Data Management Plan Template Horizon Europe

SOP: Horizon Europe Data Management Plan (DMP) Lifecycle

1. Executive Summary & Purpose

This SOP establishes the standardized workflow for generating, maintaining, and submitting Data Management Plans (DMPs) compliant with Horizon Europe (HE) requirements. The objective is to ensure research data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) by default, mitigating data loss and ensuring audit readiness for the European Commission.

2. Scope & Prerequisites

• Scope: All Horizon Europe-funded projects managed under the Template Registry framework.
• Tools: DMPonline (or Argos), LaTeX/Markdown editors, ORCID identifiers.
• Prerequisites: Valid grant agreement, Data Management Policy access, Institutional Repository access, storage infrastructure (e.g., S3 buckets, institutional cloud).

3. Roles & Responsibilities (RACI)

4. Step-by-Step Procedure

Phase I: Initial DMP Drafting (M0-M6)

• Initialize the DMP template using the "Horizon Europe" schema in DMPonline.
• Define data types (raw, processed, metadata) and associated file formats.
• Map data to FAIR principles: assign persistent identifiers (PIDs) and standardize metadata schemas (e.g., Dublin Core, DDI).
• Specify storage locations and backup protocols (3-2-1 rule).

Phase II: Review & Validation

• Conduct a peer review of the draft to ensure compliance with the HE Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
• Validate sensitive data handling against GDPR/national legislation requirements.
• Verify that costs associated with data management are included in the project budget.

Phase III: Continuous Updates & Reporting

• Review DMP at each reporting period (M12, M24, etc.).
• Update metadata documentation to reflect project evolution.
• Ensure deposition of data in a trusted repository (e.g., Zenodo, EUDAT).

5. Quality Assurance & Pro-Tips

QA Metrics

• FAIR Score: 100% of datasets must be assigned a PID.
• Accessibility: 100% of metadata must be open access, even if the underlying data is restricted.
• Version Latency: DMP updates must be submitted within 30 days of significant data architectural changes.

Pro-Tips

• Don't reinvent the wheel: Use established discipline-specific ontologies rather than custom ones.
• Pitfall: Avoid "open access by default" for personal data. Always include a "Data Protection Plan" annex if PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is involved.
• Versioning: Use semantic versioning (v1.0.0, v1.1.0) for the DMP document itself.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Horizon Europe require all data to be open? A: No. The mandate is "as open as possible, as closed as necessary." You may restrict access for legitimate reasons (e.g., IPR protection, security, privacy), provided this is explicitly justified in the DMP.

Q: What is the primary difference between a DMP and a data repository? A: The DMP is a living administrative document detailing how you manage data; the repository is the infrastructure where you store and publish the data/metadata.

Q: Are there costs I should include in the budget? A: Yes. Budget for data storage, curation services, repository fees, and staff time dedicated to metadata preparation.

End of Document. Authorized by: Julian Vance, Chief Architect, Template Registry.