Two important clarifications regarding DMPTool and NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy

We have two important clarifications for PIs regarding: (1) the use of DMPTool and NIH’s formatting requirements, and (2) when the Resource Sharing Plans are required in addition to the Data Management and Sharing Plan.

1. DMPTool - When using DMPTool to create the DMS Plan, the Plan must comply with all of NIH’s formatting requirements. Otherwise, the application is at risk of getting withdrawn. This includes font size, margins, and no URLs or hyperlinks are allowed.  You should download the Plan created in DMPTool as a Word document to make sure you can meet all formatting requirements.  See this one-page DMPTool Formatting Guide for NIH Proposals.
2. Resource Sharing Plan(s) - When the new DMS Policy took effect on January 25, 2023, it eliminated the requirement to include a Data Sharing Plan (under the 2003 policy), or a Genomic Data Sharing Plan, in the Resource Sharing Plan(s) section of the application. Instead, only one DMS Plan is needed (even if subject to the Genomic Data Sharing Policy), which is included in the Other Plan(s) section of the application. See Writing a DMS Plan, which contains additional instructions for applications subject to the Genomic Data Sharing Policy.

A Resource Sharing Plan(s) is required only when the PI plans to create the following two items:

• • Model Organisms –unique model organisms, including unique mammalian and non-mammalian models ; and/or
  • Research Tools – unique research resources that can be useful for many others and many projects.

See NIH Instructions on Resource Sharing Plans for FORMS-H.

For questions about DMPTool, or the contents of the DMS Plans, please contact [email protected]. You can also contact your SPA Project Officer for questions concerning the preparation of your NIH applications.