The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a request for information (RFI) to identify potential vendors to support the secure and reliable operation of the dot-gov top-level domain (TLD).
CISA said the RFI will increase its understanding of capabilities within the marketplace to deliver services to dot-gov TLD users. The core requirements are for registry services and a registrar, which one or more service providers may fulfill. The agency seeks a registrar providing web registration and management of dot-gov domains, and offering supportive services to improve the security, privacy, reliability, accessibility, and speed of dot-gov domains.
Under the dot-gov Act of 2020, CISA was named the dot-gov TLDs policy and management authority, making the agency responsible for global domain name system resolution and administration of the dot-gov zone. And this includes managing requirements for issuing and maintaining dot-gov domain names, evaluating registrants’ eligibility for a given domain name, and overseeing the general utility and security of the dot-gov namespace.
The TLD is also fundamental to the availability and integrity of thousands of online services provided by dot-gov. Therefore, TLD is a critical infrastructure for governments throughout the country, and all aspects of its administration have cybersecurity significance. CISA said it is seeking to increase security and decrease complexity for government organizations and public users of dot-gov, including insight into important security-relevant information derived from maintaining a ‘dot-gov inventory,’ as described in the dot-gov Act.
CISA wants responses to the RFI until the deadline of July 21.
