The creation and dissemination of secondary data requires collaboration between data specialist and researchers from the moment of data collection through to the release of data to secondary users. Data files created for internal researchers? purposes differ substantially from data systems appropriate to use by researchers not initially involved in the research. Informed consent procedures and IRB documents must be appropriately designed to permit responsible secondary use. Data collection procedures and documentation standards must be adequate at all stages of the research process to ensure secondary researchers have enough information to understand and analyze the data subsequently. After data collection, the challenges inherent in preparing data for release beyond the initial research team include (1) a data confidentiality review, (2) stabilization and standardization of the data formats, (3) documentation preparation that adheres to documentation standards (DDI 3.0) which make them interoperable with all forms of text and statistical software and (4) data preservation. Finally, data dissemination through electronic means requires stable web technology with adequate technical documentation to facilitate secondary use.

As a sub-contract to Abt Associates, ICPSR shall do the following:

1.Develop and implement a plan for a technical assistance program for 2008 (non-ARRA R21) and 2010 (ARRA R21 and R24) grantees. The plan should reflect the unique needs of the researchers. For example, the infrastructure development (R24) grants will share a requirement that they establish and follow through specific plans to make any new datasets available to future researchers, even those outside of the original institution. This particular feat has proved extremely challenging to researchers and funders in the past. We foresee a tremendous advantage to the program of grants if there can be technical assistance to aid grantees in finding solutions to common technical problems with data and in particular with solutions to the building of public-access datasets, including important protections for personal data. The plan also should include details on how grantees will request technical assistance, what technical assistance will be provide to all grantees (content and format), and the level of technical assistance that will be available to grantees.

2.Develop and implement a dissemination plan including the 2008 R21, the 2010 R21and the R24 grantees. The plan should include: development of materials targeted to researchers and policy-makers to describe study results (from R21 grants) as well as the newly created data sets, and a marketing plan to advertise the availability of the newly created public use data sets and increase use of the data sets.

3.Develop and implement an evaluation plan. The plan should include outcomes of interest, data collection strategies, timeline for data collection, analysis plan, and format for the final report.

4.Develop and implement a marketing plan to insure the research products of the ARRA grants designed to evaluate health care delivery for complex patients in coordination with partners at Abt and the TOO at the Agency of Health Care Research and Quality.