An industry partner on a CINR application would like to confirm that if they were added as a collaborator for in-kind contributions and advisement purposes, that they would not be subject to DOE surveillance and inspection. Can this be confirmed?
The award terms and conditions, including financial assistance rules and regulations, and 2 CFR200 and 910 apply to the awardee and any entity contributing cost share/match.

I work at a national laboratory. We are interested in submitting a pre-application to NEUP in response to your call. However, I missed the deadline of LOI. Can we still submit a pre-application?
You may submit pre-applications to areas that do not require NSUF access.

I'm working on submitting my NEUP pre-application documents but have a question on the collaborators section. So, should I list all my collaborators and provide associated budget for each of them?
Yes, you should include all collaborators in the provided section that will have a material contribution to the effort, regardless of whether they are funded or not. Please do list estimated funding amounts for each collaborator. A collaborator is any person listed in the Technical Narrative, Benefits of Collaboration, Project Narrative, Coordination and Management Plan, or budget documents. 

I am preparing to submit a pre-proposal white paper in response to CINR FOA, but I am confused about the following Agreement Requirements section that appears at the bottom of the application submission page. Should the QA document and statement be included as part of the pre-application white paper?
No, you do not need to include the QA document as part of your pre-application. The intention of the QA document is that you understand the expectations for QA for all CINR projects.

Do the pre-apps require identification of UK research partners at the time of the 3 page pre-application submission? If so, do they require a description of the UK parts of the research effort? If a description of the UK efforts is required, is this part of the 3 page pre-application or a separate document of a specific length and what is the length? If the a narrative description of the UK research effort is required, do the UK researchers also need to submit other documentation such as 'benefit of collaboration' 'publications' 'PI Vita' ' agreement requirements' and 'statement of work' as described in the FOA?"
Yes, UK partners should be identified just like a Co-PI or collaborator would in the pre-application. The UK portion of the work should be described in enough detail that a reviewer can understand how the UK research will integrate with the proposed project. This should be included in the 3-page pre-application narrative. Some discussion on the partners can occur in the benefits of collaboration as appropriate. UK partners should be included in the benefit of collaboration and listed as collaborators on the online form. The dollar amount equivalent that is being requested by the UK partners should be listed in both locations as well.

Are Letters of Authorization (Required from FFRDCs only) required from both funded and unfunded collaborators for full applications and IRPs?
Yes. They still need to provide the letter, no matter the funding level.

At Full Application time, can a PI, who has no current NEUP funding, apply for an IRP and 3 Full Applications as a Lead PI and 3 Full Applications as a co-PI?
No. A PI may not submit both an IRP and an R&D project as a lead PI at the same time. However, a PI without current NE supported projects could apply as the Lead PI for an IRP, as well as up to 6 R&D applications as a Co-PI.

Can a Co-PI from another school be listed as a PI?
A Co-PI is usually an individual who receives funding from the project. A collaborator can either receive funding or not. An applicant from another school can be listed as a co-PI or as a collaborator if funding is received. If no funding is going to that individual, label them as a collaborator.

Can the deadline for submitting pre-applications be extended?
No. Deadlines are set firm as listed in the FOA document.

Do the proposals include the cost of finding and retrieving data
The cost of finding and retrieving data must be included in the cost of the proposal.

Does the $400K total project award (for up to three years) mentioned in the webinar serve as a total for all Mission Supporting projects or is it the maximum amount per Mission Supporting project.
Check the maximum funding amount details on Mission Supporting workscopes in Appendix A and Appendix B. Most Mission Supporting workscopes have a maximum of $400K but there are several exceptions to that general statement.

How do I edit my application if it's submitted, but the call has not closed?
You must withdraw your submission by scrolling to the bottom and clicking "Withdraw Submission" button. Then edit your application and resubmit before the deadline. You will not lose any content.

How many PIs are allowed on an R&D application?
Typically, there is one Lead PI and any number of Co-PIs or collaborators. As long as it makes sense, the number of co-applicants is not limited on any one project as long as the team can be managed properly to perform the research successfully.

I have one R&D project currently funded that will be active beyond the date specified in the FOA. Am I eligible to submit an IRP application? Am I also eligible to submit a R&D full application?
You would be eligible to submit an IRP application OR 2 R&D full applications, but not both. If the project has received a no cost time extension, then you would be ineligible to submit as a lead PI for R&D or IRP funding.

If I plan on submitting an IRP application, can I submit to the regular R&D workscopes (Appendix A or B)?
If you plan on submitting an IRP application, you may not submit to any of the R&D workscopes in Appendix A or B.

What are the submission limits for the Consolidated Nuclear Research FOA?
The submission limits can be found in the FOA. There are additional resources to help interpret the submission limits, including a flowchart outlining submission limits for individual cases. Search "Eligibility Flowchart" on the neup.gov search box to find the latest copy. 

What is the ID# used in the file names?
Once you have created a new application, scroll down and Save immediately to create the application tracking ID. Scroll back to the top of the page and you will see “Tracking ID: RPA-XX-XXXX” This will be the ID# used in naming your files and the number used to return results to applicants.

Where can I find a copy of the DOE Field Work Proposal (FWP) form mentioned in the Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC section of the budget?
Each DOE/NNSA FFRDC has a version of the form, adapted to their institution (Name, cover page, etc.). Please contact your financial planning organization to obtain a copy of the form.

Where do we go to find what countries and individuals are on the 'denied party' list or party that requires an export license'?
This information can be found on the US State Department's website. A link has been attached for your convenience. Additional Information

Within the announcement it discusses extra points for proposing use of “underrepresented” groups. Is there guidance somewhere on what groups DOE considers to be “underrepresented"?
The FOA document states: "Underrepresented Groups (URG) include, but are not limited to, groups that have participation rates significantly below the national average in a given profession. This designation may be based on sex, socio-economic status, race, disability, etc. The Principal Investigator is responsible for identifying any member of the team who may qualify and indicating it by checking the box and providing appropriate detail.

Are principal investigators who are awarded an NEUP project required to submit reports for the duration of the project?
Yes. Reporting is a requirement for all projects.

Are there detailed instructions on teaming with UK university partners?
The details we have are that your application should be developed so that it can have stand- alone success. The applicant is responsible for identifying UK institutions to partner with. The NEUP.gov website hosts the NE Sourcebook which lists all faculty at universities and their expertise. In the past the UK has sent out instructions for their researchers, so if those become available, we will post those on NEUP.gov.

For industry FOA lead projects, do these count against other DOE CINR projects allowed, or do those projects count against applying for these applications?
No, Industry FOA lead projects don’t count against the number of other CINR projects you can lead, these are two different opportunities.

I’m an affiliate faculty at university and owner of a private company. May I apply to be a PI in the university-led programs and have my company as a partner?
This does have repercussions of conflict of interest and may not be allowed. Without all the information of the particular circumstance, it’s hard to determine. If there is a very unique capability from the company and there is not benefit to the owner, it is something that could potentially be allowed. That is something that would have to be fully addressed. Usually a university will not allow someone that is not a full time employee to be a PI. It would be unlikely that someone from industry that is an adjunct professor be allowed to submit a proposal from the university. It does happen in the case of SBIR and STTR sometimes.

Is the involvement of national lab members recommended or a must?
Involvement of national lab partners is always recommended.

Can a federal employee collaborate on a project?
Yes, Federal employees are eligible to participate in any section of the FOA, but federal employees cannot be paid from the Cooperative Agreement. Federal contractors (i.e. national laboratory contractors, subcontractors, etc.) are not considered federal employees.

How do I access the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) can be found at neup.gov. Click the "Funding Opportunities" button on the home page to access currently available calls. 

How is NEUP funded?
DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy typically sets aside approximately 20 percent of its research budget to fund NEUP.

The FOA states that DOE FFRDC contractors (national laboratories) will be funded through a DOE field work proposal system instead of through university sub-contracts. Does this statement also apply to collaborating national laboratories?
Yes, DOE will send funds directly to the national laboratories that are collaborating on successful applications. However, those funds are included in the total cost of the project.

What happens if more than the allowable number of submissions is received from an investigator?
The Contracting Officer will make a decision about how to handle deliquent applications. If an investigator/institution submits more than the allowable number of applications, then the investigator/institution may be contacted and have 24 hours to select the applications that will be reviewed.

How much money is NEUP awarding to universities and students next year?
DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy budget fluctuates each year, making it very difficult to predict exact funding amounts year to year. Trends of past funding can be found on the "R&D Funded Projects" pages.

Is NEUP an Idaho National Laboratory program?
No, it is not. Nuclear Energy University Program is a Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) initiative. The NEUP Integration Office, located in Idaho Falls, administers the program on behalf of DOE-NE. The NEUP Integration Office is staffed by Idaho National Laboratory employees.

How are DOE laboratory personnel associated with the Fuel Cycle R&D Program funded?
DOE laboratory personnel associated with the Fuel Cycle R&D Program will be funded programmatically and should not be included in NEUP proposals. National laboratory collaborators working on tasks specific to the proposal in other areas (such as computer scientists, social scientists, etc.) should be part of a proposal (including funding).

Where do you get your reviewers?
DOE-NE maintains a database of university professors, industry and lab researchers who are qualified to evaluate proposals in the technical workscopes. They are assigned proposals based on their areas of expertise. We are always looking for additions to this database! Please send your recommendations to neup@inl.gov.

Why aren't reviewer scores released to principal investigators?
NEUP does not view this as being as helpful to researchers as the reviewers' comments, which are released.

The requirements for a Coordination and Management Plan (CMP) are unclear. I am the PI on the proposed project and will have co-PIs at other institutions performing tasks. Can I avoid submitting a CMP as my partners are "co-PIs", or are they considered PIs as leading the efforts at their institutions and thus I need to submit a CMP?
In your example, the co-PIs would be considered lead at their respective institutions, and therefore, a CMP would be required. An example of when a CMP would not be applicable would be if you had work being performed at another institution that was a purchased service, such as sample analysis.

Are national labs required to submit a "Current and Pending Support" document for the R&D and IRP solicitations?
National labs are not required to submit a Current and Pending Support file. Only University and Industry participants (Non-FFRDCs).

Are the 'SF 424', 'R&R- Other Project Information', and 'Certifications and Assurances' forms required for only the lead institution, or by all collaborating institutions as well?
All of these forms are only required from the lead institution.

Can I add a new collaborator to my team for the full application stage?
A new collaborator may only be added with permission from the Contracting Officer. If it is added without authorization, it may be grounds for dismissal.

Infrastructure

Can the same university apply to both the General Scientific Infrastructure Support for Universities and the University Research Reactor Upgrades Infrastructure Support?
Yes. Universities can submit a single, separate proposal to both areas of the Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research FOA.

We have an existing nuclear power systems program. Does our program fall within the description of this announcement?
You are requesting direction as to whether an existing nuclear power systems program would be considered for a grant under DE-FOA-0002129 – Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research. In order to make this determination, the University will need to consider the description and evaluation criteria contained in the FOA. As long as the University can demonstrate in its application that the requested equipment falls within the general parameters as outlined in the FOA, it will be considered as part of the merit review.

How is cost match calculated for an Infrastructure proposal?
As stated in the Fiscal Year 2020 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (page 8), to maximize the use of available NE funding, cost matching is required for universities on a 1:1 dollar match for requests above $250,000, for applications under the General Scientific Infrastructure Support for research or teaching. For example, if a $300,000 project is proposed, cost matching requirements apply to $50,000 of this amount (the amount over $250,000), and the recipient would be required to match $25,000. This requirement may not be waived.

How is cost share calculated for an infrastructure proposal?
Cost sharing for university participants is not required, but is encouraged.

Integrated Research Projects

IRPs are led by a US University and up to 20% of funding can go to non-university partners. Does the same 80%/20% funding rule apply to international participants? This would allow foreign university to partner with their own labs and companies. I understand US funding cannot go to foreign partner.
One of the main purposes of the Grand Challenge IRP is to support students at educational institutions, therefore it is preferable that the majority of the funds are used at educational institutions. It is recommended that International collaborating educational institutions may partner with other organizations in their own country, but the non-educational institution participation should not exceed 20% of the total budget for the work to be performed in their country for this IRP.

For the IRP that requires a Japanese partner, could the Japanese partner be funded? Or they have to find their funding from Japan?
They have to have their own funding from Japan. There are no US funds that are sent to a foreign institution.

Am I permitted to submit both a R&D and IRP proposal in response to the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement?
Principal Investigators cannot submit more proposals than can potentially be awarded given the FOA eligibility restrictions. It is recommended that, if a Principal Investigator is certain that he/she will be submitting an IRP proposal, the investigator not submit an R&D proposal.

Are letters of support needed for all non-federal partners, even if they are funded?
Letters of support are required for funded and non-funded industry, utility, or international partnerships. Letters of support are not required for national laboratories or U.S. universities.

Are national labs required to submit a "Current and Pending Support" document for the R&D and IRP solicitations?
National labs are not required to submit a Current and Pending Support file. Only University and Industry participants (Non-FFRDCs).

Are templates available for the "Letter of Support", "Coordination of Management Plan" and "Current and Pending Support" documents for the IRP application?
No, NEUP does not provide specified templates for any of these documents. Required elements of each of these documents can be found in the current FOA.

Do all partners, including international, need to provide a CV?
Yes. All partners that contribute significantly to the project must submit a CV.

How much detail do we need to include in the R&R budget form and budget justification regarding collaborators?
The R&R Budget form and budget justifications should include all participants broken down into yearly and cumulative project totals.

If non-required cost sharing is being proposed on an IRP, where should it be noted in the budget form? Should we also include it in the budget justification?
Refer to the section of the FOA titled "Understanding Cost Sharing Requirements". Budget example 1, which is near the end of that section will show how to represent that cost share. You may need to create some columns in the SF424RR budget, which to the very right, you would be able to do, and explain the cost share in the manner specified in the FOA. You may also want to explain this in the budget justification docs.

On the summary/abstract, should I include dollar amounts for each participant?
No. Please identify all major participants on the summary/abstract. You will only need to list dollar amounts in the collaborator section of the application form.

On the R&R budget form, cell 'C14' is locked and I cannot add the first name of a member of my team. Also, the DUNS number does not display correctly. How should I handle this?
Skip line 14 entirely and use line 15 as your first entry. On the DUNS number issue, you can use several techniques, like adding a comma or period in front of the DUNS number so the zeroes show. You will not be penalized for having extra characters in the cell.

The capabilities document and bulleted item from the narrative of "Type/description of facilities that will be used to execute the scope" seem very similar. Are they the same?
No, although they are similar. The narrative should provide a brief description/listing of the facility and other capabilities available. The capabilities document can be used to further expound upon specific facilities or capabilities.

What should I label the file names for the subawards so that I can distinguish between them if I have multiple institutions collaborating?
Please use the format specified in the FOA with a slight modification to tell them apart. For example use "2019 IRP Subaward Budget 19-xxxx Michigan.xls" This is the format to follow to show the different subtier budgets.

What would be an advisable start date if I am awarded an IRP?
The start date is typically October 1 but it will depend on how soon a cooperative agreement is put in place. Once a proposal is selected, it depends on the speed at which a university can supply all the required additional documentation (i.e., vendor quotes for equipment, materials and supplies price lists, etc). The faster the information is submitted, the sooner the contract process will complete. The contracting process itself typically takes three to five weeks.

A retired faculty member is part of our team. Is it possible to pay him as a consultant?
Yes. She/he will need to be listed as a collaborator.

R&D Full Applications

As we have partners in the UK who will apply for UK EPSCR funds, how do we handle reporting their budgets in the NEUP proposal? And, do they need to be included in the Budget Justification?
The budget for your UK collaborators will be listed as a total amount of funding on your application form in the Collaborators section. If a portion of your international collaborators funding will be provided to you as a cost share, then that funding would be subject to justification.

Do the UK participants need to report their current and pending support?
If funding is requested by from the U.S. government, then yes, a current and pending support is needed. UK researchers are not required to submit this form for UK funded projects.

Are environmental checklists for UK partners required?
No.

Do I list myself (the Lead PI) in the collaborators section?
No. Exclude yourself but add all collaborators, funded or unfunded.

For including a list of publications resulting from prior CINR funding, do we have a separate designated area for this information, or does it go into our 10 page technical write up or biosketch?
No it’s not part of your 10-pages, you’ll have a separate document upload for that information. It can take whatever form or format you’d like it to, but demographically it does not count towards your 10-page limit. On the application site, it will have its own upload area.

Do applicants need to submit a budget justification narrative on the budget worksheet? If I am subcontracting part of the budget to a national laboratory, where do I indicate that on the 424A form?
Yes, a budget justification narrative is required for the overall budget and can be uploaded into the "Budget Justification" section of the application form. Within that, you should also include a brief explanation for the subcontract. You can include the national laboratory amount in Section B of the form, on the contractual (F) row.

Does the FFRDC (national laboratory) budget need to be submitted with the proposal package or does the FFRDC need to submit a separate proposal package?
The FFRDC portion of the work needs to be included as a line item in the NEUP proposal package budget request. If the FFRDC is a DOE/NNSA National Laboratory Contractor the proposed work will be authorized under the DOE work authorization process and performed under the laboratory's M&O contract. Submitting a Field Work Proposal to the "Budget for DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Contractor" section of the online application is required upon submission.

Does the ceiling amount include indirects charged by each institution?
Yes, the indirects should be part of the budget. Note that PIs should not charge indirects on collaborating national laboratories as they are funded directly by DOE-NE through a Field Work Proposal (FWP).

For Program Supporting research, if our institution decides to contribute cost share, would those funds be on top of the $800,000 from DOE or would those funds need to be included in the $800,000 total project cost? In other words, can we request $800,000 from DOE then contribute $100,000 in cost share making the total project costs $900,000?
Cost share funds for universities are not included in the total project cost. For Program Supporting research, applicants shall not propose costs of more than $800,000 total in federal funds. For Mission Supporting research, applicants shall not propose costs of more than $400,000 total in federal funds.

For the NEUP proposals that include national laboratories, are Field Work Proposals (FWPs) required to be submitted, and if so at what stage of the proposal process?
The FWP should be included in the "Budget for DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Contractor" part of the online application form as a separate pdf document. Also, the B&R is not available so PIs should list the campaign the proposal falls under instead of the B&R. The FWP is due at the time of submission.

How much detail do we need to include on the SF424 R&R Budget form and budget justifications regarding collaborators?
The SF424-R&R Budget form and budget justifications should include all participants broken down into yearly and cumulative project totals.

I would like my full proposal to be assigned a different workscope than my pre-application. Is that possible?
No. It is not possible to shift workscopes after the pre application has been submitted. The PI or the submitter is responsible for placement into the correct workscope.

Is the Certification and Assurances document required for National Laboratories?
No, the Certifications and Assurances document is only applicable for university applications.

It seems like several reviewer comments are generic, 'copy-and-pasted' responses that don't have anything to do with my application. Why do I get these responses instead of proposal-specific feedback?
Evaluation scores are based upon the criteria outlined in the "Application Review Information" section of the FOA. General explanations of the meaning of each review score are provided by the NEUP Integration Office, not the reviewer. These explanations are generic in nature to give a descriptive explanation of the given score in comparison to other scores. Reviewer comments, specific to the proposal, are provided in addition to the evaluation scoring explanation with the intention of helping the PI improve future applications. Applicants should see general scoring criteria explanations and proposal-specific comments in their application scoring and comment summary.

On the R&R budget form, cell 'C14' is locked and I cannot add the first name of a member of my team. How should I handle this?
Skip line 14 entirely and use line 15 as your first entry.

What information needs to be provided for the Full Application Project Narrative Section 2 "Final Technical Workscope Identification"?
The technical workscope identification can be found on the notification letter that the PI received (example: RC-3, FC-2, etc.). The information can also be found on the online full application form.

What information should one include in the 'Proposed Scope Description' section of the project narrative?
The 'Proposed Scope Description' is the first portion of the technical project narrative that should provide an overview of the proposed scope of the project. Further details, such as logical path to accomplishing scope, outcome, impacts, and deliverable among others, should be discussed in greater detail after the proposed scope description per instructions in the FOA.

What is the expected start date for R&D awards?
The start date will be the date when the Cooperative Agreement is awarded. We anticipate the award date, for those selected, to be in the October 1 time frame.

What should I label the file names for the subawards so that I can distinguish between them if I have multiple institutions collaborating?
Please use the format specified in the FOA with a slight modification to tell them apart. For example use "20XX CFA Subaward Budget xxxx Michigan.xls" This is the format to follow to show the different subtier budgets.

I am collaborating with a national laboratory. The FOA states that a FFRDC contractor (national laboratory) must obtain written authorization from its cognizant contracting officer. Do I need to obtain and include this written authorization in my application?
Yes. The written authorization requirement is an agreement between a FFRDC contractor and their cognizant contracting officer. National laboratory collaborators should be familiar with this requirement and who they need to contact at DOE to obtain this letter. University PI’s are required to obtain a copy of the written authorization and include it in the full proposal application (the letter does not need to be attached to pre-applications).

Am I permitted to submit both a R&D and IRP proposal in response to the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement?
Principal Investigators cannot submit more proposals than can potentially be awarded given the FOA eligibility restrictions. It is recommended that, if a Principal Investigator is certain that he/she will be submitting an IRP proposal, the investigator not submit an R&D proposal.

Can national laboratory personnel, whose salary is being paid by the federal government, be paid to act as a consultant on a NEUP project?
Yes. They will be paid through a Field Work Proposal (FWP). It is very important to remember that if the consultant's time is being used on a NEUP project, you must account for their total cost in your budget form. DO NOT assume that their salary will be paid for by the federal government.

Does NEUP offer "no-cost extensions" on R&D contracts if the contract still has unspent money?
DOE has established as policy that university principal investigators (PIs) who request and receive approved no-cost extensions to existing NE R&D projects will be ineligible to be PIs for new project awards while any no-cost extension remains in effect. In order to provide ample planning time for prospective applicants, this policy will be implemented as follows: No-cost time extensions on existing DOE-NE funded projects must be requested between October 1-April 15. Any request outside of this period will not be considered. One no-cost time extension request may be granted for up to 12 months pending review and approval. No more than one no cost time extension will be allowed.  If you feel your project requires a “no-cost extension” please contact the NEUP Integration Office to submit the necessary documentation for your request to be reviewed.

Does the Additional COI request need to include grants awarded in the last 3 years or that were active at any time during the last 3 years? Also, are all projects to be listed, including from NRC, NSF etc?
Yes. Any government funding related to nuclear energy work should be included and any agencies, not just DOE, should be listed.

If there are 2 university partners, will the funding go directly to both universities or will the lead university have to subcontract to the other university?
If selected, the lead university will have to subcontract to collaborating universities. Since FY 2013, national laboratory collaborators have been funded through Field Work Proposals (FWP).

Is a minor revision of the proposal title allowed?
Yes. As long as you aren't making significant changes to the workscope itself, you can make minor adjustments to the title of your project.

What is the definition of "underrepresented groups" in the context of NEUP proposals?
Underrepresented groups include, but are not limited to, those groups that have participation rates significantly below the national average in a given profession. This designation may be based on sex, socio-economic status, race, disability, etc.

As a Co-PI, does the national lab personnel have restrictions for the budget? Does he/she have to put down hours to perform the research or he/she can use budget for other purposes, such as travel and supplies/materials?
The Co-PI from a national laboratory will need to work with their own contracts/financial people to determine how they will be supporting a project, whether it is by hours, material supplies, or travel and preparing the budget spreadsheet. An application will need to include a budget for whatever time, materials and supplies, travel etc., that pertains to his/her involvement in the project.

Can letters of support/endorsement be attached to the proposal? If so, where?
Letters of support are not required but can be added to the Budget Justification document.

On the abstract template, we are to identify the program name. [Program: Program Name] Is this the final workscope?
Yes. Of the four programs, identify which one your proposal is being submitted under, for example, Fuel Cycle, Reactor Concepts, NEAMS, etc. The template form has been updated to help identify this.

If a university proposes to collaborate with two national laboratories, can each national laboratory obtain 20% of the total funding (i.e., 40% of the total budget to the national labs), or do the labs have to share 20% of the total budget between them?
No, the FOA specifically states that the sum total of all funds that go to the all national laboratory and industrial partners may not exceed 20% of the total funding request. However, this restriction is not applicable to the NEET CTD workscopes in Appendix B.

Does an equipment purchase from a company count against the 20% maximum funding allowed to non-university collaborators?
If the company is not playing an additional role within the project, then the equipment purchase would not count against the maximum 20% (total project cost) to non-university collaborators. A collaborator is seen as one who provides a significant role in the overall research of the project.

Can you help foreign researchers find partners?
If you are an international collaborator interested in participating in the FOA as a partner, but do not have an existing relationship with a U.S. university, we suggest you review the Nuclear Science and Engineering Education Sourcebook. The Nuclear Science and Engineering Education Sourcebook facilitates interaction among faculty, students, industry, and government agencies to accomplish nuclear research, teaching, and service activities. The Sourcebook is a compilation of critical information on nuclear engineering enrollments, degrees, and faculty expertise in printed and electronic formats. Also, an archive of previously-awarded research projects is available at www.neup.gov. It is recommended that potential collaborators seeking partnership opportunities review previous award results in topical areas of interest to help identify schools and researchers who are conducting research in similar areas of interest.

Can national laboratories submit proposals?
National laboratories can only submit proposals as principal investigators in NEET & NSUF workscopes (Appendix B). They can collaborate with universities for proposals submitted to university-led program supporting, mission supporting, or program directed applications but cannot receive more than 20 percent of a project's overall funding.

How do I create an application through NEUP.GOV?
To create an application, you must be a registered user of NEUP.GOV. To log in or create an account, you must go to the upper right hand screen of the home page and click "Log In". Then, use your past credentials or create a new account. If you cannot remember your user ID, but have an account, do not create a new one, contact Drew Thomas at drew.thomas@inl.gov or by phone at 208-526-1602 and he will assist you. If you do not have an account, please create one and populate your information. Then, click the "Applications" tab below the NEUP logo. Find the solicitation you want to apply to and click "Create New Application". Before you proceed, scroll to the bottom and click "Save". This will generate your "Tracking ID" needed to reference your application, and to also name all files associated with the application. Additional Information

Are 4 year proposals still allowed under the new consolidated FOA?
No. Under the Consolidated FOA, applications are limited to a maximum of three years unless otherwise stated in the workscope area.

Do I need to list the funding amount for each collaborator? If I have several collaborators from the same institution, do I need to add funding for each individual, or for the institution?
To the best of their ability, PIs need to list funding amounts for each individual collaborator, regardless of what institution that collaborator is affiliated with.

Do references count within the page maximum of the pre-application narrative?
Yes, they do.

How is relevance determined for submitted proposals?
Relevance is determined by NE Program Managers and the associated National Technical Directors. Relevance may change year to year and is specifically focused on the areas identified in each workscope. A proposal may also receive a low relevance score because siginificant work is currently being done in a given area and additional work is not a high priority.

How do I add partners?
After each line item, there is an "Add" option to click on. This will save each line and then it can be edited and/or deleted. This feature may not work if you have not saved your application before trying to add collaborators. 

Can a graduate student be a PI?
No. We encourage graduate students to work on the projects, but PIs should be university professors.

Do you have guidelines on international collaborators?
The funding opportunities in all areas are for U.S.-based researchers/organizations only. Foreign organizations are encouraged to collaborate as long as they comply with applicable DOE and Federal requirements including, but not limited to, not be a denied Person or a Person that requires an export license; however, such participants are not eligible for U.S. government funding.

I am a jointly employed by a university and a laboratory. Am I able to be a lead PI?
It is not recommended unless you are employed more than half of your time with the university. If more than half of your time is employed with the national laboratory, then you would be eligible to lead in NEET workscopes.