Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003617
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Nuclear Energy and specifically the Office of Storage and Transportation (DOE-SandT), is offering a discretionary funding opportunity to provide staff support that strengthens and organizes regional engagement between DOE and state-level stakeholders on radioactive materials transportation planning. The focus is on preparing for future, large-scale DOE transportation campaigns involving commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The core purpose is to make sure states and regions have a structured way to communicate with DOE, raise issues, coordinate among themselves, and stay informed as DOE develops and advances transportation-related plans and associated program decisions that could affect them.
This opportunity is set up around four distinct U.S. regions: Eastern, Western, Midwestern, and Southern. DOE expects to make four total awards, with one award intended per region. The work supported by each award is meant to facilitate ongoing interaction between DOE-SandT and state government representatives within that region, creating a consistent channel for planning discussions, issue identification, and coordination on topics tied to the movement of UNF and HLW. While the description is broad, the practical thrust is staff capacity: the people and time needed to convene participants, manage information flow, support meetings and working sessions, track action items, and help translate DOE program developments into understandable and actionable considerations for state and regional decision-makers.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on planning, coordination, deliverables, and oversight. The administering office listed is the DOE Idaho Field Office. The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003617, and the assistance listing is under CFDA (now generally referred to as Assistance Listing) 81.121 in the energy category. The total anticipated structure is competitive within each region, with DOE selecting an organization to provide the staffing and support functions that enable sustained regional engagement rather than one-off outreach.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is limited to for-profit organizations other than small businesses. That is a notable constraint that narrows the applicant pool to larger or otherwise non-small for-profit entities that can credibly support multi-state, region-wide coordination functions. The expected awards count is four, aligned with the four regions, and the award ceiling is $1,700,000, which suggests DOE is looking for robust staffing and engagement capacity rather than minimal administrative support.
Key dates provided indicate the opportunity was created on 2026-09-01 and has an original closing date of 2026-09-30, giving a relatively short application window based on the source data. Overall, the opportunity is essentially about resourcing the connective tissue between DOE and state governments at a regional level so that, as DOE plans for and eventually carries out significant transportation activities involving UNF and HLW, states have organized representation, consistent engagement, and a forum to address transportation planning concerns and broader DOE program issues that may have regional or state impacts.Apply for DE FOA 0003617
- The Idaho Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "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" 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 2026-09-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-30. (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 $1,700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: For-profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the main goal of this DOE funding opportunity?
The goal is to fund staff support that strengthens and organizes regional engagement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and state-level stakeholders on radioactive materials transportation planning. The work is meant to help states and regions communicate with DOE, coordinate among themselves, raise issues, and stay informed as DOE develops and advances transportation-related plans and program decisions connected to future transportation campaigns.
2. Which DOE office is offering and overseeing this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by DOE through the Office of Nuclear Energy, specifically the Office of Storage and Transportation (DOE-SandT). The administering office listed is the DOE Idaho Field Office.
3. What materials and transportation activities does this program focus on?
The focus is on preparation for future, large-scale DOE transportation campaigns involving commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The funding supports planning-related engagement and coordination tied to the movement of UNF and HLW.
4. What kind of work is DOE seeking to support with these awards?
The awards are intended to provide staff capacity that enables sustained regional engagement, including convening participants, managing information flow, supporting meetings and working sessions, tracking action items, and helping translate DOE program developments into understandable and actionable considerations for state and regional decision-makers.
5. Is this funding meant for one-time outreach activities or ongoing engagement?
It is intended for ongoing interaction and sustained regional engagement rather than one-off outreach. The purpose is to create a consistent channel for planning discussions, issue identification, and coordination between DOE-SandT and state government representatives in each region.
6. How is the opportunity organized geographically?
The opportunity is structured around four U.S. regions: Eastern, Western, Midwestern, and Southern. Each award is meant to support engagement activities within one of these regions.
7. How many awards does DOE expect to make?
DOE expects to make four total awards, with one award intended per region (Eastern, Western, Midwestern, and Southern).
8. What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $1,700,000.
9. What type of funding instrument will DOE use?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on planning, coordination, deliverables, and oversight.
10. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to for-profit organizations other than small businesses. This means small businesses and non-profit entities are not included in the eligible applicant category based on the information provided.
11. What does DOE want to improve through this regional engagement approach?
DOE is aiming to ensure states and regions have a structured way to communicate with DOE, raise issues, coordinate among themselves, and remain informed as DOE develops transportation plans and makes associated program decisions that could affect states and regions.
12. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003617.
13. What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity?
The assistance listing is 81.121 (in the energy category).
14. Is this opportunity competitive?
Yes. The opportunity is described as competitive within each region, with DOE selecting an organization to provide the staffing and support functions that enable sustained regional engagement.
15. What is the application timeline based on the dates provided?
The opportunity was created on 2026-09-01 and has an original closing date of 2026-09-30, indicating a relatively short application window based on the provided source data.
16. What is the intended audience for the engagement being supported?
The engagement is intended to connect DOE-SandT with state government representatives within each region, supporting planning discussions and coordination on topics tied to UNF and HLW transportation and related DOE program decisions that may affect states or regions.
17. What is DOE trying to ensure states and regions can do as DOE planning advances?
DOE is trying to ensure states and regions can maintain organized representation and consistent engagement, have a forum to address transportation planning concerns, coordinate regionally, and track and respond to DOE transportation-related planning developments and decisions.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0003617) also looked into and applied for these:
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|---|
| Staff Support to Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee for Engagement with the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy on Radioactive Materials Transportation Planning Apply for DE FOA 0003618 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003618 Agency: Idaho Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Request for Information - Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies Apply for DE FOA 0003671 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003671 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies (ASPECT) Apply for DE FOA 0003647 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003647 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
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