Version 1.0 of PACT Data Management Plan released

October 20, 2021: The PACT center released version 1.0 of the center’s Data Management Plan. Please visit Publications and Protocols to download the report.

Executive Summary

In order to meet the guidelines, set forth in the US Government Open Data Initiative and data management requirements set forth by DOE, we shall implement the following procedures to protect and curate all project or consortium data. Instrumentation data will be backed up locally on redundant hard drives, onto cloud-based repositories, or on local laboratory information management systems to protect raw recipe, operations, time-series, and characterization data.

Data products will be aggregated to an NREL-operated Data Hub for the purpose of access and release to consortium project members, customers, and possibly the public, once any proprietary or publication embargos have been rescinded. All data found to be of business confidentiality or intellectual property shall be maintained in closed projects, with access granted only to authorized members. Any data containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or with national security implications will not be stored or released in accordance with all laws and DOE regulations, orders, and policies. Data that is to be archived for the consortium shall include, but is not limited to, all data that has been contextualized and found useful to support research and reporting to customers and partners, and any data needed to validate and reproduce any published results.

Access to project level proprietary/private data on the Data Hub requires two-factor authorization and project access granted by the project owner or lead or system administrators. By default, all data uploaded to the Data Hub will be set as project private.

At the end of instrumentation and experimental lifetime or the shutdown of the consortium, all data products will be placed in a master archive to preserve it for future needs. After shutdown and in the event of suspended Data Hub operations, data products can be made available through direct request to the project lead or their designated representative.