The NTIA IANA Functions Contract 2000 – 2016

From 2000 – 2016, ICANN performed the IANA functions, on behalf of the U.S. government, through a contract with NTIA (read more on this background). This contract has been amended, extended and renewed over the years. The 2012 version of the IANA contract, awarded by NTIA in July 2012, defines the following functions:

1. Coordination of the assignment of technical protocol parameters including the management of the address and routing parameter area (ARPA) TLD.

2. The administration of certain responsibilities associated with the Internet DNS root zone management, namely:

  • Root Zone File Change Request Management
  • Root Zone “WHOIS” Change Request and Database Management
  • Delegation and Redelegation of a Country Code Top Level-Domain (ccTLD)
  • Delegation and Redelegation of a Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD)
  • Root Zone Automation
  • Root Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) Key Management
  • Customer Service Complaint Resolution Process (CSCRP)
    • To the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)The allocation of Internet numbering resources:

3. Other services related to the management of the ARPA and INT top-level domains (TLDs).

This contract is relatively straightforward document, and defines the oversight role played by the NTIA. This oversight involves:

  • Awarding and setting the terms of the IANA functions contract for a defined period, including specific options for extending that contract.
  • Ensuring that the contractor meets specific service and reporting requirements. This includes:
    • Working with defined “interested and affected parties” (including the RIRs) to develop:
      • User instructional documentation, including technical requirements
      • Documentation of the source of policies and procedures for specific IANA functions
      • Performance standards for operation of the IANA functions
      • Customer complaint process
    • Security plan (updated annually)
    • Monthly performance standards reports
    • Annual customer service survey
    • Annual external audit report
    • Annual Conflict of Interest Enforcement and Compliance report
    • Annually updated Contingency and Continuation of Operations Plan (CCOP)
    • Plan for Transition to Successor

[See Section F.4]

This contract is due to expire in September 30, 2015 and includes two two-year renewal options up to 2019.

IANA Policy

The IANA functions are managed according to a succinct set of policies, which are developed by the communities with an interest in the specific subset of the IANA functions.

The NTIA has no defined role in relation to the development or adoption of policies relating to the number-related IANA functions.

The RIR communities are responsible for developing global Internet number policy, including management of global pools of IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers, as described in the ASO Memorandum of Understanding.

The current IANA stewardship process will not substantively alter this arrangement.

Last modified on 19/09/2018