The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) cancelled solicitation for the renewal of the IANA functions contract. IANA is an entity operated by ICANN in accordance with a contract with NTIA. ICANN can lose this right in the event it does not stand up to the NTIA’s requirements. At present NTIA reached an agreement with ICANN to prolong the contract for 6 months, through September 30, 2012.
IANA is an entity responsible for coordinating some of the key elements that keep the Internet running smoothly: IP addressing space, top-level domains as well as Internet protocols, among others. IANA functions on a contract basis. NTIA determines the terms and conditions of the contract. The IANA functions contract represents a mandate for “internet governance” and termination of the contract will lead to the loss of all effective mandates of ICANN.
Since 1999 IANA has been a department of ICANN and the first IANA contract between ICANN and the NTIA was signed in 2000. The Contract between IANA and ICANN was extended for another 5-year term in 2006. It was anticipated that the results of the 2011 solicitation would allow ICANN to continue operating IANA; however, the US administrative body declared that the solicitation requirements had not been met by any applicant.
“We received no proposals that met the requirements requested by the global community”, stated NTIA representative. Moreover, the Department intends to reissue a Request for Proposal (RFP) at a future date to be determined so that “the requirements of the global internet community can be served”. The date of the RFP has not been disclosed as yet.
