.nyc

The New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) put out a press release yesterday announcing that they are seeking a partner to run .NYC on behalf of the City. DotNYC has been in discussions with various city officials for over a year, and we are thrilled that this has culminated in an official announcement. New York is now the first U.S. city to announce their intention to seek a top-level domain.

We put out our own press release congratulating the City of New York and announcing our intention to complete the RFP and to operate .NYC on behalf of the city.

DoITT had this to say about the announcement:

Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner Paul J. Cosgrave today announced issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified vendor to assist the City in applying to obtain the “.nyc” top level domain (TLD) web address and – if the City successfully acquires the TLD – to operate, manage, maintain and market .nyc. A TLD is the last part of an Internet address, such as .com, .gov, .edu, etc. The City of New York may use the .nyc TLD to generate revenue, assist residents in locating City government services, help local businesses to thrive, market and promote tourism in the City, and spread the dynamic image of New York City around the world. Use of .nyc has also been advocated by City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Council Member Gale A. Brewer, Chair of the Council’s Technology in Government Committee. The RFP can be accessed on www.nyc.gov.

“Each day the Internet serves as an essential tool in the lives of an increasing number of New Yorkers, helping inform the ways they live, learn and play,” said DoITT Commissioner Paul J. Cosgrave. “Through .nyc, we hope to make the search for New York City-related content easier than ever by providing individuals, organizations, non-profits and others a chance to own a virtual piece of the greatest city in the world.”

“A top-level City needs a top level domain, that’s why finding a partner to join the City in making .nyc a reality for small businesses in New York is vitally important,” said Speaker Quinn. “Once the .nyc program is launched, local business owners will be able to uniquely associate themselves and their business with their home, and the NYC brand.”

“New York City, like many of its global competitors, plans to apply for a top level domain name. I hope that this TLD will assist local merchants based in New York City to be able to brand their businesses as located in the five boroughs,” said Council Member Brewer. “The small business community is a vital part of the New York City economy and any opportunity to increase their exposure while facilitating easy searching online is a step forward. I applaud the Mayor for applying for .nyc and I look forward to seeing this TLD attached to my local bakery or dry cleaner.”

And in our press release, we said:

Antony Van Couvering, the CEO of dotNYC and a Manhattan resident, is a founder of Minds + Machines, which provides technical services for new top-level domains. Following a series of meetings with city officials about the .NYC web address, Mr. Van Couvering was invited to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s State of the City address in February where she unveiled the city’s plan to pursue .NYC.

“Today’s announcement that New York City will seek an operating partner for .NYC is a significant milestone towards a great online identity for all of us who live and work here,” Mr. Van Couvering said. “The city made the right decision about how to apply for this important asset, and we’re confident the city will make the right decision when choosing a partner.”

This is a great step forward for New York City and for the Internet. Congratulations!