Proposed Language for the Next Round Applicant Support Program and Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program Terms and Conditions

What We Need Your Input On

In this Public Comment proceeding, ICANN org is looking for input from the community on whether the proposed language for the Terms and Conditions for the New gTLD Program: Next Round Applicant Support Program and Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program is consistent with recommendations 18.4 and 18.6 as well as recommendations from Topics 6 and 17 from the Final Report on the new gTLD Subsequent Procedures Policy Development Process.

Background

On 18 February 2021, the Generic Names Supporting Organization approved the Final Report on the new gTLD Subsequent Procedures Policy Development Process (Final Report) and transmitted it to the ICANN Board for consideration as required by the ICANN Bylaws. The Final Report presents recommendations, implementation guidance, and other outputs relating to the New gTLD Program: Next Round.

In a 16 March 2023 Board Resolution, the ICANN Board directed ICANN org to begin the implementation on a subset of outputs from the Final Report. Subsequently, an Implementation Review Team was formed and, since its first meeting on 16 May 2023, has been assisting ICANN org with implementation of the outputs. The Board has since taken additional action on further subsets of outputs from the Final Report, including on 10 September and 26 October 2023, and more recently, on 8 June 2024.

The Applicant Support Program (ASP) and the Registry Service Provider (RSP) Evaluation Program are initiatives developed in parallel with the New gTLD Program: Next Round. Per the draft ASP Handbook, the ASP provides “financial and non-financial assistance to eligible entities that demonstrate need and wish to apply for and operate a gTLD in the Domain Name System (DNS)”. The RSP Evaluation program verifies that RSPs (or the registry operators themselves if they are acting as their own RSP) have the proper technical qualifications for running a TLD. The draft RSP Handbook provides detailed guidance to the evaluation process. Both programs are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2024, noting that the Terms and Conditions must be finalized before this date.

Next Steps

ICANN org will prepare a Public Comment Summary and Analysis Report at the conclusion of the comment period. The org, in collaboration with the Implementation Review Team, will review the comments received and determine, as a result of the input received, if changes need to be made to the proposed language for the Terms and Conditions for the New gTLD Program: Next Round Applicant Support Program and Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program.

Please note that this Public Comment proceeding will stay open for 30 days, and ICANN will not accommodate any requests for extensions. The shorter period is essential to allow ICANN org staff to review the comments and make updates, as required, within the timeline to the launch of the Applicant Support Program and the Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program, which is scheduled for mid Q4 2024, as described in the New gTLD Program: Next Round Implementation Plan.

Supporting Information

This additional information from ICANN org provides more context for this Public Comment Proceeding and may help you review the proposals for input and publish a submission.