September 23, 2024
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
The purpose of this Notice is to inform the extramural research community of updates to the processes for submitting requests to revise a Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan through the Just in Time (JIT) Module, the Prior Approval Module, and the RPPR Module in eRA Commons. This updated functionality will be available for NIH grants subject to the Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy effective October 1, 2024, and will be used exclusively for submitting requests for updating the DMS Plan. As a reminder, emails and other communications are not acceptable.
Under the final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy), NIH requires a recipient to comply with the DMS Plan as approved by the funding NIH Institute, Center, or Office (ICO). If DMS Plan revisions are necessary (e.g., new scientific direction, a different data repository, or a timeline revision), Plans should be updated by recipients and reviewed and approved by the NIH ICO. All requests for NIH awarding ICO prior approval must be submitted by the Authorized Organization Representative (Signing Official (SO) role in eRA Commons) at least 30 days in advance of the requested change, and the currently approved DMS Plan remains in effect for the award until the request is approved by the funding NIH ICO.
The processes for submitting requests and revised DMS Plans depend on where you are in the grant award cycle.
Before the award is made, applicants must use the Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) Revision section of the Just in Time (JIT) Screen in eRA Commons, to submit a revised DMS Plan.
Note: SOs must no longer use the ‘Other File section in Just-in-Time to submit the revised DMS plan.
For changes being requested after the award is made, at the time of the RPPR (i.e. within 30 days of RPPR submission), in the RPPR Module, recipients must use Section C.5.c to select Upload Revised Data Management and Sharing Plan and follow the instructions provided to complete the required entry.
When revisions to the DMS Plans need to be requested off-cycle (other than at the time of the RPPR), recipients must Select Prior Approval – DMS Request in the Prior Approval Module to request the change.
Note: SOs must no longer use the ‘Other Request type in Prior Approval to submit the plan.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
Email: OPERAsystemspolicy@nih.gov
For technical issues related to the eRA Commons Modules, please contact the
NIH eRA Service Desk at: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help