserver, it is imperative for the stability of the Internet that these nameservers be easily created and maintained. The XRP will facilitate the creation and administration of nameservers in real time and those changes will then be reflected in the zone file in less than one hour. Under the current system, a change to a nameserver can bring down all of the domain names delegated to it for as long as 48 hours. Because the JVTeam registry solution will provide nameserver updates in near real time, these changes will have substantially less impact and will significantly reduce costs for many Internet Service Providers.

II.2.1.2 JVTeam Registry Support Services

JVTeam’s unparalleled experience in providing domain name and data administration solutions makes it the only entity truly capable of providing the technical support and administration services necessary for the operation of a TLD registry.

JVTeam support services will be provided by account managers, First Tier Customer Support, Second Tier Customer Support and the Billing and Collections Team. JVTeam will ensure that the registrar community will have access to the right support from the right people.

Interfaces for Accessing Support—JVTeam recognizes that a truly internationalized registry service must be capable of providing customer support through a number of different mediums. This will encourage development of the registrar community in all nations throughout the world. A registrar who finds telephone support particularly expensive may prefer to use email or an online messaging facility. The JVTeam registry will provide multiple interfaces to maximize effective communications between the registry and registrars.

Registrars will interface with registry support services via several different mediums including:

· 24 x 7 x 365 telephone access

· 24 x 7 x 365 email access

· 24 x 7 x 365 self help via our web site

· Online messaging support

· Extensive self-help provided via the registry web site including detailed documentation and FAQs

· Easy to use training manuals

· Discussion and news lists

· Password access to reporting tools via a secured section of the registry web site.

These interfaces will be constantly refined by monitoring service levels and via feedback from the registrar community. The registry support interfaces will then continue to grow and change with the needs of our customers and other communication options such as real-time online chat and Voice Over IP (VOIP) support will be explored and deployed in accordance with the needs of the registrar community.

Dedicated Account Management—Each registrar will be assigned a dedicated account manager. Account managers will pro-actively build solid customer relationships and ensure that all service levels are met. More than this, account managers will serve as the human interface between the registry and registrars to maximize communications in both directions and to assist registrars in developing their domain name businesses.

Some of the account manager’s responsibilities will be to:

· Act as a central point of communication between the registry and registrars for all business issues

· Actively educate registrars to maximize their efficiency in using the registry system

· Be a point of escalation for any problems encountered

· Understand the registrar’s business model and determine how the registry can assist in growing that business

· Identify and provide solutions for any areas where the registry is not meeting the registrar’s needs

· Actively encourage and facilitate input from registrars in system development and enhancements

· Communicate any system or procedural modifications.

Registry First Tier Customer Support—JVTeam will provide a dedicated support team to assist with integration and operational issues. The Customer Support Team will service the registrar community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Customer Support Team will provide assistance with domain name registration and administration operations, provide troubleshooting assistance and problem resolution for first level technical and integration issues, answer questions regarding policy and procedures, address charging and payment issues, and explain general guidelines over the phone. In addition, Customer Support team members will actively follow customer requests through to resolution. If unable to provide resolution for an issue, the registry Customer Support Team will follow clear guidelines for escalation to either the registrar’s account manager, the Second Tier Customer Support Team,or the relevant management team.

All customer support queries, phone or email, will be logged and tracked through assignment of a “trouble ticket” provided to the registrar. Technical and general customer support for registrars will be provided according to a clearly defined Service Level Agreement (SLA) between registrars and the registry, bringing an unprecedented level of service standards to this field.

While it is envisaged that 90-95% of technical enquiries will be resolved by the First Tier Customer Support Team, any technical issues which cannot be adequately resolved at that level will be immediately escalated to a second tier of technical support.

Registry Second Tier Customer Support—Acting as a second level of escalation in resolving registrar technical issues, the Second Tier Customer Support Team will be responsible for providing complex problem identification and resolution, in-depth system integration assistance, and system trouble shooting. This team will be a subset of the Production Support Team. Some of the key functions supported by this team will be:

· Addition of new registrars into the system

· Maintenance of registrar security mechanisms such as public / private keys, passwords, etc.

· System service reporting

· Change management

· Mass database modifications and updates

· Non-standard database modifications

· Production and updates of system documentation and integration guides.

Billing and Collections Support—The Billing and Collections Team will provide support for account statements, reconciliation, and other billing issues. While the primary point of contact for registrars on these issues will be the account manager, the Billing and Collections Team will be responsible for understanding and meeting the day to day billing needs of registrars. The core responsibilities of the registry Billing and Collections Team will be to:

· Accept and process initial registration payments from registrars

· Assist registrars to add funds to their account

· Audit and produce monthly statements for registrars

· Monitor available funds in registrar accounts

· Audit and reconcile system registration records with accounting system records.

Staff Training and Documentation—The Customer Support Team will develop and distribute extensive training manuals to ensure that all staff have an intimate knowledge and understanding of registry operations and procedures. While staff will be chosen on the basis of domain name management experience, the very nature of creating a “new registry” with new operational procedures requires that all customer support staff are provided with substantial training and accreditation for providing support in the JVTeam registry environment. In this way, the JVTeam registry will ensure extremely high levels of quality, consistent support services.

Service Commitments

All customer support services provided to registrars will be executed according to stringent guidelines and time frames as defined by SLAs between the registry and its customers. In addition, all support staff will follow detailed escalation paths for unresolved issues. JVTeam will work closely with ICANN and the registrar community to develop service commitments and escalation paths that adequately meet the needs of registrars in providing outstanding responsiveness and service levels to their customers.

II.2.1.3 Registry Information Services

JVTeam will provide accurate, critical information to registrars via several different mediums. In addition to regular automated reports, JVTeam will provide access to various account information via a secure section of the registry web site. JVTeam believes that reporting should not be a static service, and account managers will work closely with registrars to ensure they are receiving the information they need when they need it.

The Registry Web Site—JVTeam understands how critical information flow is for the registry to interact with registrars. JVTeam will implement an easy-to-navigate web site as the cornerstone in its communications strategy. Dedicated staff members of JVTeam will build and maintain the registry web site, which will provide a central point of contact for registrars to access information about all areas of the registry’s operation. The site will be designed according to best practice usability and functionality precepts.

Some of the key components of the site will be:

· A password protected area where registrars can access a suite of reporting and auditing tools for monitoring all significant interaction with the registry

· A central repository of all technical and system documentation

· Detailed information and documentation regarding integration assistance

· A comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

· All relevant contact information and escalation procedures

· A collection of marketing material and information which may be freely used by registrars to assist them in promotion of the domain space

· Free downloads of XRP client software and supporting software tools.

Automated Reporting Service—The JVTeam registry will include an automated reporting service which will provide a regular, high level description of information about the registrar’s interaction with the registry. The report will be emailed to designated registrar contacts. The specific information included in these emails will be developed in consultation with registrars to ensure that they have access to the information critical for their business. Different sets of information will be included for different time periods. The reports will include a set of data such as:

· Total number of domains registered since becoming a registrar

· Total number of domains registered in the previous 24 hours, 7 days, month, etc.

· Total number of domains transferred from other registrars

· Total number of domains transferred to other registrars

· A complete list of domains registered/cancelled during the previous 24 hours, 7 days, month, etc.

· Remaining account balance.

On-Request/Ad hoc Reporting Service—JVTeam understands how critical it is for registrars to have access to up-to-date, accurate reporting. While the registry will provide a number of standard reports for registrars, it is anticipated that they may require additional, specific information from time to time. Upon request, the Customer Support Team will develop reports for domain registration and maintenance activity such as:

· Numbers and names of domains registered within any specified period

· Domain names transferred to/away from the registrar within a specified period

· Change of ownership activity, including exact time and date requests were processed

· Re-delegation activity for domains assigned to a given registrar

These reports will be developed on an on-going basis in consultation with registrars and ICANN.

Low Account Balance Notification Service—JVTeam recognizes the critical nature of detailed and accurate account notifications. Registration of domain names will be managed on a pre-payment basis, eliminating the need for credit arrangements or invoicing. To commence registering domains with the JVTeam registry, a registrar will first provide a minimum payment. At all times the registrar’s account balance will be expected to be greater than a pre-determined level. If a registrar’s account balance falls below that level, they will no longer be able to enter new domain name records into the registry.

To ensure that registrars do not lose business because of an unavailability of funds, the registry will establish a clear and automated low account balance notification system. The purpose of this notification system is to ensure that no registrar is prevented from adding new domain records into the registry. Upon being set up as a registrar with the JVTeam registry, the registrar will designate the email addresses, phone, and fax numbers of at least two, low balance billing contacts. At agreed balance points, the registrar and their account manager will be advised of low funds.

Technical Support Mailing List and Discussion Groups—Registrars will be able to participate in and provide feedback on any and all technical issues involved with the registry’s operation via mailing lists and discussion groups. In this way the registry can continue to evolve as a tightly customer-focused service provider. These communication channels will provide a means for sharing information regarding the registry’s operation with a view to better informing future TLD and registry development.

The registry mailing list will be administered under the guidance of the Customer Support Team and will be accessible to approved registrar subscribers. Hence, the registrar community will be able to actively promote ideas and discussion on the registry’s direction.

II.2.1.4 Enhanced Registry Services

As the next generation registry, the JVTeam solution will offer additional and enhanced functionality for registrars which can in turn be provided to registrants.

This new functionality will add significantly to the TLD’s ability to compete with existing domain spaces, provide solutions to some of the existing operational issues, and construct the framework for innovative applications of the Domain Name System.

A Centralized, Standardized Whois Service

The current registry/registrar model uses multiple Whois databases and database managers without any clearly defined standard to determine what information is stored within these databases or the format required for that information. The fundamental flaw in the existing system is this lack of uniformity. The current approach belies the fact that domain names move between registrars. For instance, if a registrant were to move its domain name example.com from registrar A to registrar B, then registrar B must have some means of verifying ownership and authorization details. In order to achieve this, the gaining registrar (registrar B) must view the Whois entry for example.com in the Whois database maintained by registrar A. Serious problems arise, however, when registrar A has a vastly different Whois format from that of registrar B (and C, D, and E for that matter) and so registrar B cannot automate a verification procedure for modifying this domain name.

JVTeam will provide a registry Whois which stores all significant contact and authentication data for domain names, thereby ensuring that domain name Whois records are consistent regardless of who the registrar may be. This will allow for full automation of domain operations such as moving a domain name from one registrar to another and will significantly enhance the security which can be implemented. This is a significant advantage for all parties: registrars will enjoy reduced administrative costs through automation, registrants will have the benefit of increased security and faster turn around on their requests, and the TLD itself will be ultimately more competitive.

Provision and Maintenance of the TLD Nameserver Network

Unlike the current TLD zone distribution network, the JVTeam registry will assume responsibility for development and maintenance of the nameservers. This will facilitate much more reliable and scalable architecture and will allow for near real-time zone file updates whenever modifications are made. JVTeam will establish and administer a network of nameservers within a fully secure and stable architecture. JVTeam will replace the traditional primary nameserver with a cluster of redundant, zone distribution database servers. This will allow us to rapidly and easily accommodate increasing query loads. The nameservers will be located in geographically diverse locations to ensure faster performance in specific areas which will enhance the ability for the new TLD to be accessed globally. These nameservers will be housed within data centers which ensure security and stability for the domain space. They will also be supported by 24 x 7 x 365 service, automated and manual monitoring systems to guarantee maximum reliability and response times. Further details may be found in Section III.2.5. The JVTeam strategy for a new, scalable, and more reliable nameserver network will ensure the Internet’s stability and evolution both now and for many years to come.

Intellectual Property Notification Service

JVTeam recognizes the complexities raised by intellectual property issues and will provide a service whereby interested parties are able to monitor the registration of domains which may infringe on their intellectual property. This service will be facilitated by the registry but offered and administered via registrars.

The points below provide a high level overview of the operation of the Intellectual Property Notification Service (IPNS) prior to the new registry going “live”. The process will continue to be in operation once normal registration operations have commenced.

Phase 1: The registry provides advance information describing the process—Ninety days prior to the registry going live, a notification will be placed on the ICANN web site advising interested parties of the process for enrolling in the Intellectual Property Notification Service. This may also be broadcast by providing a button to accredited registrars for placement on their web sites. The button will link to the ICANN web site and include a title such as “Enroll in the Intellectual Property Notification Service for new TLDs”. During this time, information kits will be freely distributed to the press, registrars, and the general public. The kits will provide detailed information regarding the Intellectual Property Notification Service and how it can be implemented.

Phase 2: The Registry accepts pre-registration enrollments—Within 30 days of the registry going live, entities who hold a registered trademark may lodge a request to be notified when a domain name, which they believe may infringe their intellectual property rights, is registered. To activate this system, the entity completes an online form. The form is intended to capture details of the party claiming intellectual property over a particular domain name together with the justification for that claim. Since this system is intended to afford protection to parties with genuine, registered trademarks, the registration details of the trademark will also be captured.

Below is an example of the information required from an entity wishing to enroll in this service.

· Domain name

· Exact trademark

· Country of registration

· Trademark or other reference number

· Date of first use

· Contact details including: trademark holder entity name, address, phone, fax, email

· Contact person name, address, phone, fax, email, and relationship to trademark holder entity

· Additional comments.

Each submission will contain only one domain name and in order to activate this service, there will be a nominal fee per submission. This charge will cover administrative costs and provide a mechanism for discouraging frivolous use of the service.

After trademark holders have successfully lodged a request to be notified, they are advised that:

· Their submission has been received

· Their submission does not guarantee the name will be reserved for or allocated to them

· There may be other parties claiming intellectual property over that particular domain name.

They are also provided information regarding the Uniform Charter Dispute Resolution Policy (UCDRP).

At the registry system level, the domain name (which doesn’t yet exist as a registered name) has a code attached to it indicating that someone has claimed intellectual property rights over that name.

Phase 3: The registry begins accepting registrations and notifies of possible trademark infringement—When an application is lodged for a domain name which has been enrolled with the Intellectual Property Notification Service, the domain name applicant is advised that a third party or parties has claimed intellectual property rights over that domain name. They are then directed to the section of the UCDRP/registration agreement referring to intellectual property infringements and told that their license may be revoked if they are acting in “bad faith”. The applicant is not prevented from completing the registration.

Once the application has been completed, all parties who have engaged the notification service for that exact domain name are advised by email that “a party” has registered it. Included in the email will be further information on the UCDRP and an explanation of steps to take for further dispute action.

The Intellectual Property Notification Service will provide an additional level of protection for holders of registered national trademarks and will work in conjunction with the UCDRP to discourage incidences of domain names being registered in bad faith.

Registry External Test Environment

The JVTeam registry/registrar system is designed to minimize the barriers for registrar integration. In accordance with this principle, JVTeam will provide a fully functional, externally exposed test system which registrars may use to develop and actively test their systems before deploying to a live environment.

The services provided by the JVTeam registry will be more than a reliable simulation of the existing registry services. The JVTeam registry will lay the groundwork for an innovative evolution of the registry/registrar paradigm and the domain name system.

II 2.2 Revenue Model (RFP Section D13.2.2)

The JVTeam is prepared to provide below market rates for a next generation, fat registry that will provide substantially higher levels of stability, scalability, and functionality.

Despite the considerable investment that is required, the JVTeam has developed its pricing structure to provide effective price competition for registry services. The JVTeam provides quantity one pricing for registration services that is substantially lower then the established market price. The JVTeam has accelerated the future economies of scale associated with high volumes into its quantity one price. At quantity one pricing, the JVTeam is substantially lower than the marginal price point of the incumbent provider (i.e. the incumbent’s price point is currently tied to 20 million names under management).

In addition to the highly competitive quantity one price level, the JVTeam will provide volume discounts that pass back the economies of scale realized from serving higher volumes and multiple gTLDs. As names under management within the awarded gTLD increase additional discounts will be applied. In addition as the total names under JVTeam management across all gTLDs served increase additional volume discounts will be earned by all registrars. These volume discounts anticipate future price competition and will benefit all registrars equally.

The JVTeam is able to offer this highly competitive price structure because its business plan and investment are predicated on serving high volumes associated with multiple gTLDs over a long time frame. The economies of scale associated with these volumes and time frames are represented in the overall pricing structure.

Finally, the JVTeam is proposing a fair and even handed pricing structure for all registrars. There are no onerous up-front commitments that provide a barrier to registrar entry. Likewise, all registrars will be charged the same low registration fees and will earn volume discounts equally over time. There is no favoritism or inequities underlying the pricing structure. All registrars will benefit equally from the economies of scale built into the pricing structure.

II. 2.2.1 Registration Service Pricing

The JVTeam will charge the following fees for registration services:

· New Registration Fee – an annual fee for entering and maintaining a new name into the registry database.

· Renewal Registration Fee – an annual fee for renewing and maintaining a name entry in the registry database.

The total fee in each instance is equal to the term (i.e. 1 to 10 years) of the new or renewed registration multiplied by the annual fee. Such fees will be paid in advance for the full term of the requested registration.

Quantity one pricing and volume discounts for the aforementioned registration activity are as follows:

Intra-gTLD Volume Discount – discounts for incremental names under management within the awarded gTLD. The price for new or renewed registrations declines as the net volume of names under management reaches higher volume tiers in the volume discount structure. The Intra-gTLD Volume Discount will be applied on a complete accounting cycle basis. Please refer to the following Intra-gTLD Volume Discount Table for more information.

Inter-gTLD Volume Discount – additional discounts based on the total names under JVTeam management. The price for new or renewed registrations declines as the net volume of total names under JVTeam management reaches higher volume tiers. The Inter-gTLD Volume Discount will be applied on a complete accounting cycle basis. Please refer to the following Inter-gTLD Volume Discount Table for more information.

Effective Rate Card for Combined Volume Discounts – The following Effective Rate Card Table encapsulates the combined benefits of the Inter-gTLD and Intra-gTLD volume discounts.

The following example illustrates how the Intra-gTLD and Inter-gTLD volume discounts are applied:

1) “Awarded gTLD” names under management grow from 5 million to 8 million for a given period; the 3 million names over the 5 million Intra-gTLD volume discount tier are charged at $5 per name per year.

2) JVTeam has an additional 7 million names under management.

3) Therefore the JVTeam has a total of 15 million names under management.

4) Each additional “Awarded gTLD” name under management over 8 million will be priced at $4.75 per name per year.

In the future the JVTeam may explore the option of introducing alternative pricing structures that provide more granular pricing elements for units of work performed, such as transfers. The JVTeam will work diligently with ICANN and the registrar community to seamlessly introduce any such changes.

II 2.2.2 Additional Services Pricing

Intellectual Property Notification Service—The JVTeam will provide pricing for this optional service, as described in Section II.2.1.4 of this proposal, upon request.

Other Enhanced Registry Services—The JVTeam intends to provide additional functionality and services over time and will work diligently with ICANN and the registrar community to develop acceptable pricing terms.

II 2.2.3 Additional Terms and Conditions

1) JVTeam pricing is valid for 120 days from the submission of this proposal.

2) All prices are quoted in US dollars ($).

3) Pricing excludes VAT and any other applicable taxes.

4) All pricing is proprietary and confidential.

5) Pricing is valid for only the scope of work as currently defined in this proposal.

6) Additional charges may apply for ancillary services and support.

7) Pricing is valid for the term as defined in Section II.2.10 of this proposal.

II.2.3 Marketing Overview for .biz (RFP Section D13.2.3)

The global business community wants and needs a new business specific domain space. JVTeam’s research confirms that businesses will be very attracted by the opportunity to distinguish their online business with a more memorable, function-rich domain name. JVTeam will not only capitalize on this demand, it will execute on a sound marketing plan based on a marketing strategy which will stimulate demand and ensure the commercial success of the new, business TLD. JVTeam’s understanding of the domain name market place and its experience in channel management will ensure that a .biz domain name will become a standard for doing business online.

The information presented in this section addresses the historical background to the TLD market, a brief situation review of the past, present and future global marketplace for a new business TLD as well as current and projected market definitions including size, demand and accessibility.

Background

In order to understand the domain name market place, it is essential to understand the environment and history of top level domain names including their interdependence with Internet usage. As the cost of personal computing has continued to decline, as innovations in telecommunications technology continue to improve the flexibility, versatility and speed at which services are delivered, the number of regular Internet users has continued to grow exponentially. In the first fifteen years of the domain name industry, the Internet has experienced unbridled growth, but even now it is still in its infancy. CommerceNet, the association representing e-commerce worldwide, found that there were approximately 242 million Internet users worldwide in January 2000. CommerceNet is projecting 490 million Internet users by the end of 2002 and 765 million by the end of 2005.

Although the U.S. still leads the way in Internet use by individuals and businesses, Europe, developed Asia, and Latin America represent substantial areas of growth. In fact, the combined total of the online population from these regions now outnumbers U.S. users, a trend that is likely to continue in view of their population and economic growth rates. Today, slightly less than 400 million people worldwide use the Internet regularly and the purchase rate of domain names has grown in direct correlation. As of the end of August 2000, the total number of domains registered worldwide was more than 27.6 million names, a leap of more than 800% over the 3.3 million domain names that were registered as of the end of July 1998. This represents a 38,300% increase over January 1995, when the Internet Software Consortium counted some 71,000 domain names.

Who Is Buying all the Domain Names?

The three most significant groups of domain name purchasers are (1) small businesses (especially those with 4 employees or less), (2) speculators and (3) personal portals. Our research shows that small businesses purchase domain names to identify their websites and for customized email. Speculators facilitate resale of domain names to the highest bidder while personal portals use domains to acquire and retain members of their community.

The market has seen increased purchasing activity from speculators and personal portals in the past 12 to 18 months, in particular, since one-year registrations became available. The predominant number of these purchases are in the .com TLD.

The Growth of .com

Despite the fact that Internet use has exploded and the demographic of the typical user has diversified dramatically, the selection of TLDs available to consumers has not varied from .com, .net and .org. This has had the effect of diluting the .com domain space’s utility as a tool for finding information on the Internet. Of particular concern is the rapidly depleting availability of meaningful and useful .com domain names, a supply problem that could slow and impede the growth of the DNS environment, global communications and e-commerce.

Because of a lack of attractive and appropriate choices, the .com domain space has become the default domain space for anyone wishing to have an Internet address leading to a dilution of its “intended” purpose for commercial entities. Overall, .com is the single most widely purchased, used, recognized and branded domain name representing some 80% of all registered gTLDs. The following chart illustrates the break down of registrations across .com, .net and .org.

The dominant selection of .com over other TLDs is due, we believe, to the historical perceptions of the purposes and meanings of .com, .net and .org. A survey commissioned by JVTeam shows a widespread and generic interpretation of .com, but a larger portion of people who believe that .net denotes a network services provider and that .org denotes a non-profit organization. In practice, these perceptions have tended to become self-fulfilling as more and more network services companies have registered in .net, and more and more non-profit organizations have registered in .org. Conversely, .com is seen as a “melting pot” TLD where all and every intended use is registered.

One accompanying byproduct of the success of .com sales is the dearth of available generic words in the .com TLD. This is particularly true in the English language where, according to the Wall Street Journal, some 98% of all the words listed in the Webster’s English Dictionary have been registered as domain names. This phenomenon is already substantial and increasing in other languages.

Why .com?

The .com extension has taken on a connotation far beyond the original intent of this three-letter TLD. In the common lexicon, the term “dot com” now stands for a new breed of private and publicly traded e-commerce businesses. “Dot com” represents a positive, can-do, innovative energy which has fed the western world’s obsession with dot com companies.

We also believe that the branding of “dot com,” and the 4:1 ratio of registered .com domain names to .net and .org, is a reflection of significantly stronger perceptions that a .com domain name is more valuable than all others currently available. This perception is attributable in part to the early adoption of .com and the associated wave of advertising by .com companies. However it is also evident that .com’s popularity has been driven in large part by a lack of any comparable choice.

Why Not .net?

Granting the original intent for the current gTLDs, there is no law or rule preventing a commercial entity from using .net or .org. Therefore, if John Doe Inc. wants to register a domain name for a commercial web site and branded email address, he might reasonably want johndoeinc.com. If that name is already owned, he could choose johndoeinc.net or johndoeinc.org. But that is not what is happening. It is more likely that The John Doe Company will opt for some other, second choice derivative of its name in .com. The question is, “Why?” Is this decision motivated by the originally intended meanings of .com, .org and .net? Is it because of the broad recognition of .com, or is it simply that the John Doe company has not been given a more appropriate and desirable choice? To find answers to these questions and to understand the broader motivators in the domain name marketplace, JVTeam undertook a research project and following is a summary of our findings.

Primary Research

To ensure that the right TLD is introduced in the right way, it is not sufficient to speculate on what motivates the market. It is imperative that empirical and reliable data be the driver for the selection of the new TLD string. Accordingly, JVTeam commissioned a primary research study of consumers and business people. The research which follows provides an instructional snapshot of the domain name market and has provided the impetus for JVTeam’s selection of .biz as its proposal for a new top level domain space.

The specific objectives of this market research project were:

· To assess the behavior and perceptions associated with current domain names and extensions

· To quantify the various ways that domain names are perceived and used by the market

· To assess the way domain extensions are categorized and selected

· To solicit feedback on potential domain extensions among an international sampling of Internet savvy respondents

· To assess the branding potential for each extension

· To quantify acceptability, preference and consideration associated with the various options

· To determine which proposed extensions have the greatest target audience preference

· To understand ways to differentiate and build preference for new domain extensions vs. current extension options

· To obtain preliminary pricing feedback.

Overview of JVTeam domain name market research project
Methodology	A 10-minute online survey consisting of closed-end questions only
	A sample size of 500
	Invitations were emailed to the respondent panel
	Cash drawing included as incentive to boost participation rate
	The three business oriented TLD strings tested were .ebiz, .biz and .ecom
Research participants	Sample composition of 250 consumer panelists and 250 business panelists from a broad international base
	Respondent composition of 210 consumer panelists and 290 business panelists
	All respondents had either registered a domain name in the past, plan to register in future, or are online intermediates/experts
	Seven in 10 consumer panelists work full or part time, and their answers often reflect both a business and personal perspective.
	The business panel consisted mostly of business owners, top executives and middle managers; the consumer panel included technicians, professionals and administrative workers.
Target audience	The sample was drawn from an existing online panel
	Split sample of consumers and business people who have used the Internet with some frequency
	A broad international base, not favoring any single country or region
	Respondents were screened for familiarity/understanding of domain extensions
	Screener identified but did not terminate decision makers in the category with the intention of finding a sufficient sample size

Summary of Results And Conclusions
Past and planned domain name registration activities	More than half the business panelists have registered a domain name in the past, and nearly three quarters say they will in the next three years
	Respondents who’ve already registered a domain name are also much more likely than others to plan future registration
	Just over 7 in 10 of both consumer and business panelists who’ve already registered a name did so for business purposes; about 6 in 10 of those planning a registration have a business use in mind
	Reasons for having registered a domain name vary widely, and most often relate to an existing business, while the reasons behind registration intent are more disbursed
	Business panelists who plan to register a name most often say they want to reserve a name for future use, use it for a business they already own, start a home-based business or simply prevent someone else from getting the name
	Respondents who currently have no plans to register a domain name would be most motivated to do so if they decided to start a home business
Attitudes about existing TLD options	.net and .org lag substantially in past usage and favor (with less than 10% past usage and little greater future intent)
	Current/planned TLD choice is based on the perceived appropriateness of the TLD for the use or the notion that the TLD is the “standard” that everyone uses; an easy to remember TLD is also seen as important
	Most respondents have mentally assigned categories of use to existing TLDs
	.com is seen as most universal, with at least three quarters of respondents believing it can be used by any offline or online private business or by any individual – there are no boundaries and it is subsequently a less desirable ‘strictly-business’ space
	Nine in 10 respondents think .org is appropriate for a non-profit or charitable organization, while less than a third think it works for anyone else (most often an educational organization); fewer than 2 in 10 think private businesses or individuals can use .org
	More than 8 in 10 think .net is only for use by a network or alliance, while just under half think individuals or private business can use it
Interest in new TLD options	There is strong interest in the availability of new TLDs
	Nearly 6 in 10 respondents have a favorable reaction to the idea (another 3 in 10 are neutral)
	Respondents who plan to register a domain name are even more favorably impressed with the idea of new TLDs than the average respondent
	More than half the respondents would choose a new TLD like .biz right now instead of .com, .net or .org
	Nearly 2 in 10 respondents (especially the business panelists) say they’d purchase more domain names in the future if a new business specific TLD like .biz became available
	About a quarter of those who’ve already registered or plan to do so say new TLDs would increase the number of planned purchases
	Interest in new TLDs is fueled by the notions that more desirable names would be available and that new TLDs could better describe and differentiate a website
	Respondents also respond very favorably to the idea that the cost of registering a domain name might be less expensive if more TLDs were available
	Preference for one of the seven TLD options tested was most often driven by perceptions that it was the easiest to remember
Preferred string	.biz was the favored business TLD; it’s seen as easy to remember, business-like and descriptive
	.biz was best received by business panelists, with 11% of them choosing it among the full field of TLD options and 18% preferring it among the test choices
	Nearly half the business panelists would choose .biz over .ecom (favored by 3 in 10) or .ebiz (chosen by 2 in 10)
	More than a third of the business panelists and likely registrants would consider a .biz TLD

Research Conclusions

The results from the survey demonstrated that tremendous natural demand exists for the .biz TLD, and this demand will grow significantly with market and brand awareness. It is clear that the market recognizes the need for a domain space which is differentiated from the .com melting pot and provides a dedicated space exclusively for businesses. It is also clear that the most favored, most business-distinct string is .biz. Hence JVTeam has chosen .biz as the domain space which will facilitate a new, competitive and clearly defined business community. This will assist businesses to market their brands, products and services and with the benefit of enhanced indexing functionality, will make it easier for consumers to find the business they are looking for.

Market Definition

The Current Domain Name Marketplace

Like many other products, domain name registrations are highly concentrated in major urban markets, particularly those with high Internet usage. By focusing a branding campaign on the top 20 urban centers with high Internet usage, JVTeam will be able to target a large portion of .biz buyers.

Consumer Market Size, Present and Future

More and more consumers are using the Internet to meet lifestyle needs, to shop for services and to research product information such as comparing insurance policies. However, many still have yet to create their own commercial identity on the Web. A recent survey of some 15,000 consumers found that two-thirds plan to register a domain name in the coming year. This is a significant indication of pent-up, consumer-side market demand and of the opportunity for increased sales volume for domain names.

The research also found that, based on the decision to purchase timeframe, prospects for new domain name purchases fell into three categories: Early Adopters, Followers and Laggers.

Early Adopters—These are identified as the consumers planning to register a domain name within the next year, a group representing the largest segment of this consumer marketplace. They are 17 to 40 year olds who are very Internet savvy. In the past, price resistance has been the main reason they have not registered a domain name. But, as more affordable product and service offerings become available, these consumers are more attracted to registering a domain name.

According to the research, this group is poised to purchase. More than 75% have considered registering a domain name in the past and most are reported to have very specific plans for those names when purchased. Communicating with friends and family is one key driver but with advances in delivery and types of Internet services it has become increasingly possible to provide products and services from home. As a result, many consumers have left the corporate world to start their own home-based business. The majority of this consumer group stated the commitment to start an online business with their domain name.

Followers—According to the research, these business people express great interest in registering a domain name (some 70% have considered doing so), but have no immediate plans or needs to buy now. While the majority is online daily, their use of the Internet is mostly personal.

Followers also are considered Internet savvy, and largely fall into the 25 to 45 year-old group. They are so named because they tend to “follow” trends rather than create them, so their timing for making decisions tends to lag behind the Early Adopters by as much as two years. Like Early Adopters, Followers know they want a domain name but aren't quite as certain about what they will do with them.

Reasons for failure to register a domain name vary for Followers. Some noted that they simply had no reason and/or no time to do so. Others expressed uncertainty about how to set one up. Followers who knew for sure that they wanted to set up a web site wanted to do so for the same reasons: starting an online business or creating a family-related web site. To stimulate this market segment, the product positioning and benefits must be abundantly clear. Followers will be attracted by the enhanced indexing functionality of .biz

Laggers—Laggers like to wait and see. They have no immediate, driving wants or needs to set up a web site, and have no real focus on what they would do with one. Representing 16% of the market, this group won’t register a domain name for two years or longer, and 90% largely use the Internet for personal reasons.

The big difference between Laggers and other segments is that they have never considered registering a domain name. Laggers are overwhelmingly family and not business oriented. So, when they do register a domain name, it is usually to create a family-oriented web site. Laggers tend not to have the ready resources to use the Internet as a fulfilling medium for connecting with family and friends. Time, not money, is the crucial factor in bringing these consumers online. Therefore, simplicity and usability are critical to engage this segment of the market

The marketplace for domain names is expanding and opportunities also abound for repeat sales of .biz domain names to existing customers. The average number of Web addresses registered per customer is projected to increase to four by First Quarter 2003 (includes businesses and consumers). This fact bodes well for registrars both in terms of being able to move more product overall and of achieving marketing economies, since it costs dramatically less to sell to an existing customer than it does to “cast a wide marketing net” to find new ones.

The Business Community

As noted earlier, businesses across a broad spectrum of descriptions represent some 80% of all domain name registrations. Forecasts are for business to continue registering the greatest number of any market segment in the foreseeable future. The chart below shows the top 20 business types that registered web addresses in the past three years:

Top 20 Business Markets: Y2000	Top 20 Business Markets: Y1999	Top 20 Business Markets: Y1998
Internet Services Attorneys Computer Software Real Estate Business Management Consultants Advertising Agencies and Counselors Insurance System Designers and Consultants Computer and Equipment Dealers Physicians and Surgeons Billings Services Restaurants Churches Marketing Consultants Graphic Designers Real Estate Loans Automobile Dealers: New Cars Dentists Accountants Web Site Design Services	Attorneys Internet Services Real Estate Computer Software Insurance Advertising Agencies and Counselors System Designers and Consultants Business Management Consultants Physicians and Surgeons Computer and Equipment Dealers Churches Real Estate Loans Freight-Forwarding Restaurants Accountants Automobile Dealers: New Cars Travel Agencies and Bureaus Graphic Designers General Contractors Printers	Internet Services Attorneys Real Estate Computer Software System Designers and Consultants Computer and Equipment Dealers Advertising Agencies and Counselors Insurance Churches Physicians and Surgeons Business Management Consultants Restaurants Travel Agencies and Bureaus Automobile Dealers: New Cars Accountants Real Estate Loans Associations Newspapers (Publishers) Financial Advisory Services Human Services Organizations

Small businesses lead the way. While large companies continue to increase their presence on and investments in the Internet, it’s the small office/home office (SOHO) segment that is joining the Internet and the online economy in a big way.

Notwithstanding the number of businesses owning domain names, the business presence online is far from developed. For example, many categories among even the biggest bricks-and-mortar businesses do not yet have a web presence and many of those have no e-commerce capability online.

Industry	Percent of Brick and Mortar Companies with Domain Names
Manufacturing	28%
Wholesale Trade	17%
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	14%
Transportation, Communication and Utilities	12%
Services	11%
Mining	10%
Retail Trade	9%
Construction	7%
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	5%
Public Administration	2%

In establishing an online presence, “manufacturing” has the highest penetration percentage across all vertical markets. The “manufacturing” vertical market involves brick and mortar companies (electrical, industrial, furniture, rubber, and paper).

While the “services” vertical market (attorneys, Internet services, computer systems designers and consultants, ad agencies and consultants and business management consultants) is number one in web address registration, it has only penetrated 11% of its available market.

Only the biggest of the big, the Fortune 1000 Companies (F1000), appear to be fully “self-actualizing” on the Internet. Since the earliest days of the New Economy, these leading companies have been the trendsetters in developing a strong online presence; many registered their first domain names in the early 1990’s and they continue to register more to promote new products or divisions, or otherwise enhance their current web sites. Within the past 14 years, F1000 companies have secured an average of 23 web addresses each. Some of the largest have registered hundreds of domain names. Last year alone, the number of domain names purchased by F1000 companies increased by 312%.

Successful sales of new domain names will come from delivering impact, benefits-laden marketing messages to specifically targeted and specifically opportunistic, vertical business categories. These correlate to those business categories with significant growth projections, cross-referenced to those showing a proclivity to establish an online presence. The following table shows growth rates for all ten vertical markets that established a web presence between 1995 and 1999.

SIC	Description	Growth % 1996	Growth % 1997	Growth % 1998	Growth % 1999
01 to 09	Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	485%	253%	222%	238%
10 to 14	Mining	228%	165%	134%	178%
15 to 17	Construction	522%	213%	199%	211%
20 to 39	Manufacturing	244%	124%	118%	159%
40 to 49	Transportation, Communication and Utilities	227%	143%	144%	185%
50 to 51	Wholesale Trade	377%	146%	142%	171%
52 to 59	Retail Trade	254%	154%	165%	202%
60 to 67	Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	321%	156%	158%	213%
70 to 89	Services	211%	150%	151%	194%
91 to 97	Public Administration	338%	184%	183%	199%

Clearly, there is a significant domain name marketing opportunity within these and other vertical categories, as the world becomes increasingly aware of and is habituated to use of the Internet as a core medium for making and encouraging commerce. The new .biz domain space will be integral to the growth of this segment of the market.

Market Accessibility

As a result of the diminished availability of desirable .com names and with an eye toward the accelerated global expansion of Internet use, it makes sense to introduce a wider choice of top level domain names. To deliver real benefit to customers and to stimulate healthy, productive competition in the global marketplace, these new domain names must:

· Deliver real utility

· Have international significance and recognition

· Be memorable and meaningful

· Enable a wider opportunity to purchase a name that reflects their intended use.

In order for the .biz domain extension to take hold and grow three things must occur.

First, a new competitive registry must establish consumer confidence in the stability, security and additional functionality of a new TLD. To achieve this, the registry must be capable of providing and managing the necessary infrastructure. JVTeam is proposing a comprehensive technical solution, as outlined in this proposal, to introduce the next generation domain name registry and facilitate increased security and functionality.

Second, the new TLD must have an effective marketing and distribution network and the means to stimulate demand through those channels. In addition, the type and number of registrars must expand considerably if the domain name distribution channels are to grow beyond the current bias towards Internet Service Providers so that the domain name system may penetrate new segments and new markets. JVTeam’s eXtensible Registry Protocol and fat registry design will reduce risk and complexity at the registrar level thereby increasing the number and diversity of accredited registrars. We believe this fat registry concept and the nature of the .biz domain space will present a very attractive and simple proposition for large community portals to seek accreditation as registrars.

Third, the benefits and differentiators of the new TLD must be communicated effectively to the market place. JVTeam will develop a worldwide branding campaign and provide focused public relations and advertising programs to create public awareness for .biz. In addition JVTeam will work closely with registrars to take advantage of the existing public demand that is reflected in the primary research we have completed for this response.

These efforts will not only take future market share from the overextended .com TLD, they will deliver to the market domain names that are simpler, more memorable and more closely aligned with the branding and activities of online business. A .biz domain name supported by enhanced functionality and a clearly differentiated web space will ensure that customers can more easily and readily find the business they want.

II.2.4 .biz Marketing Plan (RFP Section D13.2.4) (PersonalBusiness)

JVTeam’s strategic marketing plan is to leverage combine the considerable power of the existing registrar community with a strong media campaign to promote the .perbiz TLD..

JVTeam recognizes that any marketing plan for .per biz must acknowledge and address one central fact: the registrars and their distribution networks will be the cornerstones of success. In addition, our success as a registry of for .per biz rests in the effective branding of the space to create market demand for this uniquegrowing, personalcommercial, and portable domain. Although we anticipate an initial market “craze” by the mere announcement of new TLDs.biz, and fully intend to capitalize on it, we will actively engage in various marketing activities to promote the space. Our goal is for .per biz to become branded worldwide as the preferred personal business TLD. As the availability of mainstream .com names becomes even more limited, and as consumers continue to resist acceptance of .net and .org as unsuitable for personal business use, the marketplace has a need for, and we believe will embrace, a new TLD that simply connotes personal business identification for anyone and everyone. . To achieve this goal, we will pursue two concurrent marketing strategies: (1) we will work together with registrars and their distribution networks to promote .per biz on their own sites, in marketing programs, advertisements, and public relations activities, and (2) we will deliver a sustained marketing campaign to promote global branding of .per biz as the personal business identity space for individualse-commerce.

II.2.4.1 Strategy One

Use of rRegistrars and oOther mMarketing cChannels

JVTeam anticipates the new ICANN-approved personal business domain space will be highly attractive to registrars and their distribution networks because it dovetails with their goals to serve their clients better, increase sales, and increase profits. Unlike other spaces, including .com, that have a wide variety of uses (businesspersonal, commerce, non-profit), the .per biz space will be specific for personal business identity that is portable between access providers and can be successfully branded as such. We believe registrars will be motivated to connect to the .per biz registry because:

· An ICANN-endorsed TLD will have universal recognition and credibility

· The .per biz TLD will be presented on a new, stable, and responsive application platform

· There will be enormous global publicity upon the announcement of new TLDs.biz

· The vast majority of ICANN-accredited registrars will be interested in providing the full suite of ICANN-endorsed TLDs

· The .per biz TLD represents an entirely new market and revenue opportunity to registrars that will be extremely attractive considering the shrinking availability of .com names.

JVTeam’s stated goal is to achieve 100% participation from accredited registrars in representing .per biz by the date that the new domains are first sold. We intend to do this by assisting registrars, their customers, and partners in the promotion process. The domain name channel partners are the decision-makers and influencers in the domain name buying process and have the necessary business incentives to assist in the public awareness and promotion campaign. We anticipate 80% of registrars will proactively approach JVTeam to connect with the registry. The remaining 20% will be directly approached by our account managers who will encourage them to assist in the promotion and communication of .perbiz. This contact will include education about the application platform, an open exchange of software and training, a discussion of the overwhelming benefits of migrating to the .per biz domain name space, and the value propositions concerning the new personal business identity space. JVTeam will provide registrars and resellers with:

· Co-marketing programs

· Sales materials

· Sample graphics for use on resellers’ web sites

· A .per biz fact booklet

· Sample proposed e-mails to send to their customers .

To assist the registrars, JVTeam will provide a marketing campaign that drives brand awareness and demand at the user and channel levels. These channels will include access providers, resellers, portal sites, hosting companies, and a variety of off-line businesses who that have not traditionally participated in domain name distribution. Consistent with its overriding policy of neutrality, JVTeam will provide these benefits to all registrars on an even-handed basis.

II.2.4.2 Strategy Two

Driving Branding and Sales Among Consumers and Channels

No matter how complex a media mission is as part of an overall marketing effort, basic media considerations for the launch, roll out, and maintenance of any marketing program, global or otherwise, are really answers to basic questions related to needs and resources:

· What do we want to accomplish? This is the marketing and media mission.

· With which target audience(s) are we trying to accomplish it? This is our current and prospective audience.

· Where are the targets? Where do they live and work? This addresses geographic focus.

· What are the right media to reach those audiences? This determines media selection based on reach and frequency.

· What is our time frame? This is our timing, based on the need to see results.

· How much money do we have to accomplish the mission? This is our budget, usually based on a percentage of projected sales in a specific period of time.

In terms of .perbiz, this is how we answer those questions:

· The media mission is to deliver advertising to target audiences with consistent, impact reach and frequency across the term of the advertising effort.

· Target audience for the branding of .per biz is (1) all on-line usersbusinesses, especially new, small businesses, (2), or potential on-line usersbusinesses, who have an interest in the domain for its intended use: a uniquepersonal, portable, easy-to-locate ande-commerce unique identity, and (23) on-line companies or communities that act as resellers of domain names particularly when working with businesses or individuals looking for a domain name that has a specific business connotation whengetting started on the Internet building web sites , buying Internet access, or establishing email accounts.

· Based on budgets available for a sustained, global effort and on timing considerations, combinations of three key media offering significant opportunities for consistent, impact message delivery across our broad target area for this effort are: print, email on-line advertising, trade shows, and public relations.

· As the sales and marketing effort moves forward and matures, other viable media options (as relevant and meaningful within specific nations or other target geographies) will be considered, such as global and national television and radio networks and other media such as outdoor, transit, in-flight and business magazines which are relevant by target locations and in the context of sales projections and affordability.

· Our timeframe is now! While we have laid out an initial media program, we understand that in consideration of both our sales goals and needs-- — and of the advertising and brand cluttered global media arena-- — we must launch a highly visible, high impact media program that drives our messages right through to the core target audience’s consciousness.

· Branding is only achieved with consistent, consistently-delivered advertising. To be effective-- — to be noticed, understood, and acted upon-- — advertising must hit the right target with frequency.

.per biz Media Plan

The following enumerates the three four media strategies identified for marketing and branding .perbiz: print, emailon-line marketing, trade shows, and public relations.

Print Media

We anticipate launching the branding of .biz within the global business community by advertising in the world’s preeminent financial newspaper, the Wall Street Journal (National Edition Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal Europe, and Asian Wall Street Journal). The total, daily circulation of this paper on a global basis is 2,039,232. Our plan is to run ads every Friday across each of the first weeks of the campaign in an effort to launch .biz with as much power as possible.

We will also advertise in key magazines, such as Wired, that focus on small businesses and/or businesses that are on-line such as Wired. We also want to take a strong position by advertising in key netizen-interested monthly magazines like Wired. Wired’s monthly worldwide circulation is 475,000 people. These numbers do not include multiple readers of each purchased copy (which we estimate to be three per copy) for a total of 1,425,000 readers per month. Such ads will promote the business-specific nature of the .biz TLD and will run at launch and regularly on an on-going basis. We will supplement Wired (based on frequency and high numbers of cross-readership) with insertions in Business 2.0. Business 2.0 delivers 300,000 monthly subscribers worldwide, and is an excellent supplement to what can be achieved through Wired and the targeted editions of the Wall Street Journal.

While this is the plan we propose at this time, we will continue to evaluate the different media that can deliver tremendous target market impact on a specific, country-by-country basis. For example, the Japanese market is central to the Internet boom in developing Asia. Media there, such as the four major newspapers the Yomiuri Shimbun (Daily Yomiuri), the Asahi Shimbun (Daily Asahi), the Mainichi Shimbun (Daily Mainichi) and the Nikkei Shimbun (Daily Nikkei) all are national papers that deliver tremendous readership impact in a nation where more than 80% of the population reads at least one newspaper a day. Weekly magazines, such as Shukan Asahi, Shukan Shincho and Shukan Bunshu all offer a diversity of other print media through which impact marketing messages can be delivered as well.

The same is true for media in other countries. In Great Britain, for example, significant impact can be had with multiple ad insertions in the Daily Mail or the Evening Times. Ireland offers the Irish Times and the Irish News. In other nations, other media offer excellent messaging impact to opportunity markets. We will continue to analyze and educate ourselves on the range of opportunities to achieve success with the marketing of .biz on a global scale.

The USA Today’s Worldwide edition and similar publications provide global coverage, big impact color imagery, and multiple readership opportunities. USA Today Worldwide delivers major, general readership penetration into major metropolitan areas across the U.S., Europe, developing Asia, and other parts of the world with one buy, and qualifies as one of the world’s most widely read newspapers for quick global, lifestyle, business, and sports “news bites.” USA Today Worldwide delivers to approximately 1.7 million readers Monday through Thursday, and to more than 2.1 million readers each Friday.

Our plan is to prominently position advertisements on Fridays, the days of heaviest readership each week, in USA Today Worldwide, positioning .per as an online lifestyle, one that allows freedom or expression and enables people to be “the masters of their own domains.”

We also want to take a strong position by advertising in key netizen-interested monthly magazines like Wired. Wired’s monthly worldwide circulation is 475,000 people. These numbers do not include multiple readers of each purchased copy (which we estimate to be three per copy) for a total of 1,425,000 readers per month.

eMmail Advertising

Email is the most familiar element of Internet communication, and nearly everyone online has subscribed to at least one email list. This is not “spamming.” These are all opt-in email lists supported by selling advertising on the list, usually allowing two to three ads per mailing. Each ad is usually six to seven lines long and in the language of the region.

Proposed email lists include:

· Adventive lists which includesinclude eight different lists directed towards Internet professionals and more than 35,000 subscribers

· Link Exchange Digest with more than 135,000 subscribers, mostly Internet professionals and small Dot Com owners

· Online Advertising with more than 16,000 subscribers, mostly Internet advertising professionals

· YesMail Network with more than 11 million subscribers in 650+ categories.

Using email lists such as those listed above also offers an immeasurable benefit: viral marketing. Ad campaigns also generate buzz among the participants in the groups, spreading it outside the boundaries of each particular group, and often spilling into new groups among friends and associates.

Trade Shows

JVTeam will actively participate in trade shows for both the Internet community and small business forums. These will provide the opportunity to promote the business -specific .biz space. Explanations of the registry service and demonstrations will be conducted to encourage new businesses to register. This direct contact will allow JVTeam to explain the features of .biz: unique, portable, easy to find, enhances e-commerce activities through customer relations and business-to-business management, integrated security.

Publicity and Public Relations

A key factor affecting the success of new TLDs awarded to any registry will be branding programs with the support of public and media relations activities. JVTeam plans to contract several PR public relations specialists in various parts of the world to leverage global interest in the opening of a new unique, personalportable, and uniqueportable business identity.

We believe there will be significant interest in the announcement to offer new TLDs. The world will be questioning how the selection was made for the specific TLDs, who will be providing the service and how were they selected, and how to reserve their own domain. We intend to continue the market energy created with ICANN’s selection of new TLDs, and share incapitalize on the global interest. JVTeam will hold press conferences and other media events to elaborate on the selection process, highlight the enhanced functionality of the registry service, and talk about the schedule of the .per biz launch.

To maximizing maximize exposure for the new .biz TLD, JVTeam will consider having an international dial-in press conference on:

· The international importance of the the new.biz TLD

· How The manner in which JVTeam will handle the administration and offering of the newthe .biz TLD

· When it will be available and how the sale of the names will be handled in a fair and equitable manner.

JVTeam plans to implement a specific “roll-out” time and date to create a worldwide buzz about offering the new TLDs and provide everyone an equal opportunity to register. JVTeam will use the time between the announcement of the award and the introduction of the program to promote the new .biz TLD with the public.

JVTeam is committed to providing:

· Regular press releases on the growth in sales of the domains for which it serves as the registry

· A web site reflecting statistical and informational data on the sale of .per biz domain names on a country-by-country basis offered in multiple languages

· Announcements on the analysis of the changes in market share reflected by the new .biz TLD including registrar growth, registration sales, and related policy changes

· Announcements on establishing new relationships with registrars that will offer the new .biz TLD to the public

· With ICANN’s permission, establish links from JVTeam’s web site to ICANN’s site for its current list of accredited registrars

· Translations of press announcements into multiple languages for distribution on wire services, email, and the web

· Serve as a clearinghouse for the media and industry analysts to provide domain name information, and set up interviews as desired with JVTeam executives

· Develop an email response system from the JVTeam web site to answer public inquiries on the sale of domain names

· Produce a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet on JVTeam’s web site that will be updated periodically to offer fast response to information people ask for most often..

^Resources

Background and research information for Registry Operator’s Proposal Sections II.2.3 and II.2.4 were derived from several sources, including:

· “Domain Name System Structure and Delegation” (Jon Postal, author), USC/Information Sciences Institute, Network Working Group; March 1994

· “State of the Internet” Report by the United States Internet Council, as reported by ZDNet News; 9/7/00

· www.domainstats.com; 9/3/00

· Internet Software Consortium (www.isc.org/ds/WWW-9501/report.html)

· Digitrends Ebiz News; 9/5/00

· Wall Street Journal,; 4/24/00

· United States Internet Council

· OVUM, “Internet Market Forecasts: Global Internet Growth 1998 – 2005” (from www.gsmdata.com/repovm2.htm).

JVTeam will promote the availability of the .biz TLD and the fairness of the new registry process. It will also JVTeam will cultivate its relationship with existing registrars and simultaneously target print media, e-mail, trade shows, and public relations opportunities to actively promote the .per biz domain space as a personalunique, easy-to-locate, portable, and secure domain name option exclusively for individualsbusinesses.

II.2.5 Estimated Demand for Registry Services in the New TLD—.biz
(RFP Section D13.2.5 )

Forecast Methodology

Forecasting the domain name market is difficult for a number of reasons:

· It is a rapidly growing market

· The market has historically been constrained by a limited number of TLD’s

· The exact nature of the consumer value proposition changes rapidly

· Future demand will be heavily influenced by technological advances and the provision of additional functionality.

However, JVTeam firmly believes that this significantly enhances, rather then diminishes the value of conducting a rigorous disciplined approach to forecasting. For this reason JVTeam has devoted significant resources to developing a forecast for the business domain name space.

Our approach to forecasting the demand for our proposed business TLD has been to undertake a “bottom up” modeling exercise, anchored on a defendable set of key assumptions.

A schematic describing the logic flow of the forecasting methodology that JVTeam used is attached below and is presented in Exhibit II.2.5-1. It consists of four key elements:

1. Market— development of the profile of the market over time, in this case, the number of businesses

2. Addressable Market—the total addressable market was determined by overlaying the penetration profile of businesses online.

3. Market for Business TLD’s—the total market for domain names within the business TLD space was developed by overlaying a penetration profile on the addressable market.

4. Market Share of .biz—the volume forecast for the .biz was then determined by overlaying a forecast market share for .biz on the business domain space.

Key Assumptions

The following table summarizes each of our forecasting elements and details the assumptions and input data.

Components of Forecast Demand
Forecast Element	Key Assumptions	Base Input	Description
Market	No. of Businesses	40.6m	· Industry Research
Market	Growth in No. of Businesses	2%	· Industry Research
Addressable Market	Business online penetration	2001 = 23% 2005 = 50% 2010 = 60%	· Initial penetration based on Industry Research · Long term penetration based on market trends
Total Market for Business TLD’s	Penetration of online businesses who purchase a business TLD	2001 = 4% 2005 = 30% 2010 = 35%	· This represents the initial pent-up demand generated by the excitement of the release of the TLD and current TLD statistics about business customers · Penetration is assumed to grow to 30% by 2005 and 35% by 2010 based on historical data · These estimates appear conservative in light of comparable metrics such as the number of .com registrations today
Total Market for Business TLD’s	No. of domains purchased per business	2001 = 1.0 2010 = 1.5	· It is assumed that the whole value proposition revolves around each business having a unique URL, but over time businesses will request URLs for various subsidiaries, divisions, products, services and trademarks
Market Share of .biz	Market Share Assumptions	2001 = 100% 2005 = 60% 2010 = 40%	· As the release of this TLD will effectively be a “proof of concept” it follows that initially .biz would have 100% market share of this space · However, despite the fact that JVTeam will compete aggressively it is inevitable that over time as further business TLD’s are released that the market share of .biz will fall · On this JVTeam has assumed that the market share will be 60% by 2005 and falling to 60% by 2010

Competition in the Business TLD Space

JVTeam and .biz will effectively be competing with other registries at two levels:

1. With other domain spaces, i.e., business domain space vs. open domain space

2. Ultimately with other registries within the business domain space. JVTeam is anticipating that as a result of the successful demonstration of the proof of concept of the business domain space following the release of this round, many more business TLD’s will progressively be introduced.

In the longer term JVTeam anticipates significant competition within the business TLD space itself. As outlined above we anticipate this to result in gradual price decline in real terms, with a gradual drift of market share to other TLD’s within the business domain space.

Demand Projections

On the basis of the key assumptions outlined above, JVTeam has developed the following base demand projections for the .biz TLD. The sensitivity of these projections is discussed below.

.biz Volume Forecasts (Domain Names Under Management)

JVTeam’s forecast for .biz domain registrations is presented below.

Forecast Demand
	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Names Under Management	0.76 Million	1.65 Million	2.70 Million	3.85 Million

Sensitivity Analysis

JVTeam recognizes that a necessary and valuable component of a business plan such as this is a thorough sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis is a key mechanism for developing a thorough understanding of the impact of variations in the key assumptions and drivers. It is particularly important when forecasting in an environment such as this.

A typical approach to sensitivity analysis is a relatively simplistic one, in which each of the key variables are changed by some set amount (i.e., +/- 10%) and the results compared. While such an approach can yield some valuable insights, it has a number of potential shortcomings:

· It does not allow the interaction and interdependence between any of the key variables to be captured, as generally only one variable is “flexed” at once

· The “sensitivity” or amount to which each individual variable is “flexed” is generally some generic percentage with no reference to the actual likelihood of such an event occurring

· It does not provide any indication of the potential value likehood of outcomes relative to the expected or base outcome.

To overcome these issues JVTeam has adopted a more rigorous simulation to enable a thorough understanding of the range of likely demand.

Simulation is particularly powerful in this instance in light of the range of uncertainty around the key input variables. In many ways it is an extension of sensitivity analysis enabling us to understand what happens between the worst, most likely and best case answers, allowing us to gather a fuller picture of the possibilities.

The Simulation Process

There were three key steps in the simulation that JVTeam did to understand the range of probable outcomes associated with the .biz demand projections.

1. Identification of Key Variables

· Identification of the key input variables which have a degree of uncertainty

· The key variables that were analyzed were:

- Business online penetration

- Penetration of the business TLD space amongst online businesses

- Number of domain names purchased per business

- Market share of .biz

2. Selection of the Appropriate Distribution Profile

3. Sampling using Monte Carlo Simulations

Input Probability Distribution Assumptions

Growth, Penetration and Market Share Assumptions
Variable	Worst Case	Most Likely	Best Case
Business Online Penetration: · 2005 · 2010	30% 35%	50% 60%	75% 85%
Penetration of business TLD space among online businesses · Initial · 2005 · 2010	2% 10% 20%	4% 30% 35%	10% 50% 60%
Number of domain names purchased per business · Initial · 2010	1.0 1.0	1.0 1.5	1.5 2.0
Market Share of .biz · 2005 · 2010	40% 25%	60% 40%	75% 60%

Projected Demand

These input assumptions were used to simulate the probable range of outcomes. The results of this are presented below.

Names Under Management Forecast Demand
Demand Level	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
10%	0.62 Million	1.16 Million	1.65 Million	2.09 Million
90%	1.15 Million	2.27 Million	4.10 Million	5.30 Million

II.2.6 Resources Required to Meet Demand—.biz (RFP Section D13.2.6)

JVTeam has developed a resource plan that is in keeping with the goal of providing a state-of-the-art, innovative world-class solution that is reliable, scalable and exceeds customer expectation.

The successful development and ongoing operation of a gTLD cannot be accomplished without a comprehensive plan that scopes every facet of the registry business from software development through to the provision of end-user support services. JVTeam recognizes ICANN’s need to appoint a highly competent and well-equipped registry provider, and has developed a detailed resource plan that amply meets requirements and is aligned with the cost information provided in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.11.

For each of the resource categories – Staffing, Hardware, Software, Facilities and Communications – the JVTeam has analyzed and enumerated the resources required to design, implement and operate the .biz registry. Factors such as economies of scope and scale, interoperability and feasibility were considered in each of the required operational aspects of the registry as well as for the innovations JVTeam is proposing. We feel our past experience in providing registry services gives us a solid base for generating a resource plan that is realistic and covers all aspects of Registry operation.

Methodology

The resources required to support the development, operation and ongoing enhancement of .biz was derived by weighing technical specifications against market demand in the form of anticipated volumes. An exhaustive list of personnel, capital equipment, physical plant and intangibles was produced and then paired with business and technical drivers to calculate the requisite quantity of each resource by function. The resultant resource plan has inherent variability and firmly correlates to both the market assessments as described in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.3, and the technical and operational requirements and proposed innovations outlined in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 15.2.

Staff resources, further discussed in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.9, includes all those individuals directly involved in the design, implementation, management, registrar integration and ongoing operation of .biz. The organization is designed to meet our commitment to being a neutral third party registry while at the same time promoting ongoing technological development.

Hardware estimates are inclusive of all hardware components (servers, routers, load balancers, etc.) required for ongoing development and operation. Software estimates include custom software development to support all registry services described in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.1, as well as third party purchases. The facilities, further detailed in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.7, includes the 2 SRS Data Centers located in Sterling, VA and Chicago, IL, as well as the nameserver sites, geographically positioned across the globe. Communications includes estimates for the bandwidth and Virtual Private Network (VPN) needs of the registry.

The following table is a summation of our resource requirements for .biz. It outlines each resource by category and provides a function and description of the resource as well the factor for calculating the scope of the resource in the business plan.

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS
Resource	Function	Value Driver
Staffing
Management	· Executive Team · Management Review	· Fixed component
Engineering	· System Engineering · Software development and testing · IETF, ICANN and other Industry Relations	· XRP / Fat Registry implementation · Innovative features · Registration volume
Operations	· Customer Support · Registrar Integration · System Testing and Maintenance · Network Management · Reporting and Documentation	· XRRP / Fat Registry · Innovative features · Number of ICANN-accredited registrars · Registration volume
Account Management	· Registrar Coordination	· Number of ICANN accredited registrars
QA/Compliance	· Quality Assurance · Neutrality · Contract Compliance	· Fixed component (mandatory JVTeam function)
Administration	· Finance, Human Resources, Legal	· Fixed component
Hardware
SRS Data Centers	· Core Registry functions	· Zone root query volume and size · Registration volume · Fat Registry design
Nameserver Sites	· DNS management	· Zone root query volume and size · Registration volume · Fat Registry design
Requisite Staff H/W	· Workstations, PCs, misc. office	· Staff size
Software
Custom	· Create enhanced functionality and open protocol	· Technological innovations · Transparency · Scalability
Third Party	· Supplement custom software	· “Best of Breed” components
Facilities
Core JVTeam Site	· Headquarters	· Staff size
SRS Data Centers	· Provide redundant zones	· Geographic location · Bandwidth requirements
Nameserver Sites	· Provide redundant zones	· Geographic location · Bandwidth requirements
Communications
Bandwidth	· Manage communications at Name Servers	· Zone root query volume and size · SRS queries
VPN	· Manage communications between application servers and nameservers	· Whois queries · Registration volume

The label of ‘Fixed’ denotes resources that are core to the operation of JVTeam, regardless of factors such as registration volumes. These individuals represent the core management and operational components of a registry of any size. Those staff denoted as variable will increase in terms of full-time equivalents (FTEs) as the volume of registrations increase. The registrar quantity refers to the anticipated growth of ICANN accredited registrars over the course of time.

The Volume driver refers to the increased number of registrations for.biz over the course of time and captures the implications for the management of the registry. The transaction size and volume and Megabits per second (Mbps) are calculated by evaluating the size of the transactions at each stage of the registration and query process (XRP, Whois, etc) to determine the server capacity and FTEs required to manage the system.

JVTeam found that those items with the greatest variability are those based on the volume of queries, and developed the resource plan accordingly. As these were noted as critical items, they have been given strong consideration in the technical sections of this application and they will be monitored closely through implementation and operation to ensure performance and integrity.

Computational Results

As requested, JVTeam has modeled the business plan according to three confidence intervals and the details of those results are given below. Given the level of scrutiny in resource planning, JVTeam has the highest confidence in the 50-50 confidence interval plan, our base line assumption that directly correlates to the marketing plan in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.4.

Each table summarizes the required resources by category for each confidence interval over the proposed 4 year contract term. Note: Marketing is not including in these tables but is detailed quantitatively in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.11. It will peak in the first year of operation and continue at a more static level throughout the remainder of the contract.] First, the base plan is detailed, and then followed by the 90% and 10% confidence interval resource requirements.

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AT 50% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL
RESOURCE	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing
Management (FTEs)	5	5	5	5
Engineering (FTEs)	9	12	14	22
Operations (FTEs)	17	12	18	20
Account Management (FTEs)	6	7	8	8
QA/Compliance (FTEs)	3	3	4	4
Administration (FTEs)	6	7	8	9
Hardware
SRS Data Center (Peak)	90 Mbps	67 Mbps	118 Mbps	54 Mbps
Name Server Sites (Peak)	122 Mbps	115 Mbps	131 Mbps	140 Mbps
Software
Custom (Man Months)	700	153	153	153
Third Party (Licenses)	40	47	54	59
Facilities
SRS Data Centers (Sites)	2	2	2	2
Nameserver Sites (Sites	4	4	4	4
Communications
Bandwidth (Peak)	172 MB	204 MB	236 MB	268 MB
VPN (Deployed)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AT 10% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL
RESOURCE	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing
Management (FTEs)	5	5	5	5
Engineering (FTEs)	8	8	12	12
Operations (FTEs)	16	10	16	18
Account Management (FTEs)	6	6	6	6
QA/Compliance (FTEs)	3	3	3	3
Administration (FTEs)	5	5	5	5
Hardware
SRS Data Center (Peak)	80 Mbps	50 Mbps	100 Mbps	150 Mbps
Name Server Sites (Peak)	120 Mbps	100 Mbps	110 Mbps	120 Mbps
Software
Custom (Man Months)	700	153	0	0
Third Party (Licenses)	40	44	44	44
Facilities
SRS Data Centers (Sites)	2	2	2	2
Nameserver Sites (Sites	4	4	4	4
Communications
Bandwidth (Peak)	138 MB	150 MB	160 MB	172 MB
VPN (Deployed)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AT 90% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL
RESOURCE	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing
Management (FTEs)	5	5	5	5
Engineering (FTEs)	11	14	18	24
Operations (FTEs)	14	16	20	22
Account Management (FTEs)	8	9	10	10
QA/Compliance (FTEs)	3	4	4	4
Administration (FTEs)	6	7	8	9
Hardware
SRS Data Center (Peak)	90 Mbps	120 Mbps	146 Mbps	150 Mbps
Name Server Sites (Peak)	116 Mbps	130 Mbps	148 Mbps	156 Mbps
Software
Custom (Man Months)	700	153	153	153
Third Party (Licenses)	48	56	60	64
Facilities
SRS Data Centers (Sites)	2	2	2	2
Nameserver Sites (Sites	4	4	4	4
Communications
Bandwidth (Peak)	200 MB	250 MB	260 MB	280 MB
VPN (Deployed)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

To reiterate, JVTeam feels that the final two confidence intervals are highly unlikely given the detailed estimation in the market demand and cost components outline throughout this document.

While JVTeam is striving to offer an innovative and highly reliable service that will not jeopardize the integrity of the Internet, the cost passed onto the Internet community was not overlooked. We feel we have met the highest standards for quality of service at the most economical price. JVTeam has created a resource plan to implement and operate a Registry that will meet the highest quality expectations. The highly scalable design of the technical solution provides cost savings in the areas of registrar licensing and legal dispute resolution that are passed directly through to the industry.

II.2.7 Plans for Acquiring Necessary Systems and Facilities (RFP Section D13.2.7)

JVTeam has world-class systems and facilities, ideal for the registry service operation located in Virginia, Illinois, and Melbourne, Australia, featuring ample space and high-availability data services in a professional, secure and productive environment.

Facilities

JVTeam’s day-one facilities will be located in Sterling, Virginia, Chicago, Illinois, and Melbourne, Australia. The primary facility—designed to house all core business, system development, and operational staff—will be located in Sterling. This main facility will house the primary data center with a secondary data center facility located in Chicago. These sites along with our site in Australia were built specifically for critical registry service operations. Our data centers incorporate high-availability power, redundant high-capacity heating, ventilation, air conditioning and superior lighting. When selecting the sites, we considered their inherent resistance to natural and man-made disasters. Security and fire detection and suppression systems are integral aspects of our data center operations.

JVTeam has constructed a demand/cost matrix to ensure our financial ability to meet growth demands. As noted in our business plan, we will expand our facilities as volumes warrant to meet future capacity needs. This strategy gives JVTeam the flexibility of making capital investments when necessary, which adheres to our financially prudent investment strategy. Future facilities will be located in Europe, Asia and other international locations to increase the usefulness of the registry services globally. These facilities will have the same high-quality data services and secure environment as current facilities.

Systems

JVTeam will use a combination of commercial, off-the-shelf and custom-built systems to operate the registry service. In certain instances, JVTeam will purchase proven, off-the-shelf hardware and software from vendors who are widely respected in the industry and have demonstrated capability and commitment to providing high-quality products and services. In addition, we will utilize our in-house research engineers to undertake product evaluation and benchmarking activities to ensure that all off-the-shelf products meet our strict standards of quality and service. To ensure continued operations, JVTeam will negotiate contracts with precisely defined maintenance agreements and other conditions of ongoing support.

In situations where commercial products are not available, JVTeam will custom build the systems. JVTeam is comprised of a strong team of experienced professionals who have demonstrated prior successes in deploying and delivering technically and functionally complex systems for a wide array of applications. The methods and techniques used in managing projects were the primary reasons for the successes achieved. Please refer to Section IV.1 for JVTeam’s project management approach which highlights our organization’s management capability and competency to design and build systems that are of any size, scope, or complexity.

Outsourcing

JVTeam does not intend to outsource custom development or operation of any significant portion of the registry. Please refer to the cost section for pricing estimates.

II.2.8 Staff Size/Expansion Capability (RFP Section D13.2.8)

Information about staff resources, capacity for expansion, hiring, training, etc., can be found under Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.1.7.

II.2.9 Availability of Additional Management Personnel (RFP Section D13.2.9)

Information about the availability of additional management personnel can be found under Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.1.7.

II.2.10 Term of Registry Agreement (RFP Section D13.2.10)

JVTeam is committed to a long-term relationship with ICANN and the Internet community and recommends a term of no less than five years with an automatic renewal providing the JVTeam delivers a high quality of service and meets all of its obligations.

In order to ensure the stability and integrity of the DNS, JVTeam is committed to the large, upfront investment required to implement a world-class registry operation. JVTeam would like to see this commitment matched by an appropriate registry agreement term.

Due to the historical circumstances of the current TLD DNS space and the transition of its administration from a single entity into a registry/registrar model, the current registry agreement is for a four-year term. JVTeam believes this should not have a bearing on new registry agreements since the current circumstances are entirely different. New registry agreements should take into account the current program’s goals of introducing competition, enhancing functionality, and ensuring stability. An agreement term of less than five years would significantly impede the realization of all these objectives. JVTeam is acutely conscious of the immense responsibility attached to its successful introduction and the need for a long-term relationship between ICANN and the registries it appoints.

Vendors who do not have the industry knowledge and understanding of the current operational problems with the registry/registrar model may not recognize the need to move away from the current RRP system. Conversely, they may propose a simple out-of-the-box solution identical to the current RRP that requires lesser financial commitments. Those vendors may be willing to commit to a short-term agreement that is not in the best interest of ICANN or the Internet community as a whole.

JVTeam expects to provide superior-quality services on “Day 1.” We intend to improve functionality continually in order to process higher volumes of registrations in the future. In order to deliver a robust, scalable, and reliable registry system during the land rush period that resolves problems never experienced by the current TLD registry, JVTeam will introduce the next generation registry system and make necessary investments.

The JVTeam is able to provide below market rates because its business plan and investment are predicated on serving high volumes associated with multiple TLDs over a long time frame. The economies of scale associated with these volumes and time frames are represented in the overall pricing structure.

Assuming the JVTeam is able to provide a high quality of service at competitive market rates and is able to meet all of its accreditation obligations it would seek the right to have an automatic renewal provision that rewards these qualities.

JVTeam is a company that looks forward to working with ICANN and the Internet community on a long-term basis. We are fully committed to the betterment and enhancement of the DNS system; therefore, we are proposing a term of registry agreement which seeks to ensure stability and growth.

II.2.11 Expected Costs Associated with the Operation of the Registry—.biz
(RFP SEction D13.2.11)

The costs expected to be associated with operating the .biz registry are variable with respect to registration volume, SRS queries, Whois queries, innovative designs of the registry, the number of ICANN accredited registrars and the ability to provide the highest levels of service. JVTeam has considered each of these determinations when analyzing the costs for each of the resources required to operate a world-class registry, and is open to providing this data to demonstrate our commitment to producing a sound business plan.

This business plan scales for a next generation architecture that is a qualitative improvement over the current standard and at a lower cost for the industry. The Fat registry design not only facilitates a cleaner, more robust system, but its functionality drives individual cost savings in areas of storage offsets and functionality to the registry itself by moving data from the registrars to the registry clearinghouse (Shared Service Management Platform).

These costs refer to both the implementation phase and the continuing operation of the registry business after launch. The table below itemizes the anticipated cost for each resource on an annual basis. Descriptions of these values and underlying assumptions on the formulation of the business plan follow. As requested, multiple tables are provided at the 50%, 10% and 90% confidence intervals.

Expense Detail

JVTeam is providing the following data in accordance with Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II.2.6, which outlines the resources required to meet the estimated demand. All figures are quoted in US dollars and presented in thousands.

Expense Detail
Category	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing	3.18	3.30	3.56	4.10
Communications	0.52	0.94	1.42	1.80
Marketing	5.67	3.18	3.33	3.50
Other Direct Expense	14.22	17.67	19.15	19.60
ICANN Funding	0.10	0.14	0.14	0.15
Hardware	8.75	0.21	0.00	0.00
Software	10.80	0.00	0.00	0.00

Staffing values include all employee-related expenses, that is, the associated labor, benefits, and administrative support.

Communications expense is calculated on a cost per Megabit rate, and projected to decline on cost at an annual rate of 15%. This includes all bandwidth and capacity requirements at the SRS data centers and the nameserver sites. JVTeam’s contracts with multiple communications providers to share its communication lines, rather than being reliant on a single provider. This protects each phase of the system from outage due to a communication provider’s backbone outage.

Marketing Expense relates to the advertising, trade show expense, retention of Public Relations firms, print media, and on-line advertising for the global branding efforts related to the new TLD. These figures represent only the third party expenses, that is, they are exclusive of the marketing and account management staff expenses (which are found in the Staffing and Other Direct Expense categories). JVTeam has set aside substantial capital for branding the .biz TLD for the months up to and after launch. These efforts are further detailed in Registry Operator’s Proposal Section II 2.4.

Other Direct Expense refers to all other anticipated costs with operating the registry including travel, marketing, legal and facilities expense.

ICANN Funding represents JVTeams’ anticipated portion of the operating budget and reserve for which each registry is responsible to contributing (“ICANN Cost Recovery”). The proposed formula of registries providing 5% of the total budget, as enumerated in the Task Force on Funding’s Draft Report of 30 October 1999, is projected here. The quarterly cost begins in the 2^nd quarter of 2001, and escalates annually at a rate of 5.0%. These payments would be made on a quarterly basis.

Hardware refers to the capital equipment required for the SRS data centers and nameserver sites. This includes, but is not limited to, multiple servers, routers, load balancing equipment, disk arrays and firewalls.

Software expense captures both the custom and third party software developed and purchased to implement and operate the registry. This covers the creation of XRP, to replace the current flawed RRP platform, while adding feature functionality.

Expense Detail – Alternate Demand Levels

As required, JVTeam is also providing our anticipated costs at the 10% and 90% confidence intervals. All figures are quoted in US dollars and presented in thousands.

10% Confidence Interval

Expense Detail
Category	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing	2.86	2.97	3.21	3.69
Communications	0.47	0.84	1.28	1.62
Marketing	5.67	3.18	3.33	3.50
Other Direct Expense	13.20	15.88	16.79	18.10
ICANN Funding	0.10	0.14	0.14	0.15
Hardware	8.75	0.21	0.02	0.00
Software	10.80	0.00	0.00	0.00

90% Confidence Interval

Expense Detail
Category	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4
Staffing	5.97	4.15	3.46	3.70
Communications	0.52	1.21	1.68	2.04
Marketing	5.67	3.18	3.33	3.50
Other Direct Expense	13.20	15.96	16.96	15.74
ICANN Funding	0.10	0.14	0.14	0.15
Hardware