Historical Resolution Tracking Feature » ICANN Zensar IT Contract

Important note: The explanatory text provided through this database (including the summary, implementation actions, identification of related resolutions, and additional information) is an interpretation or an explanation that has no official authority and does not represent the purpose behind the Board actions, nor does any explanations or interpretations modify or override the Resolutions themselves. Resolutions can only be modified through further act of the ICANN Board.

ICANN Zensar IT Contract


Resolution of the ICANN Board
Meeting Date: 
Thu, 7 Nov 2019
Resolution Number: 
2019.11.07.04 – 2019.11.07.05
Resolution Text: 

Whereas, ICANN organization has a need for continued third-party development, quality assurance and content management support to augment its IT capacity.

Whereas, Zensar has provided good services in software engineering, quality assurance and content management over the last several years.

Whereas, ICANN org conducted a full request for proposal when renewing the contract in 2017, the results of which lead ICANN org to determine that Zensar is still the preferred vendor.

Whereas, ICANN org considered the cost and efficiency of either issuing another Request for Proposal (RFP) for outsourced IT capacity or further renewing the Zensar contract and determined that is was more efficient and cost effective to renew the Zensar contract.

Resolved (2019.11.07.04), the Board authorizes the President and CEO, or his designee(s) to enter into enter into, and make disbursement in furtherance of, a further renewed Zensar contract for a term of 24 months.

Resolved (2019.11.07.05), specific items within this resolution shall remain confidential for negotiation purposes pursuant to Article 3, section 3.5(b) of the ICANN Bylaws until the President and CEO determines that the confidential information may be released.

Rationale for Resolution: 

In November 2014 following ICANN Board approval, ICANN organization engaged an expert third-party outsourcing firm called Zensar to augment ICANN's IT capacity. That led to a three-year contract with Zensar, based in Pune, India with an annual value not to exceed [REDACTED FOR NEGOTIATION PURPOSES]. The contract was renewed through March 2020 with Board approval following an RFP process. Value of the renewed contract was [REDACTED FOR NEGOTIATION PURPOSES] for a period of 24 months through April 2020. Per ICANN organization, the relationship with Zensar has been beneficial to ICANN org and, overall has been a success.

ICANN org considered the cost and efficiency of either issuing another RFP for outsourced IT capacity or further renewing the Zensar contract and determined that is was more efficient and cost effective to renew the Zensar contract. Following consideration of the matter, the Board Finance Committee (BFC) agrees.

Accordingly, both ICANN organization and the BFC recommended that the Board authorize the organization to enter into, and make disbursement in furtherance of, a renewed Zensar contract, covering the period of April 2020 through March 2022 (24 months), with a total cost not to exceed [REDACTED FOR NEGOTIATION PURPOSES].

After considering the information presented, the Board agrees that it makes fiscal sense to enter into this renewed agreement.

This decision will have a fiscal impact, but the impact has already been accounted for in the FY20 budget and will be for the future budgets as well. Further, this decision should not have a negative impact on the security, stability or resiliency of the domain name system, and likely will have a positive impact. Our contracting with Zensar aligns with ICANN's core values of operating with efficiency and excellence in a fiscally responsible and accountable manner.

This is an Organizational Administrative Function that does not require public comment.