ICANN seeks provider for community priority evaluation in next domain name round
ICANN has launched a request for proposals to find a provider for Community Priority Evaluation (CPE) in the next round of new domain endings, starting in April 2026. The process ensures that genuine community groups can gain priority over commercial bidders when competing for the same domain name.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to find an organisation that will conduct Community Priority Evaluation (CPE) in the next round of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), set to open in April 2026. The chosen provider will review applications where multiple groups want the same domain name and determine whether a community-based applicant should receive priority.
What is community priority evaluation?
When more than one applicant applies for the same domain ending, such as ‘.health’ or ‘.music’, ICANN uses a process called Community Priority Evaluation. This allows applicants who represent a clear and established community to be given priority over purely commercial competitors. To succeed, an application must demonstrate four things: that the community is well-defined, that the domain name directly relates to it, that registration policies restrict use to members of the community, and that the application has broad support from that community.
In previous rounds, this process was managed by independent experts such as the Economist Intelligence Unit. ICANN’s new RFP aims to identify a qualified provider to take on this role for the upcoming cycle, including setting costs on a per-evaluation basis.
What civil society should know
Civil society organisations, such as non-profits, advocacy groups, and cultural communities, cannot apply to be the evaluation provider, as ICANN is seeking a neutral third party with technical and policy expertise. However, they can benefit directly from CPE by applying for gTLDs as community applicants.
For example, if a health-focused NGO applies for ‘.health’ and a private company also applies, CPE gives the NGO a fair chance to demonstrate that it represents the broader public interest. Civil society also has an important role in contributing feedback during ICANN’s consultations to ensure that the rules remain fair, transparent, and inclusive.
This process matters because without it, many socially valuable domain names could end up controlled solely by commercial actors, limiting their benefit to the communities they represent. A robust and fair CPE helps ensure diversity, accountability, and access in the domain name system.
Next steps
The RFP is open to any qualified organisation worldwide. Interested providers must email their details to next-round-community-priority-evaluation-rfp@icann.org to request access to ICANN’s sourcing tool. Proposals must be submitted by 23:59 UTC on 13 October 2025.
