How do FSP requirements for release of scientific software compare to those for release of scientific data? [060]

USGS scientific software and data follow the same basic FSP requirements for review and approval and both are considered noninterpretive information. Both releases are subject to the requirements of the 2013 OSTP directive on increasing access to the results of federally funded scientific research. Similar to FSP requirements for data release products, the FSP requirements for scientific software release products include documentation as described in IM OSQI 2019-01; review and Science Center Director approval tracked in the IPDS before public release; and ultimate release from a USGS-approved hosting platform. A software release, like a data release, can be a stand-alone product or can be released separately in association with an interpretive product, such as a USGS publication series product or a journal article. Data and software each have unique review requirements. A software release requires a code review and a domain review, whereas a data release requires a data review and a metadata review.