FY 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research RD NOFO DE-FOA-0003538 Part 1 - FINAL 12DEC2025.pdf

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity

Part 1

Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003538

NSUF Letter of Intent: January 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST Pre-Application due: January 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST Full Application due: June 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST

Modifications

Mod.

No.

Date Description of Modification

Table of Contents

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity

I. BASIC INFORMATION

A. Key Facts

1. Funding Details

2. Period of Performance

B. Executive Summary C. Agency Contact Information

II. ELIGIBILITY

A. Eligible Applicants

1. Restricted Eligibility

2. Domestic Entities

3. Foreign Entity Participation

B. Limitation on Number of Applications Eligible for Review C. Cost Sharing

1. Cost Share Requirements

2. Unallowable Cost Share Sources

D. FFRDC Eligibility Criteria

1. DOE FFRDCs as the Applicant

2. DOE and Non-DOE FFRDCs as a Subrecipient

III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Program Purpose B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Expected Performance Goals D. Topic Areas E. Applications Specifically Not of Interest F. Statutory Authority

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORM

A. Summary B. Letter of Intent C. Pre-Application (Mandatory except for IRP) D. NSUF Pre-Application Statement of Work (Pre-Application SOW) E. NSUF Full Application Statement of Work (Full Application SOW)

F. Full Application Content Requirements

1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility

2. Summary of Application Requirements

G. Funding Restrictions

1. Build America Requirement for Infrastructure Projects

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

A. Required Registrations

1. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

B. Application Package C. Submission Date and Times D. Intergovernmental Review

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Standards for Application Evaluation B. Responsiveness Review C. Review Criteria

1. Compliance Criteria

2. Technical Review Criteria

3. Criteria for Replies to Reviewer Comments

D. Other Selection Factors

VII. SELECTION AND AWARD NOTICES

VIII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

1. Real Property and Equipment

2. Rights in Technical Data

3. Cost Share Payment

B. Questions and Support

1. Questions

2. Support

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1 Section I: Basic Information

Before You Begin

Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity To reduce the burden on applicants in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process and limit the length of the NOFO information requests DOE has separated the NOFO into two parts.

The NOFO Part 1 describes the specific DOE programmatic goals and evaluation criteria, eligibility, and other components that are specific to each funding opportunity. The NOFO Part 2 includes the fixed DOE requirements that generally do not change from NOFO to NOFO, including standard information for the application phase, expectations for award negotiations, and post-award requirements. Applicants must review both the NOFO Part 1 and the NOFO Part 2 prior to applying. To facilitate navigation, you will find links throughout this document to additional information found in Part 2.

There are several required one-time actions applicants must take before applying to this NOFO. Some of these actions may take several weeks, so it is vital applicants build in enough time to complete them.

Failure to complete these actions could interfere with application or negotiation deadlines or the ability to receive an award if selected. If you have previously completed the necessary registrations, make sure your registration is active and up to date. All registrations are free. Please refer to NOFO Part 2, Get Registered, for additional information.

This announcement is published in conjunction with NOFO Part 2 version 2.0.

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I. Basic Information

A. Key Facts

Issuing Agency

Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office

Funding Opportunity Title

Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

Announcement Type Initial

Number

DOE-FOA-0003538

Funding Instrument

Grant

Assistance Listing Number

81.121

Description

This Notice of Funding Opportunity is for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) and is thus referred to in this document as the “CINR NOFO.”

Program Goals & Objective(s)

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

Eligible Applicants • In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126(b), prime applicant award eligibility is restricted to: U.S. universities and colleges for topics in NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B. NSUF user access eligibility is restricted to U.S. industry, U.S. universities and colleges, and national laboratories in NOFO Part 2, Appendix C.

• Other domestic entities including U.S. Universities and Colleges; for-profit entities; non-profit entities; state and local government entities and Indian Tribes; DOE federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and non-DOE FFRDCs and Federal Research Agencies are eligible as subrecipients.

Application Site and Helpdesk

Application Site: https://proposals.inl.gov Helpdesk: NEUP@inl.gov

KEY DATES

Notice of Funding Opportunity Issue Date:

December 15, NSUF Letter of Intent Deadline:

January 5, 2026

R&D Pre- Applications Deadline:

January 28, 2026

NSUF Pre- Application Statement of Work & Readiness Statement Deadline: February 17, 2026

NSUF Full- Application SOW Deadline: May 14, All Full Applications Deadline:

June 9, 2026

Anticipated Selection Notification Date:

September 30, Anticipated Award Date:

February 1, 2027

1. Funding Details DOE reserves the right to make more or fewer (or even no awards) depending on funding availability and/or the quality of the applications. DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with preparation or submission of application. DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted in response to the NOFO.

Funding Opportunity Area 1: U.S. University/College-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects

• Approximate total available funding: $43 million in FY 2026

• Approximate number of awards: Up to 50

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: Up to $1,000,000 for a non-Research

Experiences for Undergraduates (REU ) supplemented projects. Up to $1,100,000 for REU supplemented project, except as explicitly noted in individual program areas.

• Approximate award project period: Up to three years for each of the CINR NOFO program areas except for awards involving NSUF access, which may take up to seven years if neutron irradiation and Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) is requested.

Funding Opportunity Area 2: U.S. University/College-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects

• Approximate total available funding: $6 million in award value in FY 2026

• Approximate number of awards: Up to 3 awards under the U.S. University/College-, National

Laboratory-, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) CINR NOFO Area.

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: Access value of these awards (funds not provided to the Principal Investigator (PI)) will be defined by a final cost estimate provided by the NSUF office.

• Approximate award project period: Up to three years for each of the CINR NOFO program areas and PIE is requested.

Funding Opportunity Area 3: U.S. University/College-led Integrated Research Projects (IRPs)

• Approximate total available funding: $6 million in FY 2026

• Approximate number of awards: Up to 2

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: 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.

• Approximate award project period: Three years

Supplemental Funding Opportunity Area: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement

• Approximate total available funding: $2 million in FY 2026

• Approximate number of awards: Up to 20 awards to supplement awarded U.S.

University/College-led R&D and IRP projects.

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: Up to $100,000 per award to supplement proposed U.S. University/College-led R&D and U.S. University/College-led IRP projects.

• Approximate award project period: Up to three years for each of the CINR NOFO program areas and PIE is requested.

2. Period of Performance

NE anticipates making awards for up to three years for each of the CINR NOFO areas except for 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 NOFO by September 30, 2026, funded projects should begin February 1, 2027. Proposing different start dates for the project and budget periods may make the application ineligible for award. If a later project start date is needed, after August 1, 2027, for the successful performance of the project, it must be fully documented and justified in the application for consideration by NE.

B. Executive Summary The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) is seeking applications from U.S. universities and colleges, 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).

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

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

• Optional Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement available (as described in NOFO Part 1, Funding Details)

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

3) U.S. University/College-led Integrated Research Projects (IRPs)

• Optional Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement available (as described in NOFO Part 1, Funding Details)

C. Agency Contact Information U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office 1955 Fremont Avenue Idaho Falls, ID 83415

For questions relating to this specific NOFO, please send emails to NEUP@inl.gov.

DISCLAIMER: Applicants are discouraged from submitting information considered proprietary unless it is deemed essential for proper evaluation of the application. If the application contains information that the applicant organization considers to be trade secrets, information that is commercial or financial, or information that is privileged or confidential, the pages containing that information must be identified as specified in the application instructions. When such information is included in the application, it will https://www.osti.gov/ be withheld from public disclosure to the extent permitted by law, including the Freedom of Information Act, with the understanding that the information will be used or disclosed only for evaluation of the application. The information contained in the application will be protected by DOE from unauthorized disclosure, consistent with the need for merit review of applications of financial assistance awards to assure the integrity of the competitive process and the accuracy and completeness of the information. If a federal financial assistance award is made as a result of or in connection with an application, the federal government has the right to use or disclose the information to the extent authorized by law. This restriction does not limit the federal government’s right to use the information if it is obtained without restriction from another source.

II. Eligibility

To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant’s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these eligibility requirements, it will be considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation and ineligible for any award. DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this NOFO must be submitted. The decision whether to apply in response to this NOFO lies solely with the applicant. The information included here is specific to eligibility requirements for this NOFO. For eligibility requirements applicable to all NOFOs, please consult the NOFO Part 2, Eligibility.

A. Eligible Applicants To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant’s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these eligibility requirements, it will be considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation.

1. Restricted Eligibility 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 NOFO is open to only U.S. universities and colleges, national laboratories, and U.S. industry entities. The eligibility of this NOFO is restricted to support U.S.

universities and colleges for topics described in the NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B, and NSUF user access eligibility is restricted to U.S. industry, U.S. universities and colleges, and national laboratories described in the NOFO Part 2, NOFO Part 2, 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 and college 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 NOFO Part 2, NOFO Part 2, Appendix C.

2. Domestic Entities The proposed prime recipient and subrecipient(s) must be domestic entities. To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the U.S. or under the laws of the U.S.; have majority domestic ownership and control; and have a physical place of business in the U.S.

The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a prime recipient of this NOFO:

• U.S. universities and colleges for topics in the NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B

• U.S. industry, U.S. universities and colleges, and national laboratories in the NOFO Part 2, Appendix C.

The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a subrecipient of this NOFO:

• U.S. universities and colleges1;

• For-profit organizations;

• Nonprofit organizations;

• State and local governmental entities; and

• Indian Tribes, as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance

Act, 25 U.S.C. § 5304.2

3. Foreign Entity Participation While international partners are encouraged to participate, no U.S. Government funding will be provided to entities incorporated outside of the United States or to a foreign government or any entity owned or controlled by a foreign government. Foreign government ownership means direct ownership of the applicant entity, its parent organization (e.g., trust, holding company, corporation, etc.), and any and all other entities in the corporate structure regardless of the applicant entity’s place of incorporation and operation. NE will evaluate the benefit and contribution of any such proposed partnerships as part of its evaluation of the relevancy to the NE mission.

Incorporated Consortia Incorporated consortia, which may include domestic and foreign entities, are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient. For consortia incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a State or territory of the United States, please refer to “Domestic Entities” above.

Unincorporated Consortia Unincorporated consortia, which may include domestic and foreign entities, must designate one member of the consortium to serve as the prime recipient/consortium representative (U.S. university or college). The prime recipient/consortium representative must be incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a State or territory of the U.S. The eligibility of the consortium will be determined by the eligibility of the prime recipient/consortium representative.

Participant Limitations Participation of the following entities are limited as follows:

• DOE FFRDCs3 are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient for topic areas outlined in NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

• Non-DOE FFRDCs are eligible to participate as a subrecipient for topic areas outlined in NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

1 “U.S. Universities and Colleges” is defined consistent with the meaning of “institution of higher education as set forth in 20 U.S. C. 1001(a).

2 “Indian Tribe,” for the purposes of this NOFO and as defined in in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5304), means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the U.S.

to Indians because of their status as Indians.

3 FFRDCs are public-private partnerships that conduct research for the U.S. government. A listing of FFRDCs can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:25%20section:5304%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/92/203.pdf#:%7E:text=688%20PUBLIC%20LAW%2092-203-DEC.%2018%2C%201971%20%5B85%20STAT.,and%20for%20other%20purposes.%20Alaska%20Native%20Claims%20Settlement https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/92/203.pdf#:%7E:text=688%20PUBLIC%20LAW%2092-203-DEC.%2018%2C%201971%20%5B85%20STAT.,and%20for%20other%20purposes.%20Alaska%20Native%20Claims%20Settlement https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:43%20section:1601%20edition:prelim) http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/

• Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE) are eligible to participate as a subrecipient for topic areas outlined in NOFO Part 2, Appendix A and B but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

Performance of Work in the U.S.

All work for awards under this NOFO must be performed in the U.S.

Ineligible Participants The following entities are ineligible for participation in this NOFO as a recipient, subrecipient, or subcontractor:

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.214, entities banned from doing business with the U.S.

government such as entities debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in federal programs.

• Entities identified on Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control Treasury’s Sanctions Program Specially Designated Nationals list are prohibited from doing business with the U.S. government and are not eligible. See OFAC - Sanctions List Service (treas.gov).

• Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995, are not eligible to apply for funding.

B. Limitation on Number of Applications Eligible for Review U.S. university and college PIs may submit up to six Pre-Applications (three of those applications may be as lead PI).

A PI may have no more than one IRP, or three R&D projects (excluding NSUF Access Only projects) funded at any time and may not submit more Full Applications than would be allowed by these restrictions.

PIs cannot submit the same application to multiple topic areas, including the NSUF Access areas.

Individuals serving in an advisory capacity to DOE may not participate in any portion of this NOFO, including the NSUF Access Only CINR NOFO area.

NSUF Access Only projects are not bound by these eligibility restrictions, unless specified above.

NOTE: Applications submitted to this CINR NOFO will be awarded to the applicant entity listed and will typically not be transferred to another institution if a lead PI changes institutions. However, DOE may consider PI requests for transferring or subawarding an award from the original institution to the PI’s new institution. In the event a PI changes institutions, the PI must contact the Contract Specialist for approval prior to the award being transferred.

The following application restrictions apply to lead PIs:

R&D Application Restrictions Applicants are ineligible to submit an R&D application to this CINR NOFO as a lead PI under any of the following circumstances:

• The PI has a currently funded IRP that will be active after December 31, 2026.

https://sanctionslist.ofac.treas.gov/Home/SdnList

• The PI has three or more R&D projects that will still be active after December 31, 2026, excluding NSUF Access Only projects and any NSUF project with a duration greater than 3 years.

• The PI has a no-cost time extension on any NE funded project (excluding Infrastructure) that will still be active beyond December 31, 2026, excluding extensions caused by NSUF.

IRP Application Restrictions Applicants are ineligible to submit an IRP application to this CINR NOFO as a lead PI under any of the following circumstances:

• The PI has a currently funded IRP that will be active after December 31, 2026.

• The PI has a no-cost time extension on any NE funded project (excluding Infrastructure) that will still be active beyond December 31, 2026, excluding extensions caused by NSUF.

• The applicant is designated as PI for more than one currently funded NE project that will be active beyond December 31, 2026. Applicants with only one currently funded R&D project are eligible to apply for an IRP.

• If a PI chooses to submit an IRP application to this CINR NOFO and has no currently funded R&D projects that will still be active after December 31, 2026, excluding NSUF Access Only projects, that PI is allowed to submit up to one R&D application as the lead. In the event that both the IRP and R&D applications are successful, only one award will be made with priority given to the IRP project.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates Supplement Eligibility All R&D and IRP applications can request an REU supplement as part of their application with the following restrictions:

• REU activities should not exceed $100,000.

• The term of the REU supplement cannot exceed that of the associated award.

o The Participant/Support Cost section of the budget may not exceed the $100,000 amount allotted to the REU supplement.

• Student stipends should be comparable to other REU programs per student per week.

o Amounts for academic-year projects should be comparable to this number on a pro rata basis. Typically, students working during the academic year are paid on a per hour basis.

• Total costs for a summer REU program—including all allowable direct (student) costs (e.g., stipend, travel, housing, etc.)—should be comparable to other REU programs. However, exceptional circumstances may exceed comparable programs and would need to be approved by DOE.

Students can participate in a funded REU supplement under the following circumstances:

• Student eligibility is restricted to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.

• An undergraduate student is a student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree.

• Students transferring from one college to another and are enrolled in neither institution during the intervening summer are eligible to participate.

• High school graduates who have been accepted at an undergraduate institution who have not yet started their studies are eligible.

• Students who have received their bachelor’s degree and are no longer enrolled as an undergraduate are not eligible.

C. Cost Sharing Applicants are expected to follow through on estimated cost share commitments proposed in their applications if selected for award negotiations. Please refer to the NOFO Part 2, Eligibility for more information on Cost Sharing.

1. Cost Share Requirements Cost sharing is encouraged but not required under this NOFO. Any cost sharing proposal must be included in the application. Applicants are bound by the cost share proposed in their application if selected for award negotiations.

If cost share is proposed, the cost share must come from non-federal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. The cost share percentage is calculated by dividing the cost share by the total allowable project costs for the award where the total allowable project costs include government share (including FFRDC costs if applicable) and cost share. To help applicants calculate proper cost share amounts, DOE has included a cost share information sheet and sample cost share calculation in the NOFO Part 2, Eligibility—Cost Sharing, Cost Share Calculation Examples.

2. Unallowable Cost Share Sources The unallowable cost share sources identified here are specific to this announcement. Refer to NOFO Part 2, Eligibility--Cost Sharing, Unallowable Cost Share Sources for unallowable cost share sources applicable to all NOFOs.

D. FFRDC Eligibility Criteria

1. DOE FFRDCs as the Applicant

A DOE FFRDC is eligible to apply for funding under this NOFO if its cognizant Contracting Officer provides written authorization and this authorization is submitted with the application.

The following wording is acceptable for the authorization:

Authorization is granted for the Laboratory to participate in the proposed project. The work proposed for the Laboratory is consistent with or complementary to the missions of the Laboratory and will not adversely impact execution of the DOE assigned programs at the Laboratory.

If a DOE FFRDC is selected for award negotiation, the proposed work will be authorized under the DOE work authorization process and performed under the laboratory’s Management and Operating (M&O) contract.

2. DOE and Non-DOE FFRDCs as a Subrecipient FFRDCs may be proposed as a lead institution (except as otherwise prohibited by this CINR NOFO) or team member on another entity’s application subject to the following guidelines:

Authorization for non-DOE FFRDCs The Federal agency sponsoring the FFRDC must authorize in writing the use of the FFRDC on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The use of an FFRDC must be consistent with the authority under its award and must not place the FFRDC in direct competition with the private sector.

Authorization for DOE FFRDCs The cognizant contracting officer for the FFRDC must authorize in writing the use of a FFRDC on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The following wording is acceptable for this authorization:

“Authorization is granted for the Fill-in 1: [Name] Laboratory to participate in the proposed project. The work proposed for the laboratory is consistent with or complimentary to the missions of the laboratory, will not adversely impact execution of the DOE/NNSA assigned programs at the laboratory, and will not place the laboratory in direct competition with the domestic private sector.”

NOTE: Letter of Authorization for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs is required for all National Laboratory participants listed on the application regardless of funding level or tier.

NOTE: FFRDC individuals acting in an advisory role only to the project should not be named in the application or listed as a collaborator.

NOTE: The FFRDC’s participation in the proposed project is subject to the terms and conditions of its management and operating (M&O) contract with DOE. Participants requiring access to the FFRDC facilities are subject to the FFRDC’s policy and DOE regulations.

NOTE: If all FFRDC/non-FFRDC management has been notified of all submissions and acknowledgment of all participants are identified, individual Letters of Authorization may be submitted or submitted as blanket permission. Identification of participants by name is to be included in the body or as a separate list.

NOTE: Letter of Authorization is not required for NSUF Technical Leads unless the Technical Lead is designated as senior/key personnel on the application and is requesting R&D funding support under this

CINR NOFO.

• The FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 20% of the total estimated costs of the projects.

Responsibility: The applicant, if successful, will be the responsible authority regarding the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues, including but not limited to, disputes and claims arising out of any agreement between the applicant and the FFRDC contractor.

Funding, Cost Share, and Subaward with FFRDCs The value of and funding for the FFRDC portion of the work will not normally be included in the award.

DOE FFRDCs participating as a subrecipient on a project will be funded directly through the DOE Work Authorization process in accordance with DOE O 412.1A. Non-DOE FFRDCs participating as a subrecipient will be funded through an interagency agreement with the sponsoring agency.

Although the FFRDC portion of the work is excluded from the award, the applicant’s cost share requirement will be based on the total cost of the project, including the applicant’s, the subrecipient’s, and the FFRDC’s portions of the project.

All DOE FFRDCs are required to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement4 (CRADA) or, if the role of the DOE FFRDC is limited to technical assistance and intellectual property is not anticipated to be generated from the DOE FFRDC’s work, a Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA), with at least the recipient. A fully executed CRADA or TAA must be in place or be compliant with a Master Scope of Work process prior to the FFRDC starting work directly allocable to the FA award.

A CRADA is used to ensure accountability for project work and provide the appropriate management of IP, e.g., data protection and background IP. A Data Management and Sharing Plan is not suited for this purpose.

The recipient will be the responsible authority regarding the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues, including but not limited to disputes and claims arising out of any agreement between the recipient and the FFRDC.

Limit on FFRDC Effort The FFRDC effort, in aggregate shall not exceed 20% of the total project cost, except for projects in support of NSUF. The effort by non-universities and colleges, in aggregate, shall not exceed 20% of the total project cost.5

4 A cooperative research and development agreement is a contractual agreement between a national laboratory contractor and a private company or university to work together on research and development. For more information, see https://www.energy.gov/gc/downloads/doe-cooperative-research-and-development-agreements.5 Total project cost is the sum of the government share, including FFRDC costs if applicable, and the recipient share of project costs.

5 Total project cost is the sum of the government share, including FFRDC costs if applicable, and the recipient share of project costs.

https://www.energy.gov/gc/downloads/doe-cooperative-research-and-development-agreements

III. Program Description

A. Program Purpose The Office of Nuclear Energy’s (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:

• Enable continued operation of existing U.S. nuclear reactors

• Enable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors

• Develop advanced nuclear fuel cycles

• Maintain U.S. leadership in nuclear energy technology.

NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university/college, 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.

B. Program Goals and Objectives All applications submitted under this CINR NOFO 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.

NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in R&D priorities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 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 NOFO.

C. Expected Performance Goals Projects proposed under the CINR NOFO are intended to provide competitive R&D opportunities through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF).

NEUP supports university and college-led infrastructure and R&D projects relevant to the NE mission.

NSUF provides access to material test reactors, beamlines, and post-irradiation examination facilities to researchers from U.S. universities and colleges, industry, and national laboratories.

D. Topic Areas For more detailed information on each topic area, please refer to the NOFO, Part 2, Appendices A, B, and C.

FY 2026 Topic Area Overview

Topic Area

Appendix

NSUF

Access

Led by:

University /College

National Laboratory Industry

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

Topic Area 2 – Existing Plant Optimization A No X

Topic Area 3 – Nuclear Fuel Recycle Technologies A No X

Topic Area 4 – Fuels A No X Topic Area 5 – Disposal Research A No X Topic Area 6 – Design of a Mined Deep Geological Repository A No X

Topic Area 7 – Social Economic Model for a Future Deep Geological Repository Program

A No X

Topic Area 8 – Public Perceptions of Integrated Waste Management System A No X

Topic Area 9 Modeling and Simulation A No X Topic Area 10 – Measuring, Monitoring and Controls A No X

Topic Area 11 –Licensing, Safety, and Security A No X

Topic Area 12 – Advanced Nuclear Materials and Manufacturing Technologies

A No X

Topic Area 13 – Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear Energy A No X

Topic Area 14 – Strategic Needs Blue Sky A No X

NSUF-1: Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Joint R&D and Access A Yes X

IRP-1: Grand Challenge IRP – Accelerating Reactor Development B No X

IRP-2: Grand Challenge IRP – Advanced Reactor SNF Disposition B No X

NSUF-2: Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Access Only C Yes X X X

E. Applications Specifically Not of Interest The following types of applications will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed or considered (please also refer to the Responsiveness Review section below):

• Applications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in the Program Goals and Objectives section above

• Applications that describe performing actions that result in duplicating existing capabilities

• Applications focused specifically in areas not of interest to the NE mission, such as fusion energy, medical physics, nuclear forensics, or environmental management.

NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in R&D priorities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 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 NOFO.

F. Statutory Authority The activities to be supported under this NOFO 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.

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Section IV: Application Content and Form

IV. Application Content and Form

This section includes application information specific to this NOFO Part 1. Refer to the NOFO Part 2, Application Content and Form for standard information that applies to all DOE NOFOs such as formatting and content requirements, and funding restrictions.

A. Summary The application process includes three submission phases: letter of intent (LOI) (Mandatory only for NSUF-1 and NSUF-2 Applications), R&D/NSUF Pre-Applications (Mandatory except for IRPs), and Full Applications.

All non-budget documentation (use templates where provided) is to be prepared using standard 8.5” × 11” paper with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, right) and a font size no smaller than Times New Roman 11 point. This is a requirement for all pages included in the document (i.e., table of contents, references, etc.). The preferred file format is Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) for all documents except for spreadsheets. All spreadsheets are to be uploaded in Excel file format to the online application. Do NOT lock any cells in the spreadsheet.

Applicants must comply with all pertinent page limitations. Any text (including references and data tables) in a document that does not adhere to the requirements listed above (except graphics, graphs, charts, and equations) will be removed from the document and will not be reviewed. DOE reserves the right to dismiss applications that violate formatting requirements. Signature blocks must be signed by the designated official.

Documents should be saved using the document naming suggestion at the bottom of each document description. The tracking ID will automatically be generated by the application system and can be found at the top of the application form under “Tracking ID.”

DOE reserves the right to dismiss applications which it deems, after initial review, to lack enough detail for reviewers to adequately judge technical merit. Applications submitted with corrupted, incomplete, or incorrect files may be dismissed without further review.

Application Submission Phase Eligibility for Submission Letter of Intent (Mandatory only for NSUF-1 and NSUF-2 Applications)

Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be eligible for comprehensive merit review.

Pre-Application (Mandatory except for IRPs)

Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be eligible for comprehensive merit review.

Full Application Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be eligible for comprehensive merit review.

B. Letter of Intent LOIs are a requirement for projects needing NSUF access. Applicants must submit an LOI by the specified due date and time to be eligible to submit an application. Applicants who do not submit an LOI cannot submit an application. LOIs will be used by DOE to plan for the merit review process. The submission should not contain any proprietary or sensitive business information. LOIs will not be used for down-selection purposes, and do not commit an applicant to apply. Applicants are not bound to the statements made in the LOI; it is reasonable for project partners, locations, or other factors to change during the application development process. DOE will not provide feedback on the LOIs.

Each applicant must provide the following information as part of the LOI:

Letter of Intent Content Requirements

Project Title The project title should be consistently used across other application documents.

Technical Topic or Area Applicable topic area:

• NSUF-1 (R&D funds available)

• NSUF-2 for NSUF Access Only (no R&D funds available)

Lead Organization Complete legal name of the lead organization.

Organization Type

Academic; Federal Government; Federally Funded Research and Development (FFRDC); Government Owned and Operated (GOGO);

Indian/Native American Tribal Government; Individual; Large Business;

Non-Profit; Small Business; State and/or Local Government

Recipient Technical Point of Contact (POC)

Name and title for the Principal Investigator (PI) or Lead Project Manager

(LPM).

Identification of NSUF Facilities

Points of contact (POCs) for the NSUF facilities, as well as facility descriptions, are provided on the NSUF website at NSUF.inl.gov/Page/Partners. NSUF Partner Institution contacts are also the Technical Leads. Technical Leads are assigned by the NSUF Program Office and provided to the applicant. For assistance in identifying a NSUF Technical Lead or facility POC, please contact NSUF staff members listed on the website NSUF.inl.gov.

The LOI includes a brief project description, which should cover only the NSUF scope of the project. The LOI is uploaded to the electronic form at www.NEUP.gov. Applicants must include the following information:

Letter of Intent Requirements

Project Description An LOI template is available via this link: NEUP Documents

Page Limit 3-page limit; 11-point font

Name File 2026 LOI “Insert ID #”

For complete details on the content and documents required, please refer to NOFO Part 2, Application Content and Form.

https://nsuf.inl.gov/Page/Partners https://nsuf.inl.gov/ https://www.neup.gov/ https://neup.inl.gov/resources/documents/

C. Pre-Application (Mandatory except for IRP) Pre-Applications are a mandatory requirement for R&D and NSUF Projects for U.S. University/College-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led projects. Pre-Applications must be submitted by the date and time specified in the NOFO Part 1, Key Facts of this CINR NOFO.

The PI and named collaborators identified in the Pre-Application may not be changed in the Full Application without adequate justification and consent of the Contracting Officer. If a change is necessary, the applicant shall provide this request and justification at least 7 calendar days prior to the full application due date

Component File Format

Page Limit File Name

Technical Volume PDF 5 pages FY26 Technical Volume [Tracking ID#].pdf

Principal Investigator Resume (Research and Development (R&D)) PDF 3 pages each FY26 CV [Last Name] [Tracking ID#].pdf

Benefit of Collaboration PDF 4 pages FY26 BOC [Tracking ID#].pdf

Publications PDF N/A FY26 NE Supported Publications [Tracking ID#].pdf

D. NSUF Pre-Application Statement of Work (Pre-Application

SOW)

NSUF applicants are required to provide a Pre-Application SOW in support of their NSUF Pre-Application.

The pre-application SOW includes the required statement of readiness described in NOFO Part 2, Appendix D. The Pre-application SOW must be submitted at NEUP.gov using the SOW located at Documents - NEUP - Nuclear Energy University Program.

The Pre-application SOW is necessary to inform the NSUF feasibility and readiness review. The document is not used for the merit review. The Pre-Application SOW will be appended to the already submitted Pre-Application. To append the Pre-Application SOW: 1) Find the submitted Pre-application in the “My Applications” section of the submission website; 2) Open the submitted Pre-application by using the ‘pencil’ icon; 3) Scroll to the bottom of the application form; and 4) Click “Attach File” on the “Post Submission Attachment” section and attach the Pre-application SOW.

Any submissions uploaded or altered after the deadline outlined in the CINR NOFO will be disregarded.

Do not make changes to the Pre-application SOW after the submission deadline, as the upload timestamp is used to confirm timely submission:

NOTE: Do not resubmit the Pre-Application. A timestamp will appear in the “File Upload Date” area, which is confirmation that the Pre-application SOW was appended correctly.

E. NSUF Full Application Statement of Work (Full Application

SOW)

If an NSUF applicant is invited to submit a Full Application, a Full Application SOW is required, prior to the submittal of their Full Application. Full Application SOW documents are submitted at NEUP.gov using the SOW template located at NEUP Documents.

The Full Application SOW is necessary to complete the NSUF feasibility and readiness reviews and determine a value (cost) for NSUF access. The document is not used for merit review. Ensure that any required readiness discussion is included as described in the NOFO Part 2, Appendix D. The Full Application SOW is not included in the technical peer review. Technical details that will inform a peer reviewer must be included in the 15-page technical narrative.

If an application is awarded, the applicant reviews the Full Application SOW and is allowed to make minor corrections (typographical errors, schedule adjustments and so forth). Changes to work scope are not allowed. This document becomes the Final SOW; it is the control document for work performed on a project. Once the project is complete, the Final SOW will be placed in NSUF’s Nuclear Research Data System (NRDS) data repository. See NOFO Part 2, Award Administration Information for more on the NRDS.

The Full Application SOW must contain a summary of the proposed activity, suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained document that identifies the following:

the name of the applicant; the name of the PI(s); the project title; a list of major deliverables; the scope and objectives of the project; a description of the project, including major tasks (phases, planned approach, etc.) and methods to be employed; the potential impact of the project (i.e., benefits, outcomes); and the names of senior/key personnel (for collaborative projects). This document must not include any proprietary or sensitive business information as it will be available to the public after awards are made and the project is completed.

Full Application SOW documents are submitted by appending to the already submitted Pre-Application.

To append the Full Application SOW: 1) find the submitted Pre-Application in the “My Applications” section of the submission website; 2) Open the submitted Pre-Application by using the ‘pencil’ icon; 3) Scroll to the bottom of the application form; and 4) Click “Attach File” on the “Post Submission Attachment” section and attach the Full Application SOW. Do not delete the Pre-application SOW.

Applicants must submit a Full Application SOW even if there are no changes from the Pre-application

SOW.

NOTE: A timestamp will appear in the “File Upload Date” area, which is confirmation that the Statement of Work was appended correctly.

For complete details on the content and documents required, please refer to the NOFO Part 2, Application Content and Form.

F. Full Application Content Requirements

1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility

Several of the Application Content Requirements listed below and in the NOFO Part 2 are required of covered individuals.

For the purposes of this NOFO, a Covered Individual means an individual who (a) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the development or execution of the scope of work of a project proposed for funding by DOE, and (b) is designated as a covered individual by DOE. Often, these individuals have doctoral or other professional degrees, although individuals at the master’s level may be considered covered individuals if their involvement meets this definition. Consultants, graduate students, and those with a postdoctoral role also may be considered covered individuals if they meet this definition.

DOE designates as covered individuals any principal investigator (PI); project director (PD); co-principal investigator (Co-PI); co-project director (Co-PD); project manager; and any individual regardless of title that is functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, or project manager.

The applicant is responsible for assessing the applicability of (a) above, against each person listed on the application. Further, the applicant is responsible for identifying any such individual to DOE for designation as a covered individual, if not already designated by DOE as described above.

The applicant’s submission of a current and pending support disclosure and/or biosketch/resume for a particular person serves as an acknowledgement that DOE designates that person as a covered individual.

DOE may further designate covered individuals during award negotiations or the award period of performance.

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