UPDATE to the NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan
NIH now requires use of the 2026 Pilot Data Management and Sharing Plan format for applications with due dates on or after May 25, 2026. A new 2026 Pilot DMS Plan format (DOCX, 37 KB) is now available for all competing and non-competing awards.
If you are just starting to prepare your DMS Plan, we recommend using the simplified 2026 Pilot DMS Plan format.
NIH will accept either the 2023 or 2026 format for due dates before May 25, 2026.
The 2023 Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy remains in place, only the format of the Data Management and Sharing Plan used to enforce the policy has changed (NOT-OD-26-0446).
For more on what constitutes scientific data, see Research Covered Under the Data Management & Sharing Policy.
Background
NIH issued the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy (effective January 25, 2023) to promote the sharing of scientific data. Sharing scientific data accelerates biomedical research discovery, in part, by enabling validation of research results, providing accessibility to high-value datasets, and promoting data reuse for future research studies. Under the DMS Policy, NIH expects that investigators and institutions:
- Plan and budget for the managing and sharing of scientific data
- Submit a DMS Plan for review when applying for funding
- Comply with the approved DMS Plan
Submitting Data Management and Sharing Plans
The DMS Plan should be submitted as follows:
- Extramural (grants): as part of the competing grant application
- DMS Plans should be included within the “Other Plan(s)” field on the PHS 398 Research Plan or PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form as indicated in the Application Instructions. See below for details on developing and formatting Plans.
- A brief summary and associated costs should be submitted as part of the budget and budget justification (see Budgeting for Data Management and Sharing and the Application Instructions for details).
- Extramural (contracts): as part of the technical evaluation
- Intramural: determined by the Intramural Research Program
- Other funding agreements: prior to the release of funds
Assessment of Data Management and Sharing Plans
NIH Institute or Center (IC) program staff assess DMS Plans to ensure plan elements are adequately addressed, including any justifications for limiting data sharing. Applications selected for funding will only be funded if the DMS Plan is complete and acceptable.
Peer reviewers are not asked to comment on the DMS Plan and the plan is not factored into the Overall Impact score, unless sharing data is integral to the project design and specified in the funding opportunity (see NOT-OD-22-189).
For information about budget assessment by peer reviewers, see Budgeting for Data Management and Sharing.
OU Resources
OU IT has provided some resources and guidance on research data storage and costs. Please refer to the documents below.
NIH Resources