Who must sign the plan?

Typically the project manager and project sponsor must sign; include any compliance officer or data protection officer when regulated data is in scope. Signatures should be accompanied by dated audit entries to prove timing and consent.

Can the plan be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements; certain documents (e.g., wills) are exceptions.

Is notarization required?

Not typically for internal management plans. If the plan is attached to a legally recordable instrument or state law requires acknowledgment, follow the state's notary rules and any RON requirements where applicable.

How should PHI be handled?

Treat PHI according to HIPAA: include a BAA with vendors, apply encryption and access controls, and retain records for six years as required by 45 CFR §164.530(j).

What if a signatory's name differs from ID?

Mismatched names can create verification issues. Use the signer's legal name as it appears on government ID and record any alternate names in the document to avoid identity disputes during audits.

How to correct a signed plan?

Do not alter a signed copy. Prepare an amendment or replacement version, obtain new approvals and signatures, and retain both the original and amendment with clear version history for audit purposes.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Data Management Plan

Project Management Data Management Plan

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

Project Management Data Management Plan

Project Identification

Project Title Project ID Client Name Client Contact (email / phone) Service Provider (Organization) Project Manager (Service Provider) Project Manager Contact

Project Summary

Provide a concise summary of the project objectives, primary activities, and the role of the Service Provider in managing project data. This summary informs all subsequent data management obligations.

Scope of Work

Scope Description Out of Scope

Data Description

Types of Data Collected Estimated Data Volume Data Formats, Standards, and Metadata

Sensitive Data Present: Yes No

If sensitive data, required handling measures

Storage, Security and Access

Primary Storage Location Backup Frequency and Retention

Encryption: At rest In transit

Access Control and Role Definitions

Data Sharing and Transfer

Authorized Recipients / Third Parties

Cross-border Transfer Required: Yes No

Mechanisms for Transfer and Legal Protections

Retention and Disposal

Retention Schedule Disposition and Secure Deletion Methods

Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

Deliverable 1 — Description Deliverable 1 — Due Date Deliverable 1 — Acceptance Criteria Deliverable 2 — Description Deliverable 2 — Due Date Deliverable 2 — Acceptance Criteria Deliverable 3 — Description Deliverable 3 — Due Date Deliverable 3 — Acceptance Criteria

Timeline and Milestones

Planned Start Date Planned End Date Milestone 1 — Name Milestone 1 — Target Date Milestone 1 — Responsible Party Milestone 2 — Name Milestone 2 — Target Date Milestone 2 — Responsible Party

Budget and Payment

Total Budget Payment Schedule (milestones, amounts, conditions) Change Order Process and Fees

Change Control

All modifications to scope, schedule, budget, or data handling obligations must be submitted in writing as a Change Request. Change Requests shall describe the proposed modification, impact assessment, and proposed cost or schedule adjustments. The Service Provider shall not proceed with changes absent written approval by the Client's authorized signatory.

Change Request Submission Requirements

Confidentiality and Data Ownership

Confidentiality: Each party shall treat the other party's Confidential Information, including all Project Data, as strictly confidential. Confidential Information shall not be used except to perform obligations under this Plan and shall not be disclosed to third parties except as expressly permitted. These confidentiality obligations survive termination for a period of three (3) years or longer where required by applicable law.

Ownership: Unless otherwise agreed in writing, ownership of raw Project Data remains with the Client. The Service Provider is granted a limited, non-exclusive license to process, store, and manage Client Data for purposes of performing services described herein. Any derived datasets, analyses, or aggregated work products are subject to the terms of the prime contract between the parties.

Compliance, Audit and Reporting

Compliance: The Service Provider shall maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the Project Data and shall comply with applicable laws and contractual obligations applicable to data protection and retention.

Audit and Reporting Rights

Liability and Indemnity

Each party shall be liable for direct losses resulting from its material breach, negligence, or willful misconduct. The Service Provider shall indemnify and hold the Client harmless from third party claims arising from the Service Provider's negligent handling of the Project Data, except to the extent caused by the Client's actions or omissions. Neither party's liability for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages shall exceed direct damages except as required by applicable law.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Plan shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction specified below. Disputes arising out of or relating to this Plan shall be resolved through the dispute resolution process described in the parties' underlying agreement or, if none, through good faith negotiation followed by binding arbitration if necessary.

Governing Jurisdiction

Acceptance and Sign-off Procedures

Acceptance: Deliverables will be reviewed against the acceptance criteria defined above. The Client shall provide written acceptance or detailed non-conformance notice within the period stated below following delivery. If the Client does not provide notice within that period, deliverables shall be deemed accepted.

Acceptance Review Period (days)

Miscellaneous Provisions

Entire Agreement: This Data Management Plan, together with any referenced change orders and the parties' primary agreement, constitutes the entire understanding with respect to data management obligations. Conflicting provisions in other documents shall be resolved in favor of the primary agreement except where this Plan imposes more stringent data protections.

Signatures

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What a Project Management Data Management Plan Is

A Project Management Data Management Plan documents how project-related data will be collected, stored, accessed, secured, and retained throughout the project lifecycle. It defines roles, data schemas, metadata, access controls, versioning, data quality checks, and handoff procedures to downstream systems. The plan aligns technical, legal, and operational requirements so stakeholders understand who owns data, how it will be used for reporting and audits, and what compliance frameworks apply during and after the project.

Why a Data Management Plan Matters for Projects

A clear plan reduces rework, ensures consistent reporting, and protects sensitive information by defining ownership, access controls, and retention rules tied to regulatory obligations such as HIPAA or IRS recordkeeping. It also supports traceability for audits and accelerates handoffs between teams.

Who Typically Prepares and Uses This Plan

The finalized plan is distributed to the project team, auditors, and system owners, and is referenced during project onboarding and audits.

Project Sponsor and Steering Committee — Provide strategic requirements and approve retention and access policies.
IT / Data Architecture Teams — Define storage, backup, and integration patterns used across project systems.
Security and Compliance Officers — Validate controls, classification, and regulatory compliance requirements.

Primary Signatories and Responsible Parties

Project Manager

Typically signs as the accountable owner for execution and confirms operational controls are implemented. Responsible for version updates, team communications, and enforcement of the plan during the project life cycle.

Data Protection Officer

Where applicable, signs to confirm compliance with privacy and security policies (for example HIPAA workflows) and coordinates any required data sharing agreements or BAAs with external vendors.

Core Elements to Include in Your Plan

A professional plan is structured for clarity and auditability; include these components to ensure completeness and regulatory alignment.

Scope

Define project boundaries, data categories, sources, and intended uses so stakeholders understand what the plan covers and what it excludes.

Roles & Responsibilities

List data owners, custodians, and users with contact details and decision rights for approvals, changes, and incident response procedures.

Data Inventory

Catalog data elements, formats, sensitivity levels, retention requirements, and downstream recipients for reporting and archival.

Access Controls

Specify authentication methods, least-privilege rules, segregation of duties, and logging requirements to track access and changes.

Backup & Recovery

Document backup frequency, storage locations, recovery point objectives (RPO), recovery time objectives (RTO), and test schedules.

Retention & Disposal

Define retention periods, legal bases, archival processes, and secure deletion methods to meet regulatory and audit needs.

Security and Compliance Controls to Specify

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Access Logging: Immutable audit trail

Authentication: MFA for privileged users

BAA Requirement: Signed BAA where PHI exists

Regulatory Scope: HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001

Retention Controls: Tamper-evident archives

Step-by-Step: Completing the Plan

Follow these steps in order to create a compliant, executable data management plan that integrates with project workflows.

01

Draft Scope: Identify data types, sources, and out-of-scope items.
02

Assign Roles: Document owners, stewards, and approvers.
03

Define Controls: List encryption, access, and logging requirements.
04

Approve and Publish: Obtain signatures and distribute to stakeholders.

How to Configure an Online Workflow

Configure your eSubmission workflow to automate approvals, signatures, and archival using fields and routing logic.

Field	Configuration
Signature Authentication	Email link or SMS code; use stronger auth for restricted data.
Conditional Routing	Route to legal or security when classification is 'Restricted'.
Audit Capture	Enable IP, timestamp, and action logs for every signer.
Archive Action	Automate PDF/A export to secure archive after final sign-off.

Digital Signing and Platform Requirements

Ensure the vendor can provide a searchable audit trail, encryption at rest/in transit, and a BAA if you process protected health information.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML supported
Integrations: Salesforce, Microsoft 365, NetSuite
Authentication: Email, SMS, and advanced auth options

Filing, Routing, and Submission Paths

Typical destinations for completed plans include the PMO repository, sponsor archive, IT configuration store, and regulatory or audit folders.

PMO Repository: Central storage for current plan and approved revisions.
Project Sponsor: Final approver receives signed copy for governance records.
IT Configuration Store: Systems owners get implementation details for deployment.
Audit Archive: Immutable copy retained for compliance and audits.

Key Deadlines and Update Cadence

Establish clear submission and review dates so responsibilities are time-bound and auditors can verify version histories.

Plan Baseline Submission:

Submit before project kickoff or within 10 business days of approval.

Quarterly Reviews:

Review classification and access quarterly for active projects.

Major Change Updates:

Update within 5 business days after scope or system changes.

Annual Audit:

Perform an annual compliance audit and sign-off.

Retention Review:

Assess archival retention prior to project closeout.

Milestones from Draft to Archived Record

Use a milestone sequence to track approvals, implementation, monitoring, and archival for auditability.

01

Draft & Internal Review

Team creates and reviews initial draft; resolve open items.

02

Stakeholder Approval

Sponsor and compliance sign-off recorded and timestamped.

03

Implementation Handoff

IT receives approved controls and executes configuration.

04

Archive & Retain

Final PDF/A copy moved to secure archive with retention tag.

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Failing to include data classification leads to inappropriate access and retention decisions that increase risk during audits and breaches.
Not documenting integrations obscures data flows and can cause gaps in backup or encryption coverage across systems.
Using ambiguous role descriptions delays incident response and complicates accountability when data issues surface.
Neglecting to record version history prevents auditors from verifying when controls were in place and can invalidate compliance findings.

Risks and Compliance Consequences

Tax Record Errors: IRC §6721 penalties

I-9 Violations: 8 CFR §274a.2 fines

HIPAA Breach: Civil penalties and corrective action

Data Loss: Operational downtime and reputational harm

Unapproved Access: Regulatory findings and remediation costs

Retention Failures: Audit findings and potential fines

eSignature Pricing and Feature Snapshot

Compare baseline pricing and core capabilities relevant to signing and distributing Project Management Data Management Plans.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Real-World Examples of Plan Use

These customer scenarios illustrate how organizations adapt the plan to their operations and compliance needs.

Optica Ventures LLC

The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.

Project managers distribute templates and collect approvals faster.
The approach reduced administrative delays, improved traceability for audits, and made it easier to enforce consistent data controls across portfolios.

Martin Properties

I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security.

Lease and project data gets captured consistently.
Mobile signing and offline capabilities helped onsite teams capture verified signatures and retain complete audit trails for property-related records.

Practical Tips for Accurate and Efficient Plans

Adopt consistent templates and automated checks to reduce manual errors and simplify audits.

Standardize Template Fields

Use a single canonical template with mandatory fields and validation rules to prevent missing or inconsistent data across projects.

Automate Routing

Configure conditional routing so approvals automatically flow to legal or security when high-risk classifications are selected.

Preserve Audit Trails

Ensure every sign-off captures timestamp, IP, and user identity to support later verification and regulatory reviews.

Schedule Reviews

Set calendar reminders for quarterly classification reviews and annual audits to keep the plan current and defensible.

How to Export and Store Completed Plans

Export signed plans in long-term archival formats and store copies in both the PMO repository and secure backup locations.

Export Format

Export final signed document as PDF/A to meet archival and reproducibility standards for audits and legal disputes.

Versioning

Preserve version history and metadata in the repository to show when approvals occurred and what changed between versions.

Secure Archive

Store an immutable copy in a tamper-evident archive with restricted access and encrypted storage.

Access Controls

Apply least-privilege access and log retrievals to maintain confidentiality and traceability of retained plans.

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about completing, signing, and storing a Project Management Data Management Plan.

Need help? Contact support

Who must sign the plan?
Typically the project manager and project sponsor must sign; include any compliance officer or data protection officer when regulated data is in scope. Signatures should be accompanied by dated audit entries to prove timing and consent.
Can the plan be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements; certain documents (e.g., wills) are exceptions.
Is notarization required?
Not typically for internal management plans. If the plan is attached to a legally recordable instrument or state law requires acknowledgment, follow the state's notary rules and any RON requirements where applicable.
How should PHI be handled?
Treat PHI according to HIPAA: include a BAA with vendors, apply encryption and access controls, and retain records for six years as required by 45 CFR §164.530(j).
What if a signatory's name differs from ID?
Mismatched names can create verification issues. Use the signer's legal name as it appears on government ID and record any alternate names in the document to avoid identity disputes during audits.
How to correct a signed plan?
Do not alter a signed copy. Prepare an amendment or replacement version, obtain new approvals and signatures, and retain both the original and amendment with clear version history for audit purposes.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now