The Africa Domain Name Industry Award


There are 54 ccTLD registries operating name spaces of African countries and new gTLD registry applications to ICANN from African companies. There are additionally 5 ICANN accredited Registrars operating in Africa and the growth of DNS business in Africa is anticipated

These Registries and Registrars have varied accomplishments and have been faced with a variety of technical, policy and business challenges. While the bottom up coordination groups for ccTLD Registries, AfTLD, and Registrars AfRegistrars are developing their communities and common best practices, ICANN Africa would like to recognize the businesses that are making advances with appropriate honors. The award will identify leaders of DNS industry and contribute to reinforcing best industry practices of the community in the process

ICANN Africa, in partnership with the AfTLD and ISOC Africa has established an award committee to initiate the award program for registries and registrars in Africa and to define an annual program for the DNS industry

The award committee is made up of 7 professionals with knowledge in the registry registrar industry. Two members of the committee are appointed by ICANN Africa while the other 3 are appointed by ISOC, AfTLD, AfRegistrar communities, one from GAC  Africa and one from the Global DNS industry. Members of the award committee may not be nominated for these awards during their term

The Award committee is to develop a framework for making annual awards for best Registry and Registrar in Africa and to organize the first of the annual awards. The framework will include the nature of award, it's branding, type of awards, criteria, process for nominating candidates 


Elements of Framework 
The award is recognition for contribution to the development of the DNS Industry in Africa. The award is a DNS Industry award sponsored by ICANN and ISOC. The brand is "The Africa DNS Industry Award"

The nature of the award is a token gift and an accompanying cash price of $5,000.00

There would be two types of awards, one each for Registries and Registrars in the DNS industry

Some criteria for identifying deserving honorees include size of name space, growth of name space, performance, reliability, security and other services including hosting and payments. Questions around these would be constructed in a questionnaire to be completed by each nominee online or by email


Typical Registry Questionnaire 

Registry being nominated
Nominee Name
Relationship to Registry 


1. Registry Governance and Policy
a. Description of the Registry Governance Structure (i.e organization type, Ownership structure, etc)
b. Registry Policy Development Process (i.e with stakeholders, internal, published policies)
c. Community Contributions (i.e policy contributions, event sponsorship, supporting local capacity building, internship program, CSR, etc)
d. Dispute resolution process (number of disputes, resolved, outstanding, etc)

2. Registry Sustainability and Business Model
a. Registry/Registrar model (i.e 2R or 3R model, how many registrars, etc)
b. Registry competitiveness (i.e cost of domain names, 2nd level and 3rd level registrations, electronic payments, online registrations, etc)
c. Registry Innovation (Domain auctions, marketing awareness, registrar discounts, new second levels, etc)
d. Registry Statistics Data (i.e 12 month domain registration, retention rate)
e.  
3. Registry Technical Operational
a. Location of Technical Operations (local/international)
b. Technical Competence (Setup, compliance to RFC2181/BCP16, use of any cast, Peering at local IXP, own ASN, IP address space, etc) 
c. Registry DNS/Zone Security implementations 
d. Registration Efficiency (online registration, updating, time to publish/effect changes, etc)
e. Registry Support Tools (ticketing systems, website, whois-system, email, etc) 

4. Registry Narrative
a. Why should the registry be considered for the award?
b. Other awards and recognition that they have received locally/regionally






Typical Registrar questionnaire
Registrar being nominated
Nominee Name
Relationship to Registrar

5. Registrar Governance and Policy
a. Description of the Registrar Governance Structure (i.e type of organization i.e  profit entity)
b. Community Contributions (i.e policy contributions, event sponsorship, supporting local capacity building, internship program, CSR, etc)
c. Dispute resolution (number of disputes)


6. Registrar Sustainability and Business Model
a. Registrar Accreditation (local and or international)
b. Registrar competitiveness (i.e cost of domain names, Registries offered, , electronic payments, online registrations, etc)
c. Registrar Innovation (Domain auctions, marketing awareness, registrant discounts, etc)
d. Registrar Statistics Data (i.e 12 month domain registration, retention rate) 


7. Registrar Technical Operational
a. Location of Technical Operations (local/international)
b. Registrar Technical Competence (Setup, compliance to RFC2181/BCP16, use of any cast, Peering at local IXP, own ASN, IP address space, etc) 
c. Registrar Security implementations 
d. Registration Efficiency (online registration, updating, time to publish/effect changes, etc)
e. Registrar Support Tools (ticketing systems, website, whois-system, email, etc) 

8. Registrar Narrative
a. Why should the registrar be considered for the award?
b. Other awards and recognition that they have received locally/regionally




A proposed Evaluation Process

Members will first discuss what they would be looking for from the nominees for the year based on the criteria above and any concurrent message associated with the award or significance. Thereafter, members vote to assess each nominee.

The totals of the initial vote would be used to produce a short list of 2-3 candidates in each of two categories, Registries and Registrars

A further discussion will be held on the  listed candidates looking for consensus candidates and if necessary the members will vote for one nominee in each of the two categories

Timetable 

The initial awards will be given at the DNS Forum 2013 in Durban ICANN meeting in July, 2013

After administrative preparations the award will open for nominations and expressions of interest from 1st May to 5th June  2013

The awardees will be announced 30, June 2013 and awards will be given at Durban ICANN meeting in July 2013