Getting Ready
The New gTLD Questionnaire
Agenda
2
The Questions
•
•
•
•
Qs
Qs
Qs
Qs
1-12: Applicant Information & Background
13-23: Application & String Information
24-44: Technical & Operational
45-50: Financial
3
Financial & Tech/Ops Evaluation Panels
• How thorough are the answers? Are they well thought
through and do they provide a sufficient basis for evaluation?
• Has the applicant demonstrated the ability to fund initial and
on going registry operations?
• Has the applicant demonstrated the ability to meet technical
& operational requirements?
• Is the application integrated, consistent, and compatible with
business model?
• Are risks identified and addressed?
4
Qs 1 – 12: Applicant Information
“Any material
misstatement or
misrepresentation (or
omission of material
information) may
cause the application
to be rejected”
• The applicant, address, legal status,
relevant directors, officers, partners,
shareholders
• Mandatory eligibility criteria:
• Fees paid on time
• Proof of legal establishment
• Background Screening
– General business diligence and criminal
history;
– History of cybersquatting behaviour
5
Qs 13 – 17: String Information
“An application that
fails the String
Similarity review due
to similarity to an
existing TLD will not
pass the Initial
Evaluation…”
The DNS Stability
panel will…
“determine whether
any strings raise
significant
security or stability
issues that may
require further
review.”
• Mandatory to supply:
• IDN tables for applied for language or
script
• IDN tables for each language or script
to be offered at 2nd level
• Currently, no variant gTLD strings
will be delegated through the
Program
6
Q 18: Mission /Purpose of TLD
“An important
objective of the new
TLD process is to
diversify the
namespace, with
different registry
business models
and target
audiences”
• Description of purpose of registry
must be sufficiently detailed to
enable comment
• If community, this description must
be consistent with question 20
7
Qs 19-20:
Community-based or Standard
• Community status cannot be changed
Community-based
applications for apps
where there are,
“unambiguous
associations among
the applicant, the
community served,
and the applied-for
gTLD string”
• To elect or not elect
• Contention can be resolved via
Settlement, Community-Priority
Evaluation or Auction
• Scoring in Community Priority Evaluation
based on responses to Q19-20
• Risk of a Community Objection
• Post-delegation contractual obligations
will reflect commitments to the specified
community
8
Qs 21-22:Geographic Names
• Government endorsement required for:
“An application for a
country or territory
name, as defined in
the Applicant
Guidebook, will not
be approved”
Identification of the
right level of support
is critical
• Capital cities or if TLD is to be “used for
purposes associated with a city name” (ISO
3166 list)
• Sub-national place names (ISO 3166-2 list) or
UNESCO region
• Documents of support or non-objection
required from relevant governments or
public authorities
• Process and policies for protection of
geographic terms at second level required
9
Q 23: Registry Services
“Applicant may
engage in only
those registry
services defined in
the application,
unless a new
request is submitted
to ICANN in
accordance with the
Registry Agreement”
• Security, Stability and registrant
protection paramount
•
•
If the proposed registry service
requires further analysis then
Extended Evaluation
Extended registry service review will
incur an additional fee
10
Qs 24-44: Technical & Operational
“In the event that an
applicant chooses to
outsource one or
more parts of its
registry operations,
the applicant should
still provide the full
details of the
technical
arrangements.”
• All questions scored & only questions 24-29
will be published
• Currently: 37 points available; 22 points
required to pass
• A number of questions provide for extra points
earned
• Questions cover external facing processes
(SRS, abuse prevention mitigation, Whois) and
internal infrastructure (architecture, registry
continuity, security)
• The requirement to identify roles and
responsibilities is primarily for the
purpose of financial projections
11
Qs 28-29: Abuse Prevention & RPM
“Responsible for
addressing matters
requiring expedited
attention and
providing a timely
response to abuse
complaints
concerning all
names registered in
the TLD through all
registrars of record,
including those
involving a
Reseller”.
• Three points to offer
• Mandatory Sunrise, IP Claims,
implementation of decisions under
URS and UDRP
• RPM which is included in the Abuse
prevention plan, gets separate
scoring.
12
Qs 45-50: Financial Capability
“Costs which should
be sufficient to
maintain registry
operations & provide
registry services;
Sources of funding
& Revenue for Startup & daily operation;
Revenue model
including all sources
of funds.”
• Funding must cover technical and
operational requirements
• Mandatory provision of audited
financial statements (balance sheet,
income statement, statement of
shareholders equity/partner capital,
and cash flow statement) or
unaudited statements if new
• Complete a Projections Template &
describe basis & rationale for
assumptions.
13
Q 50: Critical Registry Operations
“Provide a cost
estimate for funding
critical registry
operations on an
annual basis”.
• Mandatory provision of irrevocable Letter
of Credit or deposit into an irrevocable
cash escrow account sufficient to cover
critical registry operations for three years
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
DNS resolution for registered domain names
Operation of the Shared Registration System
Provision of Whois service
Registry data escrow deposits
Maintenance of a properly signed zone in
accordance with DNSSEC requirements.
14
Module 6: Terms & Conditions
“Applicant warrants that the statements and
representations contained in the application are
true and accurate and complete in all material
respects, and that ICANN may rely on those
statements and representations fully in evaluating
this application.”
15
Thank You
Questions
17