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Who owns the data collected during research or produced as an information product on behalf of the USGS? [176]

By Office of Science Quality and Integrity

Data collected on behalf of the USGS or by using USGS funds belong to the USGS and not to the individual who collected the data. The DMP should specify data ownership, the data preservation responsibilities, and party responsible for providing the data to the public. [Read more]

Data collected on behalf of the USGS or by using USGS funds belong to the USGS and not to the individual who collected the data (for example, a USGS employee, student, emeritus or other volunteer, or contractor). If a USGS employee is under contract with a cooperator to collect data funded by the cooperator, the DMP should specify the data ownership, the distribution rights for USGS use of the data, the data preservation responsibilities, and the party responsible for providing the data to the public (refer to SM 502.6 and to guidance on developing DMPs).