Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001281
Apply for DE FOA 0001281
- The Idaho Field Office in the education energy science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2016 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.121 Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 18, 2015 and posted on Aug 6, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 18, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $56,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 65 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This FOA is open to U.S. universities, national laboratories, and industry.Research consortiums may be composed of diverse institutions including academia, national laboratories, non profit research institutes, industry/utilities, and international partners. Research teams should strive to achieve the synergies that arise when individuals with forefront expertise in different methodologies, technologies, disciplines, and areas of content knowledge approach a problem together, overcoming impasses by considering the issue from fresh angles and discovering novel solutions.DOE NE strongly encourages diversifying its research portfolio through effective partnerships with industry, underrepresented groups, and MSI, which may receive funding support from the project. International partners are encouraged to participate, however no U.S. government funding will be provided to entities incorporated outside of the United States. DOE NE will evaluate the benefit and contribution of any such proposed partnerships as part of its program relevancy evaluation and scoring. The following link provides the current list of MSIhttp://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite minorityinst.html.In Appendix A and C, no more than 20 of the total funds provided by the government can go to a non university collaborator.A collaborator is an individual that makes a defined, material contribution that is critical to the success of the project. Any individuals that do not meet these criteria should not be listed as collaborators on the application form.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY2016 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001281) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) competitive funding solicitation aimed at advancing crosscutting nuclear energy research and development, along with the supporting infrastructure needed to make that research possible. The central idea is to push innovative technologies that could significantly improve the performance, safety, and economics of advanced reactor and fuel cycle concepts, while also making smart use of federal resources. DOE-NE emphasizes integrated, collaborative work across national laboratories, universities, industry, and (where helpful) international partners, with the goal of accelerating progress on difficult technical challenges and supporting new nuclear power deployment through practical, creative solutions.
This FOA consolidates multiple DOE-NE competitive research pathways into a single umbrella opportunity, covering the competitive parts of three major efforts: Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP), Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD), and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF). NEUP is structured to support university-led research and university infrastructure in areas aligned with DOE-NE priorities, including Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FC R&D), Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration (RC RD&D), and Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS). NEET CTD complements that focus by supporting crosscutting technology development that can be led by national laboratories, universities, or industry, targeting enabling technologies that apply across reactor and fuel cycle concepts rather than being limited to one narrow design. NSUF, established to broaden access to specialized nuclear R&D infrastructure, provides researchers with no-cost access to major capabilities such as materials test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) facilities, helping teams do experiments that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive or unavailable.
A notable feature of this announcement is how it ties NSUF access to project proposals. Instead of forcing teams to submit separate requests for facility access, NEUP or NEET CTD applicants who need irradiation testing and/or PIE can bundle a request for no-cost NSUF access into the same application package responding to this FOA. This is meant to streamline the process for researchers who need specialized experimental campaigns as part of their R&D plan and to encourage full research pathways that connect modeling, fabrication, irradiation, and examination work.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means DOE expects an active role during the project period (for example, collaboration on milestones, coordination with DOE facilities, and oversight aligned with program objectives). The FOA is listed as discretionary funding and falls under activity categories that include education, energy, science and technology, and other R&D. The total estimated funding available is about $56.2 million, with an expectation of roughly 65 awards, and the award floor is listed as 1 (as provided in the source data). Cost sharing is required, so applicants should plan for some level of non-federal contribution consistent with the FOA requirements and the specific appendix or topic area being proposed.
Eligibility is broadly framed to encourage strong, multi-organization teams. The FOA is open to U.S. universities, national laboratories, and industry, and it allows research consortiums that can include academia, national labs, nonprofit research institutes, industry/utilities, and international partners. DOE-NE explicitly encourages teams to build collaborations that create real technical synergy, bringing together different disciplines and methods to solve problems that may not be tractable within a single organization. It also strongly encourages partnerships that diversify the research portfolio, including participation by underrepresented groups and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which may receive funding support through the project. International partners are allowed and encouraged when they add value, but U.S. government funding will not go to entities incorporated outside the United States; DOE will consider the relevance and contribution of those partners as part of programmatic review.
The FOA also places specific limits on how funds can be distributed in certain sections (noted for Appendix A and C): no more than 20 percent of total federal funds may go to a non-university collaborator. It additionally clarifies what counts as a collaborator: someone who makes a defined, material contribution that is critical to project success, as opposed to participants who play a minor or informal role. These constraints matter for proposal budgeting and team structure, especially for university-led efforts that plan to subcontract significant work to industry or non-university research organizations.
From an administrative standpoint, the announcement was posted August 6, 2015, with a closing date of February 18, 2016 (archived March 19, 2016). It is associated with CFDA 81.121 (Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration) and is issued under the DOE Idaho Field Office. DOE-NE also states it may adjust timing, scale, or selection decisions in response to shifts in fiscal year priorities driven by events, policy changes, or Congressional and budget direction, and it reserves the right to fund all or only part of an application using programmatic funds. In practical terms, applicants were expected to align proposals tightly with DOE-NE priorities while remaining aware that final funding decisions could reflect changing program needs during FY2016.
FAQs: FY2016 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research FOA (DE-FOA-0001281)
What is this funding opportunity?
The FY2016 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001281) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) competitive solicitation that supports crosscutting nuclear energy research and development, along with supporting infrastructure needed to carry out that research.
What is the main goal of the FOA?
The FOA is intended to advance innovative technologies that can improve the performance, safety, and economics of advanced reactor and fuel cycle concepts. It also emphasizes making efficient use of federal resources and accelerating progress on difficult technical challenges through practical, creative solutions.
Which DOE office is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) and is issued under the DOE Idaho Field Office.
What major programs are consolidated under this FOA?
This FOA consolidates the competitive parts of three major DOE-NE efforts into one umbrella announcement: Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP), Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD), and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF).
What kinds of work does NEUP support under this FOA?
NEUP supports university-led research and university infrastructure aligned with DOE-NE priorities, including Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FC R&D), Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration (RC RD&D), and Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS).
What does NEET Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD) focus on?
NEET CTD supports crosscutting enabling technology development that applies across reactor and fuel cycle concepts rather than being limited to one narrow design. Projects may be led by national laboratories, universities, or industry.
What is the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program?
NSUF is designed to broaden access to specialized nuclear R&D infrastructure by providing researchers with no-cost access to major capabilities such as materials test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination (PIE) facilities.
How does NSUF access work within this FOA?
A notable feature of this FOA is that NEUP or NEET CTD applicants who need irradiation testing and/or PIE can include a request for no-cost NSUF access within the same FOA application package, rather than submitting a separate facility access request.
Why does the FOA allow NSUF requests to be bundled with proposals?
The bundled approach is meant to streamline the process for researchers who need specialized experimental campaigns as part of their R&D plan and to encourage complete research pathways that can connect modeling, fabrication, irradiation, and examination.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means DOE expects to have an active role during the project period (for example, collaborating on milestones, coordinating with DOE facilities, and providing oversight aligned with program objectives).
Is this discretionary funding?
Yes. The FOA is listed as discretionary funding.
What activity categories does this FOA fall under?
The activity categories include education, energy, science and technology, and other research and development (R&D).
How much total funding is estimated to be available?
The total estimated funding available is about $56.2 million.
How many awards are expected?
The FOA indicates an expectation of roughly 65 awards.
Is there an award minimum listed?
The source information lists an award floor of 1.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is required, so applicants should plan for some level of non-federal contribution consistent with the FOA requirements and the specific appendix or topic area being proposed.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly framed and includes U.S. universities, national laboratories, and industry. The FOA also allows research consortiums that can include academia, national labs, nonprofit research institutes, industry/utilities, and international partners.
Are collaborative, multi-organization teams encouraged?
Yes. DOE-NE emphasizes integrated, collaborative work across national laboratories, universities, industry, and, where helpful, international partners. It encourages collaborations that create real technical synergy across disciplines and methods.
Are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and underrepresented groups addressed?
Yes. The FOA strongly encourages partnerships that diversify the research portfolio, including participation by underrepresented groups and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which may receive funding support through the project.
Can international partners participate?
Yes. International partners are allowed and encouraged when they add value to the work.
Can DOE funds be awarded to organizations incorporated outside the United States?
No. U.S. government funding will not go to entities incorporated outside the United States. DOE will consider the relevance and contribution of international partners as part of programmatic review.
Are there limits on how federal funds can be distributed to collaborators?
Yes. For certain sections noted as Appendix A and C, no more than 20 percent of total federal funds may go to a non-university collaborator. This affects budgeting and team structure, especially for university-led projects planning significant subcontracting to non-university organizations.
How does the FOA define a collaborator for purposes of these limits?
A collaborator is described as someone who makes a defined, material contribution that is critical to project success, rather than a participant with a minor or informal role.
What is the CFDA number associated with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with CFDA 81.121 (Nuclear Energy Research, Development and Demonstration).
When was the FOA posted and when did it close?
The FOA was posted on August 6, 2015 and had a closing date of February 18, 2016. It was archived on March 19, 2016.
Does DOE reserve the right to adjust timing or make partial awards?
Yes. DOE-NE states it may adjust timing, scale, or selection decisions in response to shifting fiscal year priorities driven by events, policy changes, or Congressional and budget direction. It also reserves the right to fund all or only part of an application using programmatic funds.
What practical implication does DOE's reservation of rights have for applicants?
Applicants were expected to align proposals closely with DOE-NE priorities, while recognizing that final funding decisions could reflect changing program needs during FY2016, including partial funding decisions.
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