sent via e-mail
To: joseph.widdup@nist.gov
From: eric.menge@sba.gov
Date: July 29, 2001
Re: Questions for RFQ SB1335-01-Q-0740
Dear Joseph Widdup:
At the advice of the Office of International Affairs of NTIA, the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration submits the following questions to the Request for Quotation (Request Number SB1335-01-Q-0740) issued by NIST.
1. Does the Sunrise Provision allowing early registration for trademark holders create an unfair barrier to small businesses without registered trademarks, particularly new start-ups? What provisions are being made to ensure that entrepreneurs receive a fair chance to register a domain name in Dot US?
2. Is the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy necessary for the Dot US? Because registrants in the Dot US will have a tie to the United States, would the diversity of jurisdictions present in gTLDs still be present here? Would not U.S. law be controlling for registrations in Dot US?
3. Can the operator of the Dot US registry be required to adopt ICANN’s Policies Pertaining to Open ccTLDs before that policy is formalized? To the best of Advocacy’s knowledge, ICANN has not formally adopted a policy regarding open ccTLDs.
Thank you for your consideration of these questions. Our office at the SBA considers the Dot US to be a valuable opportunity for small businesses.
Eric Menge
Assistant Chief Counsel
Office of Advocacy
U.S. Small Business Administration