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Revised VeriSign .com
Registry Agreement: Appendix S
Posted: 16 April 2001
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Escrow Agreement
This Escrow Agreement ("Agreement")
is made as of this ___ day of _________________, _____, by and
between VeriSign, Inc., doing business as VeriSign Global Registry
Services ("VGRS" ), [Escrow Agent] ("Escrow Agent"),
and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN").
Preliminary
Statement. VGRS intends to deliver
the "Deposit Materials" and any "Additional Deposit"
to Escrow Agent as defined and provided for herein. VGRS desires
Escrow Agent to hold the Deposit Materials and, upon certain
events described herein, deliver the Deposit Materials (or a
copy thereof) to ICANN in accordance with the terms hereof.
Now, therefore, in consideration of the
foregoing, of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, and
for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Delivery by VGRS. VGRS shall be solely responsible for delivering
to Escrow Agent the Deposit Materials, as defined and described
in Exhibit A, the "Task Order and Statement of Work,"
attached to Appendix R and incorporated herein by reference.
VGRS may elect to deliver the Deposit Materials by the "Electronic
Delivery Service," also defined in Exhibits A and B to Appendix
R or in a manner mutually agreed upon by Escrow Agent and VGRS.
Upon receipt of the Deposit Materials via Electronic Delivery
Service, Escrow Agent shall download the Deposit Materials onto
CD-ROM and generate a file listing which Escrow Agent shall,
within ten (10) business days, forward to VGRS, via email. Within
two (2) business days after receiving them, Escrow Agent shall
verify that any Deposit Materials are in the proper format and
appear to be complete by performing the verification procedures
specified in Exhibit B1 and B2 of Appendix R. Escrow Agent shall
deliver, on the last business day of each month, a written certification
to ICANN that it has performed those verification procedures
on all Deposit Materials received during the last month and shall
deliver to ICANN a copy of the verification reports generated
by those procedures. If Escrow Agent discovers that any Deposit
Materials fail the verification procedures, Escrow Agent shall
notify ICANN of such nonconformity within forty-eight (48) hours.
Escrow Agent shall then hold the Deposit Materials in accordance
with the terms and conditions hereof.
2. Duplication; Periodic
Updates
(a) Escrow Agent may duplicate
the Deposit Materials by any means in order to comply with the
terms and provisions of this Agreement. Alternatively, Escrow
Agent, by notice to VGRS, may reasonably require VGRS to promptly
duplicate the Deposit Materials and forward the same to Escrow
Agent.
(b) VGRS shall deposit
with Escrow Agent the "Additional Deposit," as defined
and described in the attached Exhibit A of Appendix R. Within
two (2) business days after receiving them, Escrow Agent shall
verify that any Additional Deposits are in the proper format
and appear to be complete by performing the verification procedures
specified in Exhibit B1 and B2 of Appendix R. Escrow Agent shall
deliver, on the last business day of each month, a written certification
to ICANN that it has performed those verification procedures
on all Additional Deposits received during the last month and
shall deliver to ICANN a copy of the verification reports generated
by those procedures. If Escrow Agent discovers that any Additional
Deposits fail the verification procedures, Escrow Agent shall
notify ICANN of such nonconformity within forty-eight (48) hours.
3. Notification of Deposits.
Simultaneous with the delivery
to Escrow Agent of the Deposit Materials or any Additional Deposit,
as the case may be, VGRS shall deliver to Escrow Agent a written
statement, via email, specifically identifying all items deposited
and stating that the Deposit Materials and/or any Additional
Deposit have been inspected by VGRS and are complete and accurate.
Escrow Agent shall, within ten (10) business days of receipt
of any Deposit Materials or Additional Deposit, send notification
to VGRS, via email, that it has received from VGRS such Deposit
Materials and/or any such Additional Deposit. In addition, Escrow
Agent shall also include a copy of the verification report as
confirmation that it has run the verification process.
4. Delivery by Escrow
Agent
4.1 Delivery by Escrow
Agent to ICANN. Escrow Agent shall
deliver the Deposit Materials and any Additional Deposits received
since the last submission of Deposit Material ("Outstanding
Additional Deposits"), or a complete copy thereof, to ICANN
only in the event that:
(a) VGRS notifies Escrow
Agent to effect such delivery to ICANN at a specific address,
the notification being accompanied by a check payable to Escrow
Agent in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00); or
(b) Escrow Agent receives
from ICANN:
(i) Written notification
that the Registry Agreement between VGRS and ICANN dated [April
____, 2001] ("Registry Agreement") has been validly
and legally terminated by ICANN under Section 14 of the Registry
Agreement or, if not sooner terminated, written notification
that the Registry Agreement has expired and that it has been
finally determined by the ICANN Board (and no injunction obtained
pursuant to Section 13 of the Registry Agreement has been obtained)
that VGRS will not be designated as the successor registry under
Section 22 of the Registry Agreement (either event generically
referred to herein as the "Registry Termination");
(ii) evidence satisfactory
to Escrow Agent that ICANN has previously notified VGRS of such
Registry Termination in writing;
(iii) a written demand
that the Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional Deposits
be released and delivered to ICANN;
(iv) a written undertaking
from ICANN that the Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional
Deposits being supplied to ICANN will be used only as permitted
under the terms of the Registry Agreement;
(v) specific instructions
from ICANN for this delivery; and
(vi) a check from VGRS,
or from ICANN (who will then be reimbursed by VGRS), payable
to Escrow Agent in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00);
or
(c) Release occurs according
to Paragraph 8(b).
4.2 Delivery at VGRS's
Request. If the provisions of
4.1(a) are satisfied, Escrow Agent shall, within five (5) business
days after receipt of the notification and check specified in
paragraph 4.1(a), deliver the Deposit Materials and Outstanding
Additional Deposits in accordance with the applicable instructions.
4.3 Delivery at ICANN's
Request. If the provisions of
paragraphs 4.1(b) or 4.1(c) are satisfied, Escrow Agent, within
five (5) business days after receipt of all the documents specified
in these paragraphs, shall deliver the following: (i) to VGRS,
a photostatic copy of all such documents; (ii) to ICANN, as
specifically instructed by ICANN, electronic copies of the Deposit
Materials and electronic copies of the Outstanding Additional
Deposits. VGRS shall then have thirty (30) days from the date
on which VGRS receives such documents ("Objection Period")
to notify Escrow Agent of its objection ("Objection Notice")
to the release of the Deposit Materials to ICANN and request
that the issue of entitlement to a copy of the Deposit Materials
be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the following
provisions:
(a) The sending of an
Objection Notice shall not delay delivery of Deposit Materials
and Outstanding Additional Deposits to ICANN.
(b) If VGRS shall send
an Objection Notice to Escrow Agent during the Objection Period,
the matter shall be submitted to and settled by arbitration by
a panel of three (3) arbitrators chosen by the American Arbitration
Association in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration
Association. The arbitrators shall apply the law of California
exclusive of its conflicts of laws rules. At least one (1) arbitrator
shall be reasonably familiar with the Internet industry. The
decision of the arbitrators shall be binding and conclusive on
all parties involved, and judgment upon their decision may be
entered in a court of competent jurisdiction. All costs of the
arbitration incurred by Escrow Agent, including reasonable attorneys'
fees and costs, shall be paid by the party which does not prevail
in the arbitration; provided, however, if the arbitration is
settled prior to a decision by the arbitrators, the parties involved
in the arbitration shall each pay an equal percentage of all
such costs.
(c) Notwithstanding
Paragraph 4.3(b), the parties agree that any arbitration brought
pursuant to Paragraph 4.3 shall be conducted consistently and
in accordance with any prior arbitration or court decisions involving
the Registry Agreement. The parties further agree that any arbitration
brought pursuant to Paragraph 4.3 shall not examine, re-evaluate,
reconsider, or otherwise be subject to review by any issues,
causes of action, or other claims which were decided, or which
a party had a reasonable opportunity to raise, in an arbitration
or court decision involving the Registry Agreement and/or the
Cooperative Agreement, and that any decision regarding such issues
or claims in an arbitration brought pursuant to Paragraph 4.3
would be invalid, unenforceable, and not binding. The propriety,
validity, legality, or effectiveness of any terminations or actions
under the Registry Agreement [or Cooperative Agreement] shall
be determined solely through procedures and remedies provided
for by those respective agreements, not through any arbitration
brought pursuant to Paragraph 4.3. Any arbitration proceeding
brought pursuant to Paragraph 4.3 shall be limited to a determination
of whether Paragraph 4.1(b) has been satisfied.
(d) VGRS may, at any
time prior to the commencement of arbitration proceedings, notify
Escrow Agent that VGRS has withdrawn the Objection Notice. Upon
receipt of any such notice from VGRS, Escrow Agent shall promptly
deliver any Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional Deposits
to ICANN in accordance with the instructions provided by ICANN,
to the extent such Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional
Deposits have not already been delivered.
(e) If the release of
materials to ICANN pursuant to Paragraph 4.3 is judged to be
proper in any arbitration brought in accordance with Paragraph
4.3, Escrow Agent shall promptly deliver to ICANN, in accordance
with the instructions specified in paragraph 4.1(b)(v) above,
any Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional Deposits that
have not previously been delivered (such as those that were received
by Escrow Agent after Escrow Agent's initial delivery of materials
to ICANN pursuant to Paragraph 4.3). All parties agree that
Escrow Agent shall not be required to deliver such Deposit Materials
and Outstanding Additional Deposits until all such fees then
due to Escrow Agent have been paid.
(f) If the release of
the Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional Deposits to
ICANN pursuant to Paragraph 4.3 is judged to have been improper
in any arbitration brought in accordance with Paragraph 4.3,
ICANN shall promptly return or destroy, at VGRS's discretion,
those Deposit Materials and Outstanding Additional Deposits that
were received by ICANN pursuant to Paragraph 4.3.
4.4 Delivery by Escrow
Agent to VGRS. Escrow Agent shall
release and deliver the Deposit Materials and any Additional
Deposit to VGRS upon termination of this Agreement in accordance
with paragraph 7(a) or 7(b) hereof.
5. Indemnity. VGRS and ICANN shall jointly and severally indemnify
and hold harmless Escrow Agent and each of its directors, officers,
agents, employees and stockholders ("Escrow Agent Indemnitees")
absolutely and forever, from and against any and all claims,
actions, damages, suits, liabilities, obligations, costs, fees,
charges, and any other expenses whatsoever, including reasonable
attorneys' fees and costs, that may be asserted by a third party
against any Escrow Agent Indemnitee in connection with this Agreement
or the performance of Escrow Agent or any Escrow Agent Indemnitee
hereunder. Escrow Agent shall likewise indemnify VGRS, ICANN,
and each of their directors, officers, agents, employees and
stockholders ("Indemnitees") absolutely and forever,
from and against any and all claims, actions, damages, suits,
liabilities, obligations, costs, fees, charges, and any other
expenses whatsoever, including reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs, that may be asserted by a third party against any Indemnitee
in connection with the misrepresentation, negligence or misconduct
of Escrow Agent, its employees, or contractors in satisfying
Escrow Agent's obligations under this Agreement.
6. Disputes and Interpleader.
(a) Escrow Agent may submit
any dispute under this Agreement to any court of competent jurisdiction
in an interpleader or similar action other than a matter submitted
to arbitration after Escrow Agent's receipt of an Objection Notice
under Paragraph 4 and the parties under this Agreement submit
the matter to such arbitration as described in Paragraph 4 of
this Agreement. Any and all costs incurred by Escrow Agent in
connection therewith, including reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs, shall be borne 50% by each of VGRS and ICANN.
(b) Escrow Agent shall
perform any acts ordered by any court of competent jurisdiction,
without any liability or obligation to any party hereunder by
reason of such act.
7. Term and Renewal.
(a) The initial term of
this Agreement shall be two (2) years, commencing on the date
hereof (the "Initial Term"). This Agreement shall
be automatically extended for an additional term of one year
("Additional Term") at the end of the Initial Term
and at the end of each Additional Term hereunder unless, on or
before ninety (90) days prior to the end of the Initial Term
or an Additional Term, as the case may be, either (i) Escrow
Agent or (ii) VGRS, with the concurrence of ICANN, notifies the
other parties that it wishes to terminate the Agreement at the
end of such term.
(b) In the event VGRS
gives notice of its intent to terminate pursuant to Paragraph
7(a), and ICANN fails to concur according to Paragraph 7(a),
ICANN shall be responsible for payment of all subsequent fees
in accordance with Exhibit A of Appendix R and shall have the
right to terminate this Agreement at the end of the Initial Term
or any Additional Term upon giving the other parties ninety (90)
days notice.
(c) In the event of termination
of this Agreement in accordance with Paragraph 7(a) or 7(b) hereof,
VGRS shall pay all fees due Escrow Agent and shall promptly notify
ICANN that this Agreement has been terminated and that Escrow
Agent shall return to VGRS all copies of the Deposit Materials
and any Additional Deposit then in its possession.
8. Fees. VGRS shall pay to Escrow Agent the applicable
fees in accordance with Exhibit A of Appendix R as compensation
for Escrow Agent's services under this Agreement. The first
year's fees are due upon receipt of the signed contract or Deposit
Materials, whichever comes first, and shall be paid in U.S. Dollars.
(a) Payment. Escrow Agent shall issue an invoice to VGRS following
execution of this Agreement ("Initial Invoice"), on
the commencement of any Additional Term hereunder, and in connection
with the performance of any additional services hereunder. Payment
is due upon receipt of an invoice. All fees and charges are
exclusive of, and VGRS is responsible for the payment of, all
sales, use and like taxes. Escrow Agent shall have no obligations
under this Agreement until the Initial Invoice has been paid
in full by VGRS.
(b) Nonpayment. In the event of non-payment of any fees or charges
invoiced by Escrow Agent, Escrow Agent shall give notice of non-payment
of any fee due and payable hereunder to VGRS and, in such an
event, VGRS shall have the right to pay the unpaid fee within
ten (10) days after receipt of notice from Escrow Agent. If
VGRS fails to pay in full all fees due during such ten (10) day
period, Escrow Agent shall give notice of non-payment of any
fee due and payable hereunder to ICANN and, in such event, ICANN
shall have the right to pay the unpaid fee within ten (10) days
of receipt of such notice from Escrow Agent. Upon payment of
the unpaid fee by either VGRS or ICANN, as the case may be, this
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the end
of the applicable term. Failure to pay the unpaid fee under
this paragraph 8(b) by either VGRS or ICANN shall result in termination
of this Agreement and the delivery to ICANN, as specifically
instructed by ICANN, of the Deposit Materials and any Additional
Deposits held in escrow by Escrow Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
9. Ownership of Deposit
Materials. The parties recognize
and acknowledge that ownership of the Deposit Materials during
the effective term of this Agreement shall remain with VGRS at
all times.
10. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. Except for misrepresentation, negligence or misconduct
by Escrow Agent, its employees, or contractors, Escrow Agent
shall not be liable to VGRS or to ICANN for any act, or failure
to act, by Escrow Agent in connection with this Agreement. Any
liability of Escrow Agent regardless of the cause shall be limited
to the fees exchanged under this Agreement. Escrow Agent will
not be liable for special, indirect, incidental or consequential
damages hereunder.
(b) Permitted Reliance
and Abstention. Escrow Agent may
rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from
acting upon any notice or other document believed by Escrow Agent
in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented
by the proper person or entity. Escrow Agent shall have no duties
or responsibilities except those expressly set forth herein.
(c) Independent Contractor. Escrow Agent is an independent contractor and
is not an employee or agent of either VGRS or ICANN.
(d) Amendments. This Agreement shall not be modified or amended
except by another agreement in writing executed by each of the
parties hereto.
(e) Assignment. Neither VGRS nor ICANN may assign or transfer
this Agreement (by merger, sale of assets, operation of law,
or otherwise), except that the rights and obligations of VGRS
or ICANN automatically shall be transferred to the assignee of
one of those parties' rights and obligations under the Registry
Agreement. Escrow Agent may not assign or transfer this Agreement
without the prior written consent of both VGRS and ICANN.
(f) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including all exhibits hereto,
supersedes all prior discussions, understandings and agreements
between Escrow Agent and the other parties with respect to the
matters contained herein, and constitutes the entire agreement
between Escrow Agent and the other parties with respect to the
matters contemplated herein. All exhibits attached to Appendix
R, specifically, Exhibit A (consisting of Task Order and Statement
of Work, File Size Estimates, Table 1, Table 2, and Additional
Terms and Conditions), Exhibit B1 and Exhibit B2, are by this
reference made a part of this Agreement and are incorporated
herein.
(g) Counterparts;
Governing Law. This Agreement
may be executed in counterparts, each of which when so executed
shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken
together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement
shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws
of California, without regard to its conflicts of law principles.
Except as specifically provided for herein, all of the parties
additionally consent to the personal jurisdiction of California,
acknowledge that venue is proper in any state and Federal court
in California, agree to any action related to this Agreement
properly brought in one of these courts, and waive any objection
it has or may have in the future with respect to any of the foregoing.
(h) Confidentiality. Escrow Agent will hold and release the Deposit
Materials only in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof,
and will maintain the confidentiality of the Deposit Materials
at all times.
(i) Notices. All notices, requests, demands or other communications
required or permitted to be given or made under this Agreement
shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or by commercial
overnight delivery service which provides for evidence of receipt,
or mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid. If delivered personally or by commercial overnight
delivery service, the date on which the notice, request, instruction
or document is delivered shall be the date on which delivery
is deemed to be made, and if delivered by mail, the date on which
such notice, request, instruction or document is received shall
be the date on which delivery is deemed to be made. Any party
may change its address for the purpose of this Agreement by notice
in writing to the other parties as provided herein.
(j) Survival. Paragraphs 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
(k) No Waiver. No failure on the part of any party hereto to
exercise, and no delay in exercising any right, power or single
or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy by any party
will preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise
of any other right, power or remedy. No express waiver or assent
by any party hereto to any breach of or default in any term or
condition of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of or an
assent to any succeeding breach of or default in the same or
any other term or condition hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF each of the parties
has caused its duly authorized officer to execute this Agreement
as of the date and year first above written.
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Escrow Agent
By:
Title:_____________________________________
Print Name:________________________________
Address:__________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Phone:___________________________________
Fax:_____________________________________
E-mail:____________________________________
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VeriSign, Inc.
By:
Title:_____________________________________
Print Name:________________________________
Address:__________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Phone:___________________________________
Fax:_____________________________________
E-mail:____________________________________
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Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers
By:
Title:_____________________________________
Print Name:________________________________
Address:__________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Phone:___________________________________
Fax:_____________________________________
E-mail:____________________________________
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Page Updated 16-April-2001
(c) 2001 The Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
All rights reserved.
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