FY 2026 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research RD NOFO DE-FOA-0003538 Part 2 - FINAL 12DEC2025.pdf

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity

Part 2

This is Part 2 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The NOFO Part 2 is intended as a companion document to the NOFO Part 1. The NOFO Part 1 describes the specific DOE programmatic goals and evaluation criteria, eligibility, and other components that are specific to each funding opportunity.

Part 2 includes fixed DOE requirements that generally do not change from NOFO to NOFO. This document includes standard information for the application phase and describes expectations for award negotiations and post-award requirements for selected applications. Applicants should review both the NOFO Part 1 and the NOFO Part 2 prior to applying.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 2 Table of Contents

I. GET REGISTERED

A. SAM.gov Registration B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) C. Grants.gov Registration D. NEUP.gov

II. ELIGIBILITY

A. Cost Sharing

1. Legal Responsibility

2. Cost Share Allocation

3. Cost Share Types and Allowability

4. Unallowable Cost Share Sources

5. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

6. Cost Share Verification

7. Cost Share Calculation Examples

B. Other Eligibility Information

1. Questions Regarding Eligibility

2. Entity of Concern Prohibition

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Application Use

III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Informational Webinar

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORM

A. Application Format Summary B. Application Content Requirements

1. NSUF Letter of Intent

2. NSUF Pre-Application Statement of Work

3. NSUF Full Application Statement of Work

4. Pre-Application (Mandatory except for IRPs)

a. Pre-Application Technical Volume (formerly known as Pre-Application Narrative)

b. Benefit of Collaboration

c. Publications

5. Principal Investigator Resume

a. Collaborators

b. Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation

c. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

d. Intention to Include Research Experiences for Undergraduate Supplement

e. Agreement Requirements

6. Full Application Content Requirements

a. Conflict of Interest (COI) Acknowledgement

b. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424 R&R)

c. Research & Related Other Project Information

d. Project Summary/Abstract File (use provided template on application site)

e. Full Application Technical Volume

f. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Plan

g. Resumes for Research and Development (R&D) NOFOs (Required for Covered Individuals)

h. Senior/Key Personnel (Covered Individual)

i. Other Collaborators and Personnel

j. Current and Pending Support

i. Digital Persistent Identifier (PID)

ii. Research Security Training Requirement

k. Benefit of Collaboration

l. Capabilities

m. Letters of Commitment and Support (IRPs only if applicable)

n. NSUF Letter of Commitment Funding (NSUF-2 only)

o. Program Commitment Letter (NSUF-1 and NSUF-2 if applicable)

q. Research and Related (R&R) Lead Budget Form

r. Budget Justification

s. Subrecipient Budget Form

t. Subrecipient Budget Justification

u. Work Proposal for DOE FFRDC

v. Authorization for Non-DOE or DOE FFRDCs (if applicable)

w. Coordination and Management Plan

7. Lobbying Activities (Excluding FFRDC Recipients and Subrecipients)

y. Transparency of Foreign Connections

z. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

aa. Project/Performance Site Location(s)

C. Funding Restrictions

1. Allowable Costs

2. Pre-Award Costs

3. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

4. Foreign Travel

5. Lobbying

6. Equipment and Supplies

7. Davis-Bacon Act Requirements

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Standard Evaluation and Selection Processes

1. Overview

2. Pre-Selection Clarification

3. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

4. Due Diligence Review for Research, Technology and Economic Security

5. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel

6. Selection

7. R&D and NSUF Pre-Applications

8. R&D and NSUF Full Applications

9. IRP Full Applications

VII. SELECTION AND AWARD NOTICES

A. Selection Notices

1. Ineligible Submissions

2. Application Notifications

3. Applicants Selected for Award Negotiations

4. Alternate Selections

5. Applicants Not Selected for Award Negotiations

B. Post-Selection Information Requests

1. Example Information Requests

2. Entity Risk Assessment

3. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

4. Flood Resilience

5. Trafficking in Persons

6. Construction Workforce Continuity Plan

7. Operations Workforce Continuity Plan

C. Award Notices

VIII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

1. Award Administrative Requirements

2. Subaward and Executive Reporting

3. National Policy Requirements

4. Applicant Representations and Certifications

5. Statement of Federal Stewardship

6. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

7. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

8. Whistleblower Protections

9. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

10. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

11. Current and Pending Support

12. Prohibition Related to Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

13. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

14. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

15. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

16. Intellectual Property Provisions

17. Technology Protection Plan

18. Data Management and Sharing Plan

19. Conference Spending

20. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Nuclear Education, Skills, and Technology (NEST) Program

21. Cost Share Payment

22. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

23. Pay Transparency Requirements

24. Human Subjects Research

B. Reporting

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate B. Commitment of Public Funds C. Treatment of Application Information D. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities E. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability F. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure G. Retention of Submissions H. Title to Subject Inventions I. Government Rights in Subject Inventions J. Copyright K. Export Control L. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment M. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) N. Annual Independent Audits O. Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects; Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials Produced in the United States P. Acronyms

APPENDICES/REFERENCE MATERIAL

A) Topic areas for U.S. University-led R&D Projects and NSUF Access with R&D (NSUF-1) Projects B) Topic areas for U.S. University-led IRP Projects C) Topic areas for U.S. University-led, National Laboratory, or Industry-led NSUF Access Only (NSUF-2) Projects D) Accessing Nuclear Science User Facilities

Section I: Get Registered

I. Get Registered

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 are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up to date. All registrations are free.

A. SAM.gov Registration You must have an active account with SAM.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM). This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

• What is it? SAM is a federal procurement database. All entities that want to do business with the federal government MUST be registered in SAM.

• Existing SAM registrations must be updated annually.

• Duration to complete: can take several weeks.

• Registration Link: https://sam.gov/content/home o Note: Subrecipients are not required to obtain an active SAM registration but must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier.

• HELP: https://sam.gov/content/help Applicants must allow several weeks for the SAM process to complete. All registrations rely on completion of the SAM registration. (START Early)

B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

• What is it? UEI is a non-proprietary identifier that has replaced the Federal Government use of

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number effective April 4, 2022.

• Applicants must obtain an UEI from the SAM to uniquely identify the entity. The UEI is available in the SAM entity registration record.

o Note: Subawardees/subrecipients at all tiers must also obtain an UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the recipient before the subaward can be issued.

• Duration to complete: can take several weeks.

• Registration Link: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

• HELP: https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp

C. Grants.gov Registration You must have an active Grants.gov registration to receive automatic updates when modifications to this NOFO are posted. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

• What is it? Website used to enable federal grant-making agencies to notify potential applicants of funding opportunities. Please note that letters of intent, concept papers, and applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov (see NEUP.gov information below).

• Step-by step instructions for applicants at How to Apply for Grants website https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/how-to-apply-for-a-federal-funding-opportunity-on-grants-gov/

• Duration to complete: can take several days.

• Registration Link: https://grants.gov https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/how-to-apply-for-a-federal-funding-opportunity-on-grants-gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for%20-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for%20-grants https://grants.gov/

Section I: Get Registered

• HELP: https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm

D. NEUP.gov Register and create an account 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.

If you have any questions about NEUP site registration, application processes, eligibility, or application document requirements contact the Innovative Nuclear Research (INR) Integration Office at 208-526- 4854 or at 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 should be identified as specified in the application instructions. When such information is included in the application, it is furnished to the federal government in confidence, 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.

https://apply07.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm https://www.neup.gov/ https://www.neup.gov/ mailto:neup@inl.gov

Section II. Eligibility

II. Eligibility

Please refer to the NOFO Part 1, Eligibility for the eligibility criteria specific to your application. This section includes additional information to help applicants understand the standard eligibility requirements across all DOE NOFOs.

A. Cost Sharing This section contains additional information to help applicants understand federal cost sharing requirements. Please refer to the NOFO Part 1, Eligibility—Cost Sharing for the cost sharing criteria specific to your application.

1. Legal Responsibility Although the cost share requirement applies to the entire project, including work performed by members of the project team other than the recipient, the recipient is legally responsible for paying the entire cost share. The recipient’s cost share obligation is expressed in the Assistance Agreement as a static amount in U.S. dollars (cost share amount) and as a percentage of the Total Project Cost (cost share percentage). If the funding agreement is terminated prior to the end of the project period, the recipient is required to contribute at least the cost share percentage of total expenditures incurred through the date of termination.

The recipient is solely responsible for managing cost share contributions by the project team and enforcing cost share obligation assumed by project team members in subawards or related agreements.

2. Cost Share Allocation Each project team is free to determine how best to allocate the cost share requirement among the team members. The amount contributed by individual project team members may vary, as long as the cost share requirement for the entire project is met.

3. Cost Share Types and Allowability Cost share must meet requirements set forth in 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.306 and 910.130, and cost principles set forth in 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.400-476 and 2 C.F.R. §§ 910.352. In addition, cost share must be verifiable upon submission of the full application. Cost share may be provided in the form of cash or cash equivalents, or in-kind contributions. Cost share must come from non-federal sources (unless otherwise allowed by law), such as project participants, state or local governments, or other third-party financing. DOE Loan Guarantees cannot be leveraged by applicants to provide the required cost share or otherwise support the same scope that is proposed under a project.

Cost share may be provided by the recipient, subrecipients, or third parties (entities that do not have a role in performing the scope of work). Vendors/contractors may not provide cost share. Any partial donation of goods or services is considered a discount and is not allowable.

Cash contributions include but are not limited to personnel costs, fringe costs, supply and equipment costs, indirect costs, and other direct costs.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-910/subpart-B/section-910.130 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR1f52baf5ea70fff/section-200.400 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IX/part-910/subpart-D/section-910.352

In-kind contributions are those where a value of the contribution can be readily determined, verified, and justified but where no actual cash is transacted in securing the good or service comprising the contribution. Allowable in-kind contributions include but are not limited to the donation of volunteer time or the donation of space or use of equipment.

Project teams may use funding or property received from state or local governments to meet the cost share requirement, so long as the federal government did not provide the funding to the state or local government.

Cost share contributions must be specified in the project budget, verifiable from the recipient’s records, and necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of the project. As all sources of cost share are considered part of total project cost, DOE will review the cost share dollars according to the same federal regulations as federal dollars to the project. Every cost share contribution must be reviewed and approved in advance by the Grants Officer and incorporated into the project budget before the expenditures are incurred.

4. Unallowable Cost Share Sources The recipient and subrecipient(s) may not use the following sources to meet cost share obligations:

• Cost share derived from federal sources (unless otherwise authorized by law).

• Cost share that does not meet:

o Requirements set forth in 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.306 and 910.130;

o Cost principles set forth in 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.400-476 and 2 C.F.R. §§ 910.352;

o For State Energy Programs, refer to 10 C.F.R. §§ 420.

• Cost share derived from the DOE loan program.

• Revenues or royalties from the prospective operation of an activity beyond the project period;

• Proceeds from the prospective sale of an asset of an activity;

• Federal funding or property (e.g., federal grants, equipment owned by the federal government);

• Expenditures that were reimbursed under a separate federal program.

• Cash or in-kind contributions used to meet cost share requirements for another federal project or program;

• Existing data as an in-kind contribution (e.g., data owned by an entity, that is not routinely sold commercially but is instead donated to the project and assigned a value);

• In general, deferred or avoided costs such as unrealized tax credits; or

• If applicable, other items as identified by DOE Programs and as specified in the applicable NOFO

Part 1, Eligibility—Cost Sharing.

5. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs Because FFRDCs are funded by the federal government, costs incurred by FFRDCs generally may not be used to meet the cost share requirement. FFRDCs may contribute cost share only if the contributions are paid directly from the contractor’s Management Fee or another non-federal source.

6. Cost Share Verification Applicants are required to provide written assurance of their proposed cost share contributions in their applications. If selected for award negotiations, applicants are required to provide additional information and documentation regarding their cost share contributions. Please refer to the NOFO Part 1, Eligibility—Cost Sharing for specific requirements.

7. Cost Share Calculation Examples Cost sharing is calculated as a percentage of the Total Project Cost. FFRDC costs must be included in Total Project Costs.

Example 1, Standard Cost Share Calculation The following is an example of how to calculate cost sharing amounts for a project with $1 million in federal funds with a minimum 20% non-federal cost sharing requirement:

• Formula: Federal share ($) divided by federal share (%) = Total Project Cost

Example: $1,000,000 divided by 80% = $1,250,000

• Formula: Total Project Cost ($) minus federal share ($) = Non-federal share ($) Example: $1,250,000 minus $1,000,000 = $250,000

• Formula: Non-federal share ($) divided by Total Project Cost ($) = Non-federal share (%) Example: $250,000 divided by $1,250,000 = 20%

Example 2, Blended Cost Share Calculation The following example shows the math for calculating required cost share for a project with $2 million in federal funds, with four tasks requiring different non-federal cost share percentages:

Task Proposed Federal Share

Federal Share % Recipient Share %

Task 1 (R&D) $1,000,000 80% 20% Task 2 (R&D) $500,000 80% 20% Task 3 (Demonstration) $400,000 50% 50% Task 4 (Outreach) $100,000 100% 0%

Federal share ($) divided by federal share (%) = Task Cost

Each task must be calculated individually as follows:

Task 1

• $1,000,000 divided by 80% = $1,250,000 (Task 1 Cost)

• Task 1 Cost minus federal share = non-federal share

• $1,250,000 - $1,000,000 = $250,000 (non-federal share)

Task 2

• $500,000 divided 80% = $625,000 (Task 2 Cost)

• Task 2 Cost minus federal share = non-federal share

• $625,000 - $500,000 = $125,000 (non-federal share)

Task 3

• $400,000 / 50% = $800,000 (Task 3 Cost)

• Task 3 Cost minus federal share = non-federal share

• $800,000 - $400,000 = $400,000 (non-federal share)

Task 4

• Federal share = $100,000

• Non-federal cost share is not mandated for outreach = $0 (non-federal share)

The calculation may then be completed as follows:

Tasks $ Federal Share

% Federal Share

$ Non-Federal Share

% Non-Federal Share

Total Project Cost

Task 1 $1,000,000 80% $250,000 20% $1,250,000 Task 2 $500,000 80% $125,000 20% $625,000 Task 3 $400,000 50% $400,000 50% $800,000 Task 4 $100,000 100% $0 0% $100,000 Totals $2,000,000 $775,000 $2,775,000

Blended Cost Share %

• Non-federal share ($775,000) divided by Total Project Cost ($2,775,000) = 27.9% (non-federal)

• Federal share ($2,000,000) divided by Total Project Cost ($2,775,000) = 72.1% (federal)

B. Other Eligibility Information Refer to NOFO Part 1, Eligibility—Eligible Applicants for NOFO-specific eligibility information. The information below is standard for DOE NOFOs.

1. Questions Regarding Eligibility DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to the NOFO Part 1 must be submitted. The decision to apply in response to the NOFO Part 1 lies solely with the applicant.

2. Entity of Concern Prohibition

Prohibition No Entity of Concern as defined in Section 10114 of Public Law 117-167 (42 USC 18912), may receive any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or loan of $10 million or more in Department of Energy funds, including funds made available by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42).

In addition, for all awards involving Departmental activities authorized under Public Law 117-167, no Entity of Concern (including an individual that owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with an Entity of Concern) may receive DOE funds or perform work under any award, subject to certain penalties. See Section 10114 of Public Law 117-167 (42 USC 18912) and Division D, Title III, Section 310 of Division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 (Pub. L. No.

118-42) for additional information.

By submitting an application to this NOFO, the applicant is certifying that neither the applicant nor any of the project participants qualify as Entities of Concern.

https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ167/PLAW-117publ167.pdf#page=105 https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr4366/BILLS-118hr4366enr.pdf https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ167/PLAW-117publ167.pdf#page=105 https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ167/PLAW-117publ167.pdf#page=105 https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr4366/BILLS-118hr4366enr.pdf https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr4366/BILLS-118hr4366enr.pdf

Definitions Entity of Concern is defined as in section 10114 of Public Law 117-167 (42 USC 18912), also known as the CHIPS and Science Act, as any entity, including a national, that is—

(A) identified under section 1237(b) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; Public Law 105–261);

(B) identified under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note; Public Law 116– 283);

(C) on the Entity List maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce and set forth in Supplement No. 4 to part 744 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations;

(D) included in the list required by section 9(b)(3) of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–145; 134 Stat. 656); or

(E) identified by the Secretary, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and the applicable office that would provide, or is providing, covered support, as posing an unmanageable threat—

(i) to the national security of the United States; or

(ii) of theft or loss of United States intellectual property.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Application Use

Any use of artificial intelligence in the creation of any part of an application for this NOFO must be appropriately attributed. Even with the use of artificial intelligence, each applicant is responsible for and is representing to the U.S. Government that the information in its application documents is accurate, that the applicant is fully capable of performing the work described in the application, and that the submission of the application does not and will not infringe or violate any rights of any third party or entity.

Section III. Program Description

III. Program Description

Refer to NOFO Part 1, Program Description for all information related to the specific NOFO goals, objectives, and topic areas, if any.

A. Informational Webinar Refer to the NOFO Part 1, Basic Information—Key Dates to determine if DOE plans to conduct an informational webinar while the NOFO is open.

If applicable, DOE will conduct an informational webinar during the NOFO process. It will be held after the initial NOFO release but before the due date for concept papers or the application if concept papers are not required.

Attendance is not mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any applicant submissions. The webinar will be open to all potential applicants who wish to participate.

Applicants should refrain from asking questions or communicating information that would reveal confidential and/or proprietary information specific to their project.

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Section IV. Application Content and Form

IV. Application Content and Form

This section contains supplemental information to help applicants understand the application content and form requirements outlined in the NOFO including detailed information on the content and naming conventions of the application content. Please refer to the NOFO Part 1, Application Content and Form section for the application contents and form specific to your application.

Note that some of the required application elements below have separate requirements for Research and Development (R&D) versus non-R&D NOFOs. Refer to the NOFO Part 1, Application Content Requirements section for specific instructions.

A. Application Format Summary All submissions must conform to the form and content requirements described below. Refer to the NOFO Part 1, Application Content and Form for the page limits.

Format Requirements

Parameter Requirement

File Format Portable Document Format (PDF) unless stated otherwise.

Language English

Paper Size 8.5" x 11"

Margins Not less than 1" (>= 1") on every side.

Font Calibri typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 11-point or larger (except in figures or tables, which may be 10-point font). A symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters, but the font size requirement still applies.

References References must be included as footnotes or endnotes in a font size of 10 or larger. Footnotes and endnotes are counted toward the maximum page requirement.

Tracking ID Number A tracking ID number will be assigned to the application once an applicant begins the application process and saves the application.

Once saved, the tracking ID number will be generated at the bottom of the application. The tracking ID number must be included with all application documents. Specifically, the control number must be prominently displayed on the upper right corner of the header of every page and included in the file name (i.e., Tracking ID Number_Applicant Name_Application).

Page Numbers Page numbers must be included in the footer of every page.

Each submission must not exceed the specified maximum page limit, including cover page, charts, graphs, maps, and photographs when printed using the formatting requirements set forth above and single spaced.

Page Count Limitations If applicants exceed the maximum page limitations, DOE will review only the authorized number of pages and disregard any additional pages.

The following information is intended to address issues typically encountered during the application process. If you have any questions about NEUP.gov site registration, or require technical assistance, contact the Innovative Nuclear Research (INR) Integration Office at neup@inl.gov.

Additional Application Information

Deadlines for Submission

NEUP.gov is designed to enforce the deadlines specified in this NOFO. The “Save” and “Submit” buttons will automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines.

Submission Difficulties

Applicants who experience technical difficulties with submission PRIOR to the NOFO deadline should contact NEUP@inl.gov for assistance.

Application Forms To access application forms and instructions available on NEUP.gov, select the appropriate call under “My Applications.”

Size Limitations The maximum file size that can be uploaded to NEUP.gov is 100MB. Files larger than 100MB cannot be uploaded and hence cannot be submitted for review. If a file is larger than 100MB but is still within the maximum page limit specified in the NOFO, it must be broken into parts and denoted to that effect. For example: "TechnicalVolume_Part_1," "TechnicalVolume_Part_2."

DOE will not accept late submissions that resulted from technical difficulties due to uploading files that exceed 100MB.

B. Application Content Requirements The NOFO Part 1, Application Content Requirements identifies which of the following application documents are required including the program-specific requirements such as the technical volume and specified page limits. Each application must be limited to a single concept and must not exceed the stated page limits.

DOE provides detailed guidance on the content and form of each component below.

1. NSUF Letter of Intent A letter of intent (LOI) is a requirement for projects needing NSUF access. Applicants must submit a letter of intent by the specified due date and time to be eligible to submit an application. Applicants who do not submit a letter of intent cannot submit an application. Letters of intent will be used by DOE to plan for the merit review process. The submission should not contain any proprietary or sensitive business information. Letters of intent 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 letter of intent; it is reasonable for project partners, locations, or other factors to change during the application development process. DOE will not provide feedback on the Letters of Intent.

Application forms and instructions are available at the NEUP.gov website. To access these materials: (1) go to www.NEUP.gov; (2) select “Login” from the top right-hand corner of the screen; (3) enter your user credentials; (4) select “Applications” from the menu; and (5) find “FY 2026 NSUF Letter of Intent” and click on “Create New Application” for the type of application you are creating.

mailto:neup@inl.gov mailto:NEUP@inl.gov

Each applicant applying for NSUF access must provide the following information as part of the letter of intent:

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 (have R&D funds available); and

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

Letter of Intent Requirements

Project Description A Letter of Intent template is available via this link: Documents - NEUP - Nuclear Energy University Program

Page Limit 3-page limit; 11-point font

Save template as: FY26 LOI [Tracking ID#].pdf

Access to NSUF capabilities will require agreement and final signature to the User Agreement. 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 NSUF applications. To ensure compliance throughout the application review process, applicants must indicate in the LOI 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 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 can begin on the project. An applicant cannot submit an LOI without checking https://nsuf.inl.gov/Page/Partners https://nsuf.inl.gov/ https://www.neup.gov/ https://neup.inl.gov/resources/documents/ the “I Agree” checkbox. 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.

When completing the Pre-Application form via www.NEUP.gov, it is important that you link the LOI to the Pre-Application to retain the same tracking identification number. To link the LOI and Pre- Application, you must select your application from the Pre-Application drop-down list. Doing this assigns the same tracking identification number to the Pre-Application that is used for the LOI. The Pre- Application must be submitted from the same user account that the LOI was submitted under. Do not start a new Pre-Application.

2. NSUF Pre-Application Statement of Work NSUF applicants are required to provide a Pre-Application Statement of Work (SOW) in support of their NSUF Pre-Application. The Pre-application SOW must be submitted in the Application Site located at NEUP.gov using the NSUF Statement of Work Template found at Documents - NEUP - Nuclear Energy University Program.

The Pre-application SOW is necessary to inform the NSUF feasibility and readiness reviews. 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 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (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:

Save template as: FY26 PreApp SOW [Tracking ID#].pdf

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.

3. NSUF Full Application Statement of Work 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 NSUF Statement of Work Template found at Documents - NEUP - Nuclear Energy University Program.

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 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 http://www.neup.gov/ https://neup.inl.gov/resources/documents/ https://neup.inl.gov/resources/documents/

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.

Save template as: FY26 Full App [Tracking ID#].pdf

4. Pre-Application (Mandatory except for IRPs) Pre-Applications are a mandatory requirement for R&D and NSUF Projects (in Appendices A and C of this CINR NOFO) for U.S. University-, National Laboratory-, or Industry-led projects. Pre-Applications must be submitted by the date and time specified in Part IV, Section G.2 of this CINR FOA.

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.

The following information shall be provided for all Pre-Applications:

a. Pre-Application Technical Volume (formerly known as Pre-

Application Narrative) Applicant shall provide a narrative that addresses the specific information below:

• Title of project.

• Technical topic area identification (e.g., NM-1). The PI is responsible for selecting the appropriate topic area, and this may not be changed between the Pre-Application and Full Application.

• Name of PI(s) and associated organization(s).

• A summary of the proposed project, including a description of the project and a clear explanation of its importance and relevance to the objectives in Part I Section A.

• Major deliverables and outcomes the R&D will produce.

• Estimated cost of project (not including value of any NSUF access).

• Timeframe for execution of proposed project (specify the time period for R&D, one-, two, or three-year period or up to seven years for NSUF).

• Specific facilities and equipment access requirements (for the NSUF access portion only).

• Proprietary data, such as chemical composition or physical properties of a material, that the applicant wishes to protect during the irradiation or PIE phase of the project. This may negatively impact the selection of the project.

Pages outside the specified page limits and font size, including references, will be redacted and unavailable for evaluators to review.

Save template as: FY26 Pre-Application Technical Volume [Tracking ID#].pdf

b. Benefit of Collaboration

Applicant shall provide a narrative that includes an explanation of the contribution that will be made by the collaborating organizations and/or facilities to be utilized. It may contain brief biographies of staff and descriptions of the facilities wherein the research will be conducted. Please indicate within this section whether the application has benefit or influence on other ongoing or proposed Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) R&D projects (e.g., modeling and simulation in one application and effect validation in a separate application). This document is required unless the application only has a single principal investigator.

Save template as: FY26 RPA Benefit of Collaboration[Tracking ID#].pdf

c. Publications

Applications must include a list of publications that resulted from previous NE (NEUP, NEET, NSUF) funded projects. A reference to the project that supported each publication should be included. If the PI has not led an NE (NEUP, NEET, NSUF) project, this document is not required.

Save template as: FY26 RPA NE Supported Publications[Tracking ID#].pdf

5. Principal Investigator Resume

The lead PI shall provide a brief curriculum vitae (CV) that lists the following:

• Provide a full biographical vitae for the PI listed in Section A of the R&R Budget form.

• Contact information.

• Education and Training: provide institution, major/area, degree, and year for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training. List all education and training, foreign or domestic, at the applicant institution or elsewhere, whether or not remuneration is received, and, whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary.

• Research and Professional Experience: beginning with the current position list, in chronological order (newest to oldest), professional/academic positions with a brief description. List all professional or institutional appointments, foreign or domestic, at the applicant institution or elsewhere, whether or not remuneration is received, and, whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary.

• Publications: Provide a list of up to 10 publications most closely related to the proposed project. For each publication, identify the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication), the article title, book or journal title, volume number, page numbers, year of publication, and website address if available electronically.

• Patents, copyrights, and software systems developed may be provided in addition to or substituted for publications.

• There should be no lapses in time over the past 10 years or since age 18, whichever period is shorter.

Save template as: FY26 RPA CV [Last Name] [Tracking ID#].pdf

a. Collaborators A collaborator is an individual who makes a defined, material contribution that is critical to the success of the project and/or contributing to joint publications. Any individual appearing in the project summary, technical narrative, benefit of collaboration, coordination and management plan, or budget documents should be listed as a collaborator directly on the application form. The applicant must have the full consent of all collaborators prior to submitting an application. Any individuals that do not meet these criteria should not be listed as collaborators on the application.

NE has two designations for collaborators: 1) senior/key personnel and 2) other collaborators.

Document requirements will vary depending on whether an individual is designated as ‘senior/key personnel’ or as a general collaborator. Senior/key personnel should be listed in the first collaborators section on the application form. Other collaborators should be listed on the second collaborators section of the application form.

Refer to each required area of the pre- and full-application requirements to provide needed information for all senior/key personnel.

NOTE: If FFRDC personnel are named on the application, in any capacity, those individuals MUST have a Letter of Authorization from their cognizant DOE Contracting Officer. Applicants should not list any FFRDC individual that does not provide a material contribution to the project. It is inappropriate for applicants to name FFRDC personnel for the sole purpose of 'consulting' or 'advising' the project team in an attempt to bolster confidence in the application's technical scope (e.g. senior advisory board member/consultant)

b. Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation All recipients receiving funding under the applicable NOFO Part 1 must be incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a state or territory of the United States and have a physical location for business operations in the United States. To request a waiver of this requirement, an applicant must submit an explicit waiver request in the application.

Waiver Criteria Foreign entities seeking to participate in a project funded under this NOFO must demonstrate to the satisfaction of DOE that:

1. Its participation is in the best interest of the United States industry and United States economic development;

2. The project team has appropriate measures in place to control sensitive information and protect against unauthorized transfer of scientific and technical information;

3. Adequate protocols exist between the United States subsidiary and its foreign parent organization to comply with export control laws and any obligations to protect proprietary information from the foreign parent organization;

4. The work is conducted within the United States, and the entity acknowledges and demonstrates that it has the intent and ability to comply with the U.S. Competitiveness Provision (see Post-Award Requirements--U.S. Manufacturing Commitments below); and

5. The foreign entity will satisfy other conditions that DOE may deem necessary to protect U.S.

government interests.

Content for Waiver Request A Foreign Entity waiver request must include all of the following:

1. Information about the entity(ies) involved in the proposed work to be conducted outside the United States (i.e., the entity seeking a waiver and the entity(ies) that will conduct the work):

name, point of contact, and proposed type of involvement in the project;

2. Country of incorporation, the extent of the ownership/level control by foreign entities, whether the entity is state owned or controlled, a summary of the ownership breakdown of the foreign entity, and the percentage of ownership/control by foreign entities, foreign shareholders, foreign state, or foreign individuals;

3. The rationale for proposing a foreign entity participant (must address criteria above);

4. A description of the project’s anticipated contributions to the United States economy;

a. How the project will benefit United States R&D and manufacturing, including contributions to employment in the United States and growth in new markets and jobs in the United States;

b. How the project will promote domestic American manufacturing of products and/or services;

5. A description of how the foreign entity’s participation is essential to the project;

6. A description of the likelihood of IP being created from the work and the treatment of any such

IP; and

7. Countries where the work will be performed. (Note: If any work is proposed to be conducted outside the United States, the applicant must also complete a separate request foreign work waiver.)

DOE may also require:

1. A risk assessment with respect to IP and data protection protocols that includes the export control risk based on the data protection protocols, the technology being developed, and the foreign entity and country. These submissions could be prepared by the project lead (if not the recipient), but the recipient must make a representation to DOE as to whether it believes the data protection protocols are adequate and make a representation of the risk assessment – high, medium, or low risk of data leakage to a foreign entity.

2. Additional language be added to any agreement or subagreement to protect IP, mitigate risk, or other related purposes.

DOE may require additional information before considering the waiver request. DOE’s decision concerning a waiver request is not appealable.

c. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

Requirement:

All work for the projects selected must be performed in the United States, absent a written waiver approved by DOE and prior approval by the Grants Officer. To request a waiver of this requirement, the applicant must submit an explicit waiver request in the application. A separate waiver request must be submitted for each entity proposing performance of work outside of the United States.

Overall, a waiver request must demonstrate to the satisfaction of DOE that it would further the purposes of this NOFO, and is otherwise in the best interest of the DOE programmatic objectives, is in the economic and energy security interests of the United States, does not pose an undue RTES risk (see Due Diligence Review for Research Technology and Economic Security below) and is otherwise in the best interest of DOE program goals and agency priorities. A request for a foreign work waiver must include the following:

1. The rationale for performing the work outside the United States (“foreign work”);

2.