Fiscal Year 2022 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) provides funding to support crosscutting nuclear energy research and development (R&D) and associated infrastructure support activities to develop innovative technologies that offer the promise of dramatically improved performance for advanced reactors and fuel cycle concepts, while maximizing the use of DOE resources. The development of nuclear energy-related infrastructure and basic capabilities in the research community is necessary to promote R&D that supports nuclear science and engineering (NS&E), DOE-NE’s mission, and the Nation’s nuclear energy challenges. Accordingly, DOE intends to facilitate the education and training of nuclear scientists, engineers, and policy-makers through graduate and undergraduate study, two-year programs, and R&D that is relevant to the Department and the U.S. nuclear energy industry in general. The Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) utilizes up to 20 percent of funds appropriated to NE’s R&D program for university-based infrastructure support and R&D in key NE program-related areas: • 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) The infrastructure support requested should be individual, discrete, and definable items or capabilities that will: • Support, maintain, or enhance the institution’s capacities to attract and teach high quality students interested in nuclear energy-related studies; • Build the institution’s research or education capabilities; or • Enhance the institution’s capabilities to perform R&D that is relevant to DOE-NE’s mission. The request should focus on a single, synergistic goal, or capability. A proposal made of several uncorrelated equipment requests in does not meet the goals of this FOA. A request should not duplicate existing capabilities. NE reserves the right to respond to potential shifts in priorities during FY 2022 that may be driven by events, policy developments, or Congressional/budget direction. NE will factor such considerations into decisions related to the timing and scale of award announcements associated with this FOA.