The Auction Schedule is updated as of 23 April 2015. Additional Auctions may be scheduled based on eligibility.
- View the Auction Schedule as of 23 April 2015 [PDF, 251 KB]
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 known as an ascending-clock auction, where the auctioneer successively increases the start-of-round and end-of-round 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 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.
The total amount of funding resulting from auctions, will not be known until all relevant applications have completed this step. Auction proceeds will be reserved and earmarked until the uses of funds are determined by the Board through consultation with the community. Click here to view the current status of the Auction proceeds and costs.
- Summary of Auction Development and Management Agreement with Power Auctions, (Updated 7 October 2014 to include Indirect Contention Auctions) [PDF, 113 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
Auction Resources
- Bidder Auction Training Videos
- Auction Schedule as of 23 April 2015 [PDF, 251 KB]
- New gTLD Auction Rules v.2014.11.03 [PDF, 240 KB]
- New gTLD Auction Rules: Indirect Contention Edition v.2015.02.24 [PDF, 267 KB]
- Auction Date Advancement/Postponement Request Form [PDF, 185 KB]
- New gTLD Auction Bidder Agreement v.2014.04.03 [PDF, 177 KB]
- New gTLD Auction Bidder Agreement Supplement [PDF, 60 KB] (FOR INDIRECT CONTENTION ONLY)
- Bidder Form v.2014.02.26 [PDF, 53 KB]
- Bidder Designation Form v.2014.02.26 [PDF, 39 KB]
- Anticipated timeline for an Auction [PDF, 46 KB]
- Auction Results Page
- Auction Proceeds Page
Questions?
- Applicants:Submit an inquiry via the Customer Service Portal
- Non-Applicants:Email us at newgtld@icann.org
This ICANN announcement/update was sourced from:
newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/auctions