ICANN opens bidding for String Similarity and Variant Review Panels ahead of New gTLD launch
ICANN has opened a new request for proposal to recruit expert panels that will evaluate look-alike and variant top-level domain names in the 2026 new gTLD round. The selected provider(s) will assess ‘String Similarity’ and ‘Variant Strings’ to prevent confusing or misleading domain endings and ensure the stability of the global DNS. Vendors may bid for one or both evaluation areas, with final proposals due by 16 January 2026.
ICANN has opened a request for proposal (RFP) to hire one or more providers to run evaluator panels for two technical checks in the 2026 round of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs): String Similarity and Variant Strings. The new gTLD application window is planned for April 2026, and these reviews are core to keeping the Domain Name System (DNS) safe and usable.
What will these panels do?
- String similarity: This assessment looks for applied-for top-level names that are confusingly similar to existing ones or to other applications. In plain terms, it tries to catch look-alike strings (for example, where ‘l’ and ‘I’ or ‘rn’ and ‘m’ could be mistaken on screen) that might mislead users or enable fraud.
- Variant Strings: In some writing systems (e.g., many non-Latin scripts), different characters or sequences can be treated as ‘variants’ of each other. Variant evaluation decides which versions can safely coexist and which could cause confusion or security issues.
Together, these checks aim to protect end-users from confusion and reduce opportunities for abuse, while ensuring new extensions remain distinct and readable across languages and scripts.
ICANN will select provider(s) who can:
- assemble and manage expert panels for String Similarity, Variant Strings, or both;
- document clear methodologies aligned with ICANN policies and guidelines; and
- co-develop evaluation guides with ICANN so that decisions are transparent, consistent, and repeatable across all applications.
Bidders may propose only one panel or both. Combining the two topics in one RFP helps ICANN coordinate timelines and staffing where expertise overlaps (e.g., script and IDN specialists).
Who can bid and how
This is a public RFP. Any qualified vendor can participate.
- Send indications of interest to:
2026-rnd-string-similarity-and-variant-strings-rfp@icann.org
Include: organisation name, contact name, and contact email. - Submit full proposals via ICANN’s sourcing tool by: 23:59 UTC on 16 January 2026
(Access to the tool can be requested via the same email.)
A detailed scope, requirements, and timeline are available on the RFP web page.
Why this matters
Top-level domains are the endings of web addresses (like .com, .org, .東京). When ICANN opens a new round, organisations can apply to operate new endings. Before anything goes live, applications are evaluated on multiple fronts (technical, financial, policy). The String Similarity and Variant checks are part of that gatekeeping: they help ensure users aren’t tripped up by look-alike endings and that global internet navigation works reliably across different languages and scripts.
