US Top Level Domain (usTLD) Registry Management Services

The Department of Commerce Office of the Secretary is seeking an Administrator for the United States Top Level Domain (usTLD) registry to provide baseline management services and innovative program ideas in accordance with the attached Requirements Document. This pre-solicitation notice was posted on December 12, 2025, with a comment deadline of December 18, 2025, and interested vendors are encouraged to submit questions and feedback using the provided Questions and Answers sheet before the final solicitation is published on SAM.gov. Key contract requirements include centralized management of registry, registrar, database, and information services; implementation of comprehensive DNS abuse mitigation strategies; enforcement of United States nexus requirements for domain registrants; and engagement in multistakeholder internet governance and ICANN participation. The evaluation will be conducted in two phases, with Phase 1 assessing offerors' demonstrated experience and technical capabilities, and Phase 2 involving work statement submissions and oral briefings, with particular focus on operational stability, DNS security, evidence-based reporting, compliance mechanisms, and alignment with country code top-level domain industry best practices. The anticipated award date is April 2026, with a total contract performance period of 7 years.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and the current incumbent contractor is Registry Services LLC. The contract is structured as a no-cost arrangement to the U.S. Government, with the contractor generating revenue through domain registration fees subject to government approval. The total performance period consists of a 9-month transition period, a 36-month base period, and four 1-year option periods spanning 7 years total. Key contractor responsibilities include maintaining secure and stable DNS operations, implementing DNSSEC, developing trusted notifier programs to address website content abuse, maintaining accurate registration databases with strict privacy requirements, providing comprehensive reporting on registration data and security incidents, and exploring innovative concepts such as revitalizing the kids.us domain. The contractor must be a U.S. entity and provide all necessary personnel and infrastructure to support these operations.