[council] ICANN Seeks Expressions of Interest from Auction Design Experts

[GNSO.SECRETARIAT@GNSO.ICANN.ORG]

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http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-18jan08.htm. Can you
ICANN Seeks Expressions of Interest from Auction Design Experts

18 January 2008

ICANN is seeking expressions of interest from entities experienced in 
developing and managing auction processes. ICANN has identified several 
areas where auctions might be an appropriate tool, such as the efficient 
disposition of data from terminated registrars and registries, the 
allocation of single-character second-level domain names, and perhaps, 
resolution of contention between competing commercial applicants for 
identical strings in the application process for new generic Top Level 
Domains.

A number of commenters and academics have recommended auctions as the 
preferred method of objectively allocating scarce resources such as 
popular second-level domain names or gTLD strings. Also, ICANN received 
substantial public comment in the discussion on allocation of 
single-character second-level names that the names should be allocated 
through an auction model.

ICANN is an internationally organized non-profit public benefit 
organization that administers certain features of the Internet's unique 
identifiers. As a private-public partnership, ICANN is dedicated to 
preserving the operational stability of the Internet; to promoting 
competition; to achieving broad representation of global Internet 
communities; and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through 
bottom-up, consensus-based processes. A general description of ICANN is 
available at http://icann.org/tr/english.html.

Background

As recommended by the GNSO Council, ICANN commenced a Forum on 
Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names in 
gTLD registries. ICANN conducted the public forum from 16 October to 15 
December 2007.

The Forum on Allocation Methods identified support from members of the 
ICANN community and described several auction models of single-letter 
and single-digit domain names at the second-level (see 16 October 2007 
announcement at 
http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-16oct07.htm, and Summary 
of Comments located at 
http://www.icann.org/public_comment/single-letter-summary-comments-23dec07.pdf 
[PDF, 61K]. If these models are pursued, ICANN staff has determined that 
the additional knowledge and expertise on auctions is necessary to 
further work in this area.

Although implementation plans are still in development, ICANN staff has 
also identified auctions as a possibility of final resort for addressing 
string contention among multiple applicants for popular new generic 
TLDs. Additional guidance on auctions will be beneficial as staff moves 
toward the introduction of new gTLDs in the near future.

In furtherance of the protection of registrants, auctions also provide a 
mechanism for addressing the termination or failure of accredited 
registrars and gTLD registries and the efficient transfer of names to a 
competent, on-going registrar or registry.

Qualifications

Entities interested in submitting Expressions of Interest should be 
experienced in areas of auction design, management and implementation. 
Prior experience with telecommunications, Internet or domain name, 
energy/utility or other asset auctions would be particularly relevant.

Expressions of Interest

Expressions of interest should be sent to Patrick Jones, at 
patrick.jones at icann.org by 23:59 UTC on 18 February 2008. ICANN is 
hoping to select a qualified entity or entities to assist with auctions 
in 2008.

Accordingly, ICANN is eager to commence a dialogue to determine whether 
your service is interested and would be capable of assisting ICANN with 
the development and management of auction processes. ICANN requests 
Expressions of Interest from potential entities that include information 
showing that your organization can fulfill the requirements set forth 
above, as well as background information about your organization, 
appropriate experience and additional qualifications you believe would 
be relevant, but that are not addressed above.

-- 
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat - ICANN
gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org