ICANN’s GNSO Seeks Volunteers for the Standing Predictability Implementation Review Team (SPIRT)

On 22 September 2025, the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council issued a call for volunteers from the community to join the Standing Predictability Implementation Review Team (SPIRT). SPIRT is established under the GNSO Council’s guidance per the SPIRT Charter, with the role of advising the GNSO Council, the ICANN Board, the ICANN organization, and the Internet community on matters related to the New Generic Top-Level Domains Program: Next Round, following adoption of the Applicant Guidebook.

Scope of the Team’s Work

SPIRT will work in conjunction with ICANN org to handle all non-minor changes within the program, using the Predictability Framework. The SPIRT Charter and the Predictability Framework contain the full specification of its responsibilities and methods.

Schedule and Key Dates

The timeline for SPIRT’s formation and work is as follows: the volunteer application deadline is 17 October 2025; the leadership application deadline is 24 October 2025; and the team is expected to begin its work between 10–14 November 2025. When active, SPIRT will meet as needed, with a 60-minute rotating meeting slot once it’s convened.

Who Can Participate & Membership Requirements

All interested members of the ICANN community—including those belonging to Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, or GNSO’s Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies—are invited to volunteer. SPIRT members should prioritize the best interests of the program and bring constructive proposals for issues that may appear. Applicants are expected to meet membership criteria described in the Working Group Member Skills Guide.

At least half of the first group of members will serve three-year terms. The initial membership must include one participant from the original Policy Development Process (PDP) Working Group and one participant from the PDP Implementation Review Team.

How to Apply

To express interest, volunteers should contact the GNSO Secretariat at secretariat@gnso.icann.org by Friday, 17 October 2025, at 23:59 UTC.

Why This Matters

SPIRT is intended to ensure consistency and oversight in how non-minor changes are handled in the next round of new generic top-level domains. By adhering to the Predictability Framework and gathering community input via SPIRT, ICANN aims to keep the process transparent, fair, and stable. For community members, participation offers a chance to influence important policy implementation, helping maintain trust in the domain name governance process.