[registrars] Accreditation Update

["Michael D. Palage" <michael@palage.com>]

I spoke with Dan Halloran and he provided the following update. Last week
ICANN sent out a email dated May 10 that provided the steps registrars must
take to become accredited in the new TLDs. To date ICANN has received
approximately 50 replies. ICANN however, is NOT sending confirmation of
their receipt of your email. So if you do not hear something that does not
mean that they have not received it.

ICANN is in the process of generating a mail merge list and will be sending
the agreements out via overnight courier shortly. I have asked Dan to send
an email to the list when the agreements are printed and placed in the mail
so that you can be on the lookout for them.

The new agreement will be a standard universal accreditation agreement with
individual appendixes for those TLDs that you seek to provide domain name
registrars services in. This will make it much easier as additional TLDs are
added in the future.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

Best regards,

Mike


ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT FROM ICANN LAST WEEK

Dear Registrar,

On 7 May 2001, ICANN's Board of Directors voted to approve (with some
minor modifications) ICANN's agreements with Neulevel (.biz) and Afilias
(.info).  The Board also authorized the implementation of the agreements
once they are signed, including by accrediting registrars for the .biz
and .info top-level domains.

Negotiations with the .name and .pro "unsponsored" TLDs are still in
progress.  We hope to complete these in the next several weeks.  We have
also begun discussions with the sponsors of the .aero, .coop, and
.museum TLDs.  We will let you know as there are further developments.

Registrars already accredited and in good standing for .com, .net, and
.org (whether or not currently operating as a registrar in those TLDs)
will be accredited for .biz and/or .info without additional qualifying
procedures upon entering appropriate accreditation agreements.  In order
to offer registrar services in the New TLDs, you will need to complete
the following steps:

1) Request a New Registrar Accreditation Agreement.  We hope to have
this ready for sending to requesting registrars as early as Monday, 14
May 2001.  Please send an email to <liaison@icann.org> asking us to
generate and send you a new agreement.  Your request should include the
following up-to-date information:

Registrar Name (including any name(s) under which you conduct the
   registrar business):
Registrar Website URL:
Organization type and jurisdiction (e.g., a Delaware corporation):
Mailing Address:
Courier/Street Address (if different):
City:
State/Province:
Postal/Zip Code:
Country:
Primary Contact Person:
Phone Number:
Fax Number:
Email Address:

2) Sign and return the new Registrar Accreditation Agreement.  Under the
new agreement, you will have the option of selecting any or all of the
unsponsored TLDs (.biz/.com/.info/.org/.net for now, and .name/.pro
later) for which you wish to be accredited.  There will be a short
appendix for each one you select with any TLD-specific items.  An
authorized representative of your company must sign and date two copies
of the agreement and each applicable appendix, surrender your old
accreditation agreement, and send the agreements to ICANN.

3) Enter into a Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA) for each TLD with the
registry operator.  The form of the RRA depends on the particular TLD.

4) Complete ramp-up and operational testing procedures with the new
registry operators.  Participate in New TLD start-up plans.  Additional
details can be found at the registry operators' websites:
<www.afilias.com> (.info) and <www.neulevel.com> (.biz).  Please note
that the start-up registration systems have been designed to ensure
fairness to those seeking to register.  "Land rush" registrations will
be processed in randomized queue systems. All registrars should
carefully review the New TLD Registration Start-up Plans to ensure that
planned registration services and marketing efforts correspond to the
actual procedures established in Appendix J of each New TLD Agreement
<http://www.icann.org/tlds/>.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

Best regards,



Louis Touton
ICANN