Today, Neustar announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the company the contract to continue administering the .US Top Level Domain (TLD), the official country code domain of the United States. Neustar has successfully administered this critical domain since 2001, when the Department of Commerce first selected the company to build and manage the new domain.

“We are honored that the Department of Commerce has selected Neustar to continue managing America’s domain name that millions of businesses, non-profit organizations and consumers use to manage their online presence,” said Lisa Hook, Neustar President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to continuing to provide exceptional service that is reliable, stable and secure in the increasingly complicated digital environment.”

The .US domain represents Main Street America, helping American small businesses and individuals to create and expand their online presence. Neustar manages this critical domain and oversees the growing network of registrars who sell the .US domain names. The Department of Commerce has re-awarded the contract for three years with two additional one-year extension options.

Since becoming the administrator of the .US TLD, Neustar has created an extensive enforcement program to ensure a safe and secure environment for the .US Internet community. Neustar also launched the “Kickstart America” campaign to raise awareness of the .US domain. In 2013, Neustar initiated the .US National Road Racing Championships through a three-year partnership with USA Track & Field.

In 2014, Neustar plans to launch a new multi-stakeholder council including members representing localities, registrars, small businesses and non-profit organizations as well as entities involved with STEM education and cybersecurity. The .US TLD Stakeholder Council will provide a vibrant, diverse, and independent forum for future development of the .US TLD, working directly with .US TLD stakeholders and helping Neustar to identify public needs and develop policies, programs, and partnerships to address those needs while continuing to enhance America’s address.