Posted July 1, 2026 by Ashley Washburn
The application process to request access to confidential data from federal agencies has transitioned to the Standard Application Process (SAP) Portal, effective June 15. The portal replaces ResearchDataGov.org and enables UNL faculty to submit data access requests directly.
The SAP Portal provides a single entry point for researchers to request access to restricted datasets from participating federal statistical agencies, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. It does not replace repositories such as the National Institutes of Health’s Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes.
UNL faculty can submit data access requests directly through the SAP Portal. To do so, users must create a new account even if they have previously used ResearchDataGov. Researchers do not need to route requests through the Agreements module in NuRamp before submitting. Agency review may result in requests for revisions, additional information or denial of the request.
Following agency approval, researchers must route the approval and any related documents through the NuRamp Agreements module. OSP is not automatically notified when an SAP request is approved, so researchers are responsible for initiating this step.
OSP will review any institutional commitments, negotiate terms when necessary and provide an institutional signature when required. Agreements associated with restricted data access may include data use agreements, data transfer agreements, license agreements or similar instruments. Some agencies may provide access through standard click-through or other non-negotiated agreements; however, all binding terms and conditions must be reviewed by OSP before acceptance.
Compliance requirements related to restricted data remain unchanged. An information hub about the transition, FAQs and learning resources are available through the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy. For technical questions about the new portal, researchers should contact SAPSupport@mathematica-mpr.com.
