Funding Wizard

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has a vital national security mission to protect the American people by maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile. The science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities resident within the nuclear security enterprise underpin NNSA’s ability to conduct stockpile stewardship, solve the technical challenges of verifying treaty compliance, combat nuclear terrorism, detect, and counter proliferation, and guard against the threat posed by nuclear technological surprise. NNSA’s ability to meet its many national security missions is dependent upon the ability to recruit, train, and retain its world class workforce.NNSA works with educational institutions and industry partners from across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) to achieve this mission priority through three major pathways: collaborative research; capacity building/pipeline development; and recruitment, retention, and development of a world class workforce. As part of the strategy to address future workforce needs, DOE/NNSA has implemented multiple collaborative programs to develop, recruit, and retain high-quality individuals. The Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) and the MSIPP Tribal Education Partnership Program (TEPP) are two crucial programs within the DOE/NNSA Management and Budget, Learning and Career Management. These Programs align investments in institution capacity and workforce development with DOE/NNSA mission areas to develop the needed skills and talent for DOE/NNSA’s technical workforce and to enhance processes and educational resources at MSIs. The programs’ primary mission is to create and foster a sustainable pipeline that prepares a diverse workforce of world class talent through strategic partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions, TCUs and the DOE/NNSA Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE). To execute this mission, MSIPP builds a network of NSE ready students through enrichment activities from K-20 to post-doctoral level; institution-lab consortia partnerships, and by exposing students to cutting-edge research and activities in relevant fields.The MSIPP recognizes a unique and compelling need to fill trade employment opportunities in the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) while promoting diversity in the nuclear workforce. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages applications for the Community and Junior College Trade Occupation Program (CJCTOP). MSIPP expects that this program will recruit and train a diverse and highly skilled workforce; improve the quality of the educational and training environment of Junior and Community colleges; meet the immediate and ongoing needs of traditional and emerging technician positions at the NSE; improve the ability to recruit students from minority and underrepresented populations; and to improve the Nation’s capacity to secure our nuclear stockpile.The scope of this funding opportunity is to encourage grant applications from Minority Serving and Tribal Community and Junior Colleges to diversify student and faculty populations, enhancing training programs in the disciplines outlined below and increase the capacity of the NSE workforce. Proposals must align with the mission of MSIPP and identify achievable goals that will successfully build workforce capacity of the Nuclear Security Enterprise. Program directors from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, are urged to work with the listed NSE Collaborators to apply.

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN), Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control (DNN NPAC) is soliciting applications for nuclear safeguards, export controls, verification, and policy needs described herein. The mission of DNN NPAC is to prevent proliferation, ensure peaceful nuclear uses, and enable verifiable nuclear reductions. DNN NPAC provides a comprehensive approach to strengthen nonproliferation and arms control regimes, achieving its mission through four subprograms: International Nuclear Safeguards; Nuclear Export Controls; Nuclear Verification; and, Nonproliferation Policy in order to fulfill this responsibility. Among its many activities, DNN NPAC sponsors program studies, domestic and international training, and outreach addressing International Nuclear Safeguards; domestic and international training, outreach, and program studies addressing Export Controls; and, program studies addressing Nuclear Verification and Nonproliferation Policy. To meet its mission, DNN NPAC applies the broad base of U.S. technical expertise including that of other government agencies, the DOE/NNSA National Laboratories, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits grant applications for full and open competition.

The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) is to drive innovative research that develops technologies and expertise to detect foreign nuclear proliferation activities and produces technologies for integration into operational systems by leveraging capabilities at the national laboratories, plants, and sites, as well as at universities and within private industry. DNN R&D supports U.S. national and nuclear security objectives in reducing global nuclear security threats through the innovation of unilateral and multi-lateral technical capabilities to detect, identify, and characterize: 1) foreign nuclear weapons development activities; 2) illicit diversion of special nuclear materials; 3) nuclear explosions globally; and 4) stewarding U.S. technical capabilities in nuclear nonproliferation. Throughout this document the term, DOE National Laboratories, is used to collectively refer to DOE and NNSA National Laboratories, Plants, Sites, and Complexes. For DNN R&D, the role of Institutions of Higher Education (IHE; as defined in Section III.A. below) is to innovate, develop, and prove some of the most challenging basic aspects of new technology and methods in coordination with the DOE National Laboratories which can in turn fulfill their unique role to perform mission-specific research and development that improves on capabilities until they are either adopted by operational enterprises or transitioned into private industry for commercialization. Transparently and effectively linking the roles of these IHE and DOE National Laboratory represents the core of how DNN R&D proposes to meet its objectives. The intent of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to award ONE five-year cooperative agreement(s) to a consortium consisting of accredited IHE’s to allow them to receive and administer funds for student and faculty research, fellowships, and scholarship funding awarded by DOE/NNSA, DNN R&D. The cooperative agreement will be awarded to a consortium of IHEs that include the participation of DOE National Laboratories as consortium-members. Individual consortium-member IHEs shall make specific contributions and shall receive specified portions of the funding. The consortium may include student and research fellows and must have a long-term objective of building expertise in scientific disciplines directly relevant to nuclear forensics. Research results should be incorporated readily into IHE curricula. Students, faculty, and researchers must be able to work unencumbered while moving across organizational and bureaucratic boundaries of the academic and governmental facilities engaged in the consortium, while properly protecting critical information and materials. The consortium should establish reciprocal arrangements between the lead IHE and other IHEs as well as relationships with appropriate DOE National Laboratories.A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT DOE/NNSA anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement under this funding opportunity announcement.B. ESTIMATED FUNDING Approximately $5 million a year is expected to be available for an award under this announcement, contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. C. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AWARD SIZE The ceiling amount of $25,000,000 is expected to be available contingent upon the availability of funds for all five years. D. EXPECTED NUMBER OF AWARDS DOE/NNSA anticipates making one award under this announcement but reserves the right to make more or less than one award.E. ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE .DOE/NNSA may fund $25 million under this FOA, contingent upon the availability of appropriate funds for all five years. F. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE DOE/NNSA anticipates notifying the applicant selected for award by January 2023. The award is expected to start on July 01, 2023, depending on availability of funds. DOE/NNSA anticipates making award(s) that will run no longer than 5 years.

Defense Programs, within the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), directs research and development activities to maintain the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. This nuclear deterrent remains a vital part of our national security infrastructure. It maintains strategic stability, deters potential adversaries, and reassures our allies and partners of our security commitments. Since 1992, the United States has observed the moratorium on underground nuclear testing while significantly decreasing the size of its nuclear arsenal. National Policy required NNSA and its weapons laboratories to institute the science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of the stockpile, while allowing the country to pursue a variety of nonproliferation and disarmament goals.The SSP combines sophisticated experiments, highly accurate physics modeling, and improved computational power to simulate and predict nuclear weapon performance over a wide range of conditions and scenarios.The Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) Program was established in 2002 to support state-of-the-art research at U.S. academic institutions in areas of fundamental physical science and technology of relevance to the SSP mission. The SSAA Program provides the research experience necessary to maintain a cadre of trained scientists at U.S. universities to meet the nation’s current and future SSP needs, with a focus on those areas not supported by other federal agencies. It supports the DOE/NNSA’s priorities both to address the workforce specific needs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to support the next generation of professionals who will meet those needs.Defense Programs Office of Strategic Partnership Programs announces their interest in receiving applications for new or renewal cooperative agreement financial assistance awards for Centers of Excellence for research in the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) Program. Only applications for cooperative agreements awards will be accepted for this solicitation, no grant applications will be considered.The specific areas of interest are:1. Advanced Characterization of Materials Properties under Extreme Conditions2. Low Energy Nuclear Science3. Radiochemistry4. High Energy Density PhysicsCooperative Agreement Applicant Responsibility. The applicant, if successful, will be the responsible authority regarding the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues, including but not limited to, disputes and claims arising out of any agreement between the applicant and the FFRDC contractor.The Master Government List of FFRDCs is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGEApplication forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to https://www.Grants.gov, select “Search Grants” and then enter the Assistance Listing number (81.112) and/or the NOFO number shown on the cover of this NOFO. Select the “Apply” button to access the application package. You are encouraged to review the Applicant FAQs in Grants.gov as you prepare and submit your application.Applications submitted through www.FedConnect.net will not be accepted.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has a vital national security mission to protect the American people by maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile. This mission could not be accomplished without a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strategies to build capacity, drive innovation, and ensure we have a world class workforce to meet the security demands of the present and future. As quoted from the White House’s report, Charting A Course For Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education,[1][i] “The pace of innovation is accelerating globally, and with it the competition for scientific and technical talent. Now more than ever the innovation capacity of the United States—and its prosperity and security—depends on an effective and inclusive STEM education ecosystem.” NNSA works with educational institutions and industry partners from across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) to achieve this mission priority through three major pathways: collaborative research; capacity building/pipeline development; and recruitment, retention, and development of a world class workforce. The Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) and the MSIPP Tribal Education Partnership Program (TEPP) are vital programs within the DOE/NNSA Management and Budget, Learning and Career Management that award grants to Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and Tribal College and Universities (TCUs) to prepare NNSA’s next-generation technical workforce. MSIPP aligns investments in university capacity and workforce development with DOE/NNSA mission areas to develop the needed skills and talent for DOE/NNSA’s enduring technical workforce and to enhance research and education at MSIs. The program’s primary mission is to create and foster a sustainable STEM-pipeline that prepares a diverse workforce of world class talent through strategic partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions, TCUs and the DOE/NNSA Enterprise. To execute this mission, MSIPP builds a network of NSE ready students through enrichment activities from K-20 to post-doctoral level. Through university-lab consortia partnerships students are exposed to cutting-edge research and activities in their relevant fields. Questions regarding the content of the announcement must be submitted through the FedConnect portal. You must register with FedConnect to respond as an interested party to submit questions, and to view responses to questions. It is recommended that you register as soon after release of the FOA as possible to have the benefit of all responses. DOE/NNSA will try to respond to a question within 3 business days unless a similar question and answer have already been posted on the website. Questions and comments concerning this FOA shall be submitted not later than 3 calendar days prior to the application due date. Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. DOE/NNSA cannot answer these questions.