Under the 2023 DMS Policy, NIH expects researchers to prioritize sharing scientific data, considering factors like legal, ethical, and technical constraints. All NIH applicants who will produce scientific data must draft a DMS Plan detailing how they’ll manage and share this data. This also applies to those under the NIH’s Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy.

Key Elements to Include in a DMS Plan:

1. Data Type: Clearly describe the data (e.g., MRI scans, genomic data) and its volume. Also, indicate which data will be preserved and shared, providing reasons for these choices.
2. Related Tools, Software and/or Code: Specify any tools or software required to access or process the shared data.
3. Standards: State the standards applied to the data and its associated metadata, like data formats and dictionaries.
4. Data Preservation, Access, and Timelines: Describe where the data will be stored, how it will be made accessible, and when it will be available to others. Note: NIH recommends data sharing as soon as feasible.
5. Access, Distribution, or Reuse Considerations: Address factors like informed consent, privacy protections, and any sharing limitations.
6. Oversight of Data Management and Sharing: Describe how compliance with the DMS Plan will be monitored.

Plan Format: NIH recommends that DMS Plans be concise, preferably two pages or less. It has provided an optional format page that aligns with the elements of a DMS Plan.

Assessment and Revisions: If the submitted DMS Plan is deemed insufficient, applicants will be notified, and revisions might be required either pre-award or post-award, depending on the project’s evolution.

Sample Plans: NIH provides sample DMS Plans to guide applicants (https://sharing.nih.gov/data-management-and-sharing-policy/planning-and-budgeting-for-data-management-and-sharing/writing-a-data-management-and-sharing-plan#after). These exemplify how different research contexts might address the Plan’s elements. However, using them doesn’t guarantee NIH approval. It’s crucial to align the Plan with any additional expectations from NIH policies or specific Institutes, Centers, or Offices.