FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: ICANN News Alert <communications@icann.org> Date: Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 8:50 PM Subject: ICANN News Alert -- ICANN Appoints First URS Provider To: carlton.samuels@gmail.com ** [image: ICANN] <http://www.icann.org/> News Alert http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-20feb13-en.htm ------------------------------ ICANN Appoints First URS Provider 20 February 2013 The National Arbitration Forum <http://www.adrforum.com/> (FORUM) has secured the first appointment by ICANN to administer the Uniform Rapid Suspension System (URS). FORUM submitted an outstanding proposal demonstrating how it would meet all requirements presented in the RFI<http://www.icann.org/en/news/rfps/urs-24sep12-en.pdf>[PDF, 112 KB] and detailing its implementation approach. The company has a proven track record boasting resolution of over 19,000 claims in 12+ years of administering UDRP cases. Additionally, FORUM has already developed, and is currently operating a TLD-specific rapid relief system. ICANN would like to thank everyone who responded to the RFI. FORUM will be one of multiple providers appointed to administer URS services. The process will be similar to that of appointing UDRP providers in which consideration is given to achieving competitive provisioning and geographical spread of providers. URS is a rights protection mechanism for new gTLDs that facilitates rapid suspension of domain names in clear-cut cases of trademark infringement. It is intended to complement the existing Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) by offering a lower-cost, faster path to resolution. Learn more about Uniform Rapid Suspension<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/urs>