DE-FOA-0003339 Additional QAs - 4-28-25 (1).pdf

Questions and Answers

NOFO: DE-FOA-0003339

April 28, 2025

The Questions and Answers below are in addition to those previously provided.

#1

Q: We understand that these grants are focused only on funding a portion of NRC fees.

When discussing total project costs and detailing budget items in the SF-424A form, should our team still include any other project costs (development of licensing documents, labor) as line items?

Our non-federal cost share percentage will exceed the minimum 50% if based solely on total NRC licensing fees. However, we are wondering if other costs should still be included given the line item options in the SF-424A form.

A: The proposed grants will only fund NRC fees and hence your total project costs should only include NRC fees. While your proposal may describe other activities such as the development of licensing documents, these costs should not be included in the SF-424A. Cost share percentages will be based solely on NRC fees.

#2

Q: If applying for both Topic Areas, is each Topic Area treated as its own separate application, or can they / should they be combined?

A: Yes, if applying for both Topic Areas, each topic area should be treated as its own separate applications. As stated in Section V.C, Submission Date and Times, each application submitted by a single U.S. entity must describe a unique project under one of the topic areas.

#3

Q: We may not initiate Licensing-specific (Topic Area 2) activities with NRC during the April 2025-April 2026 cycle, but would expect to begin in the following NOFO cycle and moving forward after that. Would an application for Topic Area 2 now be accepted for evaluation now, or would it make more sense to apply for Topic Area 2 in the next cycle if that is when those interactions would begin?

A: DOE recommends that you review the application requirements and merit review criteria and then determine the best timing for submitting an application. Note that for topic area 2, funding will only be provided after the NRC has accepted the application for docketing.

#4

Q: In Part 2 of the RFP, Section VIII.A.13, DOE’s Intellectual Property Provisions are provided. These terms include DOE’s “Unlimited Rights” to use, release, reproduce, distribute, or publish any data used by the Recipient (DOE) in performing of this agreement.

Since this Grant is intended to support licensing activities by reimbursing the Supplier for NRC review fees, we interpret that these IP terms are not appliable to the contents of the licensing submittal to NRC or the supporting analysis. Can DOE please confirm this interpretation or provide explanation for how the Supplier’s proprietary contents of the License Application Request (LAR) and supporting documentation will be protected from public disclosure.

DOE does not currently anticipate requiring delivery to DOE of licensing application materials submitted by recipients to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. However, if DOE does require delivery of information related to licensing applications, awards may authorize recipients to mark certain project data as protected data (protected from public disclosure for up to five years), as explained on page 29 (part 1). DOE’s rights in the required deliverables are determined according to the award IP provisions.

#5

Q: Amendment 3 update of Part 2 IV.B.12 12. Project/Performance Site Location(s) states "The applicant must provide a list of locations where project work will be performed by the prime recipient or subrecipient(s) including the following information for each location:"

As all work covered by this FOA is performed by the NRC, is it correct to assume that what is desired here is the location of the work related to the overall project description in the technical volume?

A: Yes, the location of work is the location where the applicant performs the activities described in the technical volume.

#6

Q: Since these forms are being filled out manually on the pdf form, what date should be used as the "Date Received:" in Block 3 of the SF-424?

A: The date that the application is submitted to DOE.

#7

Q: The Q&A provided with Amendment 3 discussed using the name of the applicant submitting the files as the "Control Number". Should this same name be used as the "Applicant Identifier:" in Block 4 of the SF-424?

A: DOE needs a link between the file and the applicant. No actual number is needed, just the applicant’s name.

#8

Q: The submission portal provides an option to submit “Attachments” and “Cost Sensitive Attachments.” Which documents should be submitted as cost sensitive?

A: Cost sensitive attachments would be budget sheets. As these applications will be limited to NRC fees, the budget information is likely not considered to be sensitive.

The budget may be submitted as sensitive if the applicant so chooses.