Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to submit a Data Management Plan (DMP)?

  1. Will a proposal be funded if it does not include a Data Management Plan?

    No. The Office of Science reserves the right to reject, without merit review, any proposal that does not include a DMP.

  2. Will a proposal be funded if the DMP does not follow the Requirements of the Office of Science Statement on Digital Data Management?

    No.

  3. I am submitting a research proposal in response to the Office of Science "Annual Funding Opportunity Announcement", do I need to include a data management plan with my proposal?

    Yes.

  4. I am a DOE laboratory employee requesting research funding from the Office of Science that is not connected to any Funding Opportunity Announcement. Do I need to submit a DMP?

    Yes.

  5. I am applying for time at one of the Office of Science facilities. Do I need to submit a DMP with my proposal to the facility?

    No. These requirements apply only to proposals for research funding submitted directly to the Office of Science and do not apply to proposals to use DOE User Facilities or other DOE laboratory infrastructure or services. Any requirements or guidance related to your proposal will be issued by that facility.

  6. My proposed research is part of a larger scientific collaboration that has established by-laws for data management and is funded by more than one program or agency. Do I need to submit a DMP? How should this be addressed in the DMP I submit with my proposal?

    Yes, you will need to submit a DMP. The by-laws of the collaboration should be referenced in the DMP you submit.

  7. I am applying for a DOE SBIR award. Do I need to submit a DMP?

    Yes. Please see specific program guidance on how to prepare a DMP associated with an SBIR or STTR application. DMP requirements for the ARPA-E SBIR and STTR programs will be detailed in the relevant solicitation.

  8. I am submitting a proposal for supplemental funding after October, 1, 2014, but the original award was made before this time and does not include a DMP. Do I need to submit a DMP with the supplemental proposal?

    If the supplemental proposal enlarges the scope of the research and will therefore be reviewed, then a DMP will be required and should address the research products of the supplemental research scope. If you are uncertain, you should contact the cognizant program manager.

  9. Do I need to submit a DMP with a proposal for supplemental funding if the supplemental work will not generate additional digital research data?

    Yes. The DMP should explain that no additional digital research data will be generated and, if possible, should reference the DMP for the existing award.

  10. Do I need to submit a DMP with a proposal for supplemental funding if the DMP for the supplemental work would be the same as the DMP for the existing grant?

    Yes. The DMP should simply reference the DMP of the existing grant.

  11. Do I need to submit a DMP with a proposal for renewal funding?

    Yes.

  12. I am applying for an Early Career Research Award; do I need to submit a DMP?

    This depends on the solicitation issue date. For solicitations issued prior to October 1, 2014, there is no DMP requirement.  However, for solicitations issued on or after October 1, 2014, a DMP is required.

  13. I’m submitting a proposal for a conference or workshop, do I need to include a data management plan with my proposal?

    No. The DMP requirements apply only to proposals for research funding.

  14. There is a policy at my institution that all data and materials supporting my research are owned by the institution. Do I still need to submit a DMP, and if so what data management practices should I follow?

    Yes. Your DMP could refer to the institution’s policy, but your DMP must meet the Requirements to be funded. Proposals that do not comply with Office of Science policy, including the Office of Science Statement on Digital Data Management, will not receive funding.

  15. My proposed research will not produce any data worth the cost of sharing or preservation. Do I need to prepare a DMP and, if so, what information should I provide?

    Yes. A DMP must be provided and should meet all of the Requirements of the Office of Science Statement on Digital Data Management and any additional requirements stipulated by the Funding Opportunity Announcement or the sponsoring program office. In particular, the DMP should provide cost/benefit considerations to explain why the scientific value in sharing and preserving data generated by the research does not justify the expense, and should describe how the research results can be validated if data are not shared or preserved.

What to include in a DMP

  1. The Office of Science Statement on Digital Data Management requires that I submit a Data Management Plan (DMP) with my research proposal. What should I include in this plan?

    A list of suggested elements for a DMP can be found here.

  2. My proposal will be jointly funded by two SC Programs. Which Program-specific guidance should I follow?

    In this case, specific requirements will be found in the Funding Opportunity Announcement or solicitation. If you are still uncertain, contact the cognizant program manager.

  3. Part or all of my proposed research is considered Human Subjects Research (HSR), which includes research involving Personally Identifiable Information (PII). What special requirements apply to the DMP I submit with this proposal?

    For proposals with HSR, including research involving PII, an appropriate research protocol will need to be approved by the appropriate DOE Institutional Review Board (IRB) or an external IRB with an approved federal wide assurance. Follow the instructions of the research solicitation to determine whether or not the data management aspects of this protocol should be included in the DMP. At a minimum, the DMP should acknowledge the type of HSR and/or PII involved and give a projected timeline for IRB approval. Information regarding DOE requirements for HSR and research involving PII, including how to obtain IRB approval, can be found here.

  4. What kind of data should be considered in the DMP? Should the DMP cover raw data, processed data, analyzed data, software, etc.?

    The Principal Investigator should determine which data should be the subject of the DMP and, in the DMP, propose which data should be shared and/or preserved in accordance with the Requirements. The focus of this policy is digital research data.

Sharing and Preservation

  1. The data or data products from my research will likely be cited by me and/or others. What should I to do ensure that these are cited appropriately and that I receive proper attribution for their use in others’ research?

    There are no global standards for how to cite data products. Suggestions for what information to include in a citation for your data product and how to format this information can be found here. To facilitate the citation of data products, the Office of Science encourages the use of persistent identifiers such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). DOIs facilitate the accurate linking between publications and data products. In most cases, the DOE Office of Science can provide DOIs free of charge for datasets resulting from DOE-funded research through its Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) DataID Service.

  2. I would like to include a citation to a data product in one of my publications or other presentation material. How can this be done?

    There are no global standards for how to cite data products. You should refer to any guidance provided by the author of the data product. Further suggestions and guidance can be found here, including guidance for data products with persistent identifiers.

  3. How do I determine the length of time data resulting from my research should be shared or preserved?

    Applicants should propose a timeframe that is appropriate for the science and reasonable for the budget. Considerations could include, the uniqueness of the data, the ease or difficulty of regenerating the data, or validating the results through other means in the future. The proposed timeframe will be evaluated through the merit review process. Please consult any additional requirements imposed by the sponsoring program office.

  4. There is no applicable data center or repository for the digital data my research produces. How should I make my data accessible?

    Though data centers or repositories applicable to your specific discipline may not exist, other data centers or repositories with a more general focus may be appropriate. For example, your national laboratory or academic institution’s library may have a general research data repository that could be used.

  5. How does this statement address sharing and preservation of supporting materials in physical form (e.g. in notebooks) or physical collections?

    Physical collections and materials are not covered by this policy.

  6. Will I have to make my digital data available prior to analysis or publication under this statement?

    The Office of Science Statement on Digital Data Management requires a DMP describing how data sharing and preservation will enable validation of results, or how results could be validated if data are not shared or preserved. The timeframe over which data will be shared and preserved should be addressed in the DMP and will be evaluated through the merit review process. Please consult any additional requirements imposed by the sponsoring program office.

  7. My research involves sensitive data that, for one or many reasons, should not be shared. How do I address this in my DMP?

    As stated in the Requirements, 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 laws, and DOE regulations, orders, and policies. The DMP should describe the sensitivity and explain why sharing certain parameters is not appropriate. De-identification, masking techniques, or limited access facilities may allow sharing of data that might not otherwise be sharable. There is no requirement to share proprietary data.

  8. My anticipated publisher cannot include my displayed research data as supplementary material with my publication. What other means should I plan to use?

    If your publisher cannot include displayed research data as supplementary material, you may be able to make it digitally accessible through a discipline-specific data repository, data center, or archive. Another option is a data center or repository with a more general focus, possibly at your national laboratory or academic institution. Wherever the data are located, the published article should indicate how these data can be accessed.

  9. Based on cost, benefit, and other considerations mentioned in the Requirements, it is not appropriate or feasible to post my research data onto an open website for public download. Are there other ways my data can be shared?

    Yes. There may be other, more appropriate ways for you to share your research data. This should be discussed in your Data Management Plan.

Evaluation

  1. Should my proposed budget specifically address the resources and costs associated in implementing my DMP?

    Costs associated with the scope of work and resources articulated in a DMP may be included in the proposed research budget as permitted by the appropriate cost principles.

  2. What consequences, if any, result from failure to carry out the data management plan of a funded research proposal?

    The DMP is part of the overall research proposal and, as such, it is expected that researchers will follow, to the best of their ability, the proposed research and associated data management plan. Failure to do so will negatively influence future funding opportunities.