Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000892

  • The NNSA in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nuclear Science and Nuclear Nonproliferation Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.113 Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jul 29, 2013 and posted on May 30, 2013.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 30, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $50,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • The FOA further restricts the eligibility of scholarships and fellowships to U.S citizens and permanent residents. This requirement does not exclude non U.S. citizens from participating indirectly such as co working in a laboratory or individuals participating as award administrators, professors and post doctorial researchers. All participants are still required to follow applicable security requirements, classification restrictions and export control laws.
Apply for DE FOA 0000892

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Opportunity Summary:

The Nuclear Science and Nuclear Nonproliferation Research opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000892) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), specifically the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D). The announcement was later updated through Modification 000003 to change the application deadline, moving the due date to August 30, 2013 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time. In practical terms, the modification does not change the overall purpose of the program; it primarily extends or corrects the timing for when complete applications must be submitted.

At its core, the FOA is designed to create and support large, organized university-led consortia focused on nuclear science and nuclear nonproliferation, with an emphasis on developing detection expertise. NNSA intends to make two awards total, and each award will be structured as a five-year cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement signals that the federal government expects to have substantial involvement during the project period, rather than simply providing funds with minimal ongoing interaction. Each award is meant to fund a consortium of accredited U.S. colleges and universities that can receive federal funds and then administer those funds across member institutions for research projects, student and faculty activities, and workforce-development programs like scholarships and fellowships.

A key structural requirement is that each university consortium must include participation from one or more DOE or NNSA National Laboratories as a consortium member. The intent is to blend academic research and education strengths with the specialized facilities, mission experience, and real-world technical problems found at the national labs. The FOA also anticipates that consortium member universities will not be "silent partners"; instead, each university is expected to make specific contributions and to receive a defined portion of the overall funding. This pushes applicants to develop clear governance, workshare, and budget allocations across participating campuses and lab partners.

Programmatically, the long-term goal is to build sustainable national expertise in nuclear nonproliferation detection. The FOA encourages activities that support students and early-career researchers, including fellowships and potentially early-career research opportunities, with the expectation that these efforts strengthen the pipeline of qualified professionals in this mission area. It also emphasizes that research outcomes should be integrated back into university curricula, meaning the consortia should not treat the work as purely separate from education. The expectation is that new methods, findings, instrumentation approaches, or applied lessons learned in nonproliferation detection research will translate into courses, training modules, lab classes, and other academic programming that can continue beyond the award period.

The FOA highlights the importance of reducing organizational friction between academia and government facilities. It explicitly envisions students, faculty, and researchers being able to move across academic institutions and government facilities without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers, while still maintaining strict protection of sensitive information and materials. This reflects the reality that nonproliferation-related work can involve controlled technical information, classified or sensitive contexts, and export-controlled technologies. As a result, the consortia are expected to build operating arrangements that make collaboration feasible while still complying with security requirements, classification rules, and export control laws. The FOA also calls for reciprocal arrangements among degree-granting institutions and relationships with appropriate national laboratories, reinforcing that the consortium should function as an interconnected network rather than a set of isolated projects.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity lists an estimated total funding level of $50,000,000 across the program, with an award ceiling of $50,000,000 and no stated award floor. Two awards are expected. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the barrier for universities that may not be able to contribute significant non-federal funds. The funding activity category is energy, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 81.113 (Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research). The FOA was posted May 30, 2013, with key dates including an original closing date of July 31, 2013 and a revised closing date of August 30, 2013, and it was scheduled to be archived October 31, 2013.

Eligibility is broadly aimed at U.S. higher-education institutions, including public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility detail referenced in the full announcement. A notable restriction applies to who can directly receive scholarship and fellowship support: those specific benefits are limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. However, the FOA makes clear that this does not categorically exclude non-U.S. citizens from participating in other ways, such as working in laboratories, serving as administrators, serving as professors, or participating as postdoctoral researchers, so long as everyone involved complies with applicable security, classification, and export control requirements.

For applicants or interested parties needing the full announcement or experiencing access problems, the FOA points to FedConnect as the additional information link, and it provides a direct point of contact: Tamra O. Mapalo, Contract Specialist, at 505-845-4406 or tamra.mapalo@nnsa.doe.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this funding opportunity and its official number?

The opportunity is titled Nuclear Science and Nuclear Nonproliferation Research. The Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is DE-FOA-0000892.

Which federal office is offering this opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), specifically the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D).

What is the main purpose of the FOA?

The FOA is designed to create and support large, organized, university-led consortia focused on nuclear science and nuclear nonproliferation, with an emphasis on building and sustaining detection expertise. It also emphasizes workforce development and integrating research outcomes into university education.

How many awards does NNSA expect to make?

NNSA intends to make two awards under this FOA.

What type of award instrument will be used?

Each award is planned as a five-year cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement indicates the federal government expects substantial involvement during the project period, rather than simply providing funds with minimal ongoing interaction.

What kinds of organizations are expected to lead or participate?

The FOA is structured around accredited U.S. colleges and universities forming a consortium. The lead university is expected to be able to receive federal funds and administer them across member institutions for research, education, and workforce-development activities.

Are national laboratories required to be part of the consortium?

Yes. Each university consortium must include participation from one or more DOE or NNSA National Laboratories as a consortium member.

Are consortium member universities expected to have defined roles and budgets?

Yes. The FOA anticipates that consortium universities will not be "silent partners." Each participating university is expected to make specific contributions and receive a defined portion of the overall funding, which implies clear governance, workshare, and budget allocation.

What technical or mission area is emphasized?

The FOA emphasizes building sustainable national expertise in nuclear nonproliferation detection, aiming to strengthen technical capability and the long-term workforce pipeline in this mission area.

Does the FOA include workforce development activities like scholarships and fellowships?

Yes. The FOA encourages activities supporting students and early-career researchers, including fellowships and potentially early-career research opportunities, to strengthen the pipeline of qualified professionals.

Are scholarship and fellowship recipients restricted by citizenship status?

Yes. Scholarship and fellowship support is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Does the citizenship restriction apply to all participation in the consortium?

No. The FOA indicates that non-U.S. citizens are not categorically excluded from other roles (for example, working in laboratories, serving as administrators, serving as professors, or participating as postdoctoral researchers), provided all participation complies with applicable security, classification, and export control requirements.

Is integration of research into education expected?

Yes. A stated expectation is that research outcomes will be integrated back into university curricula, such as through courses, training modules, laboratory classes, and other academic programming that can continue beyond the award period.

Does the FOA address collaboration between universities and government facilities?

Yes. The FOA highlights reducing organizational friction and enabling students, faculty, and researchers to move across academic institutions and government facilities without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers, while still protecting sensitive information and complying with security-related requirements.

What kinds of compliance considerations are mentioned for consortium operations?

The FOA notes that nonproliferation-related work can involve controlled technical information and export-controlled technologies, and may involve classified or sensitive contexts. Consortia are expected to establish operating arrangements that make collaboration feasible while complying with security requirements, classification rules, and export control laws.

What is the estimated total funding level for the program?

The FOA lists an estimated total funding level of $50,000,000 across the program.

What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $50,000,000.

Is there a minimum (floor) award amount stated?

No. The FOA states no award floor.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

What is the funding activity category?

The funding activity category listed is Energy.

What CFDA number is associated with this FOA?

The CFDA number associated with this program is 81.113 (Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research).

When was the FOA posted?

The FOA was posted on May 30, 2013.

What was the original application deadline, and what was it changed to?

The original closing date was July 31, 2013. A later update (Modification 000003) changed the deadline to August 30, 2013 at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time.

What did Modification 000003 change?

Based on the provided information, Modification 000003 primarily changed the application deadline (extending or correcting the timing) and did not change the overall purpose of the program.

When was the FOA scheduled to be archived?

The FOA was scheduled to be archived on October 31, 2013.

Who is eligible to apply (at a high level)?

Eligibility is broadly aimed at U.S. higher-education institutions, including public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.

Where can applicants find the full announcement or additional information?

The FOA points to FedConnect as the additional information link for the full announcement and related materials.

Who is the point of contact for questions about this FOA?

The point of contact listed is Tamra O. Mapalo, Contract Specialist. Phone: 505-845-4406. Email: tamra.mapalo@nnsa.doe.gov.

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