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<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">ICANN is
Seeking Independent Researchers to Respond to Request for Proposal on WHOIS
Privacy and Proxy Abuse Study</span></h2>
<p style="margin: 11.25pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">18
May 2010</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Generic Names Supporting
Organization (GNSO) is responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN
Board substantive policies relating to gTLDs. The GNSO Council is now exploring
several extensive studies of WHOIS and has asked ICANN to estimate the cost and
feasibility of conducting several studies proposed by members of the ICANN
community and ICANN’s Government Advisory Committee. This particular area of
study focuses on the extent to which domain names used to conduct illegal or
harmful Internet activities are registered via privacy or proxy services to
obscure the perpetrator’s identity. ICANN is seeking to engage independent
research organizations to undertake this study. The <a href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-proxy-abuse-study-propposal-18may10-en.pdf">WHOIS
Privacy and Proxy Abuse Study Cover Letter</a> illustrates the scope of work
and the criteria for selection. This Cover Letter should be read in conjunction
with the <a href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/whois-proxy-abuse-study-18may10-en.pdf">Terms
of Reference for the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Studies RFP</a>. Read
together, these two documents provide the materials necessary to respond to
this Request for Proposals ("RFP") for the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy
Abuse Studies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">More information about WHOIS
may be found at: <a href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/">http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">By 20 July 2010, interested
applicants should submit proposals by email to <a href="mailto:rfpwhois@icann.org">rfpwhois@icann.org</a> to the attention of Liz
Gasster, Senior Policy Counselor, ICANN Policy Department. A confirmation email
will be sent for each proposal received.</span></p>
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<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</span></div>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/magazine/">Sign up for
ICANN's Monthly Magazine</a></span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></p>