[registrars] 2006-2007 ICANN Operational plan

[Bruce Tonkin]

Hello All,

Here are some extracts from the plan that relates to registrars:

 
Compliance 
===========
 
The budget provides that ICANN will augment the corporate compliance
program, including the 
system for auditing registry and registrar contracts for compliance by
all parties to such 
agreements. ICANN published its compliance program at
http://www.icann.org/compliance/. 
 
The compliance program will build upon existing, constructive
relationships with the registrar 
and registry communities. The elements of the initial program will
consist of: 
 
* Establishment of technical and non-technical audit functions to
review, on a regular basis, 
registry/registrar operations to ensure compliance with contracts and
appropriate 
standards. 
 
* Statistical tracking and analysis of registrant and user
complaints/comments regarding 
specific registries/registrars. 

* Rapid follow-up on specific instances of behaviour. Working
constructively with 
registries and registrars to implement and complete corrective action
plans.

* Implementing a planned escalation of actions and associated cure
periods, including legal 
and specific performance remedies, in order to correct ongoing harm and
to ensure 
legitimacy for the compliance function. 

* With the registrar constituency, re-writing the Registrar
Accreditation Agreement to 
better define acceptable forms of operation. 

An effective compliance program will protect peer and client members of
the Internet 
community by ensuring consistency of conduct across the registrar and
registry communities. 
 

Improvement of Registration Services 
=====================================
 
Registration providers offer an invaluable service to the global
Internet community by registering 
domain names and IP number assignments and publishing the information
that ensures stable 
mapping of names to Internet resources. ICANN will provide and improve
the following services 
to registration providers: 
 
* Provide improved staff support for the GNSO, ccNSO, ASO and advisory
committees to 
facilitate integrated development and implementation of the framework of
technical rules, 
standards and agreed procedures (which the Internet community refers to
as "policies") 
that together facilitate the effective management of the domain space
and IP address 
allocations. 

* Provide staff and infrastructure to supply data escrow coordination
and services. 

* Improve the accreditation process and issue accreditations,
eliminating backlog and 
effectively evaluating and dealing with problematic accreditation
applications made for 
securing deleted names only. 

Services to registrants: 
 
* Facilitate the implementation of failover mechanisms to protect
registrants in the event of 
registry failure. 

* Enhance the website and staff the public participation function to
educate consumers 
about resources for protection of consumer interests, dispute
resolution, consumer 
protection and law enforcement, as well as promote consumer interests
through 
information and service tools. 

* Improve Whois accuracy through ICANN's Whois Data Problem Reports
system. The 
new closed-loop system will provide follow-up from staff to ensure that
corrections are 
made or names are deleted. ICANN staff will also undertake proactive
statistical 
sampling studies to determine the overall database accuracy and then
develop a plan for 
improvement. 

* Implement tracking mechanisms for facilitating the channelling and
resolution of 
customer service issues. 

Meeting the needs of registration providers and consumers is already a
significant element of 
ICANN's budget, but there are many activities that are under-funded and
under-staffed in light of 
the demand for such services. To provide the level of service that
appropriately fulfils ICANN's 
service goals will require substantial investments in systems,
infrastructure, regional presence 
and personnel. 
 

gTLD Registrar tasks 
=====================
 
* Continue to improve full contractual compliance program for registrars
and registries 
including compliance philosophy, staffing plan, complaint management,
auditing procedures, 
and interactions with government agencies. Develop metrics to measure
program 
effectiveness. 

* Enhance automated processes involved in managing Registrar Liaison
functions including 
registrar accreditation and renewal processes, the registrar database
and billing systems, and 
project management. 

* Enhance registrar/registry partnerships through regional workshops and
through enhanced 
communication and reporting: 
o Regional Workshops 
o Reporting / dashboard 
o Communications 
o Translation 
o IDN TLD communication 

* Develop a registrar data escrow program in collaboration with the
registrar community. 
Install and operate the infrastructure needed to escrow data or contract
with an outside entity 
to provide technical infrastructure. Create a process for approving
third-party data escrow 
service providers and verifying compliance with ICANN's data escrow
policies and 
procedures 

* Re-form the RAA to address current issues not addressed in the current
agreement, among 
them: new markets and market behaviours, approval mechanisms for
registrar fees, standards 
for accreditation approval, registrar data escrow and failover
mechanisms, sanction program. 

End Users
==========
 
* Develop methods for handling queries and complaints. Collect data from
phone calls and 
emails so that tools can be developed that will reduce staff burden,
communicate effectively 
with those who contact ICANN, and answer questions that are passed in
through the Board or 
staff. Tailor these efforts so that complaints are passed on to
appropriate bodies or 
organizations (i.e., not ICANN). 

* Review UDRP for effectiveness. 


Procedures for dealing with potential business failure of key
operational entities 
========================================================================
===========
 
* Develop and implement emergency response plan comprised of procedures
to react to the 
business or physical failure at ICANN, at one or more gTLD registrars,
or at operators of the 
top-level domains. Features of the plan will include: 
  o An effective data escrow program at the registrar-level and
procedures for sharing 
that information with a substitute registrar when appropriate. Aspects
of the plan 
will include: 
    . Establishing an ICANN escrow agent 
    . Implementing a Quality Assurance plan 

* Develop and implement a registry failover plan to ensure ongoing query
resolution in the 
event of registry failure (physical or business). 

* Continue execution of contingency plan. Ensure continuation of
operations during physical 
or business interruption of ICANN operations including providing and
maintaining 
appropriate redundant, geographically diverse infrastructure and
executing business backup 
arrangements, such as a coordination plan with TLDs, root-servers and
other critical 
infrastructure players.