CGR-FN-0110-RES

Part I Overview Information

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (
Title:U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Research Conference Grant and Cooperative Agreement Program, Announcement of Opportunity, Fiscal Year 2010

Announcement Type: New

Request for Applications (RFA) Number:CGR-FN-0110-RES

NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov ( using the SF424 forms and the SF424 Application Guide.

APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT

This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).

A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: CFDA 77.009

Key Dates
Release/Posted Date:
Opening Date:March 17, 2010 (Earliest date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)

NOTE: On-time submission requires that applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Application Due Date(s):

1stCut off Date: April 30, 2010

2ndCut off Date:June 30, 2010

3rdCut off Date:July 30, 2010

4thCut off Date:August 31, 2010

5thCut off Date:September 30, 2010

Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s):June 1, 2010

Expiration Date: 10/1/2010

Due Dates for E.O. 12372:Not Applicable

Additional Overview Content
Executive Summary

PurposeThe U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent agency created by Congress in 1974, regulates the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment. The NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) furthers the agency’s regulatory mission by providing technical advice, technical tools and information for identifying and resolving safety issues, making regulatory decisions, and promulgating regulations and guidance.

RES will consider applications that support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to the mission of the NRC. The NRC recognizes the value to members of the research community and all other interested parties in supporting such forums. A conference/scientific meeting is defined as an open gathering, symposium, seminar, workshop or any other organized, formal meeting where persons assemble to coordinate, exchange, and disseminate information and/or explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge.

Mechanism of Support ThisFOA will utilize the grant and cooperative agreement award mechanisms.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards.Grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded based upon the availability of funds and applicability of proposal to planned work objectives.

Budget and Project PeriodBudgets for a period of up to 1 year may be requested depending on program requirements and scheduled milestones. Award amounts in prior years ranged from $5,000 to $120,000.

Eligible Institutions/Organizations Institutions/organizations listed in Section III, 1.A. are eligible to apply acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Eligible Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs)Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/ organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NRC support.

Number of PDs/PIs More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs) may be designated on the application.

Number of Applications Applicants may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct.

Application Materials SeeSection IV.1for application materials.

Hearing ImpairedTelecommunications for the hearing impaired are available at: TTY 1-800-635-4512.

Table of Contents

Part I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
1. Full Proposal Content

B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the NRC

1. Alternate Submissions
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Civil Rights Compliance Requirements

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
A. General Review

B. Full Proposal Review Criteria

C. Additional Review Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

A. Review Process

B. Selection Criteria

3. Anticipated Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

A. Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award
1. Principal Investigator Rights and Responsibilities
2. NRC Responsibilities

3. Arbitration Process

4. Limitation of Liability
5. Reporting

Section VII. Agency Contacts
1. Program Review Contact(s)
2. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. OtherInformation - Required Federal Citations

Part II - Full Text of Announcement

SectionI. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Research Objectives
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to enable the nation to safely use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected. The NRC regulates the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment. The NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) furthers the agency’s regulatory mission by providing technical advice, technical tools and information for identifying and resolving safety issues, making regulatory decisions, and promulgating regulations and guidance. RES is comprised of three technical divisions and one administrative division, each with it own responsibilities and program goals. Functional descriptions of each division can be found at

RES awards support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by named Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) in areas representing the investigators’ specific interests and competencies, based on the mission of the NRC. Proposals to support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to the NRC’s mission and to the public health will be accepted. Although the PDs/PIs write the grant application and are responsible for conducting and supervising the activities, the actual applicant is the research institution/organization. Submitted applications are assigned to the appropriate division with expertise in the subject area. This FOA allows the PDs/PIs to define the scientific focus or objective of the research based on particular areas of interest and competence. Prior year RES awards include topics such as prevention and control of contaminants in fractured porous media, nuclear plant instrumentation control and human-machine interface, and structural mechanics in reactor technology.

See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.

Section II. Award Information

1. Mechanism of Support
This FOA will use the grants and cooperative agreement award mechanisms. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.

Awardees of Cooperative Agreements. This funding opportunity will use both the grant and cooperative agreement award mechanisms. In the cooperative agreement mechanism, the PD(s)/PI(s) retain(s) the primary responsibility and dominant role for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project, with NRC staff being substantially involved as a partner with the PD(s)/PI(s), as described under the Section VI. 2. Administrative Requirements, "Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award".

2. Funds Available

Grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded based upon the availability of funds and applicability of proposal to planned work objectives.

Because the nature and scope of the proposed project/research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the NRC provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
The following organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:

  • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Private Institutions of Higher Education
  • Hispanic-serving Institutions
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
  • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • State Governments
  • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
  • Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organizations
  • CountyGovernments
  • City or Township Governments
  • Special District Governments
  • Independent School Districts
  • U.S. Territory or Possession

1.B. Eligible Individuals

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the PD/PI is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NRC support.

More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs), may be designated on the application for projects that require a “team science” approach and therefore clearly do not fit the single-PD/PI model.

The decision of whether to apply for a grant with a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for grants with multiple PDs/PIs will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. The NRC review criteria for approach, investigators, and environment have been modified to accommodate applications involving either a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs. When considering the multiple PD/PI option, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PDs/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically.Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. .

2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

To download a SF424 Application and for completing the SF424 forms for this FOA, use the link to and follow the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations:

  • Grants.gov ( and

Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant can submit an electronic application, as follows:

Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Registered

  • Your organization will need to obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) as part of the Grants.gov registration process. Applicants are reminded that the CCR registration must be updated annually.
  • If your organization does not have a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), allow for extra time. A valid TIN or EIN is necessary for CCR registration.
  • The CCR also validates the EIN against Internal Revenue Service records, a step that will take an additional one to two business days.
  • Direct questions regarding Grants.gov registration to:
    Grants.gov Customer Support
    ContactCenter Phone: 800-518-4726
    Business Hours: M-F 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time
    Email

Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in Grants.gov The NRC will accept electronic applications only from organizations through Grants.gov. NOTE: Exceptions may apply during the Recovery Act period.

The NRC requires all prospective awardees to be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database prior to award, during performance, and through the end of the project period. Processing time, which normally takes 48 hours, should be taken into consideration when registering with CCR. Interested parties who are not registered should consider registering immediately, and can obtain information on registration at

1. Request Application Information
Applicants must download the SF424 application forms and instructions for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.

Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TDD 1-800-635-4512.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Prepare all applications using the SF424 application forms and in accordance with the SF424 instructions included in this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.

The SF424 application has several components. Some components are required, others are optional. A completed application in response to this FOA includes the data in the following components:

Required Components:

SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance - CFDA NumberCFDA 77.009

SF 424A – Budget Information - complete Sections A, B, C, D, E and F

SF 424B – Assurances

All applicants must include a Lobbying Certification statement in addition to the SF424-B Assurances. See Section VIII3.D Certification Regarding Lobbying

Optional Components:

SF LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if your organization participates in lobbying activities)

Allowable Costs

Allowable costs must be consistent with 2 CFR 215, 2 CRF 220 and be reasonable, allocable, well documented and fully justified for the program proposed in the application. Grant funds may not be used to supplant funds otherwise available at the applicant institution. These costs include but are not limited to the following: personnel costs, support to defray graduate student participation expenses, such as student compensation (when appropriate) and other student costs (e.g., fees, books or partial tuition). Grantee institutions must provide documentation of tuition rates, if included in the application. It is recommended that potential applicants consult NRC staff if there are any questions regarding allowable costs.

Personnel: Individuals participating in the design and implementation of the project may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program. These expenses must be itemized in Sections A and B, as appropriate, of the SF 424A Budget page. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions. (If mentoring interactions and other activities with students/participants are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then mentoring and other interactions with students/participants are non-reimbursable from grant funds). Limited administrative and clerical salary costs associated distinctly with the program that are not normally provided by the applicant organization may be direct charges to the grant only when specifically identified and justified.

Graduate students may be included on applications. Graduate students should not be listed as principal investigators, co-principal investigators, or senior personnel. Unaffiliated principal investigators need to be formally affiliated with an accredited institution of higher education to be involved in this competition.

Other Program-Related Expenses: Consultant costs, limited equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available for educational programs at the applicant institution. These expenses must be itemized, as appropriate, in the SF424A object class categories and fully documented in the budget justification. Committed Cost Sharing/Matching becomes an official part of the budget and should be documented on the proposal budget justification page.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs

When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NRC requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact” PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NRC, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the project. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs, but has no other special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above.

Information for the Contact PD/PI should be entered in item 8.f.of the SF-424.All other PDs/PIs should be listed in the Budget Narrative and be listed as PI/PDs.

All projects proposing Multiple PDs/PIs will be required to include a section describing the leadership plan approach for the proposed project.

Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a section of the research plan, entitled “Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan” must be included. A rationale for choosing a multiple PD/PI approach should be described. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the research project should be described, and should include communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts.The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.

If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award (NOA).

Applications Involving a Single Institution

When all PDs/PIs are within a single institution, follow the instructions contained in the SF424 Application Guide.

Applications Involving Multiple Institutions