GSA considers new ideas for .GOV registration framework

General Services Administration officials have reached out to industry for ways to keep its .GOV program adaptable to constantly evolving uses of the Internet and domains.

GSA released a request for information March 9 to learn about solutions, best practices, and on-going approaches to perform all aspects of Internet registration services for federal, state, local governments and Native Sovereign Nations under the top-level domain .Gov.

GSA wants to establish a secure website for .GOV registration requests. The solution should include electronic processing of requests, an electronic payment processing mechanism that collects payments, and a function that provides ad hoc reporting to GSA. GSA also wants helpdesk support, a Domain Name Service Security program, and a secure database to store and manage important information retrieved during the registration process.

As GSA officials see it, the solution would build upon the existing .GOV framework and would require a zone file of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 active, second-level domain registrations. They also want a solution that is be scalable, because they anticipate an annual 5-percent growth of registrations and data. For a five-year contract, the overall growth would reach an estimated 25 percent.

GSA released its RFI March 9. Responses are due by March 23.