The USDOT Public Access Plan is issued in response to the February 22, 2013 Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies entitled "Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research". Through this memorandum, OSTP directed all Executive Departments with greater than $100 million in yearly research and development expenditures to prepare a plan for improving the public's access to the results of federally funded research.

This plan establishes objectives to ensure public access to Publications and Digital Data Sets arising from DOT-managed research and development (R&D) programs. DOT already provides access to intramural and extramural research in progress and technical reports, as well as many final publications through partnerships with organizations such as the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Many DOT R&D programs are already making data sharing a priority. DOT's intramural research programs have a long history of making data available to the Public. On an incremental basis, DOT's extramural research programs are taking steps to increase data sharing. The purpose of this plan is to scale and institutionalize those intramural and extramural R&D access practices across the Department.

Overview of the Research Process and Public Access