Population Data BC (PopData) is reducing processing times by committing to maximum 5-day turnarounds when communicating with Researchers and Data Stewards. For the same purpose, PopData has put into place the following guidelines for response times by Researchers. It is our hope that these guidelines and our commitment will significantly decrease the amount of time involved in preparing, submitting and clarifying an application. Researchers will be agreeing to comply with these guidelines when they sign the Population Data BC – Researcher Services Agreement (when their project has been approved).
This policy also applies to data retention and ethics expiry notices, and requests for communication around amendments or clarification/modifications to a submitted DAR.
If PopData does not receive any response from the Researcher within 30 days of the initial communication the Researcher will be notified that they have 30 days to respond or the application will be withdrawn. The response does not need to propose a solution to the issue communicated; the Researcher should acknowledge receipt of the communication and provide whatever information is available at the time. Researchers have a total of 60 days from the date of initial contact to respond otherwise their application will be withdrawn.
If PopData does not receive acknowledgement or receipt from the researcher we will:
- Send initial “Response required” email stating withdrawl/closure date
- Give final notice at 30 days before withdrawl/closure date
- Formally withdraw the application/close the request at 60 days (withdrawl/closure date given in initial email).*
*For projects not yet submitted as a DAR to the Data Stewards, this will prompt the project to become Inactive.
For projects that have been submitted but not yet fully approved by the Data Steward(s) or have not received data, this will prompt withdrawl of the DAR and will require re-submission of the DAR to begin the process again in the future.
For projects that have been approved and have received data, this will prompt closure of the project and will require returning/removing access to the project data.
