TLD Application Review Procedure (2 October 2000) (Updated 8 November 2000)

The period for submitting applications for new TLDs concluded at 5:00 pm California time on Monday, 2 October 2000. This document gives the anticipated schedule of next steps in reviewing the applications.

Date/Time	Description of Event
2 October 2000, 5:00 pm US West Coast time	Application period concluded.
2-12 October 2000	Quiet period: Because the ICANN staff is small and will be very busy doing an initial review of the many applications that are expected, we request that no applicant or member of the public try to initiate contact with ICANN regarding TLD applications during this period. We will be providing information about the applications by postings on our web site, as described below. During this period, we may initiate communications with applicants regarding the following procedural matters: 1. An e-mail acknowledging receipt of the application, sent to the address listed at the end of the Sponsored TLD/Unsponsored TLD Application Transmittal Form. 2. Questions about the completeness or format of applications (omitted components of the application, incomplete transmittal forms, missing electronic files, etc.) 3. Issues concerning requests for confidential treatment of materials submitted. 4. Issues concerning election by the applicant of which strings to pursue in the application. 5. Questions regarding payment of the $US 50,000 non-refundable application fee.
Begins 9 October 2000	Verification/review period. During this period, ICANN will be verifying and conducting a substantive review of applications. We request observance of the following communication guidelines: Communications initiated by ICANN: ICANN may send applicants and third parties communications about applications that have been submitted, including inquiries requesting additional information. In addition, in some instances we may request interviews with applicants and other persons in connection with applications. See "Consultation Period" below. Communications not initiated by ICANN: We request that applicants only initiate communications with us to correct materials they have submitted or to advise us of a material change in circumstances or the withdrawal of an application. Any such communications should be made by sending an e-mail to <tld-applications@icann.org>.
Beginning 13 October 2000	Posting of applications. We currently expect to post non-confidential portions of applications by approximately this date.
13 October-5 November 2000	First public comment period. During this period, ICANN will operate a web-based comment forum on the application materials that have been posted. Members of the public are invited to provide their comments in the forum.
Until 8 November 2000	Consultation period. During this period we will be gathering additional information concerning applications by posing specific questions to applicants in e-mail and requesting written responses. The questions and responses will be posted on the web site, except for communications of a strictly clerical nature.
9 November 2000	Staff report. The results of the staff review of the applications will be posted on approximately this date. We expect these results to be presented in a detailed report, including an explanation of the goals of the analysis, a detailed statement of how the analysis was performed, identification of those who participated in the review process, summaries of findings as to each application, compilations of comparative data on the applications, observations regarding how the posted criteria for evaluation apply, and other relevant results of the analysis.
Beginning 9 November 2000	Second public comment period. A second web-based public comment forum will be established at the time the Staff Report is issued to allow the public to comment on the report.

Two notes from the ICANN Board:

1. ICANN has designed a fair, equitable, and open process for evaluating applications for new TLDs. ICANN Board members have recently received a stream of e-mail comments concerning applications. While they are committed to being accessible to the public regarding ICANN matters, they have asked us to remind applicants, their supporters, their detractors, and all others that beginning 13 October there will be a public comment forum allowing interested parties to comment, with their comments open for review by everyone. ICANN Board members/staff will review these comments. Private comments sent directly to Board members and the staff are neither appropriate nor helpful in this process because they do not support ICANN's commitment to openness and transparency.

2. One member of the ICANN Board of Directors, Amadeu Abril i Abril, has a prior affiliation with an ICANN-accredited registrar that has been working on new TLD applications. Mr. Abril i Abril has issued the following note:

To the Board and Conflicts Committee:

This note is to inform that I will not be participating in any ICANN Board votes or discussions relating to the current application process for new TLDs.

While I am not directly involved with any new TLD applications, I recuse myself on the basis of my (loose) affiliation with an ICANN-accredited registrar (Nominalia) that has been working on new TLD applications, as well as the public percepcion created by my frequent appearences as speaker or supporter of another ICANN-accredited registrar (CORE) involved in a number of applications, too.

As a Director, I do plan to continue stating my views on general policy matters relating to new TLDs (as opposed to concrete application evaluation). In the interest of full transparency, I will copy any such emails to the DNSO Names Council as their list is publicly posted and archived.

Amadeu Abril i Abril

3. Directors Rob Blokzijl, Greg Crew, and Phil Davidson have also recused themselves.