FY_2024_CINR_FOA_Amendment_2_12-07-24 - Final.pdf

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

U. S. Department of Energy

Idaho Operations Office

Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

Funding Opportunity Announcement:

DE-FOA-0003038

Announcement Type: Initial – June 22, 2023

Amendment 001: August 31, 2023 Amendment 002: December 7, 2023 Assistance Listings Number: 81.121

Informational Webinar: May 31, 2023 (Video links and presentations are available at www.NEUP.gov)

Issue Date: June 22, 2023

DOE Topic Area Office Hours: July 10-14, 2023 (Video links and presentations are available at www.NEUP.gov)

Letter of Intent (Mandatory only for NSUF-1 and NSUF-2 Applications) Due Date: July 12, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET

R&D/NSUF Pre-Applications (Mandatory except for IRPs) Due Date: July 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET

NSUF Preliminary Statement of Work Due Date: August 31, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET

NSUF Final Statement of Work Due Date: December 6, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET

Full R&D/NSUF and IRP Applications Due Date: December 20, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET

NOTE: Deadlines are the dates/times by which DOE must receive the specified submittal.

http://www.neup.gov/

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Amendment 001: This amendment:

• updates the page limit for CVs for IRP and R&D Full Applications from 2-pages to 3-pages

• updates the link for the 2023 MSI eligibility matrix

• updates language for the Japanese Atomic Energy Association under International

Collaborations

• corrects the description in Topic Area 10 of Appendix A.

Amendment 002: This amendment:

• clarifies requirements that 80% of the total budget request should directly support lead or collaborating partners that are MSIs for the IRP-2: Grand Challenge Research and Development at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) workscope.

• REU supplement related to subawards and the budget form have been updated on pages 7 and 38 of the FOA, respectively.

• clarification regarding indirect costs as they relate to REU supplement has also been provided on pages, 7, 20, 38, and 39 of the FOA.

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Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions applicants must complete in order to submit an application in response to this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) (e.g., register with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, and create an account on NEUP.gov.

Applicants who are not registered with SAM should allow up to five weeks to complete this requirement. It is suggested that the process be started as soon as possible.

If an applicant has not already done so, it must:

1. Register with the SAM: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

2. Obtain the Unique Entity Identifier (ID) number generated in SAM.gov.

3. Create an account on the NEUP.gov website at www.NEUP.gov using the ‘Sign In’ tab in the top right-hand corner. To create an account: 1) Click “Create a new account”; 2) Fill out the required information and click “Create User”; and 3) Fill out the information in the “My Information” section.

Questions

Questions regarding the content of this FOA must be submitted using the contact information found in Part VII, Section B of this FOA. DOE will try to respond to a question within three business days unless a similar question and answer have already been posted on the website.

Application Preparation

Applicants must prepare the application package and application forms from the NEUP.gov website: https://neup.inl.gov/SitePages/Home.aspx

Additional instructions are provided in Section IV of this FOA.

Application Submission

Apply for this FOA at www.NEUP.gov. Electronic applications and instructions are available at the NEUP.gov website. To access these materials: (1) go to www.NEUP.gov; (2) select “Sign In” from the top right hand corner of the screen; (3) enter your user credentials; (4) select “Applications” from the menu; and (5) click on “Create New Application” for the type of application you are creating.

Apply at www.NEUP.gov. If you have any questions about NEUP site registration, contact the Innovative Nuclear Research (INR) Integration Office at 208-526-2123 or at neup@inl.gov.

Any questions pertaining to items such as application processes, eligibility, or application document requirements must also be directed to NEUP@inl.gov.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://neup.inl.gov/SitePages/Home.aspx https://www.neup.gov/ https://www.neup.gov/ https://www.neup.gov/ mailto:neup@inl.gov mailto:NEUP@inl.gov

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CHECKLIST FOR AVOIDING COMMON ERRORS

Item Issue Page Limits Strictly follow page and font limits throughout application documents, including but not limited to:

- Technical Abstract (use appropriate template)

- Technical Narrative (font must not be less than 11 pt for all, including tables, figures, and references)

- Benefit of Collaboration

- Capabilities

- CVs

Protected Personally Identifiable Information

Ensure none are present in the application. (Do not include citizenship numbers in applications.)

Collaborators - List all collaborators in the Collaborators section of the application form, including name, organization, funding amount, phone, email, U.S. Person status and citizenship, country, state, city, and zip code. This includes any individual appearing in the technical abstract, technical narrative, benefit of collaboration, coordination and management plan, or budget documents.

- NSUF support staff at specified facilities should be listed as other collaborators or personnel, including NSUF Technical Leads.

Budget - Use current negotiated indirect cost and fringe benefit rates.

- Include separate subaward budgets, if applicable.

Budget Justification - Justify all requested costs.

- Include separate subaward budget justifications, if applicable.

Current and Pending Support - Ensure complete disclosures of current and pending support for the PI and senior and key personnel named in the application. (This form is not required for national laboratory participants.)

- Ensure the certification wording from Part IV Section E.11.1 is included in the template. (If using the SciENcv template, the certification wording, signature, and date must be appended to this form.)

Certifications and Assurances Ensure that signatures are completed for both sections of the Certifications and Assurances documentation.

R&R Other Project Information - If marking proprietary information, clearly mark the sections where proprietary information is in the narrative or other documents using the procedure outlined in the

FOA.

- If marking ‘yes’ to international collaboration, list all institutions and countries.

Program Concurrence for NSUF topic areas

For fuels or materials coming from other DOE programs (not NSUF), attach a statement of program concurrence.

Commitment Letter for NSUF topic areas

Applicants for NSUF Access Only topic areas are responsible for costs similar to travel costs to NSUF facilities for facility

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Item Issue access training, technical meetings, examinations, experiment loading, etc.; applicant salary support; graduate student support; post-doctoral or other researcher support; and materials and supplies support at the PI’s work location. If invited to submit a Full Application, a letter of commitment is required that explains how the applicant will pay for these types of costs.

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Table of Contents

PART I – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTIONS

A. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

A.1 Background and Objectives

A.2 Statutory Authority

A.3 NE Program Resources

B. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

B.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects

B.2 U.S. University-led IRPs

B.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Projects B.3.1 NSUF Readiness

B.4 Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement

PART II – AWARD INFORMATION

A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT

B. ESTIMATED FUNDING

B.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects B.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

B.2 U.S. University-led IRPs B.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

B.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

C. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AWARD SIZE

C.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects C.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

C.2 U.S. University-led IRPs C.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

C.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

D. EXPECTED NUMBER OF AWARDS

D.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects D.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

D.2 U.S. University-led IRPs D.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

D.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

E. ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE

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E.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects E.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

E.2 U.S. University-led IRPs E.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

E.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

F. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

G. TYPE OF APPLICATION

PART III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

A.1 Domestic Entities

A.2 U.S. Incorporated Foreign Entities

A.3 Incorporated Consortia

A.4 Unincorporated Consortia

B. APPLICATION RESTRICTIONS

B.1 R&D Application Restrictions

B.2 IRP Application Restrictions

B.3 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement Eligibility

C. COST SHARING

D. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

D.1 FFRDC Contractors

PART IV – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. DOCUMENT FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

C. NSUF APPLICATION SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

C.1 Letter of Intent (LOI) C.1.1 LOI Submittal Instructions C.1.2 Agreement Requirements

C.2 Pre-Application

C.3 NSUF Preliminary Statement of Work (Preliminary SOW)

C.4 NSUF Final Statement of Work (Final SOW)

C.5 Full Application

D. CONTENT AND FORM OF ALL PRE-APPLICATIONS

D.1 Pre-Application Narrative

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D.2 Benefit of Collaboration

D.3 Publications

D.4 Principal Investigator Vitae

D.5 Collaborators

D.6 Intention to include Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement

D.7 Agreement Requirements

E. CONTENT AND FORM OF ALL FULL APPLICATIONS

E.1 Conflict-of-Interest (COI) Acknowledgement

E.2 SF-424 Research and Related (R&R)

E.3 R&R Other Project Information

E.4 Project Summary/Abstract

E.5 Project Narrative

E.6 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Plan

E.7 Vitae (Technical Expertise and Qualifications)

E.8 Benefit of Collaboration

E.9 Capabilities

E.10 Letters of Support or Commitment E.10.1 Letters of Support (IRPs only), if applicable E.10.2 NSUF Letter of Commitment Funding (NSUF-2 Only) E.10.3 Program Commitment Letter, (NSUF-1 and NSUF-2 Only), if applicable E.10.4 Project Commitment to Energy Equity and Justice40 Initiative (Optional)

E.11 Budget Documents E.11.1 R&R Lead Budget Form: (TOTAL FED & NON-FED) E.11.2 R&R Subaward Budget Form: (TOTAL FED & NON-FED) E.11.3 Budget for DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Contractor E.11.4 Budget Justification

E.12 Additional Attachments E.12.1 Current and Pending Support E.12.2 Coordination and Management Plan E.12.3 Letter of Authorization for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs E.12.4 Project/Performance Site Location(s) E.12.5 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities E.12.6 Certifications and Assurances E.12.7 Foreign Government Ownership Disclosure

F. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AFTER SELECTION FOR NEGOTIATIONS

F.1 Environmental Checklist

F.2 Data Management Plan (DMP)

G. SUBMISSION FROM SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

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H. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

H.1 NSUF LOI Due Date

H.2 R&D/NSUF Pre-Application Due Date

H.3 NSUF Preliminary Statement of Work Due Date

H.4 NSUF Final Statement of Work Due Date

H.5 IRP Application Due Date

H.6 Full R&D/NSUF Application Due Date

H.7 Late Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals of Pre-Applications, Applications, and NSUF Statement of Work

I. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

J. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

J.1 Prohibition related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

J.2 Cost Principles

J.3 Pre-Award Costs

K. OTHER SUBMISSION AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

K.1 Where to Submit

K.2 Application Validity Timeframe

PART V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. CRITERIA

A.1 Pre-Application Review (only for R&D and NSUF Projects) A.1.1 Initial Review Criteria of Pre-Applications A.1.2 Relevancy Criteria A.1.3 Technical Review Merit Criteria A.1.4 Diverse Team Review A.1.5 Feasibility Review (only for NSUF Projects) A.1.6 Readiness Review (only for NSUF Projects) A.1.7 Pre-Applications Invitations

A.2 Initial Review Criteria of Full Applications

A.3 R&D Merit Review Criteria: Full Applications (for R&D and NSUF Projects) A.3.1 Relevancy Criteria A.3.2 Technical Review Merit Criteria A.3.3 Diverse Team Review A.3.4 Readiness Review (only for NSUF Projects)

A.4 IRP Merit Review for Full Applications A.4.1 Initial Review Criteria for IRPs A.4.2 Relevancy Criteria A.4.3 Technical Review Merit Criteria A.4.4 Diverse Team Review

A.5 Other Selection Factors

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B. SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

B.1 R&D and NSUF Pre-Applications

B.2 R&D and NSUF Full Applications

B.3 IRP Full Applications

B.4 Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance

B.5 Government Discussions with Applicant (December 2014)

C. ANTICIPATED NOTICE OF SELECTION

PART VI – AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

A.1 Notice of Selection

A.2 Nondisclosure and Confidentiality Agreements Representations

A.3 Notice of Award

B. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

B.1 Administrative Requirements B.1.1 Unique Entity ID and SAM Requirements B.1.2 Subaward and Executive Reporting

B.2 Special Terms and Conditions and National Policy Requirements

B.3 Intellectual Property Provisions

B.4 Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

B.5 Lobby Restrictions

B.6 Corporate Felony Conviction and Federal Tax Liability Representations

B.7 Statement of Federal Stewardship

C. REPORTING

PART VII – QUESTIONS/AGENCY CONTACTS

A. QUESTIONS

B. AGENCY CONTACT

C. INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR

PART VIII – OTHER INFORMATION

A. AMENDMENTS

B. GOVERNMENT RIGHT TO REJECT OR NEGOTIATE

C. COMMITMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

D. PROPRIETARY APPLICATION INFORMATION

E. EVALUATION AND ADMINISTRATION BY NON-FEDERAL PERSONNEL

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F. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEVELOPED UNDER THIS PROGRAM

G. UNDERSTANDING COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS

H. NOTICE REGARDING ELIGIBLE/INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

I. NO-COST TIME EXTENSIONS

J. REBUDGET REQUEST

K. CONFERENCE SPENDING

PART IX – APPENDICES/REFERENCE MATERIAL

Appendix A: Topic areas for U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects

Appendix B: Topic areas for U.S. University-led IRPs

Appendix C: Topic areas for U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

Appendix D: Accessing Nuclear Science User Facilities

Appendix E: Draft Nuclear Science User Facilities User Agreement

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LIST OF ACRONYMS

CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CFA Call for Full Applications

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CINR Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

COI Conflict of Interest

DE Department of Energy unique identifier FOA Number prefix

DMP Data Management Plan

DOE Department of Energy

FFATA Federal Funding and Transparency Act of 2006

FFRDC Federally Funded Research and Development Center

FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement

FSRS FFATA Subaward Reporting System

FWP Field Work Proposal

FY Fiscal Year

GAIN Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear

HBCU Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ID Identifier

IHE Institute of Higher Education

IRP Integrated Research Project

LOI Letter of Intent

M&O Management and Operating

M&TE Measuring and Test Equipment

MSI Minority Serving Institution

NCE No Cost Time Extension

NE Office of Nuclear Energy

NEUP Nuclear Energy University Program

NFML NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library

NSUF Nuclear Science User Facilities

NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration

OMI Other Minority Institutions

PDF Adobe Portable Document Format

PIE Post-Irradiation Examination

PI Principal Investigator

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POC Point of Contact

QA Quality Assurance

R&D Research and Development

REU Research Experiences for Undergraduates

RPA Request for Pre-Applications

SAM System for Award Management

SOW Statement of Work

TCU Tribal Colleges and Universities

U.S. United States

Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research PART I

PART I – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTIONS

A. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

This FOA is for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) and is thus referred to in this document as the “CINR FOA.”

A.1 Background and Objectives The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation:

• Keep existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating

• Deploy new nuclear reactors

• Secure and sustain our nuclear fuel cycle

• Expand international nuclear energy cooperation

NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university, industry, and international partners under the direction of NE’s programs, and to deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market and to optimize the benefits of nuclear energy.

Collectively, all NE-sponsored activities support the Department’s priorities to combat the climate crisis, create clean energy jobs with the free and fair chance to join a union and bargain collectively, and promote equity and environmental justice by delivering innovative clean energy technologies for nuclear energy systems.

All applications submitted under this CINR FOA must demonstrate a strong tie to at least one of the four mission priorities and highlight how it supports the DOE priorities. Applications focused specifically in areas not of interest to the NE mission, such as fusion energy, medical physics, nuclear forensics, or environmental management, will not be reviewed or considered.

This CINR FOA provides competitive R&D opportunities through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). NEUP supports university-led infrastructure and R&D projects relevant to the NE mission. NSUF provides access to material test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination facilities to researchers from U.S. universities, industry, and national laboratories.

NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in R&D priorities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 that may be driven by events, policy developments, or Congressional/budget direction.

Further, NE reserves the right to fund all or part of an application to this CINR FOA.

A.2 Statutory Authority The activities to be supported under this FOA are authorized under § 951 (a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16271(a). Additionally, 42 U.S.C. § 16274 and 31 U.S.C. § 6304 applies.

A.3 NE Program Resources For more information on current NE programs, please visit the following links provided in the sections below.

• Fuel Cycle Technologies: https://www.energy.gov/ne/initiatives/fuel-cycle-technologies

• Reactor Technologies: https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies

• NEET Crosscutting Technologies: https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-energy-enabling-technologies-neet

• Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP): https://neup.inl.gov

• Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition: https://www.energy.gov/ne/spent-fuel-and-waste-disposition

• Consent-Based Siting: https://www.energy.gov/ne/consent-based-siting

• Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN): https://gain.inl.gov/

• Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF): https://nsuf.inl.gov/

B. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

NE is seeking applications from U.S. universities, national laboratories, and industry to conduct nuclear energy-related research to help meet the objectives of the major NE funded research areas.

All research must be non-proprietary and awarded projects must publish their results at the DOE, Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) website for public access (https://www.osti.gov).

All research must be non-proprietary and awarded projects must publish their results at the DOE, Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) website for public access (https://www.osti.gov).

Specifically, this CINR FOA contains the following three separate funding opportunity areas:

1) U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects

• Optional Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement available (as described in Part I, Section C)

2) U.S. University-led Integrated Research Projects (IRPs) https://www.energy.gov/ne/initiatives/fuel-cycle-technologies https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-energy-enabling-technologies-neet https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-energy-enabling-technologies-neet https://neup.inl.gov/ https://www.energy.gov/ne/spent-fuel-and-waste-disposition https://www.energy.gov/ne/spent-fuel-and-waste-disposition https://www.energy.gov/ne/consent-based-siting https://gain.inl.gov/ https://nsuf.inl.gov/ https://www.osti.gov/ https://www.osti.gov/

• Optional Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement available (as described in Part I, Section C)

3) U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

These three funding opportunity areas are described in detail in Part I, Sections B.1, B.2, and B.3 below, with the Research Experience for Undergraduate Supplement description in Part I, Section C:

B.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects The U.S. University-led R&D Projects funding opportunity area is available to U.S. university-led teams. In general, R&D is defined by the statement of objectives defined in the topic areas in Appendix A. R&D work must be directly tied to the NE mission. U.S. university PIs are invited to propose research projects in response to this area of the CINR FOA and the associated topic areas in Part IX, Appendix A of this CINR FOA.

International Collaborations – The Research Councils United Kingdom (RCUK) Energy Program, led by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) in the United Kingdom (UK) has announced a UK funding opportunity for certain topic areas in Appendix A.

The UK funding opportunity will support UK researchers in US/UK collaborations in the following topic areas:

• Topic 5 – Fuels

• Topic 6 – Spent Fuel, Waste Science & Technology, and Integrated Waste Management System

• Topic 11 – Advanced Nuclear Materials

In addition, the Research Grant for Decommissioning Science (Mission H), led by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in Japan will announce a Japanese funding opportunity for a topic area related to this FOA. The Japanese funding opportunity focuses on decommissioning technologies and will support Japanese researchers in US/Japan collaborations in the following topic area:

• Topic 9 – Measuring, Monitoring, and Controls

B.1.1. Note for U.S. University-led Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF-1) Access Projects

R&D Projects with joint NSUF Access applications require a Letter of Intent (LOI) in addition to the Pre-Application and, if invited (see Part V, Section B.1 of this CINR FOA), a Full Application. R&D Projects with NSUF Access applications will also require a feasibility review and readiness review in addition to the relevancy and technical reviews. Important aspects of NSUF Access applications are described in Appendix D of this CINR FOA and should be seriously considered when preparing applications. It is strongly recommended that all potential proposers review the contents of the NSUF website NSUF.inl.gov/ for vital information. Further details are provided to applicants on considerations for the NSUF Access readiness review in Part I, Section B.3.1.

B.2 U.S. University-led IRPs IRPs comprise a significant element of NE’s innovative nuclear research objectives and represent significant needs to support the NE mission objectives. IRPs are significant projects within specific research areas. IRPs are intended to develop a capability within each area to address specific needs, problems, or capability gaps identified by NE. These projects are multidisciplinary and require multi-institutional partners. IRPs may include a combination of evaluation capability development, research program development, experimental work, and computer simulations. IRPs are intended to integrate several disciplinary skills to present solutions to complex systems design problems that cannot be addressed by a less comprehensive team.

Although a university PI must lead a proposing team and include at least one additional university collaborator, the proposed project team may include multiple universities and non-university partners (e.g., industry/utility, minority-serving institutions (MSIs), national laboratories, and international partners).

U.S. university PIs are invited to propose research projects in response to this area of the CINR FOA and the associated topic areas contained in Part IX, Appendix B of this CINR FOA.

B.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Projects NSUF Access project applications require a Letter of Intent (LOI) in addition to the Pre- Application and, if invited (see Part V, Section B.1 of this CINR FOA), a Full Application.

NSUF Access project applications will also require a feasibility review and readiness review in addition to the relevancy and technical reviews. Important aspects of NSUF Access applications are described in Appendix D of this CINR FOA and should be seriously considered when preparing applications. It is strongly recommended that all potential proposers review the contents of the NSUF website NSUF.inl.gov/ for vital information.

DOE intends to fully fund all awarded NSUF Access projects for the entire duration of the project, subject to any conditions or limitations contained in the award instruments. NSUF Access project attributes include:

• U.S. university PIs may apply for NSUF access with a joint request for R&D (NSUF-

1) financial support and by-way-of the associated topic area in Part IX, Appendix A of this CINR FOA. Applications must comply with the provisions of Part IX, Appendix D of this CINR FOA.

• U.S. university, national laboratory, and industry PIs may apply for NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) funding and by-way-of the associated topic area in Part IX, Appendix C of this CINR FOA. Applications must comply with the provisions of Part IX, Appendix D of this CINR FOA.

While NSUF will strive to implement the full scope detailed in the statement of work (SOW), NSUF does not guarantee results but only access to NSUF capabilities. Success of a project will https://nsuf.inl.gov/ rely on many factors outside control of the NSUF. The extent of an NSUF access project will be described in the SOW. Deviations from the SOW are limited and must be approved by the NSUF program office. NSUF does not provide funding to the PI to support salaries, tuition, travel, or other costs typically supported via NE Program funds.

B.3.1 NSUF Readiness Applicants must demonstrate that their project is ready for NSUF access. This means that all preparatory work should be completed and the remaining effort is the actual irradiation testing or post-irradiation examination. Limited development work is allowed in an NSUF application. In the NSUF Pre-Application, a summary (one or two paragraphs) of readiness is required. In the Full Application, a detailed description (up to one page) of readiness is required.

Applications that do not adequately demonstrate readiness will not be considered for selection.

Awarded projects that are found to not be ready for NSUF access may be cancelled. Additional information on the NSUF process is included in Part IX, Appendix D.

Questions about NSUF Readiness should be directed to the NSUF Program Office or the assigned NSUF Technical Lead for the applicant’s project. Applicants should clearly state any testing or conditions that would fall under NSUF Readiness.

The following items must be completed prior to submitting a Pre-Application requesting NSUF access:

• Development, qualification, and demonstration of fabrication techniques, processes and methods on the materials to be studied;

• Basic pre-characterization to support irradiation design such as basic thermal, chemical and physical properties;

• Unirradiated material interaction studies (at irradiation temperature and chemistry);

• Unirradiated corrosion studies (at irradiation temperature and chemistry); and

• Pre-irradiation qualification of sensors, including functional and operational testing, and endurance testing at the irradiation environmental conditions (pressure, temperature, corrosion, etc.).

For example, if a proposal involves neutron irradiation of specimens at elevated temperature, furnace testing is expected to be performed prior to the application, if temperature is a variable of interest. If a project would investigate the effect of radiation on corrosion of a material in a coolant environment, the same test should have been performed outside of a reactor to form a baseline.

For projects utilizing fuels or materials coming from an on-going irradiation, the irradiation schedule at time of review rather than at the time of proposal submission will be taken into consideration for determining readiness of the project. A plan for delivery of fuel, material, or sensors must be addressed with specific attention to the following:

• Structural and cladding materials for neutron irradiation must be supplied to NSUF three months after project initiation for the material to be machined to proper sample configuration prior to encapsulation. Provide a statement of the supplier’s commitments including lead times.

• For previously irradiated fuels and materials not residing in the NSUF NFML, the location (as specific as possible), condition, provenience, pedigree, radioactivity levels, isotopic content, material composition, configuration, ownership, and any other available information that will be needed to ship and/or prepare the fuel or material for examination must be identified.

• For PIE only awards, samples must be available to undergo PIE by October 1st following the award.

• For fuels and materials residing in the NSUF NFML, identify the specific specimen(s).

• For any fuels or materials supplied for the purpose of neutron irradiation, the applicant must own and have full authority to transfer ownership and title (free of any liens, claims of ownership, or other liabilities) to DOE.

• Supplier information and lead times for sensors need to be provided.

• For fuels or materials coming from other DOE programs (not NSUF), a statement of program commitment is required. If invited to submit a Full Application, a statement that includes concurrence from the appropriate DOE federal program manager or national technical director is to be attached in the Pre-Application in the section titled Post Submission Attachments. (Part IV, C.6)

• Applicants for NSUF Access Only projects that do not have an R&D funding component are responsible for costs similar to travel costs to NSUF facilities for facility access training, technical meetings, examinations, experiment loading, etc.; applicant salary support; graduate student support; post-doctoral or other researcher support; and, materials and supplies support at the PI’s work location. If invited to submit a Full Application, a letter of commitment from an appropriate authority is required that explains how the applicant will pay for these types of costs. Attach the Letter of Commitment in the Pre-Application in the section titled Post Submission Attachments.

(Part IV, C.5)

Pre-Applications must include a list of publications that resulted from previous NSUF supported projects.

NOTE: Access to NSUF capabilities will require agreement and final signature to the User Agreement (copy provided in Part IX, Appendix E). The terms and conditions of the User Agreement are non-negotiable, and failure to accept the terms and conditions of the User Agreement will terminate processing and review of the NSUF applications. To ensure compliance throughout the application review process, applicants must indicate in the LOI and Full Application submission that the User Agreement has been read, understood, and the terms and conditions are accepted. Further, submission of a Pre-Application and a Full Application indicates the applicant will comply with and agree to the terms and conditions of the User Agreement. Upon award of an NSUF supported project, the User Agreement must be signed before activities will begin on the project. Failure to sign the non-negotiable User Agreement within 30 days of receipt of the User Agreement may result in cancellation of an awarded project.

B.4 Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement The goal of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (REU) is to promote undergraduate research opportunities in nuclear energy research and development by incentivizing CINR projects to include both on campus and off campus students in research activities. This program is intended to promote nuclear energy as a viable undergraduate option and provide students with knowledge, research experience, and connections with faculty interested in nuclear energy related research.

Based on the competitive nature of CINR projects, REU components of CINR projects will be proposed as part of the research proposal. Applicants should provide as many details as possible about their plan, including how they would structure the opportunity, how they would recruit and evaluate students, and how undergraduates would be incorporated into the research. Additional details about how the REU program will be conducted will be left for the project execution phase to allow for adjustments to the plan during project execution.

Applicants will indicate their intention for supplementing their application with an REU by selecting that they are ‘participating in an REU supplement’ during the pre- and full-application phases. An REU plan will be required as part of the full application.

Applicants may split the REU portion between the prime applicant and any proposed subrecipients.

The REU supplement portion of the award is expected to fall under participant support costs as defined by 2 CFR 200:

Participant support costs means direct costs for items such as stipends or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with conferences, or training projects.

Participant support costs are typically excluded from the allocation base of the indirect cost calculations unless explicitly provided for in the awardee’s or subawardee’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

This program will be split into two different focus areas:

1. REU funds may be provided to support on-campus undergraduate students. The experience would need to be structured, for a specific duration (e.g., a semester), be focused on an active NEUP project, where the undergraduate would be paid on an ‘on-effort basis’ (pro-rata). Although any eligible student can qualify, the focus is for faculty to identify high performing, underserved students for these opportunities.

2. REU summer programs to support an undergraduate summer research program for students from other universities. Selection of students should focus on underserved communities and students from MSIs as a selection factor.

The REU is a research training experience paid via a stipend, not employment (work) paid with a salary or wage. In the REU program, the student's training consists of closely mentored independent research. The funds received by students may be taxable income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and may also be subject to state or local taxes.

Note: REU supplements will be considered as part of the overall technical approach and will receive consideration based on how well students are integrated into the project in Criterion 3 of the full application review.

Topic areas for the respective CINR FOA areas, with the indicated funding opportunities described above, may be found in the Part IX Appendices of this CINR FOA as follows:

• Appendix A: “Topic areas for U.S. University-led R&D Projects or NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects”

• Appendix B: “Topic areas for U.S. University-led IRPs”

• Appendix C: “Topic areas for U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led

NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects”

Table 1. FY 2024 Topic Area Overview

*University-led and collaboration with minority serving institutions (MSIs), including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), is required. Please refer to Part III, Section A for more information on and identification of MSIs.

Topic Area

A ppendix

N

SU

F A ccess

Led by:

U niversity

N ational

L aboratory

Industry

Topic Area 1 – Reactor Development and Plant Optimization A No X

Topic Area 2 – Existing Plant Optimization A No X

Topic Area 3 – Non-Traditional and Non-electric Applications A No X

Topic Area 4 – Nuclear Fuel Recycle Technologies A No X

Topic Area 5 – Fuels A No X Topic Area 6 – Spent Fuel, Waste Science & Technology and Integrated Waste Management System A No X

Topic Area 7 – Consent-based Siting for SNF Management A No X

Topic Area 8 – Modeling and Simulation A No X

Topic Area 9 – Measuring, Monitoring, and Controls A No X

Topic Area 10 – Licensing, Safety, and Security A No X

Topic Area 11 – Advanced Nuclear Materials A No X

Topic Area 12 – Advanced Manufacturing Technologies A No X

Topic Area 13 – Strategic Needs Blue Sky A No X NSUF-1.1: Core and Structural Materials Behavior and Development A Yes X

NSUF-1.2: Testing of Advanced Materials for Sensors A Yes X

IRP-1: Grand Challenge IRP – Accelerating Reactor Development B No X IRP-2: Grand Challenge Research and Development at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)* B No X

NSUF-2.1: Core and Structural Materials Behavior and Development C Yes X X X

NSUF-2.2: Testing of Advanced Materials for Sensors C Yes X X X

Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research PART II

PART II – AWARD INFORMATION

A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT

DOE anticipates awarding grants under this CINR FOA with the exception of awards to national laboratories, which will be funded through field work proposals (FWPs), and NSUF Access Awards, which will be funded through an NSUF User Agreement.

B. ESTIMATED FUNDING

The estimated amounts identified for each of the CINR FOA areas are specified in Sections B.1- B.3 below with ceilings and floors specified in Section C below. Funding for all awards is contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of this program.

B.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects NE currently estimates that it will fund approximately $60 million in awards for the U.S.

University-led R&D Projects CINR FOA area.

B.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE currently estimates that it will fund approximately $2 million total across both U.S.

University-led R&D or IRP project supplements.

B.2 U.S. University-led IRPs NE currently estimates that it will fund approximately $6 million in awards for the U.S.

University-led IRP Projects CINR FOA area.

B.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE currently estimates that it will fund approximately $2 million total across both U.S.

University-led R&D or IRP project supplements.

B.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-

2) Projects

NE currently estimates that it will fund approximately $5 million in award value for the U.S.

University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led Nuclear Science User Facilities Access Projects (NSUF Access Only) CINR FOA area.

C. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AWARD SIZE

The ceiling (i.e., the maximum amount for an individual award made under each area) and floor (i.e., the minimum amount for an individual award made under each area) for each of the three CINR FOA areas are identified in Part II, Sections C.1-C.3 below.

C.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects

• Ceiling: up to $1,000,000 (3-year project) for non-REU supplemented project. Up to $1,100,000 for REU supplemented project, except as explicitly noted in individual topic areas. NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) may have up to a 7-year duration.

• Floor: None.

C.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

• Ceiling: up to $100,000 (3-year project), as supplement total across both U.S. university-led R&D or IRP supplements.

• Floor: None.

C.2 U.S. University-led IRPs

• Ceiling: up to $3,000,000 (3-year project) for non-REU supplemented project. Up to $3,100,000 for REU supplemented project, except as explicitly noted in individual topic areas.

• Floor: None.

C.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

• Ceiling: up to $100,000 (3-year project), as supplement total across both U.S. university-led R&D or IRP supplements.

• Floor: None.

C.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-

2) Projects

• Ceiling: Irradiation/PIE Project: $4,000,000 NSUF Access Only Value (up to a 7-year project).

• Floor: None.

D. EXPECTED NUMBER OF AWARDS

The number of awards for each of the three CINR FOA areas are identified in Part II, Sections D.1-D.3 below. The number of awards is dependent on the size of the awards. DOE reserves the right to make more or fewer (or even no awards) depending on funding availability and/or the quality of the applications.

D.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects NE anticipates making approximately 55 awards under the U.S. University-led R&D Projects CINR FOA area.

D.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE anticipates making up to 20 awards to supplement awarded U.S. University-led R&D and IRP projects.

D.2 U.S. University-led IRPs NE anticipates making approximately 2 awards under the U.S. University-led IRPs CINR FOA area.

D.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE anticipates making up to 20 awards to supplement awarded U.S. University-led R&D and IRP projects.

D.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-

2) Projects

NE anticipates making approximately 2 awards under the U.S. University-, National Laboratory- , or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) CINR FOA area.

E. ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE

The anticipated award size for each of the three CINR FOA areas are identified in Part II, Sections E.1-E.3 below. Amounts represent anticipated maximum per award.

E.1 U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects DOE anticipates that awards will be up to $1,000,000 per award (except as explicitly stated in individual topic areas).

E.1.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE anticipates that awards will be up to $100,000 per award to supplement proposed U.S.

University-led R&D and U.S. University-led IRP projects.

E.2 U.S. University-led IRPs NE anticipates that awards will be up to $3,000,000 for the U.S. University-led IRPs CINR FOA area, except as stated in individual topic areas.

E.2.1 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement NE anticipates that awards will be up to $100,000 per award to supplement proposed U.S.

University-led R&D and U.S. University-led IRP projects.

E.3 U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-

2) Projects

Access value of these awards (funds not provided to the PI) will be defined by a final cost estimate provided by the NSUF office.

F. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

NE anticipates making awards for up to three years and two months for each of the CINR FOA areas with the exception of awards involving NSUF access, which may take up to seven years if neutron irradiation and PIE is requested. Assuming NE makes awards under this CINR FOA by March 2024, funded projects shall begin no later than August 1, 2024. Proposing different start dates for the project and budget periods may make the application ineligible for award. If a different project start date, other than August 1, 2024, is necessary for the successful performance of the project, it must be fully documented and justified in the application for consideration by NE.

G. TYPE OF APPLICATION

DOE will accept only new applications for each of the three CINR FOA areas defined in Part I, Section B of this FOA. Applications made to previous FOAs will not be considered. Previous applications can be resubmitted as a new application to this CINR FOA.

Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research PART III

PART III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

DOE has restricted eligibility for award in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, 2 CFR 910.126(b). This eligibility restriction does not apply to subrecipients, subawards, vendors, or team members of the prime/lead applicant. This CINR FOA is open to only U.S. universities, national laboratories, and U.S. industry entities. The eligibility of this FOA is restricted to support U.S. universities and colleges for topics in Appendix A and B, and NSUF user access eligibility is restricted to U.S. industry, U.S. universities and colleges, and national laboratories in Appendix C that are pursuing fundamental and applied research in the nuclear sciences pursuant to 42 USC 16274.

Restricting eligibility ensures the Nuclear Energy University Program supports university research, collaborations with industry and national laboratories, and training and educating the next generation nuclear workforce. Pursuant to the Nuclear Science User Facilities mission, access to user facilities is open to a broader range of applicants in Appendix C.

To support the goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy, NE strives to contribute to the President’s goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) (the Justice40 Initiative)1. The goal is to spur economic development and job creation in DACs throughout the United States, through effective teams and/or partnerships with institutions, located in a disadvantaged community that may receive funding support from the project.

In support of the Justice40 Initiative, the White House has developed the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) tool to identify DACs. CEJST can be found at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5. Applicants are encouraged to use CEJST to illustrate how their project supports DACs.

NE also strives to ensure energy equity through effective teams and/or partnerships with MSIs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

Information on MSIs can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#tips. This information predominately covers institutions that have been awarded grants through the Department of Education and does not include all institutions that may meet the definition of an MSI. This resource is not an exhaustive list of minority-serving institutions. For purposes of identifying MSIs in NE’s application system, NE is using a directory based on 2020 U.S. Department of Education data, compiled by Rutgers University’s Center for MSIs, which can be found

1 The Justice40 initiative, established by E.O. 14008, sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The Justice40 Interim Guidance provides a broad definition of disadvantaged communities (Page 2): https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf.

https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#tips.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf at:https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/2023eligibilitymatrix.xlsx. This list is also not an exhaustive list of MSIs but will be used as a starting point for self-identifying MSIs. If applicants believe that their institution qualifies as an MSI and is not listed, please contact neup@inl.gov with an explanation for how the university meets the conditions of being considered an MSI.

The application must originate from the lead institution. All lead PIs must have an active account in the NEUP.gov website submittal system. Research consortiums may be composed of diverse institutions including academia, national laboratories, non-profit research institutes, industry/utilities, and international partners. Research teams should strive to achieve the synergies that arise when individuals with forefront expertise in different methodologies, technologies, disciplines, and areas of content knowledge approach a problem together, overcoming impasses by considering the issue from fresh angles and discovering novel solutions.

This CINR FOA provides award opportunities to U.S. owned entities as defined in 2 CFR 910.124:

2 CFR 910.124(b) definitions include:

United States means the several States, the District of Columbia, and all commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States.

United States-owned company means:

(1) A company that has majority ownership by individuals who are citizens of the United States, or

(2) A company organized under the laws of a State that either has no parent company or has a parent company organized under the laws of a State.

2 CFR 910.124(c):

A company shall be eligible to receive an award of financial assistance under a covered program only if DOE finds that -

(1) Consistent with § 910.124(d), the company's participation in a covered program would be in the economic interest of the United States; and

(2) The…