Executive Office of the President
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Washington, D.C. 20502
August 25, 2022
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
| From: | Dr. Alondra Nelson Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Science and Society Performing the Duties of Director Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) |
| Subject: | Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research |
This memorandum provides policy guidance to federal agencies with research and development expenditures on updating their public access policies. In accordance with this memorandum, OSTP recommends that federal agencies, to the extent consistent with applicable law:
- Update their public access policies as soon as possible, and no later than December 31st, 2025, to make publications and their supporting data resulting from federally funded research publicly accessible without an embargo on their free and public release;
- Establish transparent procedures that ensure scientific and research integrity is maintained in public access policies; and,
- Coordinate with OSTP to ensure equitable delivery of federally funded research results and data.
1. Background and Policy Principles
Since February 2013, federal public access policy has been guided by the Memorandum on Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Research (2013 Memorandum).[1] Issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the 2013 Memorandum directed all federal departments and agencies (agencies) with more than $100 million in annual research and development expenditures to develop a plan to support increased public access to the results of federally funded research, with specific focus on access to scholarly publications and digital data resulting from such research.
Nearly ten years later, every federal agency subject to the 2013 Memorandum has developed and implemented a public access policy in accordance with its guidance.[2] As a result, the American public has experienced great benefits: more than 8 million scholarly publications have become accessible to the public. Over 3 million people read these articles for free every day. The 2013 federal public access policy set the stage for a paradigm shift away from research silos and
- ↑ See the 2013 Memorandum: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/ostp_public_access_memo_2013.pdf
- ↑ See the 2021 OSTP Public Access Congressional Report: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2021-Public-Access-Congressional-Report_OSTP.pdf
