Updated New gTLD Auction Schedule From ICANN

The New gTLD Auction Schedule is updated as of 11 August 2014. This version is updated to reflect the 2015 Auction Dates for January, February, and March. Also reflected is the finalization of the Name Collision Occurrence Management Framework as it pertains to the Auction Schedule. Because the Framework is now finalized, postponement requests on this basis will no longer be accommodated.

• View the updated Auction Schedule as of 11 August 2014 [PDF, 252 KB]
• View Updated Resources
• View Current Contention Set Status Page

Understanding Auctions

Overview

Contention sets are groups of applications containing identical or confusingly similar applied for gTLD strings. Contention sets must be resolved prior to the execution of a Registry Agreement for an applied-for gTLD string. An ICANN facilitated auction is a last resort for resolving String Contention Sets, as described in the Applicant Guidebook (AGB)section 4.3.

Auctions will be conducted over the Internet using a procedure know as an ascending-clock auction, where the auctioneer successively increases the start-of-round and end-of-round range of prices, on a per auction round basis. Applicants within the contention set must submit bids to indicate their willingness to pay an amount within the defined price range in the auction round. As the price ranges of the auction rounds increase, applicants may successively choose to exit the auction. When a sufficient number of applications have exited the auction process, so that the remaining application(s) are no longer in contention with one another, and all the relevant string(s) can be delegated as gTLDs, the auction will be deemed concluded. At this point, prevailing applicants that remained in the auction will pay the finalized price and proceed toward delegation.

• Summary of Auction Development and Management Agreement with Power Auctions [PDF, 60 KB]
• Summary of Auction Vendor Selection [PDF, 288 KB]

Auction Eligibility

A String Contention Set will be eligible to enter into a New gTLD Program Auction under the following circumstances only:

• All active applications in the contention set have:
  • Passed evaluation
  • Resolved any applicable GAC advice
  • Resolved any objections
  • No pending ICANN Accountability Mechanisms
• Each applied-for gTLD in the contention set is:
  • Not classified as “High-Risk” per the Name Collision Occurrence Management Plan