What type of organization are you operating where you'd need a .gov? Is this a government organization (like a local government or city hall)? Or is it possible for even random non-government related non-profits to have legitimate uses for .govs?
Edit: I was mostly commenting on this.
> In fact, the most difficult part is convincing management that we should make the full migration to the .gov
It sounds like the most difficult part of getting a .gov is having a legitimate government entity and having a purpose that needs one.
You must be an official government entity at a local, state, or federal level. This can include cities, counties, special districts, joint power authorities, state offices, etc.
I would hope that random "non-government related non-profits" aren't using .gov domains. Isn't the whole point of the domain that it's just for government entities?
USPS is (since 1970) an Independent Agency rather than an agency of the executive branch. This was sort of a semi-privatization measure that isolates USPS from the federal government, USPS operates mostly as a government-owned independent corporation. There are a number of other independent agencies as well, they way they relate to .gov domains varies. I don't think there's a well-settled policy on whether independent agencies should use .gov domains. Amtrak doesn't, the CIA does, NCUA does, Federal Reserve mostly doesn't (except the board which is a federal agency). I think it depends mostly on brand identity and how much they want to be perceived as private sector vs. government agencies, since independent agencies often straddle a line between the two.
USPS I think from a branding perspectives wants to be compared to retail shipping and not come across and some stuffy/slow bureaucratic agency, even though they totally are.
Edit: I was mostly commenting on this.
> In fact, the most difficult part is convincing management that we should make the full migration to the .gov
It sounds like the most difficult part of getting a .gov is having a legitimate government entity and having a purpose that needs one.