Policy memorandum, titled “Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research”, requiring that all federally funded research articles and data be made publicly accessible immediately upon publication, effectively eliminating the common 12-month embargo period. This mandate applies across all federal agencies, unifying open access requirements. Agencies are expected to implement the new mandate fully by 2025. This ambitious policy aligns closely with Plan S principles, targeting immediate open access. The memorandum emphasizes the use of persistent digital identifiers, metadata standards, and FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) for research data.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Policy Memorandum
Abstract
Country | United States |
Start date | 2022 |
Annual Budget | n/a |
Responsible organisation(s) | Higher/Cabinet level coordination |
Target group(s) | Federal agencies with research and development expenditures |
Policy instrument type | Policy Guidance |
The 2013 OSTP Memorandum, often called the "Holdren Memo," required federal agencies with over $100 million in R&D funding to develop public access plans. However, this allowed for up to a 12-month embargo period for publications, which many argued restricted immediate access to federally funded research outputs. The 2022 memo addressed this limitation by eliminating embargo periods entirely, reflecting advancements in digital access and evolving public and scientific expectations.
To make publicly funded research outputs accessible maximizing their societal impact.
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