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The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) is responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to gTLDs. The GNSO Council is now exploring several extensive studies of WHOIS and has asked ICANN to estimate the cost and feasibility of conducting several studies proposed by members of the ICANN community and ICANN’s Government Advisory Committee. This particular area of study focuses on the extent to which domain names used to conduct illegal or harmful Internet activities are registered via privacy or proxy services to obscure the perpetrator’s identity. ICANN is seeking to engage independent research organizations to undertake this study. The WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Study Cover Letter [PDF, 99 KB] illustrates the scope of work and the criteria for selection. This Cover Letter should be read in conjunction with the Terms of Reference for the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Studies RFP [PDF, 321 KB]. Read together, these two documents provide the materials necessary to respond to this Request for Proposals ("RFP") for the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Studies.

More information about WHOIS may be found at: http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois/

By 20 July 2010, interested applicants should submit proposals by email to rfpwhois@icann.org to the attention of Liz Gasster, Senior Policy Counselor, ICANN Policy Department. A confirmation email will be sent for each proposal received.