# 727.7001 Definitions.

As used in this subpart—

Data means recorded information, regardless of form or the media on which it may be recorded. The term includes technical data and computer software. The term does not include information incidental to contract administration, such as financial, administrative, cost or pricing, or management information.

Data asset is a collection of data elements or data sets that may be grouped together.

Data inventory is the first component of a Data Management Plan (DMP). The data inventory is a list of high-value data assets that the contractor anticipates producing during the period of award performance.

Data management plan (DMP) is a tool that guides the identification of anticipated data assets and outlines tasks needed to manage these assets across a full data lifecycle.

Data set is an organized collection of structured data, including data contained in spreadsheets, whether presented in tabular or non-tabular form. For example, a data set may represent a single spreadsheet, an extensible mark-up language (XML) file, a geospatial data file, or an organized collection of these. A data set does not include unstructured data, such as email or instant messages, PDF files, PowerPoint presentations, word processing documents, images, audio files, or collaboration software.

Digital means the coding scheme generally used in computer technology to represent data.

Digital data means quantitative and qualitative programmatic measurements that are entered directly into a computer. Examples include numeric targets established during activity design or implementation; baseline, mid-line, or final measurements created or obtained via field assessments; surveys or interviews; performance monitoring indicators as specified in the Contractor's approved Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (AMELP) (see 752.242-71); evaluation results; or perception metrics collected from beneficiaries on the quality and relevance of International Disaster Assistance and Development Assistance.

Digital information is a subset of data and means:

(1) Digital text;

(2) Digital data;

(3) Digital objects; and

(4) Metadata created or obtained with USAID funding supported by this award that are represented, stored, or transmitted in such a way that they are available to a computer program.

Digital method is a means of using computer technology to gather, process, analyze, transmit, store, or otherwise use data and other forms of information.

Digital object includes digital or computer files that are available to a computer program. Examples include digital word processing or PDF documents or forms related to activity design, assessment reports, periodic progress and performance reports, academic research documents, publication manuscripts, evaluations, technical documentation and reports, and other reports, articles and papers prepared by the contractor, whether published or not. Other examples include data sets, spreadsheets, presentations, publication-quality images, audio and video files, communication materials, information products, extensible mark-up language (XML) files, and software, scripts, source code, and algorithms that can be processed by a computer program.

Digital text includes text-based descriptions of programmatic efforts that are entered directly into a computer, rather than submitted as a digital object.