Sponsoring Organization's Proposal

[A Sponsoring Organization's Proposal is to be submitted only as part of applications for sponsored TLDs. It should not be included with applications for unsponsored TLDs. It should be prepared and submitted by either the sponsoring organization or, where the sponsoring organization has not yet been formed, by organization(s) or person(s) proposing to form the sponsoring organization.

Sponsored TLDs will involve a more complex contractual structure. Applicants are urged to evaluate carefully whether to seek a sponsored or unsponsored TLD.

Please place the legend "CONFIDENTIAL" on any part of the Sponsoring Organization's Proposal that you have listed in item F3.1 of your Statement of Requested Confidential Treatment of Materials Submitted.

The Sponsoring Organization's Proposal should be separately bound and labeled: "Sponsoring Organization's Proposal" and should cover Sections I, II, and III below. This page, signed on behalf of the applicant(s), should be included in the Sponsoring Organization's Proposal.]
 

I. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

C1. Please submit a comprehensive description of the structure and nature of the sponsoring organization and the manner in which that organization will conduct its operations, including policy-formulation activities. We strongly recommend retaining professional legal assistance to aid in the formulation of your Sponsoring Organization's Proposal and accompanying documents.

The following documents should be attached to the description:

  1. articles of incorporation, association, etc.;
  2. bylaws or any similar organizational document;
  3. list of persons presently on the supervising Board of the organization (or to be initially on the Board); and their resumes.
  4. To the extent applicable and not clear from the attached documents, the description should address the following topics in detail.
C2. Organization Information. Principal location, legal status of the organization, laws under which it is organized, type of organization (for profit, non-profit, corporation, association, etc.).

C3. Organization Structure. Size of organization, number of officers, directors and advisors, roles/duties of directors and officers and other staff, supporting and/or contributing organizations, affiliates, membership.

C4. Organization Purpose. Functions and mission of the organization, definition of community to be served (if any), method of ensuring operation in the interest of the stakeholders of the community to be served and the Internet at large.

C5. Appropriateness of Community. If the organization is intended to serve or represent a particular community, define the community and explain why that definition fits the TLD proposal.

C6. Representation. Manner in which the organization will represent and take input from community to be served, the categories of stakeholder to be included in the organization.

C7. Openness and Transparency. Measures taken to promote openness and transparency, access to information, web site use, public posting of information, meeting minutes, notice and comment provisions.

C8. Initial Directors and Staff. The identity and qualifications of the initial directors and staff.

C9. Selection of Directors, Officers, Members, Staff, etc. Eligibility, method of selection, term of service, compensation, liability, conflicts of interest, resignation, removal, vacancies.

C10. Policy-Making Procedure. Provide a detailed description of the process for formulating policies for the TLD, including a detailed description of the requirements for adoption of different types of policy.

C11. Meetings and Communication. Frequency of meetings, location of meetings, provisions for telephone meetings, other methods of communication, generation of minutes for meetings.

C12. Fiscal Information. Initial budget, expenses, existing capital, sources of revenue, accounting, audit, annual report and annual statement.

C13. Liability. Liability of the organization, directors, officers, and staff.

C14. Amendment of Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. Procedures for making amendments to the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and other organizational documents.

C15. Reconsideration and Review. Any policy for allowing reconsideration and review of organization policy or implementation decisions.
 

II. PROPOSED EXTENT OF POLICY-FORMULATION AUTHORITY

[This section is intended to address the extent of the policy authority to be delegated, NOT the specific policies proposed. Specific policies should be described in the Description of Proposed TLD Policies part of the application.]
 

C16. List and describe in detail the areas over which a delegation of policy-formulation authority is sought. For each area in which policy authority is sought, please address: C16.1. Scope of authority sought;

C16.2. Reasons/justifications for seeking authority;

C16.3. Method of guaranteeing that your organization will administer the policy in the interest of the Internet at large; and

C16.4. Whether variation from existing ICANN policies is intended at the opening of the new TLD.

III. CONTRACT TERMS WITH REGISTRY OPERATOR

[Sponsoring organizations are responsible for securing an initial registry operator for the proposed TLD and ensuring that the registry operator completes the Registry Operator's Proposal. Sponsoring organizations should also enter detailed contracts for the provision of registry operation services. These contracts should address all of the required functions as outlined in the Registry Operator's Proposal.]
 

C17. Identification of Registry Operator. Please list the full legal name, principal address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the registry operator:

C18. Contract with Registry Operator. Please attach one of the following:

C18.1. a copy of your contract with the selected registry operator for provision of registry services;

C18.2. proposed terms for a contract (i.e. at least a detailed term sheet) with a registry operator for provision of registry services, proof of commitment from the registry operator for provision of services under those proposed terms, and a notation of the estimated date of entry into the contract; or

C18.3. a statement that the sponsoring organization will also serve as the registry operator for the proposed TLD. (In this case, the sponsoring organization must prepare and submit the Registry Operator's Proposal in addition to the Sponsoring Organization's Proposal.)
 
 

By signing this proposal, the undersigned attests, on behalf of the applicant(s), that the information contained in this application, and all supporting documents included with this application, are true and accurate to the best of applicant's knowledge.
 
 

_______________________________
Signature
 

Kenneth Hamma
Name (please print)

Director
Title

Museum Domain Management Association
Name of Applicant Entity

2 October 2000
Date
 
 



(c) 2000 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

All rights reserved.
 
 

Updated August 15, 2000


Response to Questions

C1. Please submit a comprehensive description of the structure and nature of the sponsoring organization and the manner in which that organization will conduct its operations, including policy-formulation activities. We strongly recommend retaining professional legal assistance to aid in the formulation of your Sponsoring Organization's Proposal and accompanying documents.
 

The following documents should be attached to the description:

  1. articles of incorporation, association, etc;
  2. bylaws or any similar organizational document;
  3. list of persons presently on the supervising Board of the organization (or to be initially on the Board); and
  4. their resumes.


To the extent applicable and not clear from the attached documents, the description should address the following topics in detail.

RESPONSE

The Museum Domain Management Association ("MDMA"or "Applicant") is a new, Not-for-profit membership organized specifically to form, maintain and operate a restricted top-level domain for the worldwide museum community. The relevant organizational documents of the MDMA are attached, including an Action of Sole Incorporator, the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws. The Board of Directors is the policy-making and governing body. The Founder Members are the International Council of Museums ("ICOM") and the J. Paul Getty Trust.

There are currently four members of the Board of Directors:
 

Jacques Perot, President, International Council of Museums

Bernice Murphy, Vice President, International Council of Museums

Deborah Gribbon, Director, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Kenneth Hamma, Assistant Director, The J. Paul Getty Museum

There are currently five officers:
 
President: Cary Karp, Director, Department of Information Technology, Swedish Museum of Natural History

Secretary: Manus Brinkman, Secretary General, International Council of Museums

Treasurer: Steven Juarez, Director of Financial Management, The J. Paul Getty Trust

Assistant Secretary: Edward Black, Esq.

Assistant Secretary: Steve Baglio, Esq.

The resumes of these directors and officers are attached.
 

Applicant’s organizational structure and purpose, governance and policy-making authority and procedures are more fully described in responses to questions C2 through and including C15.


C2. Organization Information. Principal location, legal status of the organization, laws under which it is organized, type of organization (for profit, not-profit, corporation, association, etc.).
 

RESPONSE

The MDMA will locate its principal legal office in the United States within or without the State of Delaware, at such place as the Board of Directors shall from time to time designate. The Board of Directors may designate additional offices for operational and administrative purposes in Sweden and/or Paris, and such other locations as deemed necessary to serve the global museum community. The MDMA shall maintain a registered agent’s office in the State of Delaware.

During ICANN’s application process, all correspondence and materials should be directed to:

Cary Karp, Director
Department of Information Technology
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Svante Arrheniusv. 3
Box 50007
104 05 Stockholm
Sweden
Email: ck@nrm.se
Phone: +46 8 5195 4055
Fax: +46 8 5195 4235
 

Kenneth Hamma, Assistant Director
The J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive
Suite 1000
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Email: khamma@getty.edu
Phone: 310-440-7186
Fax: 310-440-7752
 

The MDMA is a not-for-profit membership association, incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, formed exclusively for charitable purposes and anticipated to be exempt from U.S. federal income tax under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The MDMA was organized specifically to form, maintain and operate a top-level domain registry on the Internet for the benefit of the global community of museums and to transact any such business for the benefit of such community as may be allowed by law.


C3. Organization Structure. Size of organization, number of officers, directors and advisors, roles/duties of directors and officers and other staff, supporting and/or contributing organizations, affiliates, membership.
 

RESPONSE

The MDMA was created specifically for the purposes of forming, maintaining and operating the .museum TLD. The organization has two Founder Members: the International Council of Museums ("ICOM") and the J. Paul Getty Trust.

Copies of the most recent annual reports from each of these Founder Members are available as follows: the ICOM Secretariat Interim Activity Report May 1999-March 2000, may be found at http://www.icom.org/sec-report042000.html. The 1998-99 annual report of The J. Paul Getty Trust may be obtained at http://www.getty.edu/trustreport/.

There are currently four members of the Board of Directors and five officers. The board members and officers are identified in response to question C1. In addition to the Founder Members, there are three classes of membership as set forth in the MDMA’s Bylaws (copy attached in response to question C1). There are no other members yet and there is no staff at this time.

Generally, the Board of Directors will set all of the policies and procedures of the MDMA; the officers of the MDMA will execute such policies and procedures. The members of the MDMA will elect the Board of Directors to three (3) year terms, in staggered classes, as set forth in the By-laws.

Currently, the Founder Members are providing services to the MDMA. If this Application is successful, it is the intention of the MDMA to provide its services to the museum community through dedicated staff.


C4. Organization Purpose. Functions and mission of the organization, definition of community to be served (if any), method of ensuring operation in the interest of the stakeholders of the community to be served and the Internet at large.
 

RESPONSE

The MDMA was organized for a specific purpose: to form, maintain and operate a top-level domain registry on the Internet for the benefit of the global community of museums. The MDMA may transact any such business for the benefit of such community as may be allowed by law. By resolution, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the filing of this Application to establish, and to act as registry for, the .museum TLD.

In addition to the Founder Members, the MDMA has three classes of members. The criteria for membership are set forth in the Bylaws, attached in response to question C1. Anyone can join the MDMA, whether a museum or an individual; a for profit or not-for-profit entity. Voting rights, however, are only available to Founder, Class A and Class B Members all of whom must be museums or related organizations as defined by prior accepted standards.

It should be noted that while membership in the MDMA is open to any interested party, this Application proposes that the .museum TLD be a restricted domain. As a restricted domain, only those institutions and entities meeting the ICOM definition of museum set forth in the response to question E17 will be eligible to register second, third or fourth level domains within the ..museum TLD.

The restricted nature of the .museum TLD is in the interest of both the museum community, i.e., the stakeholders, and the Internet at large.

As further described in Applicant’s responses to the questions in Section E, the rationale for the establishment of the .museum TLD is to help bona fide museums as well as their general and professional audiences, their regional, national and international associations, the professional organizations that support their activities, and all of their respective employees, to have an authentic and verifiable identity in cyberspace. This identity is for themselves as institutions and, more importantly, for their extensive collections and vast stores of information. All museums, regardless of their subject field, are committed to providing access for society to the rich histories of evidence of people and their environments. Cyberspace access is critical to the mission of all museums. Identifying this space with specificity recognizes museums’ purposes and contributions to society and will serve the stakeholders now and in years to come.

Eligibility for the right to register a .museum TLD will be based solely on whether a potential registrant meets the ICOM definition of museum.

ICOM was established in 1946 and is an NGO ("Non-Governmental Organization") with consultative status to the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council ("UNESCO"). Since its inception, ICOM members have spent countless hours and days thinking about and defining a museum. ICOM’s international membership from 147 countries has participated in these debates and the result is that its definition of a museum is recognized throughout the world. Thoughtful consideration of this definition continues today as ICOM and its members discuss expanding the definition to include intangible heritage and virtual entities. By basing the eligibility criteria on the ICOM definition and by recognizing that it will evolve over time to reflect changes in technology and attitudes, the MDMA can ensure that the most fundamental element of this Application – the eligibility criteria for the .museum TLD – operates in the interest of the museum community.

Other aspects of this Application that ensure that the MDMA operates in the interests of the museum community are: classes of membership based on definitions and criteria; open communications; ongoing examination of compliance with the eligibility requirements; and, realistic dispute resolution policies consistent with ICANN’s UDRP.

Stakeholders in the global community of museums will also be served through the MDMA’s forthcoming adoption of dispute resolution and appeals policies that are consistent with ICANN’s UDRP.

MDMA’s Board of Directors will set other policies and procedures. As ICOM will elect certain of these directors, and as each entity who will be eligible to register a .museum TLD will also be eligible to become a voting member of the MDMA, the policies and procedures established by the Board will necessarily be reflective of the global community of museums that the MDMA will serve.

As members of society seeking access to museums’ treasures, Internet users in general can only benefit from the clarity of identity and the authentication of information that will come from the .museum TLD. It will make it easier for users to find museums and to verify the sources of the information gathered from them in cyberspace if only those institutions and entities meeting the above-referenced ICOM definition can use the .museum TLD.


C5. Appropriateness of Community. If the organization is intended to serve or represent a particular community, define the community and explain why that definition fits the TLD proposal.
 

RESPONSE

As stated in prior responses, this Application seeks to establish the ..museum TLD in order to serve the museum community in many different ways, from clarifying a segment of cyberspace, to providing a tool for users seeking to verify and to authenticate information. Some museums are active participants on the Internet as users and they operate their own web sites. Others, largely due to limited financial and technical resources, are moving into cyberspace more slowly. Regardless of whether the institution is an Internet early adopter or a late comer, the museum community shares a common purpose – providing access to the histories of evidence of people and their environments.

The MDMA recognizes this common purpose and through its Bylaws has created an organization that is open to all interested persons and organizations, and one that is governed by definitive criteria, long recognized by the museum community and other international bodies as being the best description of what a museum is. This combination of the MDMA’s organizational structure and its endorsement of the respected criteria for museums are the bases for ensuring that the museum community is properly defined and served.


C6. Representation. Manner in which the organization will represent and take input from community to be served, the categories of stakeholder to be included in the organization.

RESPONSE

The MDMA has Founder Members and three classes of members as described more fully in its Bylaws. (See response to questions C1.) As a result of these various classes of membership, the MDMA can assure itself and ICANN that any interested party can participate in meetings, activities and discussions. By establishing voting rights for the Founder, Classes A and B Members (all of which must be museum institutions or related professional organizations), this structure also recognizes the significant interests of those who operate non-profit museums in the decisions relating to the .museum TLD. Furthermore, as stated in response to question C7, the MDMA intends to use the Internet for posting its information and decisions so that any interested person or entity can be aware of its actions and will have the opportunity to respond to such actions as may be appropriate.


C7. Openness and Transparency. Measures taken to promote openness and transparency, access to information, web site use, public posting of information, meeting minutes, notice and comment provisions.

RESPONSE

The MDMA will establish and maintain an Internet presence which will be accessible by the public. Here, the MDMA will post information on obtaining a ..museum TLD, including authorized registrars. In addition, other information will be available including the MDMA’s meeting minutes (except to the extent the Board of Directors determines that it is in the best interests of the organization to maintain certain matters in confidence), notices of final decisions concerning resolution of any domain name disputes, and such other information as may benefit the museum community and Internet users in general. This open communication policy will help all interested parties to understand how to participate in the .museum TLD.


C8. Initial Directors and Staff. The identity and qualifications of the initial directors and staff.
 

RESPONSE

The initial directors of the MDMA are:

Jacques Perot, President, International Council of Museums

Bernice Murphy, Vice President, International Council of Museums

Deborah Gribbon, Director, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Kenneth Hamma, Assistant Director, The J. Paul Getty Museum

There are five officers:
President: Cary Karp, Director, Department of Information Technology, Swedish Museum of Natural History

Secretary: Manus Brinkman, Secretary General, International Council of Museums

Treasurer: Steven Juarez, Director of Financial Management, The J. Paul Getty Trust

Assistant Secretary: Edward Black, Esq.

Assistant Secretary: Steve Baglio, Esq.

The resume of each of these individuals is set forth in response to question C1.

As indicated in response to question C3, initially, the Founder Members -- ICOM and the J. Paul Getty Trust -- are providing staff services to the MDMA. Dedicated MDMA staff will begin providing services as soon as appropriate.


C9. Selection of Directors, Officers, Members, Staff, etc. Eligibility, method of selection, term of service, compensation, liability, conflicts of interest, resignation, removal, vacancies.

RESPONSE

The eligibility and selection of the MDMA’s directors, officers, and members, terms of service, compensation, liability, conflicts of interest, resignation, removal, and vacancy policies and procedures are fully described in the Bylaws, attached in response to question C1.

Policies and procedures concerning staff will be developed in accordance with museum community practices and governing law.


C10. Policy-Making Procedure. Provide a detailed description of the process for formulating policies for the TLD, including a detailed description of the requirements for adoption of different types of policy.

RESPONSE

The Board of Directors, in accordance with the MDMA’s Bylaws, is authorized to make decisions in all matters concerning the association, including policy decisions. In most situations, the majority vote of the Board of Directors is needed to adopt policies. Many of the policies proposed for the MDMA and the .museum TLD have been described in this Application. These policies have been determined after discussions between the Founder Members, who, in turn, have had extensive discussions with the international museum community. ICOM, in particular, has been following the top-level domain initiatives and proposals on behalf of the museum community for the past five years. The results of these discussions are the basis for the policies and procedures described herein.

A recent example of the type of discussions on the .museum TLD that have been taking place is described below.

On September 6-9, this year, the Asia-Europe Foundation and the Swedish National Museums of World Culture co-organized a conference in Stockholm, Sweden, under the title, "Reforming Museums for the 21st Century."

A brief description of the conference is provided below:

REFORMING MUSEUMS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Asia - Europe Conference on Museums
Stockholm, Sweden 6-9 September 2000
Today, the museums of Asia and Europe have to relate to new conditions created by internationalisation and globalisation. How should museums face and cope with these challenges and grasp the new opportunities for reform, while at same time performing their basic duties of preservation, documentation, research and interpretation in the present, and for the future? These and related issues are the main topics of this conference.

The conference is co-organised by the Swedish National Museums of World Culture and the Asia-Europe Foundation, with the assistance from the National Heritage Board, Singapore, and the support of the European Commission Trust Fund. The conference follows on the Asia-Europe Cultural Forum held in Paris on 5-6 February 1998.

There will be 60 participants from the ASEM member countries, including museum directors, senior curators, and officers from national museums, museums in the making, and government museum organisations. Chairpersons are Ms. Marita Ulvskog, Minister of Culture, Sweden, Professor Tommy Koh, Executive Director, Asia-Europe Foundation, and Professor Thommy Svensson, Director General, Swedish National Museums of World Culture.
During the proceedings, several independent references were made to the desirability of having a top-level domain on the Internet dedicated to the museum sector. When mention was made of ICOM’s present effort, the Conference Chair added a final item to the agenda to have it described in detail.

The result was a communique specifically directed to the ICOM President and Executive Council vigorously stating the need for a .museum TLD and support for ICOM's participation in action in that regard. The text of this statement is set forth below.

To the President and Executive Council of ICOM:

We, the participants in the Asia-Europe Conference on Museums, which is currently in progress in Stockholm (6-9 September) have been addressing many issues under the conference heading, "Reforming Museums for the 21st Century". One of our primary concerns has been identifying means for heightening awareness of the truly global nature of the museum community. We have also identified and are undertaking actions to broaden the scope of this commonality.

Inevitable attention has been focused on the potential of the Internet for radically shortening the paths and time needed for communication among museums in geographically distant regions, and enriching the value of such interaction. One of the specific things suggested to further this aim was the establishment of an

Internet domain dedicated to the museum sector. We were, therefore, extremely gratified to learn of the efforts that ICOM is already making toward precisely this end.

We wish to express our unrestricted support for this initiative. Our specific focus is cooperation among museums in Asia and Europe. The milestone nature of our being able to operate in a shared domain cannot be overestimated. Identical value would be derived by similar initiatives centered on collaboration in other regions; all hastening our worldwide integration.

The Internet has long been perceived as having its center in the United States. There is obvious historical reason for this attitude but it has had a detrimental effect on the interest in, and basis for, establishing a museum sector identity on the domain level. Burgeoning notions of Internet governance as a global concern are a major force in current action toward creating new top level domains. It is vital for the entire museum community to articulate its interest in participating in this process. We applaud ICOM for establishing itself at the vanguard of this development and unhesitatingly support your continuing efforts to bring .museum into existence and ensure its meaningful operation.

Stockholm, 9 September 2000

Signed on behalf of the Delegates

Professor Thommy Svensson
Director General, Swedish National Museums of World Culture


C11. Meetings and Communication. Frequency of meetings, location of meetings, provisions for telephone meetings, other methods of communication, generation of minutes for meetings.

RESPONSE

Information on MDMA meetings is set forth in the Bylaws attached in response to question C1.

Generally, the annual meeting will be held. The time and location is expected to coincide with ICOM’s annual General Meeting. ICOM’s next General Meeting will be held in Barcelona, Spain in July 2001. Telephone meetings are permitted. The Secretary will keep minutes of the meetings and they will be posted on the MDMA web site to the extent appropriate.


C12. Fiscal Information. Initial budget, expenses, existing capital, sources of revenue, accounting, audit, annual report and annual statement.

RESPONSE

As a newly formed, not-for-profit entity, the MDMA does not have extensive financial information. For the application preparation and review process and during the start-up phase for the .museum TLD, the Founder Members -- ICOM and the J. Paul Getty Trust -- are committed to providing the financial and staff resources necessary to establish operations. It is the intention of the MDMA Board of Directors to reimburse monies expended by the Founder Members from revenue, once an acceptable level of financial stability has been achieved.

The MDMA’s revenue will be generated from membership and registration fees, as well as other web support services. Fees will be charged for the examination of applications for the .museum TLD in those instances when the registration has been denied.

All books and records will be kept in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for not-for-profit organizations.


C13. Liability. Liability of the organization, directors, officers, and staff.

RESPONSE

The MDMA’s responsibilities with respect to liability, indemnification and insurance are set forth in the Bylaws, attached in response to question C1.


C14. Amendment of Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. Procedures for making amendments to the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and other organizational documents.

RESPONSE

As stated in the MDMA’s Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation and the


C15. Reconsideration and Review. Any policy for allowing reconsideration and review of organization policy or implementation decisions.

RESPONSE

The MDMA’s Bylaws permit the Board of Directors to modify, amend, change, or otherwise review and act upon a policy or decision. Usually, such action can be taken with a majority vote of the Board.

Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.


C16. List and describe in detail the areas over which a delegation of policy-formulation authority is sought. For each area in which policy authority is sought, please address:

C16.1. Scope of authority sought;

RESPONSE

The MDMA seeks the opportunity to serve the international museum community by establishing, maintaining and operating the .museum TLD. The MDMA’s Founder Members, taking into account the thoughts and concerns of many museum community members, propose fair and equitable policies and procedures for this undertaking. The MDMA recognizes the responsibility this task requires and will use its resources and expertise to meet this challenge.

The MDMA seeks the authority to determine who is eligible for the .museum TLD. The criteria and rationale for eligibility are explained in detail in Section E. In addition, the MDMA proposes certain operational policies concerning examination of prospective registrants’ credentials and dispute resolution that are consistent with ICANN’s policies. These are explained in Sections C and E.
 
 

C16.2. Reasons/justifications for seeking authority;

RESPONSE

The MDMA is proposing the .museum as a restricted TLD. As such it will be available only to those institutions and organizations meeting the long-respected definition of museum adopted by, and continually reviewed and discussed by, ICOM’s members. The rationale for the .museum TLD is explained throughout this Application. The MDMA was created to handle this responsibility. It is a dedicated, not-for-profit organization with a highly respected Board of Directors from the museum community. As such, delegation of authority for the .museum TLD to the MDMA is well placed.

C16.3. Method of guaranteeing that your organization will administer the policy in the interest of the Internet at large;

RESPONSE

The MDMA is proposing policies and procedures for the operation of the restricted ..museum TLD in the interests of the museum community and the Internet at large. With the exception of the determination of eligibility, the MDMA will follow the policies, procedures and decisions of ICANN. The MDMA has open membership and will maintain open communications, largely through its web site, with its membership and the general public.

C16.4. Whether variation from existing ICANN policies is intended at the opening of the new TLD.

RESPONSE

Other than as described herein, no variations from existing ICANN policies are intended.


C17. Identification of Registry Operator. Please list the full legal name, principal address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the registry operator:

RESPONSE

The MDMA will contract with the Internet Council of Registrars ("CORE") to secure its registry operator services for the .museum TLD. CORE is submitting an application to ICANN in this proceeding as a Sponsoring Organization for the .nom TLD and as a Registry Operator. MDMA and CORE have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") for registry operator services; a copy of the MOU that contains the material terms and conditions of the contractual relationship between the MDMA and CORE is included in response to question C18.2.
 

CORE Internet Council of Registrars
World Trade Center II
29 route de Pre-Bois
CH-1215 Geneva
Switzerland
Telephone +41 22 929 5744
Fax +41 22 929 5745

E-mail address: tldapp@corenic.org The MDMA is confident that CORE has the experience and resources to provide the .museum registry operator services efficiently and effectively. Should ICANN decide, however, not to authorize CORE to provide registry operator services for the .museum TLD, then the MDMA shall obtain such services from the entity(ies) recommended by ICANN, subject to satisfactory negotiation of a contract.


C18. Contract with Registry Operator. Please attach one of the following:

C18.1. a copy of your contract with the selected registry operator for provision of registry services;

C18.2. proposed terms for a contract (i.e. at least a detailed term sheet) with a registry operator for provision of registry services, proof of commitment from the registry operator for provision of services under those proposed terms, and a notation of the estimated date of entry into the contract; or

C18.3. a statement that the sponsoring organization will also serve as the registry operator for the proposed TLD. (In this case, the sponsoring organization must prepare and submit the Registry Operator's Proposal in addition to the Sponsoring Organization's Proposal.)

RESPONSE

As stated in response to question C17, the MDMA has identified CORE for the provision of registry operator services. To date, the MDMA and CORE have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that sets forth the material terms and conditions of their agreement. A copy of the MOU is attached. The parties will finalize a definitive agreement within ninety (90) days of ICANN’s approval of the .museum TLD, or such time period as ICANN requires.