All DOE-funded research and development awards and contracts are subject to a DOE approved Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) covering the relevant generated digital scientific data. The standard DMSP requirements can be found on the DOE Requirements and Guidance for Digital Research Data Management. The sponsoring research office or element may modify or add to the standard requirements for any program or project.
The Principal Investigator or other appropriate research lead should determine what scientific data will be generated and develop a responsive DMSP to describe how any unclassified and otherwise unrestricted digital scientific data, and any related tools, software, or code, will be appropriately shared, preserved, and protected. Incremental funding for implementing a DMSP will be supported through the commensurate budget for the approved data management scope of a project.
Suggested Elements of a Data Management and Sharing Plan
These Suggested Elements of a DMSP offer guidance to researchers to aid the process of developing a responsive plan.
- Data types, sources, and standards
- For each type of scientific data that will be used or generated, briefly provide:
- A general description of the nature and scope of the data, including its modality (e.g. text, imaging, genomic, structured, …) and aggregation (e.g. individual, aggregate, summarized, …)
- The amount of data processing and any data standards or formats used
- The anticipated amount or size of the data and timeline for production
- Key metadata and associated documentation that will facilitate data interpretation
- For each type of scientific data that will be used or generated, briefly provide:
- Related tools, software, and code
- Describe any code, software, or specialized tools needed to make use of the data, including to support validation and replication of scientific results, and how those code, software, or tools can be accessed.
- Data access and reuse considerations
- Describe any applicable factors that limit public sharing of the used or generated scientific data. Consider opportunities to maximize appropriate sharing through risk-mitigated limited access. Applicable factors may include, but are not limited to:
- Targeted reuse cases for the scientific community or the broader public
- Protection of confidentiality, privacy, business confidential information, and/or security
- Negative impacts on intellectual property rights, innovation, program and operational improvements, and U.S. competitiveness
- Preserving the balance between the relative value of long-term preservation and access and the associated cost and administrative burden
- Consistency with all applicable laws, regulations, and DOE orders and policies
- Describe any applicable factors that limit public sharing of the used or generated scientific data. Consider opportunities to maximize appropriate sharing through risk-mitigated limited access. Applicable factors may include, but are not limited to:
- Data security, preservation, and sharing
- Provide plans and timelines for data security, preservation, and appropriate sharing, which may include:
- A description of measures to ensure data security and integrity, such as protections against unauthorized access, corruption, or loss
- A description of the shared subset(s) or reduced elements of the total data for each data type
- Any data repositories that will be used to share the data, including a brief description of how each repository aligns with the NSTC "Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded Research" guidance
- How persistent identifiers will be used to make the data more findable and reusable
- Timelines for sharing any data not associated with a scientific publication
- Provide plans and timelines for data security, preservation, and appropriate sharing, which may include:
- Oversight of data management and sharing
- Describe how the implementation of the DMSP scope for the relevant project will be monitored and managed, including the frequency of oversight and the responsibilities of individuals or groups who participate in management.
Resources to Aid Developing a DMSP
Estimating the cost of implementing a DMSP
Applicants are encouraged to request the support necessary to implement a DMSP, which will be considered during the review and approval process.
The NIST Research Data Framework (RDaF) provides a structured approach to develop a customizable strategy for the management of research data, including all organizations and individuals engaged in any activities concerning research data management. The RDaF framework provides a dynamic guide for the various stakeholders in research data to understand best practices for research data management and dissemination and a resource for understanding costs, benefits, and risks associated with research data management.
Community-based activities, such as the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Activities by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), provide alternative frameworks that may aid an applicant in estimating the cost of implementing a DMSP.
Tools and templates to create a DMSP
DOE does not provide a specific template for creating a DMSP beyond the Suggested Elements above. While community-supported templates, examples, or tools, such as DMP Tool, may be used to aid development of a DMSP, authors should ensure that a DMSP addresses the full list of requirements, including any modifications or additions from the sponsoring research office or element.