All, As you know, ICANN staff has been researching the feasibility and cost to study several high priority aspects of WHOIS, soliciting bids using an RFP approach to determine costs and feasibilities. That RFP process has been completed for two studies (WHOIS Misuse and WHOIS Registrant Identification) but is still underway for two more studies (WHOIS Privacy/Proxy Abuse and WHOIS Privacy/Proxy Reveal). The purpose of this email is to provide an update regarding progress our on the latter two studies. WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Studies A small staff review team has completed careful review and preliminary assessment of three RFP responses received for WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse studies. The review team's consensus is that two proposals were of high quality, exhibiting many unique strengths and deserving of serious consideration. However, we were unable to assess whether either proposal would realistically produce required results at bid cost without clarifications regarding each proposed project's scope, methods, and associated efforts. As a result, staff has requested further detail from these two bidders, offering them approximately a month (until 16 September) to supply clarifications to be considered in our final assessment. Although we regret this delay, staff cannot provide a meaningful and confident assessment without clarification. We expect to deliver our final assessment of WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse study feasibility, merits, limitations, and costs to the Council approximately two weeks after the above due date. WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Reveal Studies Staff has completed a draft Terms of Reference for WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Reveal studies (see attached). Staff believes this draft is now ready for your review prior to publication with an RFP soliciting bids. Feedback received from subject matter experts has been incorporated into this draft, helping to refine and sharpen study scope, methods, and inputs. Several issues that make this study especially challenging have been considered. Rationale and review questions are highlighted in italicized boxes throughout the draft, but you should feel free to comment on any aspect. In particular, we ask that those who generate relay and reveal requests during their normal course of business examine proposed inputs and comment on the feasibility of providing them, were they to participate in this study. Comments on draft WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Reveal Studies should be sent to me by 30 August 2010. Our goal is to publish this RFP in September for a 60-day period, generating responses to be assessed in November. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Liz