Proposals Sought to Provide Costs and Feasibility to Conduct WHOIS Registrant Identification Studies

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. The first area of study focuses on "misuse" of public WHOIS information, and an RFP related to these studies, was posted on 27 September 2009. ICANN is now seeking to engage independent research organizations to undertake proposed WHOIS registrant identification studies. The Registrant Identification Studies RFP Cover Letter [PDF, 45K] illustrates the scope of work and the criteria for selection. This document should be read in conjunction with the Terms of Reference for WHOIS Registrant Identification Studies RFP [PDF, 85K]. Read together, these two documents provide the materials necessary to respond to this Request for Proposals ("RFP") for WHOIS Registrant Identification Studies.

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

By 22 December, 2009, 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.