> 
> What confuses me is:
> 
> Is the contract between the Registrant and the Reseller, the 
> Registrant and
> the Registrar, the Registrant and the Registry, the 
> Registrant and auDA or
> all of the above. 

This is a good question.

(1) auDA has a contract with the registrar
(2) auDA has a contract with the registry
(3) The registrar has a contract with the registry
(4) The registrar has a contract with the registrant
(5) The registrar has a contract with the reseller
(6) The reseller has a contract with the registrant

You need to look at each of these contracts to really understand the
relationships.

Under (4) above, the registrar can contact the registrant as necessary.

Under (5) above, the reseller must (a) identify the registrar to the
registrant, and 
(b) require the registrant to enter into a contract with the registrar (4).

The whole regulatory regime is in fact based on contracts.  If auDA does not
have a contract with the company then auDA cannot directly enforce anything
against the company.



> 
> Also at what point is the contract made and at what point 
> does the 'first
> come, first served' allocation policy come into effect.
> 

The contracts occur at various times in the process.

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin