The Starting Gun
It now appears likely that all applications to ICANN will be preceded by a pre-Application (also called an Expression of Interest, or “EOI”) to ICANN. The EOI procedure has not yet been approved, but should be decided at the Board Meeting at the ICANN meetings in Nairobi in early March 2010.
What is a pre-Application, or EOI?
An EOI is a mandatory, fee-based pre-Application that asks for basic identifying information about the applicant, and a check for $55,000. EOIs will give ICANN an idea how many applications it will receive, and allow it to allocate resources accordingly.
The major features of the EOI Pre-Application process are:
- The process is mandatory for anyone who wishes to file an application
- There is a $55,000 submission fee, refundable only under extraordinary circumstances
- Submitters will supply their name, contact information, and the name of the TLD they want to apply for
- All EOIs will be made public at the close of the EOI window
- ICANN will launch a fully executed communications campaign, intended to ensure global awareness about the EOI process, before it is launched
ICANN is publishing for comment a draft model for EOI Pre-Applications.
When will the EOI application period open?
The ICANN Board will be considering the draft EOI model and the community feedback during its meeting in February, 2010. If the Board decides that it is the path forward, ICANN staff will publish the final model at that time along with instructions for a specific launch date which will be approximately 4 months later. The next version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook (and, it is expected, the last draft before the final version) will be released before the EOI launch date.
