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