Key Dates

Related Announcements

• September 23, 2024 - Reminder: Reporting Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan Activities in Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) Submitted on or After October 1, 2024. See Notice NOT-OD-24-175.
• May 9, 2024 - Reporting Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan Activities in the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). See Notice NOT-OD-24-123.
• September 27, 2023 - Prior Approval Requests for Revisions to an Approved Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan Must be Submitted Using the Prior Approval Module. See Notice NOT-OD-23-185. (RESCINDED)
• October 29, 2020 - Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing. See Notice NOT-OD-21-013.

Issued by

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

Purpose

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.

Background

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.

Processes for Submitting Requests and Revised DMS Plans

The processes for submitting requests and revised DMS Plans depend on where you are in the grant award cycle. 

Pre-Award

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.

• The request must be submitted by a Signing Official.
• All uploaded documents must be in PDF format.

Note: SOs must no longer use the ‘Other File’ section in Just-in-Time to submit the revised DMS plan.

Post Award: at Time of RPPR

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.

• The request must be submitted by a Signing Official.
• Provide the rationale and justification for the requested changes.
• Attach the revised DMS Plan in PDF format.

Post Award: Off-Cycle Requests

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.

• The request must be submitted by a Signing Official.
• Include the effective date of the requested changes.
• Provide the rationale and justification for the requested changes.
• Provide revised budget document if revised DMS Plan impacts the budget. Include information for current and future budget periods. Note: This is not a supplement request.
• Attach the revised DMS Plan.
• All uploaded documents must be in PDF format.

Note: SOs must no longer use the ‘Other Request’ type in Prior Approval to submit the plan.

Resources

• NIH Data Sharing Website
• Writing a Data Management & Sharing Plan - Applications for Receipt Dates ON/AFTER Jan 25 2023
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• For steps and screenshots, please see the  Just in Time (JIT) Screen , Prior Approval Request, and Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) Module sections of the eRA Commons online help following the release.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
Email: [email protected]

For technical issues related to the eRA Commons Modules, please contact the
NIH eRA Service Desk at: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help