PLMERP

PLMERP is a free and open-source peer review and project management system designed to facilitate the management and evaluation of research projects. Developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), part of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).

First released in 1996, the system was initially conceived to support the assessment and management of research projects within the human genome project. Over the years, PLMERP has undergone numerous updates and expansions to accommodate a broader range of research activities and applications.

Key features of PLMERP include support for multiple project types, customizable review templates, and integration with other tools and systems. Projects can be created and configured to suit specific research goals, with features such as data submission, validation, and reporting.

PLMERP employs a flexible review framework, allowing project owners to define review workflows and templates customized to their research needs. This includes support for single- or multi-stage reviews, with features such as comment tracking and automatic notification of team members.

Despite facing competition from commercial project management solutions, PLMERP remains a widely used tool within the research community, especially among government and non-profit agencies. Its August 2021 license transfer from the University of Colorado to NIH underscored the system's ongoing support and availability for the research community to use as a collaborative project management solution.

PLMERP's extensive community involvement, coupled with its historical and ongoing commitment to free and open-source development, has solidified its position as a valuable resource within research institutions and organizations.