The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Mirror Group LLC to be the Safeguard Assessment provider for the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: 2026 Round. The Safeguard Assessment is part of the String Evaluation phase of the New gTLD Program. The Safeguard Assessment will determine if an applied-for string will require specific safeguards as contractual requirements in the applicable Registry Agreement as it relates to consumer protection, sensitive use of strings, and regulated industries.
ICANN selected Mirror Group through a competitive Request for Proposal initiated in December 2025. The safeguard assessment provider was selected in accordance with ICANN's procurement best practices, which ensure that services are sourced with the correct specifications, at the appropriate level of quality and value.
Mirror Group is a Washington, D.C.-based management consulting and evaluation firm that partners with organizations navigating consequential challenges, advancing social impact, and making critical decisions. Working at the intersection of strategy, evaluation, research, and organizational learning, Mirror Group brings intellectual rigor, thoughtful analysis, and practical insight to engagements where clarity, credibility, and sound judgment matter. The firm works across the public, philanthropic, nonprofit, and mission-driven sectors, combining the agility and personalized attention of a specialized consultancy with the discipline and sophistication required for large-scale, high-stakes engagements.
ICANN selected Mirror Group because it is confident that it has the capabilities and experience to determine whether an applied-for string fits into one of the risk-based groups that will require specific safeguard public-interest commitments as contractual obligations in the 2026 Base Registry Agreement. Mirror Group will draw on its expertise in complex evaluation, quality assurance, and advanced methodologies to support a fair, consistent, and objective assessment process across a globally diverse applicant community.
For more information on Safeguard Assessment, please refer to Section 7.8.2 in the Applicant Guidebook. For questions about this announcement, please contact [email protected].