.au Domain Administration (auDA) is pleased to announce it has reappointed Identity Digital Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Afilias Australia Pty Ltd) as its registry operator for the .au domain, and to support Australia’s critical domain name system. The term of the new registry services agreement will commence on 1 July 2024.
The appointment follows an open Request for Tender (RFT) and evaluation process, which took place from May to August 2023. The tender evaluation was conducted by an evaluation committee consisting of senior auDA staff and professionals external to auDA with technical, operational, financial, legal, registry and risk expertise. The tender process was also reviewed at all stages by an independent probity advisor.
Identity Digital Australia will continue to support auDA in the administration of the .au domain and to deliver on auDA’s strategic objectives, set out in the auDA 2021-25 Strategy, and Terms of Endorsement Core Functions. The requirement to ensure a stable, secure and reliable operation of the .au domain is a key focus for auDA.
Identity Digital Australia has a strong understanding of the Australian domain name environment, having served as the registry operator for the .au domain since 2018, and also has significant experience in the delivery of registry services internationally.
auDA CEO Rosemary Sinclair AM said, “Identity Digital Australia has been a reliable and collaborative registry operator, and one that shares our unwavering commitment to global best practice cyber security and reliable registry services. We look forward to building on these strengths and delivering greater value to .au registrars and registrants over the term of the new agreement.”
CEO of Identity Digital Australia, Akram Atallah said, “With over 20 years of experience in registry services delivery, we are thrilled to continue our work with auDA and bring our expertise to support the stable, secure and reliable operation of the .au domain.”
Identity Digital has been reappointed for a term of four years commencing 1 July 2024, with an option for auDA to extend the term for a further two years.
ENDS
Note to media:
The 2023 auDA registry RFT process included:
- Issuance of RFT: 1 May 2023
- Industry Briefing: 9 May 2023 at 22:00 UTC (10 May 2023 at 08:00 AEST) and repeated on 10 May 2023 at 08:00 UTC (10 May 2023 at 18:00 AEST)
- Close of RFT: 26 June 2023 at 23:59:59 UTC (27 June 2023 at 09:59:59 AEST).
- auDA evaluation of Tenders: July- August 2023.
Information about the registry tender is available on the auDA website.