[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 16, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32196-32198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15023]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Part 101-35

[FPMR Amendment F-1]
RIN 3090-AG79


User Fees; Network Registration Services

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This final rule establishes fees for network registration 
services offered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to 
Government agencies and commercial organizations. These services 
include establishing and maintaining unique global names and network 
addresses for X.400 Private Management Domains (PMRD), X.500 
Organizational Units (OU), Administrative Authority Identifiers (AAI), 
and Internet Domain names. This rule will allow State and local 
governments to be registered within the DOT-GOV.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 16, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jack L. Finley, Director, 
Electronic Messaging, Directories and Registrations Branch (TOI), 202-
501-3932, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The following outlines GSA's responsibilities with regard to 
assigning and managing network registrations.

X.400  PRMD

    X.400 is a series of international standards that define components 
and protocols for electronic Messaging Handling Systems (MHS). Within 
X.400, top-level Management Domains (MD) are assigned and delegated to

[[Page 32197]]

Administrative Management Domains (ADMD) and subordinately to Private 
Management Domains (PRMD). GSA assigns the PRMDs for the U.S. 
Government using a prefix of ``GOV+'' followed by an assigned name. For 
example, a PRMD for the Department of Transportation (DOT) might be 
P=GOV+DOT. This GSA service allows the Government to use unique PRMD 
names, regardless of the ADMD service provider.

X.500/LDAP

    The International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication 
Standardization Sector (ITU-T) issued the X.500 Series of 
Recommendations, which define the components and protocols for 
distributed directory services. Many of the components and conventions 
defined by X.500 were subsequently adopted by the Internet community in 
the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) series of 
specifications. GSA registers and interconnects organizations operating 
X.500 or LDAP directory servers.
    GSA has been delegated authority by the National Institute for 
Standards and Technology (NIST) for the name space ``U.S. Government'' 
as an organization (O) domain subordinate to the country (C) level 
``US'' for the purposes of Governmentwide directories. Based on X.500 
and LDAP specifications, GSA has developed a schema for a 
Governmentwide Directory Information Tree (DIT). Through GSA, agencies 
can establish a directory container as an Organizational Unit (OU) 
under C=US, O=U.S. Government in the Governmentwide DIT.
    In conjunction with its X.500/LDAP registration service, GSA also 
provides operational directory support services. GSA operates a root-
level directory server, which permits Government organizations to 
interconnect and communicate. Working in cooperation with ANSI, GSA 
also operates the C=US root directory, which interconnects non-
government organizations, and connects the United States to other 
international directories.

Object Identifier (OID)

    The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model uses naming 
hierarchies to provide global unambiguous identities for objects in a 
networked environment. The International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) defines naming hierarchies or ``trees.'' One 
naming tree is ISO 3166, Codes for the Representation of Names of 
Countries, which assigns the United States the two-letter code ``US'' 
and the numeric code ``840''. Subsequently, the American National 
Standards Institute (ANSI) has assigned the Federal Government the 
alpha code ``GOV'' and the numeric code ``101''.
    Object Identifiers (OID) are used to identify technical objects, 
e.g., attributes, and object classes that are not currently described 
in OSI standards. OIDs are assigned as ``arcs.'' In the context of this 
document, an arc is a point where branches of the hierarchical tree are 
connected together and to the superior reference. GSA is responsible 
for registration of OIDs under the arc ``joint-iso-ccitt(2) country(16) 
us(840) organization(1) us-government(101)'' or ``2.16.840.1.101'' for 
short. GSA has established an OID numbering scheme beneath the US 
Government arc. (Note that there are other US branches of the OID tree; 
however, new registrations are only established under the 
2.16.840.1.101 arc.)

Network Service Access Point (NSAP) Administrative Authority Identifier 
(AAI)

    A second ISO naming hierarchy is ISO 6523, Structure for the 
Identification of Organizations. Under ISO authority, the British 
Standards Institute issued the International Code Designator (ICD) 
``0005'' to NIST. NIST, in turn, has delegated responsibility for 
managing and administering the 0005 ICD to GSA.
    The US Government OSI Profile (GOSIP) V2 established a method of 
assigning Network Service Access Point (NSAP) addresses using the ICD 
``47 0005'' under the authority of NIST. An octet ``80'' following the 
initial ICD (i.e., ``47 0005 80'') indicates that the next three octets 
are in ``GOSIP V2'' format. These three terminating octets are called 
Administrative Authority Identifiers (AAIs), which are delegated to an 
organization to further define its network addresses based on specific 
organizational requirements. GSA assigns AAIs for Government 
organizations. A registration for a GOSIP NSAP AAI would be: ``47 0005 
80 NNNNNN'' (where N is assigned by GSA).

INTERNET .GOV and FED.US Domain Names

    The National Science Foundation (NSF) has delegated to GSA the 
authority to manage and administer the .GOV Internet domain. GSA 
provides second-level domain registrations in the ``GOV'' domain (e.g., 
.gov). Similarly, GSA provides third-level domain registrations 
in the ``fed.us'' domain under authority of the Internet Assigned 
Numbers Authority (IANA) (e.g.,  .fed.gov). Internet 
registrations are limited to Federal, State, and local Government 
organizations. GSA is not responsible for and will not charge fees for 
any further delegation of a domain name assigned to an agency. For 
example, Treasury has registered ``ustreas.gov,'' but registrations 
such as ``irs.ustreas.gov'' would be the responsibility of the domain 
manager for Treasury.
    A proposed rule was published in the Federal Register at 63 FR 
66102, December 1, 1998. No comments were received in response to the 
proposed rule.

B. Executive Order 12866

    GSA has determined that this final rule is not a significant 
regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 
1993.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The final rule is not expected to have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the regulation 
does not impose record keeping or information collection requirements, 
or the collection of information from offerors, contractors, or members 
of the public that require the approval of the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 501, et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is also exempt from congressional review prescribed 
under 5 U.S.C. 801 because it relates solely to agency management and 
personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 101-35

    Archives and records, Computer technology, Government procurement, 
Government property management, Information technology, 
Intergovernmental relations, Telecommunications.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 41 CFR part 101-35 is 
amended to read as follows:

PART 101-35--TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY

    1. The authority citation for part 101-35 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c) and 1424(b). Subpart 101-35.7 also 
issued under authority of 31 U.S.C. 9701.


[[Page 32198]]


    2. Subpart 101-35.7 is added to read as follows:

Subpart 101-35.7--Network Address Registration

Sec.
101-35.705  What does this subpart contain?
101-35.710  What registration services are available through GSA?
101-35.715  Who should I contact for more information or to 
register?
101.35-720  Is there a fee for these services?
101.35.725  How and where do I pay these fees?

Subpart 101-35.7--Network Address Registration


Sec. 101-35.705  What does this subpart contain?

    This subpart addresses registration services provided by GSA to 
Government agencies and the public.


Sec. 101-35.710  What registration services are available through GSA?

    (a) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Department of Commerce, has designated GSA as the Government Open 
Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP) Address Registration Authority 
for unique naming assignments of X.400 Private Management Domains 
(PRMD), X.500 Organizational Units (OU), and Network Service Access 
Point (NSAP) Administrative Authority Identifiers (AAI). GOSIP 
registration is limited to Government agencies, with the exception of 
NSAP AAIs, which may be used by commercial organizations to identify 
private asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks.
    (b) For purposes of global interoperability, GSA will operate an 
X.500/LDAP Directory Service at the ``C=US'' level and at the ``O=U.S. 
Government'' level. Federal agencies may link operational directories 
to the ``O=U.S. Government'' level and commercial organizations may 
link to the ``C=US'' level in accordance with the fees set forth in 
Sec. 101-35.704.
    (c) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has delegated to GSA the 
authority to manage and administer the .GOV Internet domain. GSA 
provides second-level domain registrations in the GOV domain (e.g., 
.gov). Similarly, GSA provides third-level domain registrations 
in the ``fed.us'' domain under authority of the Internet Assigned 
Numbers Authority (IANA). Internet registration services are limited to 
Federal, State, and local Government organizations. GSA is not 
responsible for and will not charge fees for any further delegation of 
a domain name assigned to an agency. For example, the U.S. Department 
of the Treasury has registered ``ustreas.gov,'' but registrations such 
as ``irs.ustreas.gov'' would be the responsibility of the domain 
manager for Treasury.


Sec. 101-35.715  Who should I contact for more information or to 
register?

    Individuals or organizations that want to register or would like 
more information should contact the registration officials at GSA by 
sending an e-mail message to [email protected] or by using the Web 
site at http://www.nic.gov. 


Sec. 101-35.720  Is there a fee for these services?

    GSA will assess Government agencies and commercial organizations 
nominal fees to cover the cost of registration and other services as 
listed in the table in this section. The fees are based on anticipated 
costs for providing the services and are consistent with industry 
charges. The table follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Recurring
                    Service                        Setup       (annual)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Network Naming and Address Registration       $1,000.00      $500.00
 (GOSIP)......................................
(b) Governmentwide Directory Operation (X.500/     1,000.00       500.00
 LDAP)........................................
(c) Internet Domain Name Registration.........       250.00        50.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Note to Sec. 101-35.720: Setup fees may be waived at the 
discretion of GSA. When levied, setup fees include the annual fee 
for 1 year.


Sec. 101-35.725  How and where do I pay these fees?

    GSA will invoice registrants according to the fee schedule in 
Sec. 101-35.720. Government registrations must be paid by Government 
credit card. Commercial organizations are encouraged to pay by credit 
card. All other payments should be made to: GSA Registration Services, 
1800 F Street NW, Suite G-222, Washington, DC 20405.

    Dated: May 11, 1999.
David J. Barram,
Administrator of General Services.
[FR Doc. 99-15023 Filed 6-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-P