Data Purchases

The University has updated its Transaction Authority Policy to include agreements covering the transfer, exchange, license, and purchase of data (“data use agreements” or “DUAs”). Under the updated transaction authority, staff in three central administration offices have authority over DUAs, defined broadly below. 

  1. Research and Teaching: Transactions to enable any faculty member, department, or other component of the University to obtain access to data for research or teaching purposes fall under the purview of the Dean for Research (DFR)
  2. Library: Books, periodicals, data sets, and electronic resources for the University library system for broad University use are the responsibility of the Dean for Libraries.  
  3. All other: Data purchases for all other purposes are governed by general or specialized procurement standards and are administered by Procurement Services

Researchers and department staff/chairs may not sign agreements covering the transfer, exchange, license and purchase of data under the University’s Transaction Authority Policy without prior review and approval of one or more of the above central administration offices.

By centralizing this authority, the University ensures that all data-related activities, including transfer, exchange, licensing, and purchasing, adhere to legal, ethical, and organizational standards. This approach is crucial in preventing unauthorized commitments, protecting data security, and mitigating the risk of potential breaches or misuse of shared data. 

Should you have any questions related to: 

  • Data supporting research collaborations or sponsored programs, contact Liz Powell, contracts manager, Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA), [email protected]
  • Data needed for the Library, contact Joe Marciniak, assistant director electronic resources management and strategies, Library Collections and Access Services, [email protected]
  • Data purchases, contact Jean Durbin, contracts manager, Procurement Services, [email protected]

While DFR has final authority over DUAs for teaching and research, Procurement Services will review a subset of these transactions that involve purchases of data in consultation with ORPA. For example, if Princeton is paying for the data itself and not just data preparation fees, then Procurement will take the lead on negotiating and finalizing the agreement with the goal of recommending to the DFR that the purchase proceed.

If you have a DUA for teaching and research, use the table below to direct the request to the appropriate office. 

Data Use Agreement Decision Tree