US Top Level Domain (usTLD) Registry Management Services

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This document outlines the requirements for the administration of the United States country code Top Level Domain (usTLD) registry. The objective is to ensure the secure, stable, and reliable operation of the usTLD, while fostering innovation and supporting the multistakeholder approach to internet governance.

• Centralized management and coordination of registry, registrar, database, and information services for the usTLD.

• Development and implementation of policies and procedures for usTLD administration.

• Accreditation and contractual arrangements with usTLD registrars.

• Active participation in the multistakeholder system of internet governance.

• Management of the usTLD locality space, including support for existing delegated managers and direct services for undelegated domains.

• Development and maintenance of a comprehensive risk management program.

• Implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).

• Ensuring Universal Acceptance of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) and Email Addresses (IEAs).

• Adoption and maintenance of robust security and privacy practices, including an Information Security Management System compliant with ISO 27001.

• Addressing DNS Abuse and other malicious conduct within the usTLD.

• Protection of intellectual property, including a dispute resolution procedure for "cybersquatting" conflicts.

• Revitalization of the kids.us domain.

• Secure, stable, and reliable operation of usTLD registry functions (e.g., up-time percentage, zone file integrity).

• Compliance with applicable IETF RFCs and ICANN policies.

• Implementation of DNSSEC and publication of security practices.

• Creation and publication of Route Origin Authorizations.

• Effective management of registry and registrar agreements.

• Compliance with corporate, operational, and security criteria for registrars.

• Implementation of a United States Nexus Requirement policy.

• Comprehensive policy approaches for prevention, disruption, and mitigation of DNS Abuse.

• Protection of intellectual property.

• Timely completion of reporting requirements and deliverables.

• The total period of performance, including all options, is 7 years from the date of award.

• The Contractor must possess and maintain a physical address within the United States, and primary registry services must remain within the U.S. or its possessions/territories.

• The Contractor must be a United States entity or organization.

• All services must be provided without cost to the U.S. Government.

• The Contractor may establish and collect fees from third parties, subject to Contracting Officer approval.

• The Contractor shall not implement any new policies, procedures, or agreements without prior approval from the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO).

• Travel is not required under this contract, but the Contractor may travel to attend ICANN and other meetings at their own expense.

• The Government has unlimited rights to all documents and materials produced under this contract.

• The Contractor must ensure all public-facing websites and electronic documents conform to applicable Revised 508 Standards and WCAG 2.0, Level A & AA.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a draft solicitation for a no-cost contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) for services related to the administration of the .us domain name system (DNS). The contract will establish a framework for contractor performance and government contract administration, incorporating select FAR and CAR clauses. The contractor will not receive funding from the government but may establish and collect fees from third parties, subject to Contracting Officer approval.

• The core of the work involves administering the .us domain in the public interest, ensuring secure, stable, and reliable operation of the DNS, and advancing a multistakeholder approach to Internet governance.

• Specific areas of focus include:

  • Stability of Operations and Compliance (demonstrated experience in managing TLDs at scale).
  • DNS Abuse and Other Malicious Conduct (policy approaches for prevention, disruption, and mitigation).
  • Evidence-Based DNS Abuse Reporting.
  • Actions on Illegal and Egregious Website Content and Transparency Reporting.
  • Due Process and Appeal Mechanisms for Anti-Abuse Actions.
  • Registrant Compliance Auditing and Verification.
  • Registrar Accreditation Plan.

• The contractor must ensure all electronic documents meet Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.

• Contract Type: No-cost contract ($0.00).

• Period of Performance: A transition period (up to 9 months), a base period of 36 months, and four (4) one-year option periods, totaling a maximum of 7 years.

• Estimated Value: Not applicable as it is a no-cost contract.

• The procurement will be conducted in two phases: Phase 1 (Written) and Phase 2 (Written and Oral).

• Phase 1 requires submission of Technical Volume I (Demonstrated Experience & Approach) with a 15-page limit.

• Phase 2 requires submission of Technical Volume II (Work Statement Submissions) with a 33-page limit, and a Cost Volume (Excel) for Fee Structure with Cost Narrative.

• Evaluation Factors (in descending order of importance):

  • Factor 1: Demonstrated Experience & Approach (Phase 1).
  • Factor 2: Work Statement Submissions (Phase 2).
  • Factor 3: Fee Structure with Cost Narrative (Phase 2).

• Questions are due by January 8, 2026, 2:00 PM ET, and will be posted on SAM.gov.

• Award will be based on the best-suited offeror considering all factors, with Factors 1 and 2 being more important than Factor 3.

• The solicitation is set aside for Small Business.

• NAICS Code: 561110, Size Standard: $11.5 Million.

• Offerors must be actively registered in SAM.

• Proposals must be submitted via email.

• The Government reserves the right to conduct additional Q&As.

• A post-award conference will be held within 30 business days after award.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This document outlines the requirements for an Administrator of the United States country code Top Level Domain (usTLD) registry. The objective is to provide baseline services and innovative program ideas for the administration of the usTLD, ensuring a secure, stable, and resilient Domain Name System (DNS).

The Contractor will be responsible for:

• Centralized management and coordination of registry, registrar, database, and information services for the usTLD.
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures for the administration of the usTLD.
• Accrediting and establishing contractual arrangements with usTLD registrars.
• Advocating for and participating in the multistakeholder system of internet governance.
• Developing paths for transparent, multistakeholder participation in usTLD policy development.
• Ensuring the continued stability of the usTLD during management transitions.
• Establishing and maintaining communication with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer (CO).
• Overseeing all services related to the usTLD, with the possibility of subcontracting certain services.

Key performance areas include:

• Secure, stable, and reliable operation of usTLD registry functions.

• Implementation and support of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).

• Creation and publication of Route Origin Authorizations.

• Support for Universal Acceptance of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) and Email Addresses (IEAs).

• Maintenance of an effective Information Security Management System (compliant with ISO 27001).

• Ensuring accredited Registrars meet specific criteria (corporate, operational, security).

• Implementation of a United States Nexus Requirement policy.

• Comprehensive policy approaches for the prevention, disruption, and mitigation of DNS Abuse and malicious conduct.

• Trusted notifier arrangements for addressing website content abuses.

• Protection of intellectual property within the usTLD.

• Management of the usTLD Locality Space, including services for undelegated third-level sub-domains.

• Maintenance of accurate usTLD registration data and a Delegated Manager Database.

• Secure and accountable access to usTLD registration data.

• Ensuring the accuracy of usTLD registration data.

• Facilitating meaningful multistakeholder engagement in usTLD policy development.

• Advocacy for and participation in multistakeholder internet governance.

• Implementation and enforcement of various other policies (Registrant Acceptable Use, Data Rights, Domain Name Transfers, Redemption Grace Period, Domain Name Review, Reserved Domain Names List).

• Adherence to a Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy.

• Generation of security process and financial statement audit data.

• Offering innovative approaches to revitalize the kids.us domain.

• Base Period: 3 Years

• Option Periods: 4 x 1 Year (Total potential performance of 7 Years from award date).

• Travel is not required under this contract, but the Contractor shall travel to ICANN and other meetings at their own expense.

• The Contractor must possess and maintain a physical address within the United States, and all primary registry services must remain within the U.S.

• The Contractor must be a United States entity or organization.

• The Contractor shall provide all personnel, material, equipment, services, and facilities at no cost to the U.S. Government.

• The Contractor may establish and collect fees from third parties, subject to CO approval.

• All public-facing websites and electronic documents must conform to applicable Revised 508 Standards and WCAG 2.0, Level A & AA.

• The Government has unlimited rights to all documents and materials produced under this contract, including all usTLD Registry Data.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains questions submitted by potential bidders and the government's responses regarding the US Top Level Domain (usTLD) Registry Management Services opportunity.

• Question: The Performance Work Statement (PWS) Paragraph 8.0 "Qualifications" references an Appendix for position descriptions, but this appendix is missing from the PWS.
• Answer: The government has not yet provided an answer or indicated if the Job Description Appendix will be provided.