D -- COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT OF .US TOP LEVEL DOMAIN = (USTLD)

Notice Date

May 30, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and = Technology (NIST), Acquisition and Logistics Division, 100 Bureau = Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 3571, Gaithersburg, MD, = 20899-3571

ZIP Code

20899-3571

Solicitation Number

SB1335-01-Q-0740

Response Due

July 9, 2001

Point of Contact

Joseph Widdup, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 975-6324, Fax = (301) 975-8884, Email joseph.widdup@nist.gov

Description

The U. S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of = Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to issue a written solicitation = (Request for Quotations) pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation = (FAR) Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, on behalf of DOC, = National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for = services to establish centralized management and coordination of the = registry, registrar (where specified), database, and information = services for the .us top level domain (usTLD). The solicitation Number = is SB1335-01-Q-0740 and will not be a small business set-aside. The = solicitation will result in a single, no-cost (to the Government) = purchase order for the work currently being performed on behalf of DOC = NTIA in the usTLD and for future expansion of the services available in = usTLD. The Contractor will be permitted to charge fees to third = parties for performance of the requirements of the purchase order. The = purchase order will contain a base period of four years and two = one-year options to extend the term of the contract. The usTLD is the = country code top level domain (ccTLD) of the Internet domain name = system (DNS) that corresponds to the United States. Individuals and = organizations may currently request a delegation from the usTLD = Administrator to provide registry and registrar services for a = particular locality or localities. Local governments and = community-based organizations typically use the usTLD, although some = commercial names have been assigned. Where registration for a locality = has not been delegated, the current usTLD Administrator itself provides = necessary registry and registrar services. The usTLD is a widely = distributed registry, currently with over 8000 sub-domain delegations = to over 800 individuals and entities that maintain a registry and = provide registration services for commercial, educational, and = governmental entities. While the locality-based usTLD structure has = not attracted high levels of registration and utilization in comparison = to other ccTLD's, it is popular with its current base of users. During = consultations with the public on the administration of the usTLD, a = considerable number of parties expressed a desire for the continued = operation and support of the locality-based usTLD structure. However, = the general absence of less hierarchical registration opportunities in = the usTLD has limited the domain's attractiveness to users. It has = been suggested that a more generic space would greatly increase the = utility of the usTLD. Therefore, this request for proposals not only = encompasses the existing functions of the usTLD, but also functions = that will facilitate the registration of second level domains directly = under the usTLD (such as example.us). Notwithstanding the fact that = some of the administrative responsibilities for the locality-based = usTLD structure require the registry to act as a registrar in certain = limited circumstances, in order to encourage competition in domain name = registration services, the Contractor will not be permitted to act as = both the registry and a registrar in the expanded usTLD space. The = following is a summary of the work required under the purchase order = awarded pursuant to this solicitation. The Contractor will be required = to perform four categories of functions: (1) core registry functions; = (2) core policy requirements; (3) locality-based usTLD structure = functions; and (4) development of services offered in an expanded usTLD = space. The Contractor must perform the required services for this = acquisition as a prime Contractor, not as an agent or subcontractor. = (The provision of the required services may be accomplished through = coordinating the resources and services provided by entities other than = the prime Contractor.) The Contractor must be (a) incorporated within = one of the fifty states of the United States of America or (b) = organized under a law of a state of the United States of America. The = Contractor must possess and maintain through the performance of this = acquisition a physical address within the United States and must be = able to demonstrate that all primary registry services will remain = within the United States. The competitive solicitation, solicitation = amendments, and all questions and answers related to this procurement = will be made available via the Internet at http://www.fedbizops.gov . = The solicitation, SB1335-01-Q-0740, is anticipated for release to the = vendor community on or about June 11, 2001 and will only be available = via the Internet at the above web site. Potential offerors are = responsible for accessing the web site. Interested parties must respond = to the solicitation in order to be considered for award of any = resultant purchase order. There is no written solicitation document = available, telephone requests will not be honored, and no bidders list = will be maintained. Potential offerors shall direct all questions = concerning the solicitation via email only to Joseph.Widdup@nist.gov = All responsible sources may submit a Quotation, which will be = considered.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/SB1335-01-Q-0740/listing.html=)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010601/DSOL007.HTM (D-150 SN50N4N3)