Staff Support for Regional Engagement with the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Storage & Transportation on Radioactive Materials Transportation Planning

Background
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy, is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to facilitate engagement between State government representatives and the Office of Storage & Transportation (DOE-S&T) in planning for future large-scale transportation of commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The goal is to develop a safe, secure, and publicly trusted transportation program.

DOE anticipates making four awards from this NOFO, one for each specified region: Eastern, Western, Midwestern, and Southern United States.

Grant Details
The tasks under this grant include:
1. Convening a regional committee of State representatives to identify topics related to DOE transport of UNF and HLW.
2. Organizing two regional committee meetings annually with logistical support.
3. Participating in DOE-S&T efforts to evaluate public policy issues regarding the transportation system.
4. Supporting assessments of routing and infrastructure issues related to transporting UNF and HLW.
5. Developing public information materials about UNF and HLW transportation.
6. Maintaining a website for regional committee information sharing.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include domestic entities such as institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, State and local government entities, and Indian Tribes. Foreign entities may apply subject to waiver approval. All work must be performed in the United States.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for the contract will span five years from November 1, 2026, to September 30, 2031.

Grant Value
The total funding available under this NOFO is up to $6.8 million, with individual awards anticipated at up to $340,000 per year per region over five years.

Place of Performance
The grant will be performed in four specific regions:
- Eastern Region (including states like Connecticut and New York)
- Midwestern Region (including states like Illinois and Ohio)
- Southern Region (including states like Florida and Texas)
- Western Region (including states like California and Arizona).