The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced updated Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan requirements in NOT-OD-26-100, Implementation Update: NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan Requirements. The revised DMS Plan format became mandatory for all new competing applications submitted on or after May 25, 2026, and all NIH awards and applications subject to the DMS Policy must transition to the updated format by October 1, 2026.
Applications submitted before May 25, 2026, but not yet awarded, must update their DMS Plans during the Just-in-Time process, while previously awarded applications must transition to the revised format in their next Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). Likewise, all active awards generating scientific data, including those subject to the 2023 NIH DMS Policy, are required to submit the updated DMS Plan with their FY 2027 RPPR.
NIH has also streamlined the process for modifying DMS Plans by eliminating the requirement for prior approval; beginning October 1, 2026, investigators should use RPPR Section C.5.c to report data sharing progress and document any changes to their DMS Plan, including updates to data sharing approaches, repositories, or timelines. Additional information is available in NOT-OD-26-100. Questions regarding these requirements may be directed to ufproposals@ufl.edu.