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Four failures and 92 passes in latest new gTLD results

Kevin Murphy, June 14, 2013, 18:27:48 (UTC), Domain Registries

ICANN has just released 96 new Initial Evaluation results, a batch which doubles the number of failures the first phase of the new gTLD program has produced.
The following applications failed to receive passing scores and are now “Eligible for Extended Evaluation”:

  • .locus — a strange and ambitious-sounding single-registrant bid filed by Locus Analytics. The company scored 6 out of the necessary 8 points on its financial evaluation with zero scores on the Financial Statements and Funding Critical Registry Functions questions.
  • .llc — This is the bid filed by Dot Registry, the company that seems to have a degree of governmental support for its portfolio of corporate identifier bids. It scored a 0 on its Funding Critical Registry Functions question.
  • .ltd — Another Dot Registry bid. Failed for the same reason.
  • .life — A values-oriented open gTLD application filed by Canadian company CompassRose.Life. Scored a zero on its Financial Statements.

ICANN said last week that it was changing the way it scored the “Funding Critical Registry Functions” question, due to the problems many applicants have been having with Continuing Operations Instruments.
That change only seemed to hit applications with scores of 1, however, so it does not appear to apply in the cases of today’s failed bids.
Applications for the following strings received passing scores.

.legal .sbi .inc .americanfamily .lacaixa .voting .realestate .rest .pfizer .macys .gift .hangout .clinic .blockbuster .lixil .cbre .blog .new .fund .prudential .tab .anquan .group .sale .gay .art .sandvik .security .now .social .shoes .qpon .sohu .fedex .storage .caseih .blog .online .cricket .gal .vip .app .moe .buzz .show .promo .music .cbn .dhl .attorney .sports .legal .football .acer .direct .open .dds .capetown .app .furniture .telefonica .eus .calvinklein .toys .eat .book .axis .casino .ren .crs .baby .ladbrokes .show .call .tech .solar .sanofi .toyota .ubank .canalplus .lexus .immo .moto .hyundai .green .ismaili .health .trading .marketing .llc .xihuan .gratis

We’re now up to 720 passes and 8 failures in the program, with 1,124 results still to be announced.


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Comments (4)

  1. Shaul Jolles says:

    Kevin, FYI this was just sent to all top management at ICANN:
    As some of you are already aware we have filed an inquiry with customer service in regards to our IE results which were published today. Per the ICANN comment’s our LOC was not in place for our LLC application. Since this is not a factual statement you can imagine my irritation when I read public references today which indicate that we are not able to appropriately fund our registry functions. We were not notified of any deficiencies related to this extension in regards to the LOC and are unaware of why we would be pushed into extended eval. Dot Registry, LLC ( the applicant for these two extensions) was also the applicant for .INC which passed IE today. Dot Registry submitted one LOC to ICANN which blankets LLC ,LLP, CORP, and INC. Per ICANN requirements the LOC individually names each extension and earmarks funds appropriately for each extension. Further the LOC lists funds appropriate to the necessary values to support these strings and we would assume that this LOC was accepted since INC passed today.
    The implications on our company from this error throughout the applicant community is not favorable and I am outraged that an oversight like this could occur. We have remained supportive of ICANN’s changing processes, un-clear guidelines, and seemingly un-organized review process with the understanding that this program as it evolves will undoubtably be adapted to meet the programs growing needs, however I am not interested in having the inconsistent review process and seemingly disorganized channelling of information adversely affect our business or reputation throughout this community.
    We would expect that this oversight be corrected immediately and that a statement be issued by ICANN indicating that the posting today was in error.
    Shaul Jolles

    • Rubens Kuhl says:

      My guess is the panel took the presence of a single instrument as covering COI for a single string, but why INC and not another, is unknown.
      I think members of these contention sets (LTD, LLC, possibly CORP and LLP) are the ones that will lose precious time, as these contention sets will only be cleared out after extended evaluation and then community priority evaluation.

  2. Hi Kevin,Shaul
    As I am sure you both appreciate we provided financial models and financial answers ( q45-q50) for a number applicants across different types.
    May I suggest that ALL applicants check out last Thursday ICANN gTLD webinar on contracting re further changes on Q50 Continuing Operation Instrument ( COI)/ Letter of Credit (LOC). Get some advice and clarifications prior to contracting stage.
    A failure to provide financial statements for whatever reason, will score zero ( Q45). Any zero score will automatically mean a fail on IE (despite overall pass !)
    Each application should stand alone with its own LOC .

  3. Shaul Jolles says:

    Having one LOC is allowed as long as you earmark funds separately for each string. No further speculation needed.

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