Description of the mechanisms proposed for ensuring that the policies and practices followed in the operation of the .org registry are responsive to and supportive of the non-commercial Internet user community, and reflect as much of its diversity as possible.

Organic Names recognises that the management of .org is not achieved by the straightforward operation of the profit motive. Organic Names has financial policies in place that ensure the stability and growth of the company because this is fundamental to its long-term survival.

In addition to these prudent policies Organic Names has designated an advisory board to guide the registry in its relationships with the user community and insofar as the recommendations of that board are legal and practicable Organic Names will follow them.

In addition Organic Names has already referred to its commitment, subject to the approval of ICANN, to widen the registrar community and reduce barriers to entry for registrars in new and developing countries.

It is also the function of the technical members of the advisory board to recommend and support the use of registry funds and facilities to develop software and to support initiatives from the IETF and similar organisations for the deployment of new protocols and systems.

Organic Names also recognises that the non-commercial Internet community contains many individuals and organisations whose mother tongue and script is not English. The Organic Names registry will provide wide multilingual services and promote Internationalised Domain Name services to work to make the Internet more available to those who have been marginalized through the historic English basis of the Internet.

Organic Names recognises that it is in practice impossible to create an advisory board that is truly representative of such a broad community, but Organic Names will welcome on to that board interested persons and organisations including those currently associated with other bids. Organic Names also hopes that in its final contract with ICANN there will be a mechanism whereby the opinions and policy directions of the supporting organisations to ICANN can be communicated to Organic Names so that its policy direction does not significantly diverge from the mainstream of Internet policy.

Evidence demonstrating support for the proposal among registrants in the .org TLD, particularly those actually using .org domain names for non-commercial purposes.

Organic Names, no doubt in common with every other applicant, initially took the view that as many non-commercial .org users as possible should be immediately solicited for their support for Organic Names application to ICANN.

Organic Names now believes, however, that in the short time available from the publication of the application requirements to the application deadline there is little opportunity to present effectively to such registrants the reasoned and balanced case for the merits of Organic Names proposition. Further, Organic Names believes that many of the most notable and useful potential supporters are in a position where, due to charitable or quasi-governmental status, they are unable to support any one applicant over another.

Instead Organic Names intends, in the next two months, to go further than simply soliciting supporters and adding to them the list of cheerleaders for its cause. To this end Organic Names has developed a four point plan to educate and, we intend, win over the support of major non-commercial .org users by:

1. At first raising general awareness of its bidding group and its unique proposition for the future of .org.
2. Presenting its plans to as many major non-commercial .org registrants as are willing to hear its case.
3. Following up the contacts developed at this early stage with a programme which develops the relationship between Organic Names and the wide constituency of non-commercial .org registrants well into the years ahead.
4. Using its advisory board to consult with such registrants and potential registrants, and further develop its policy.

Organic Names hopes that Mr Dyers and Mr Blighs success in promulgating Nominet UK as a registry in successful dialogue with its stakeholders will help to give ICANN confidence in this area.