Integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities

Press release about new policy (12-17-14):

Interior Department Announces Strengthened Scientific Integrity Policy for Employees and Contractors

"Science and scholarship play a vital role in the Department’s mission, providing one of several critical inputs to decision-making on conservation and responsible development of natural resources, preservation of cultural resources. Scientific information considered in Departmental decision-making must be robust, of the highest quality, and the result of as rigorous a set of scientific processes as can be achieved. Most importantly, the information must be trustworthy.”
305 DM 3.6

We are pleased to announce the revised DOI Policy on the Integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities (305 DM 3), effective August 20, 2024. The new Policy is compliant with the 2021 Executive Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking and the 2023 National Science and Technology Council’s guidance prepared by the Scientific Integrity Framework Interagency Working Group A Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice. The new Policy supercedes both the previous 305 DM 3 and the Scientific Integrity Procedures Handbook (both effective December 16, 2014).

The purpose of the policy is to establish the expectations for how scientific and scholarly information considered in Departmental decision making is handled and used. Scientific and scholarly information considered in Departmental decision making must be robust, of the highest quality, and the result of as rigorous scientific and scholarly processes as can be achieved. Most importantly, it must be trustworthy. This policy helps us to achieve that standard.

The goals of the policy are to ensure that DOI:

  • Decisions based on science and scholarship are respected as credible;
  • Science is conducted with integrity and excellence;
  • Has a culture of scientific and scholarly integrity that is enduring;
  • Scientists and scholars are widely recognized for excellence; and
  • Employees are proud to uphold the high standards & lead by example.

The policy applies to all Department employees (including political appointees), outside parties (including contractors), volunteers, trainees, and interns, when they: propose, conduct, review, approve, supervise, manage, or influence Department scientific activities; communicate information about the Departments scientific activities; or utilize scientific information in making Department policy, management or regulatory decisions.

The policy creates bureau level Scientific Integrity Officers (BSIOs) and a Departmental Scientific Integrity Officer (DSIO). SIOs are the primary points of contact for policy implementation, and they lead reviews of alleged scientific integrity policy violations.

The policy is available in the DOI Departmental Manual.

The policy creates a mechanism to assess allegations of scientific integrity policy violations. See section 3.10 of the policy.

The policy allows scientists to engage with their communities of practice (professional societies). See section 3.6G of the policy.

The policy establishes the DOI Code of Scientific and Scholarly Conduct (PDF poster of the Code).

The policy establishes the Scientific Integrity Officers.

The policy establishes a process for reviewing allegations of loss of scientific integrity.