[At-Large] Request for Information on Contact Data Validation and Verification Systems (Available Until 7 March 2014)

Fri Feb 7 22:08:16 UTC 2014

Dear All,

Apologies if you have received this already.
Relevant announcement below:

Regards,
Sala

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ICANN At-Large Staff <staff at atlarge.icann.org>
Date: Sat, Feb 8, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Subject: [ALAC-Announce] ICANN News Alert -- Request for Information on
Contact Data Validation and Verification Systems (Available Until 7 March
2014)

[http://www.icann.org/images/gradlogo_bow.jpg]<http://www.icann.org/>
News Alert

http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-07feb14-en.htm

________________________________
Request for Information on Contact Data Validation and Verification Systems
(Available Until 7 March 2014)

7 February 2014

ICANN is publishing a Request for Information (RFI)<
http://www.icann.org/en/news/rfps/contact-data-validation-rfi-07feb14-en.pdf>
[PDF, 395 KB] to identify any commercially-available services and software
that might be capable of validating or verifying domain name registration
contact data (such as WHOIS).

This RFI is intended to inform two distinct ICANN projects that require
address validation and verification. The first project relates to a
near-term need for postal address cross-field validation services arising
out of requirements applicable to those registrars who have signed the new
2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA Project).

In addition, ICANN is seeking similar information for a separate longer
term project in connection with Expert Working Group on Next Generation
gTLD Directory Services ("EWG") recommendations to identify a replacement
to the current WHOIS system. The EWG is now developing recommendations for
a new system that could better meet global Internet community needs for
domain name registration data while offering greater privacy, accuracy, and
accountability (EWG Project).

Purpose of RFI

The purpose of this RFI is purely informational - that is, to inform the
development of policies and procedures that may follow both of these
initiatives. As a result, potential Respondents responding to any future
RFP for either the RAA Project or the EWG Project will not be bound by the
estimates, prices, or other information provided in response to this RFI.

RFI Attributes

 *   RFI Availability Date: 7 February 2014
 *   The Requirements and Instructions are more fully described in the RFI<
http://www.icann.org/en/news/rfps/contact-data-validation-rfi-07feb14-en.pdf>
[PDF, 395 KB]
 *   RFI Close Date: 7 March 2014, 23:59 UTC
 *   RFI Language: English only
 *   Responses should be submitted via email to rfi-response at icann.org
<mailto:rfi-response at icann.org>

ICANN greatly appreciates any insights on this topic from those commercial
providers interested in sharing information about their services.

Background on the RAA Project

Registrars who are accredited under the 2013 RAA are currently required to
perform limited validation of registration contact data. The agreement
envisions<
http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/raa/approved-with-specs-27jun13-en.htm#whois-accuracy>
that registrars will also perform cross-field validation of address data
(e.g., the house number exists on the street, which exists in the city and
province, and the postal code is correct). This cross-field validation
requirement becomes effective 6 months after ICANN and a working group of
registrar volunteers have agreed that cross-field validation is technically
and commercially feasible.

ICANN has convened the registrar working group that is exploring address
validation service options. The RFI published today intended to help inform
that working group's work.

Background on the EWG Project

In December 2012, ICANN announced the creation of an Expert Working Group
(EWG) on next-generation gTLD Registration Directory Services, as a first
step in fulfilling the ICANN Board's directive to help redefine the purpose
and provision of gTLD registration data. The EWG's findings are expected to
serve as a foundation to help the GNSO create a new global policy for the
provision of gTLD registration data.

A significant milestone was reached on 24 June 2013<
http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-3-24jun13-en.htm>
with the publication <
http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-3-24jun13-en.htm>
of the Expert Working Group on gTLD Directory Services<
http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services> (EWG)'s
Initial Report and FAQs, opening a consultation period with the ICANN
community. The Initial Report<
http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/initial-report-24jun13-en.pdf>
[PDF, 1.70 MB] enumerated the users, purposes, data elements, recommended
principles and features, and proposed model to guide the development of a
next generation Registration Directory Service (RDS) to replace WHOIS.

Prior to the ICANN Meeting in Buenos Aires, the EWG published its Status
Update Report<
http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/status-update-11nov13-en.pdf>
[PDF, 2.26 MB] to highlight the EWG's thinking on these and many other key
issues. It also provides a great deal more detail on the analysis that lay
behind the Initial Report<
http://www.icann.org/en/groups/other/gtld-directory-services/initial-report-24jun13-en.pdf>
[PDF, 1.70 MB].

The EWG is currently in its research and information gathering phase. This
RFI is one of several research efforts that the EWG is currently
undertaking to ensure that its final recommendations are supported by facts
and informed by current practices.

The EWG expects to complete its recommendations in 2014, informed by
Community feedback and in-depth analysis of selected areas, including the
responses to this RFI. The EWG plans to reconvene in March 2014 to derive
fact-based recommendations after carefully examining the results of its
research, and expects to deliver its final report to the ICANN Board by
June 2014.

Questions

If questions arise about the RFI regarding the EWG Project, please contact
Margie Milam, or Mike Zupke regarding the RAA Project. Any such inquiries
should be sent to PP-EWG-Survey at icann.org<mailto:PP-EWG-Survey at icann.org>.
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