Email from ICANN Thursday, 07 May 2026 ICANN Community Digest Click here to learn more about the New gTLD Program 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook 2026 Round Vendor Sourcing Timeline The ICANN organization Policy Development Support function publishes this twice-weekly digest to help ICANN community groups track requests and follow updates. Do you have any ideas for improving the ICANN Community Digest? Write to us at policyinfo@icann.org! Table of Contents ICANN86 Prep Week Information Sharing NEW: ICANN Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Financial and Operational Evaluation NEW: Helping the Ombuds Office Learn and Improve NEW: What to Know About the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 2026 Round NEW: Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Opens Today ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available CLOSES MONDAY: ICANN Extends Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 2026 Round Independent Objectors Webinars TUESDAY: ICANN to Host Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants Webinar Series on 2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes 🚨 Action Items 🚨 CLOSES TOMORROW: ICANN Request for Proposal: Global Payroll Services ICANN Issues Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Auction ICANN Board Seeks Input on Additional Funds for 2026 Round Applicant Support Program ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers Public Comment Events These events occur in May 2026. ICANN86 Prep Week Information Sharing NEW: ICANN Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Financial and Operational Evaluation The Financial and Operational Evaluation occurs during the applicant evaluation phase of the New gTLD Program, expected to begin in Q3 2027. Deadline: 12 June 2026 Read more. NEW: Helping the Ombuds Office Learn and Improve Understanding client experience is key and community members who have used the Ombuds Office have valuable information. Read more and request a survey. NEW: What to Know About the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 ITU Plenipotentiary resolutions direct the ITU's general policies, strategies, and work on specific issues that are important to the organization and its members. Read more. 2026 Round NEW: Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants Pre-submitted questions for the upcoming TAMS Q&A on 12 May webinar are due by 6 May. Attendees are invited to submit questions using this submission form. Read more. New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Opens Today New gTLDs have demonstrated their benefits in building brand trust, creating vibrant local digital ecosystems, and providing more intuitive navigation for users. 2026 Round Launch Page Press Release Announcement ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program The second application period for the RSP Evaluation Program runs from 30 April to 12 August 2026. Read more. ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available ICANN has made several resources available to help prospective applicants familiarize themselves with ICANN's TLD Application Management System (TAMS). This online system will be used by all applicants, evaluation panelists, and ICANN staff to submit, manage, and process new gTLD applications. These resources are available to help prospective applicants prepare for the application completion and submission process through TAMS: System user guide Frequently Asked Questions Demo videos Q&A webinar recordings Read more. CLOSES MONDAY: ICANN Extends Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 2026 Round Independent Objectors The Independent Objectors will file Community and Limited Public Interest objections and appeals and participate in mediation, where appropriate. Deadline: Monday 11 May Read more. Webinars TUESDAY: ICANN to Host Question-and-Answer Sessions for New gTLD Applicants Dates: 12 May, 16:00 UTC | 26 May, 16:00 UTC Read more and register. Webinar Series on 2026 Round Objections and Appeals Processes Introduction: 19 May, 14:00 UTC | 26 May, 06:00 UTC WIPO, Dispute Resolution Service Provider: 20 May, 14:00 UTC | 27 May, 06:00 UTC International Chamber of Commerce, Dispute Resolution Service Provider: 21 May, 14:00 UTC | 28 May, 06:00 UTC Read more and register. Action Items CLOSES TOMORROW: ICANN Request for Proposal: Global Payroll Services ICANN's preference would be to contract with one provider that can support all in-scope countries; however, under certain considerations ICANN may be open to selecting multiple providers as part of this initiative. Deadline: 8 May 2026 Read more. ICANN Issues Request for Proposal: 2026 Round Auction The selected provider will implement the ascending-clock, second-price auction method and must have the capability to accommodate a high volume of auctions, including both direct and indirect contention sets. Deadline: 2 June 2026 Read more. ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers ICANNWiki is seeking volunteers to assist with creating and editing articles and content for the site. Do you want to help? Getting started is as simple as requesting an account. Then, make sure to read the short content guide to get a feel for what belongs in the wiki. Also, feel free to take a look at some data source suggestions on where to find reliable data. Happy editing! Public Comment See upcoming proceedings. See other public consultations. Events These events occur in May 2026. To learn more, please visit our community engagement calendar. Centr Jamboree APRALO Policy Forum - EURALO Joint Webinar: Understanding the Role of Trusted Notifiers in DNS Abuse West Africa IGF 2026 Abrint Global Congress 2026 At-Large Webinar: At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets ICANN Contractual Compliance and NetBeacon Institute Africa–Europe AI Governance Roundtable | Africa Forward Summit DNS-OARC 46 Volume 8, Issue 32 | Archive | Next Issue: Monday, 11 May 2026 STAY INFORMED: Subscribe here ICANN | 12025 Waterfront Drive Suite 300 | Los Angeles, CA 90094-2536 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice