To integrate data management planning into an overall research plan, the following requirements apply to all Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) research solicitations and invitations for new, renewal, and some supplemental funding. These requirements apply to proposals from all organizations, including academic institutions, Department of Energy national laboratories, and others. These requirements do not apply to applications to use EERE user facilities.
All projects selected for EERE research funding must include a data management plan (DMP) that addresses the following requirements:
DMPs should describe whether and how data generated in the course of the proposed research will be shared and preserved and at a minimum, DMPs must describe how data sharing and preservation will enable validation results, or how results could be validated if data are not shared or preserved.
DMPs should provide a plan for making all research data displayed in publications resulting from the proposed research open, machine-readable, and digitally accessible to the public at the time of publication. This includes data that are displayed in charts, figures, images, etc. In addition, the underlying digital research data used to generate the displayed data should be made as accessible as possible to the public in accordance with the Data Management Principles stated above. The published article should indicate how these data can be accessed.
- DMPs should reference available information about data management resources to be used in the course of the proposed research. In particular, DMPs that explicitly or implicitly commit data management resources at a facility beyond what is conventionally made available to approved users should be accompanied by written approval from that facility.
- DMPs must protect confidentiality, personal privacy, personally identifiable information,
DMPs must protect confidentiality, personal privacy, personally identifiable information, and U.S. national, homeland, and economic security; recognize proprietary interests, business confidential information, and intellectual property rights; avoid significant negative impact on innovation and U.S. competitiveness; and otherwise be consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, and Department of Energy orders and policies.
In instances where EERE intends to collect digital data resulting from the supported research, additional requirements for data management may be necessary to ensure the Department meets the requirements of the Open Data Policy.
DMPs are reviewed as part of the overall EERE merit review and/or award negotiation process. Additional requirements and review criteria for the DMP may be identified by the sponsoring technology office and/or in the solicitation.
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