Circleid News：Colombia has officially launched a request for proposals (RFP) to manage its .Co country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the next decade. The bidding process comes as the existing contract, currently held by GoDaddy through its acquisition of Neustar’s registry business, nears expiration.
The .Co domain was first commercialized in 2010 by .Co Internet, which successfully built it into a globally recognized brand through strategic marketing efforts, including a high-profile Super Bowl advertisement. In 2014, Neustar acquired .Co Internet for $109 million, further strengthening the domain’s market presence.
When the initial contract came up for renewal in 2020, Neustar sought a 10-year extension and filed a $350 million claim against the Colombian government, asserting contractual rights. The dispute was ultimately resolved through a settlement that granted Neustar a five-year contract extension. However, the financial terms of the new deal significantly shifted in favor of the Colombian government, which saw its revenue share increase from 6%-7% to 81%.
Following this extension, Neustar sold its registry operations to GoDaddy, which has been managing .Co under the revised agreement since 2020. Now, with the current term set to expire, Colombia is seeking new bids to determine the future steward of its valuable domain asset.
The RFP process operates under a tight schedule. Interested bidders must submit proposals by May 8, and the government is expected to announce the winning applicant on May 26. The outcome of this process could shape the next decade of .Co domain management and influence its global positioning in the digital landscape.
News Source: CircleID
News Source:Circleid，This article does not represent our position.
