NSF Public Access Policy and the PAR (Public Access Repository)

As you may know/recall, the NSF implemented a new Public Access Policy, effective the same date as the latest PAPPG on January 25, 2016.  This policy applies to all new awards made on proposals that were submitted on or after the January 25th deadline. Given the standard six-months merit review process, this is still a very preemptive reminder.  However, in preparation for new awards for which this policy will be effective, please read the information below, review the hyperlinks, and let me know if you have any other questions.

What I need to know: 

In the newest PAPPG, NSF announced a public access policy which applies to new awards resulting from proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 25, 2016 which is the effective date of the latest Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).  NSF already requires that each proposal submitted to the agency include a data management plan [DMP], as set forth in the Grant Proposal Guide.

NSF will require that either the version of record or the final manuscript as accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal or in a juried conference proceedings or transactions must:

• Be deposited in a public access compliant repository designated by NSF;
• Be available for download, reading and analysis free of charge no later than 12 months after initial publication;
• Possess a minimum set of machine-readable metadata elements in a metadata record to be made available free of charge upon initial publication;
• Be managed to ensure long-term preservation; and
• Be reported in annual and final reports during the period of the award with a persistent identifier that provides links to the full text of the publication as well as other metadata elements.

Proposals:
Be sure to talk with your NSF program manager to get any program or directorate-specific guidance about data management plans. The GT library can assist you in developing a data management plan for sharing and archiving research data.

Award: 

Investigators must manage data from projects that awarded from proposals that include a DMP in accordance with the plan and should report these data-related activities in annual and final project reports including the deposit into NSF’s Public Access Repository (PAR).  Investigators should ensure that interim or working data is backed up during the project performance period; consult your school’s IT director for additional guidance on this matter.

Compliance:
ICOL Notices will remind you of the requirement when an award is made.  For publications that result from projects subject to NSF’s public access policy, submit the paper into the NSF PAR and report the identifier in a NSF Annual or Final report.  [See the ‘How to Deposit in the PAR’ below.]  This NSF requirement will simultaneously fulfill the Georgia Tech Open Access Policy.  See NSF FAQs 10 & 11 for definitions of final accepted version and version of record.

Resources: 

Georgia Tech:

• Library Guide: http://libguides.gatech.edu/nsf_public_access_policy
• DMP tool: http://d7.library.gatech.edu/research-data/data-management-plan
• Georgia Tech Open Access Policy: http://d7.library.gatech.edu/scdc/open_access

NSF:

• NSF Public Access FAQs: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16009/nsf16009.jsp#q1
• Today’s Data, Tomorrow’s Discoveries: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15052/nsf15052.pdf). 
• How to Deposit in the PAR: https://www.research.gov/common/attachment/Desktop/NSF-PAR_Getting_Started_Guide.pdf

OSTP:

• OSTP Memo: Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Research.”