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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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| I. |
 GENERAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICANT
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| C1. |
General
information about the applicant.
|
| C2. |
The
full legal name, principal address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address of the applicant, and the URL of its principal world wide web site.
|
| C3. |
A
general description of the applicant's business and other activities.
|
| C4. |
The
applicant's type of entity (e.g., corporation, partnership, etc.) and law
(e.g., Denmark) under which it is organized.
|
| C5. |
Dun
& Bradstreet D-U-N-S Number (if any) of the applicant.
|
| C6. |
The
number of employees currently employed by the applicant.
|
| C7. |
The
applicant's total revenue (in US dollars) in the last-ended fiscal year.
|
| C8. |
Full
names and positions of (i) all directors, (ii) all officers, (iii) all relevant
managers, and (iv) any persons or entities owning five percent or more of
the applicant.
|
| C9. |
The
name, telephone and fax number, and e-mail address of person to contact
for additional information regarding this application.
|
| C10. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| II. |
STATEMENT
OF CAPABILITIES OF THE APPLICANT AND CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS
|
| C11. |
As stated in the
Criteria for Assessing Proposals, "ICANN's first priority is to preserve
the stability of the Internet" and "ICANN will place significant
emphasis on the demonstrated ability of the applicant or a member of the
proposing team to operate a TLD registry of significant scale in a manner
that provides affordable services with a high degree of service responsiveness
and reliability." This section of the .org Proposal offers the applicant
the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to operate the .org registry
in that manner.
Throughout this
document, operation of the .org registry, including providing all associated
Registry Services, as defined in subsection 1.16 of the model .org Registry
Agreement, is referred to as the "Registry Function".
|
| C12. |
State
whether the applicant intends to perform all aspects of the Registry Function,
or whether the applicant intends to outsource some or all aspects of the
Registry Function to other entities that will provide services or facilities
under contract with the applicant. If any portion(s) of the services or
facilities will be provided by another entity under contract, please describe
which portion(s), state the time period during which they will be provided
under contract, and identify what entity will be providing the services
or facilities.
|
| C13. |
Identify by name
each entity other than the applicant that will provide any of the following:
The identification
of each entity should include:
|
| C13.1. |
The
full legal name, principal address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address of the entity, and the URL of its principal world wide web site.
|
| C13.2. |
A
general description of the entity's business and other activities.
|
| C13.3. |
The
entity's type (e.g., corporation, partnership, etc.) and law (e.g., Denmark)
under which it is organized. Please state whether the entity is for-profit
or non-profit. If it is non-profit, please provide a detailed statement
of its mission.
|
| C13.4. |
Dun
& Bradstreet D-U-N-S Number (if any) of the entity.
|
| C13.5. |
The number
of employees currently employed by the entity.
|
| C13.6. |
The
entity's total revenue (in US dollars) in the last-ended fiscal year.
|
| C14. |
For each entity
identified in item C13, please state the scope and terms of the contract
under which the facilities or services will be provided and attach documentary
evidence that the entity has committed to enter into that contract.
|
| C15. |
Describe
in detail the abilities of the applicant and the entities identified in
item C13 to operate a TLD registry of significant scale in a manner that
provides affordable services with a high degree of service responsiveness
and reliability. Your response should give specifics, including significant
past or present achievements and activities of the applicant and the entities
identified in item C13 that demonstrate the described abilities. It should
also include information about key technical personnel (qualifications and
experience), size of technical workforce, and access to systems development
tools.
|
| III. |
TECHNICAL
PLAN (INCLUDING TRANSITION PLAN)
|
| C16. |
The
third section of the .org Proposal is a description of your technical plan.
This section must include a comprehensive, professional-quality technical
plan that provides a full description of the proposed technical solution
for transitioning and operating all aspects of the Registry Function. The
topics listed below are representative of the type of subjects that will
be covered in the technical plan section of the .org Proposal.
[ICANN will extensively review and analyze this section of the .org Proposal.
The content, clarity, and professionalism of this section will be important
factors in ICANN's evaluation of applications. We strongly recommend that
those who are planning to apply secure professional assistance from engineers
and/or other technical consultants to aid in the formulation of the technical
plan and the preparation of the technical plan section of the .org Proposal.]
|
| C17. |
Technical
plan for performing the Registry Function. This should present a comprehensive
technical plan for performing the Registry Function. In addition to providing
basic information concerning the proposed technical solution (with appropriate
diagrams), this section offers the applicant an opportunity to demonstrate
that it has carefully analyzed the technical requirements for performing
the Registry Function. Factors that should be addressed in the technical
plan include:
|
| C17.1. |
General
description of proposed facilities and systems. Address all locations of
systems. Provide diagrams of all of the systems operating at each location.
Address the specific types of systems being used, their capacity, and their
interoperability, general availability, and level of security. Describe
buildings, hardware, software systems, environmental equipment, Internet
connectivity, etc.
|
| C17.2. |
Registry-registrar
model and protocol. Please describe in detail, including a full (to the
extent feasible) statement of the proposed RRP and EPP implementations.
See also item C22 below.
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| C17.3. |
Database
capabilities. Database size, throughput, scalability, procedures for object
creation, editing, and deletion, change notifications, registrar transfer
procedures, grace period implementation, reporting capabilities, etc.
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| C17.4. |
Zone
file generation. Procedures for changes, editing by registrars, updates.
Address frequency, security, process, interface, user authentication, logging,
data back-up.
|
| C17.5 |
Zone
file distribution and publication. Locations of nameservers, procedures
for and means of distributing zone files to them. If you propose to employ
the VeriSign global resolution and distribution facilities described in
subsection 5.1.5 of the current .org registry agreement, please provide
details of this aspect of your proposal.
|
| C17.6. |
Billing
and collection systems. Technical characteristics, system security, accessibility.
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| C17.7. |
Data
escrow and backup. Frequency and procedures for backup of data. Describe
hardware and systems used, data format, identity of escrow agents, procedures
for retrieval of data/rebuild of database, etc.
|
| C17.8. |
Publicly
accessible look up/Whois service. Address software and hardware, connection
speed, search capabilities, coordination with other Whois systems, etc.
|
| C17.9. |
System
security. Technical and physical capabilities and procedures to prevent
system hacks, break-ins, data tampering, and other disruptions to operations.
Physical security.
|
| C17.10. |
Peak
capacities. Technical capability for handling a larger-than-projected demand
for registration. Effects on load on servers, databases, back-up systems,
support systems, escrow systems, maintenance, personnel.
|
| C17.11. |
Technical
and other support. Support for registrars and for Internet users and registrants.
Describe technical help systems, personnel accessibility, web-based, telephone
and other support, support services to be offered, time availability of
support, and language-availability of support.
|
| C17.12. |
Compliance
with specifications. Describe the extent of proposed compliance with technical
specifications, including compliance with at least the following RFCs: 954,
1034, 1035, 1101, 2181, 2182.
|
| C17.13. |
System
reliability. Define, analyze, and quantify quality of service.
|
| C17.14. |
System
outage prevention. Procedures for problem detection, redundancy of all systems,
back up power supply, facility security, technical security, availability
of back up software, operating system, and hardware, system monitoring,
technical maintenance staff, server locations.
|
| C17.15. |
System
recovery procedures. Procedures for restoring the system to operation in
the event of a system outage, both expected and unexpected. Identify redundant/diverse
systems for providing service in the event of an outage and describe the
process for recovery from various types of failures, the training of technical
staff who will perform these tasks, the availability and backup of software
and operating systems needed to restore the system to operation, the availability
of the hardware needed to restore and run the system, backup electrical
power systems, the projected time for restoring the system, the procedures
for testing the process of restoring the system to operation in the event
of an outage, the documentation kept on system outages and on potential
system problems that could result in outages.
|
| C17.16. |
Registry
failure provisions. Please describe in detail your plans for dealing with
the possibility of a registry failure due to insolvency or other factors
that preclude restored operation.
|
| C18. |
Transition
Plan. This should present a detailed plan for the transition of the Registry
Function from the current facilities and services provided by VeriSign,
Inc., to the facilities and services you propose. Issues that should be
discussed in this detailed plan include:
|
| C18.1. |
Steps
of the proposed transition, including sequencing and scheduling.
|
| C18.2. |
The
duration and extent of any interruption of any part of the Registry Function.
|
| C18.3. |
Contingency
plans in the event any part of the proposed transition does not proceed
as planned.
|
| C18.4. |
The
effect of the transition on (a) .org registrants and (b) Internet users
seeking to resolve .org domain names.
|
| C18.5. |
The
specifics of cooperation required from VeriSign, Inc.
|
| C18.6. |
Any
relevant experience of the applicant and the entities identified in item
C13 in performing similar transitions.
|
| C18.7. |
Any
proposed criteria for the evaluation of the success of the transition.
|
| C19. |
Please
describe in detail mechanisms that you propose to implement to ensure compliance
with ICANN-developed policies and the requirements of the registry agreement.
|
| IV. |
PROVISIONS
FOR EQUIVALENT ACCESS BY ACCREDITED REGISTRARS
|
| C20. |
The
selected successor operator for the .org registry will be required to provide
all ICANN-accredited registrars having registry-registrar agreements in
effect with equivalent access to registry services through a shared registry
system, under which those registrars will provide services (either directly
or through resellers) to registrants. This section of the .org Proposal
covers the applicant's proposed arrangements for interacting with registrars
in a manner that provides equivalent access.
|
| C21. |
Describe
in detail your proposed methods of providing registry services on an equivalent
basis to all accredited registrars having registry-registrar agreements
in effect. Your description should include any measures intended to make
registration, technical assistance, and other services available to ICANN-accredited
registrars in different time zones and relevant languages. In addition,
describe the Registry Code of Conduct and other commitments you propose
to make to ensure that all such registrars receive equivalent access to
registry services. In preparing your response to this item, you may wish
to refer to Appendices H and I of the registry agreements ICANN has entered
for unsponsored TLDs (e.g., .biz, .com, .info, .name, and .pro).
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| C22. |
VeriSign,
Inc., the current operator of the .org registry uses a registry-registrar
protocol (RRP) documented in RFC 2832. At the time of the transition, the
selected successor operator will be required to continue to support the
RRP (unless a migration of registrars in .org to another protocol has already
been completed by that time). In addition, the selected successor operator
will be required to implement support for the IETF provreg working group's
protocol specification for an Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) no
later than 135 days after it is adopted as a Proposed Standard [RFC 2026,
section 4.1.1]. Provide a detailed description of your plan for supporting
RRP at the time of transition, for supporting EPP within the required time
frame, and for providing registrars with a smooth, low-cost migration path
from RRP to EPP.
|
| C23.
|
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C24. |
Intentionally
omitted.
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| V. |
PROPOSED
REGISTRY SERVICES
|
| C25. |
Describe
each Registry Service (as defined in subsection 1.16 of the model .org Registry
Agreement) that you propose to provide for a fee. For an example of a description
of this type, see <http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/name/registry-agmt-appc-1-03jul01.htm>.
|
| C26. |
State
the maximum price you propose for each Registry Service identified in item
C25.
|
| C27. |
Describe
each Registry Service (as defined in subsection 1.16 of the model .org Registry
Agreement) that you propose to provide without charging a fee.
|
| C28. |
Describe
the technical performance (including quality-of-service commitments) you
propose to make. See <http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/name/registry-agmt-appd-29jun01.htm>
for an example. The successor operator will be expected to meet the Cross-Network
Nameserver Performance Requirements set forth in section 2.1 of the document
at the above URL.
|
| C29. |
Intentionally
omitted.
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| VI. |
ENHANCEMENT
OF COMPETITION
|
| C30. |
One
of ICANN's core principles is the encouragement of competition in the provision
of registration services at both the registry and registrar levels. Promotion
of that principle will be a criterion. As one illustration of this criterion,
a major purpose of the reassignment of the .org registry is to diversify
the provision of registry services by placing the .org registry under different
operation than the .com and .net registries. Consideration will be given
to the extent to which proposed arrangements are consistent with this purpose.
As another illustration, applicants are encouraged to refrain from prohibiting
non-affiliated providers of backend services from offering their services
in connection with other applications. This section of the .org Proposal
concerns the effect on competition of the selection of a successor registry
operator.
|
| C31 |
Give
your analysis of how selecting your application would affect competition
in the provision of registration services at both the registry and registrar
level.
|
| C32. |
State
whether the applicant or any entity identified in item C13 operates a DNS
registry having more than 500,000 registered names and, if so, provide details.
|
| C33. |
Describe
in detail all affiliations, including direct or indirect ownership and contractual
arrangements (including letters of intent) for the past, present, or future
provision of registry services, between (a) the applicant or any entity
identified in item C13 and (b) any operator of a DNS registry having more
than 500,000 registered names.
|
| C34. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| VII. |
RESPONSIVENESS
TO THE NONCOMMERCIAL INTERNET USER COMMUNITY
|
| C35. |
Describe
in detail the mechanisms you propose for ensuring that the policies and
practices followed in your operation of the .org registry are responsive
to and supportive of the noncommercial Internet user community, and reflect
as much of its diversity as possible. Your description should include any
affiliation you propose with representative noncommercial organizations
and details (including proposed bylaws or other chartering documents) regarding
any governing or advisory groups that you propose.
|
| C36. |
Submit
any evidence that demonstrates support for your proposal among registrants
in the .org TLD, particularly those actually using .org domain names for
noncommercial purposes. Support from diverse noncommercial entities from
across the global Internet community will be considered in the selection.
|
| C37. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| VIII. |
DIFFERENTIATION
OF THE .ORG TLD
|
| C38. |
Describe
any measures you propose to make to differentiate the .org TLD from TLDs
intended for commercial purposes. Your proposal should describe in detail
any planned marketing practices designed to differentiate the .org TLD,
promote and attract registrations from the global noncommercial community,
and minimize defensive and duplicative registrations.
|
| C39. |
Intentionally
omitted.
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| IX. |
THE
VERISIGN ENDOWMENT
|
| C40. |
The current .org
registry agreement between ICANN and VeriSign, Inc., states:
5.1.4 No later than 90 days prior to the Expiration
Date, [VeriSign] will pay to ICANN or ICANN's designee the sum of US $5
million, to be used by ICANN in it sole discretion to establish an endowment
to be used to fund future operating costs of the non-profit entity designated
by ICANN as successor operator of the .org registry. [VeriSign] agrees
that such funds, once paid to ICANN, will become the property of ICANN
and/or ICANN's designee, and that [VeriSign] will have no ownership or
other rights or interests in such funds or in the manner in which they
are used or disbursed.
|
| C41. |
Do
you propose to seek to qualify to receive any funds from this endowment?
|
| C41.1. |
If
so, describe in detail how you propose to use this endowment. Include the
commitments you propose to make about the uses to which the endowment would
be put. Explain why those uses are consistent with the smooth, stable transition
and operation of the .org TLD for the benefit of current and future .org
registrants.
|
| C41.2. |
If
you propose to seek to qualify to receive the endowment funds, explain why
you believe that your proposed use is consistent with the terms of the endowment.
|
| C42. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C43. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C44. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C45. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C46. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C47. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C48. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| C49. |
Intentionally
omitted.
|
| X. |
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTATION
|
| C50. |
The following documentation should be
provided in support of your .org Proposal:
|
| C50.1. |
Organizational
documents of applicant. A copy of the organizational documents (articles
of association, bylaws, enabling legislation, etc.) of the applicant.
|
| C50.2. |
Organizational
documents of certain other entities. A copy of the organizational documents
of each non-profit entity identified in item C13.
|
| C50.3. |
Business
references. A list of significant trade and credit references of the applicant
and each entity identified in item C13.
|
| C50.4. |
Annual
reports. A copy of the most recent annual financial report (or similar document),
if any, of the applicant and each entity identified in item C13.
|
| C50.5. |
Evidence
of commitment. Any documentation requested by item C14.
|
| C50.6. |
Evidence
of community support. Any documentation requested by item C36. |