<h2><a href="http://domainincite.com/us-puts-icann-contract-up-for-rebid/">https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c564af28581edb2a7b9441eccfd6391d&tab=core&_cview=0</a></h2><h2>********************<br>
</h2><h2><a href="http://domainincite.com/us-puts-icann-contract-up-for-rebid/">US puts ICANN contract up for rebid</a></h2>
<div class="singleflanel">
<a href="http://domainincite.com/about">http://domainincite.com/us-puts-icann-contract-up-for-rebid/</a><br><br><a href="http://domainincite.com/about">Kevin Murphy</a>,
November 11, 2011, 12:23:09 (UTC),
<a href="http://domainincite.com/category/domain-policy/" title="View all posts in Domain Policy" rel="category tag">Domain Policy</a>
</div>
<p><strong>The US government has put the IANA contract, which
currently gives ICANN its powers to create new top-level domains, up for
competitive bidding.</strong></p>
<p>The National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued
a request for proposals late yesterday, almost a week later than
expected.</p>
<p>The Statement Of Work, which defines the IANA contractor’s
responsibilities, is over twice at long as the current IANA contract,
containing many deliverables and deadlines.</p>
<p>While the contract is open to bidders other than ICANN, ICANN is
obviously the likely winner, so it’s fair to read the SOW in that
context.</p>
<p>Notably, the section dealing with approving new gTLDs has been changed since the draft language released in June.</p>
<p>NTIA <a href="http://domainincite.com/us-revives-the-gac-new-tlds-veto/" title="DomainIncite" target="_blank">said previously</a>
that in order to delegate a new gTLD, ICANN/IANA “shall include
documentation to demonstrate how the proposed string has received
consensus support from relevant stakeholders and is supported by the
global public interest.”</p>
<p>The new SOW has dropped the “consensus support” requirement and instead states:</p>
<blockquote><p>The Contractor must provide documentation verifying that
ICANN followed its policy framework including specific documentation
demonstrating how the process provided the opportunity for input from
relevant stakeholders and was supportive of the global public interest.</p></blockquote>
<p>This could be read as a <a href="http://domainincite.com/icann-fights-government-gtld-power-grab/" title="DomainIncite" target="_blank">softening of the language</a>.
No longer will ICANN have to prove consensus – which is not a
requirement of the Applicant Guidebook – in order to approve a new gTLD.</p>
<p>However, the fact that it will have to document how a new gTLD is
“supportive of the global public interest” may give extra weight to
Governmental Advisory Committee objections.</p>
<p>If the GAC were to issue advice stating that a new gTLD application
was not in “the global public interest”, it may prove tricky for ICANN
to provide documentation showing that it is.</p>
<p>The SOW also addresses conflicts of interest, which has become a <a href="http://domainincite.com/senator-calls-for-icann-ethics-controls/" title="DomainIncite" target="_blank">big issue</a> for ICANN following the departure of chairman and new gTLD proponent Peter Dengate Thrush, and his <a href="http://domainincite.com/former-icann-chair-joins-mm/" title="DomainIncite" target="_blank">subsequent employment</a> by new gTLD applicant Minds + Machines, this June.</p>
<p>The SOW says that IANA needs to have a written conflicts of interest policy, adding:</p>
<blockquote><p>At a minimum, this policy must address what conflicts
based on personal relationships or bias, financial conflicts of
interest, possible direct or indirect financial gain from the
Contractor’s policy decisions and employment and post-employment
activities. The conflict of interest policy must include appropriate
sanctions in case on non-compliance, including suspension, dismissal and
other penalties.</p></blockquote>
<p>Overall, the SOW is a substantial document, with a lot of detail. </p>
<p>There’s much more NTIA micromanagement than in the current IANA contract. Any <a href="http://domainincite.com/icann-independence-request-denied/" title="DomainIncite" target="_blank">hopes</a> ICANN had that the relationship would become much more arms-length have been dashed.</p>
<p>The SOW includes a list of 17 deadlines for ICANN/IANA, mainly
various types of compliance reports that must be filed annually. The
NTIA clearly intends to keep IANA on a fairly tight leash.</p>
<p>You can download the RFP documents <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c564af28581edb2a7b9441eccfd6391d&tab=core&_cview=0" title="FBO" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>