Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002361
The Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002361) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) competitive solicitation that supports research, development, and enabling infrastructure meant to strengthen and modernize U.S. nuclear energy. The central requirement is that every proposal clearly connects to at least one of NE's three mission priorities: improving the long-term viability and competitiveness of the existing U.S. reactor fleet, building an advanced reactor development pipeline, and implementing and maintaining the national strategic fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure. In practice, applicants need to show not only technical merit but also a direct line of sight to these program goals, such as reducing operational costs or risks for current plants, accelerating design and licensing pathways for next-generation reactors, or strengthening domestic fuel cycle capabilities.
The FOA emphasizes crosscutting nuclear energy R and D and infrastructure support that can deliver major performance gains while making efficient use of DOE resources. A key theme is alignment with needs identified through DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), a team that works with advanced reactor developers to translate industry needs into research objectives that DOE programs can help address. The announcement notes that specific work scopes are listed in the FOA appendices (Part IX, Appendices A-C), but it also signals openness to additional related work that supports workshop-identified needs. DOE particularly encourages projects that can generate data, materials insights, or test conditions valuable to private-sector developers working on fast-spectrum reactors (including lead-cooled, sodium-cooled, and gas-cooled concepts), molten salt reactors (MSRs), and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGCRs). This reflects a desire for research that is flexible and broadly useful, such as experiments, measurements, and modeling that apply across multiple advanced reactor designs.
The solicitation is designed to promote integrated, collaborative research among national laboratories, universities, industry, and international partners, with DOE-NE programs providing direction and ensuring that projects support national objectives. It specifically covers the competitive portion of NE's R and D portfolio and is carried out through three main channels. First, the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) supports university-based research and infrastructure, using up to 20 percent of NE R and D appropriations for work aligned with key areas such as Fuel Cycle Research and Development, Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration, and Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS). Second, Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD) funds national laboratory and university-led crosscutting research that can remove barriers or provide enabling capabilities across reactor and fuel cycle technologies. Third, the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program provides researchers from universities, industry, and national labs with no-cost access to major nuclear research infrastructure, including materials test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination facilities, enabling experiments that would otherwise be difficult or prohibitively expensive.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses cooperative agreements, which typically implies substantial DOE involvement during project execution (for example, coordination, milestones, or shared technical direction). Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and other entities as described in the FOA's eligibility section. The issuing agency is DOE's Idaho Field Office. The FOA was created on September 3, 2020, with an original closing date of February 11, 2021. The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000, and DOE anticipated making about 54 awards, indicating a relatively broad distribution of smaller to mid-sized projects rather than only a few large awards.
Finally, the FOA explicitly reserves DOE-NE's flexibility to adjust to shifting priorities during FY 2021 due to events, policy changes, or Congressional and budget direction. DOE also notes it may choose to fund all or only part of a submitted application, which underscores the importance of proposing modular work plans with clear milestones and discrete deliverables that can still provide value if the scope is reduced. Overall, the opportunity targets practical, mission-driven nuclear R and D with strong relevance to current fleet needs, advanced reactor commercialization, and fuel cycle and supply chain resilience, while leveraging national lab capabilities and user facilities to accelerate high-impact results.Apply for DE FOA 0002361
- The Department of Energy, Idaho Field Office in the energy, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.121.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 03, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 11, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 54 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (DE-FOA-0002361)
What is this funding opportunity?
The Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002361) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) competitive solicitation supporting research, development, and enabling infrastructure intended to strengthen and modernize U.S. nuclear energy.
Who is the sponsoring office and issuing agency?
The sponsoring office is DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). The issuing agency listed is the DOE Idaho Field Office.
What is the central requirement proposals must meet?
Every proposal must clearly connect to at least one of NE's three mission priorities: (1) improving the long-term viability and competitiveness of the existing U.S. reactor fleet, (2) building an advanced reactor development pipeline, and (3) implementing and maintaining the national strategic fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure.
What are examples of how a project can align with NE mission priorities?
Examples described include work that reduces operational costs or risks for current plants, accelerates design and licensing pathways for next-generation reactors, or strengthens domestic fuel cycle capabilities and supply chain resilience.
What types of work does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes crosscutting nuclear energy R&D and enabling infrastructure support that can deliver major performance gains while making efficient use of DOE resources.
Does the FOA reference specific technical scopes or topics?
Yes. It notes that specific work scopes are listed in Part IX, Appendices A-C of the FOA, and also indicates openness to additional related work that supports needs identified through workshops.
How important is alignment with GAIN (Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear)?
Alignment with needs identified through DOE's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) is highlighted as a key theme. The FOA frames GAIN as a mechanism for translating industry needs into research objectives that DOE programs can help address.
Which advanced reactor concepts are specifically encouraged in the FOA description?
DOE particularly encourages projects that generate data, materials insights, or test conditions useful to private-sector developers working on fast-spectrum reactors (including lead-cooled, sodium-cooled, and gas-cooled concepts), molten salt reactors (MSRs), and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGCRs).
What kinds of deliverables seem especially valuable under this solicitation?
Deliverables called out as broadly useful include experiments, measurements, and modeling that can apply across multiple advanced reactor designs, as well as data and test conditions that are valuable to developers.
Is collaboration encouraged?
Yes. The solicitation is designed to promote integrated, collaborative research among national laboratories, universities, industry, and international partners, with DOE-NE programs providing direction to ensure projects support national objectives.
What are the three main channels or programs described for carrying out the competitive portion of NE R&D?
The FOA describes three main channels: (1) the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), (2) Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD), and (3) the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program.
What is NEUP and what does it support?
NEUP supports university-based research and infrastructure. It uses up to 20 percent of NE R&D appropriations for work aligned with key areas such as Fuel Cycle Research and Development, Reactor Concepts Research, Development and Demonstration, and Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS).
What is NEET Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD)?
NEET CTD funds national laboratory and university-led crosscutting research intended to remove barriers or provide enabling capabilities across reactor and fuel cycle technologies.
What is NSUF and what does it provide to researchers?
The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program provides researchers from universities, industry, and national labs with no-cost access to major nuclear research infrastructure, including materials test reactors, beam lines, and post-irradiation examination facilities.
What kind of funding mechanism is used?
The opportunity uses cooperative agreements. This typically implies substantial DOE involvement during project execution, such as coordination, milestones, or shared technical direction.
How is this opportunity categorized from a funding standpoint?
It is categorized as discretionary funding.
Who is eligible to apply based on the description provided?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and other entities as described in the FOA's eligibility section.
What is the award ceiling listed for this FOA?
The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000.
How many awards did DOE anticipate making?
DOE anticipated making about 54 awards, suggesting a broad distribution of smaller to mid-sized projects rather than only a few large awards.
When was the FOA created and what was the original closing date?
The FOA was created on September 3, 2020, with an original closing date of February 11, 2021.
Does DOE reserve the right to change priorities or scope during FY 2021?
Yes. The FOA explicitly reserves DOE-NE flexibility to adjust to shifting priorities during FY 2021 due to events, policy changes, or Congressional and budget direction.
Can DOE fund only part of a proposed project?
Yes. DOE notes it may choose to fund all or only part of a submitted application.
How should applicants think about structuring the work plan given DOE's ability to partially fund applications?
The description suggests proposing modular work plans with clear milestones and discrete deliverables that still provide value if the scope is reduced.
What overall outcomes is DOE-NE seeking through this solicitation?
The opportunity targets practical, mission-driven nuclear R&D with strong relevance to current fleet needs, advanced reactor commercialization, and fuel cycle and supply chain resilience, while leveraging national lab capabilities and user facilities to accelerate high-impact results.
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