Data management and sharing: NIH policy details and guidance

The authors thank their colleagues. benfurd williams When grayson donley, For their continued cooperation and contribution to this post.

NIH’s Final Data Management and Sharing Policy (DMS Policy) will take effect on January 25, 2023. This new policy applies to all NIH-supported research that results in the generation of scientific data. Grantee must develop a data management and sharing plan (referred to as a DMS plan).

We have previously outlined tips and tricks for planning ahead for data management and sharing. Now, with the policy deadline approaching, we want to best prepare grant applicants by providing newly available resources and data sharing expectations. In addition to reading, we encourage you to review the associated NIH notices for more information about expected elements of DMS planning, acceptable costs, and guidance for choosing data repositories.

Data management and shared resources

The NIH recently launched a scientific data sharing website with tools to answer this question. What policies apply to my research? You’ll also find scientific data management best practices, including frequently asked questions about metadata, naming conventions, data storage formats, and DMS policies.

Your DMS plan should be tailored to your research project. We encourage you to seek specific guidance on the types of data and resources relevant to your research. For example, if you plan to develop software tools, you may find this FAQ about sharing software and source code helpful. You can also browse the list of NIA-funded resources and repositories and NIH-supported data repositories. We encourage you to leverage your own institutional resources to help develop a meaningful DMS plan, including librarians, repositories, and data curation services.

Data management and sharing: what to expect

A DMS plan must be submitted through eRA Commons as part of a grant application. If a genomic data sharing (GDS) policy also applies, the DMS plan should address the necessary elements of his GDS policy (i.e., do not create a separate genomic data sharing plan). However, separate plans should be drafted for other policies that may apply to the project (e.g. sharing of model organisms, research tools, dissemination of clinical trials).

DMS plans will not be evaluated or scored during the peer review process unless otherwise stated in Section V of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) you are applying for. During the pre-ruling phase, NIA program staff evaluates how well the DMS plan meets the essential elements of the policy and her FOA-specific expectations. Robust development of a DMS plan supports expedited processing and prevents delays in the pre-arbitration stage. A program representative will contact you directly if any corrections are required. Please note that plans must be approved by program staff before an application can be funded.

Once the application is funded, compliance with the approved DMS plan is a condition of award notification. We assess compliance (at least) in our annual progress reports. Failure to comply may result in the addition of special terms and conditions or termination of benefits. It may also influence future funding decisions for you or your institution. Therefore, if a grant is awarded, it is important to have a policy-compliant plan and adhere to the DMS plan.

where to find more answers

For additional NIA guidance on sharing data and other resources and application-specific DMS plan requirements, please contact your NIA Program Officer or leave a comment below. Stay tuned for future posts in this blog series for tips on formatting your plan.