U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Education Grant Program (77.006)

Program

77.006 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Education Grant Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Authorization

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, Section 651(c)(1), Public Law 109-58, 119 Stat. 801, 42 U.S.C 2051(b).

Program Number

77.006

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide assistance to colleges and universities in support of courses, studies, training, curricula, and disciplines relevant to nuclear safety, security, environmental protection, or any other field that the Commission determines to be critical to its regulatory mission.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Financial support in whole or part may be provided for such purposes as the salaries, materials and supplies, equipment, travel, publication costs, training costs, and services required for conducting research, training, and related activities. Restrictions on use of funds are specified in the award. Funding is provided for the purpose of improving or supporting curricula that does not necessarily duplicate work already in process or contemplated by NRC, is not already known to NRC, or has previously unrecognized merit.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants can be U.S. public and private institutions of higher education.

Beneficiary Eligibility

U.S. public and private institutions of higher education will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation

Administration and costs will be determined in accordance with guidance in 2 CFR 215-220, OMB Circular No. A-110 and A-21 for institutions of higher education. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Letters of intent are encouraged as stated in the funding opportunity announcement posted at Grants.gov. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. The NRC will accept electronic applications only from eligible organizations submitted as specified in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) posted at www.grants.gov. Apply using the electronic application package required in the FOA. Responding to a FOA ensures that the correct application package is used and enables NRC to receive the application from Grants.gov.

*NOTE: FOA is Grants.gov's terminology for what NRC refers to as Program Announcement (PA), Agency Announcement (AA) or Funding Notice (FN).

Award Procedure

Applications will be screened for relevance and then reviewed for scientific and technical merit by qualified individuals based on a set of criteria stated in the funding opportunity announcement . Recommendations for award are made by the review panel via the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Human Resources Training Division, and the selected applications will be forwarded to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Administration, Division of Contracts, for grant negotiation and award.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 120 to 180 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

From 120 to 180 days. Proposals for renewal/continuations are subject to review and acceptance by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Human Resources Training Division.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The period of performance for grants are normally three years and shall not exceed five (5) years at intervals determined at the time of award. Funds must be obligated by the recipient organization within the project period of performance or as specified in the award. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress report requirements will be stipulated in the terms of award in compliance with 2 CFR 215.51. The Recipient shall submit a "Federal Financial Report" (SF-425) at intervals specified in the award to the Grants Officer and Program Office in compliance with 2 CFR 215.52. Performance monitoring will be conducted by NRC staff as stipulated in the terms of award.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Award recipients must comply with 2 CFR 215.53, "Retention and Access Requirements for Records.".

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

31-0200-0-1-276.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $4,722,312; FY 09 est $4,741,600; FY 10 est $4,700,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Award amounts range from $50,000 to $150,000 in FY 2009 with an average of $108,000 for 12 months of financial assistance.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

42 U.S.C. 2051(b); 2 CFR 215 and 220. Technical and administrative information for this program are available at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/grants.html

Related Programs

77.008 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Scholarship and Fellowship Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Randi Neff Gateway Building
7201 Wisconsin Ave
Mail Stop: W5-A6, Washington, District of Columbia 20555-0001 Email: Randi.Neff@nrc.gov Phone: 301-492-2301

Web Site Address

www.nrc.gov .

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: - Development of Education and Training Materials for Environmental Assessments and Security of Nuclear Facilities
- Development of a Problem-Based Undergraduate Nuclear Course to Strengthen Math Skills in Support of the US Nuclear Workforce
- Development of Graduate Level Nuclear Safety Course Modules and Radiation Protection Laboratory Exercises
- A Sustainable Program on Environmental Impact Statements in Dealing with Radioactive and Special Materials
- Development of an Educational Laboratory Course: Risk Evaluations and Environmental Assessment for Nuclear Environmental Protection
- Safety and emergency management at nuclear power plants: education and training using virtual reality and 3D gaming technology
- Graduate Certificate Program in Nuclear Power Engineering
- Improving Nuclear Education by Advancing Educational Infrastructure: The Advanced Nuclear Science Educational Laboratory (ANSEL)
- Development of SCALE-based Educational Modules to Innovate Reactor Physics and Criticality Safety Curricula. Fiscal Year 2009: - Materials Science for Advanced Nuclear Energy
- Power Up � Construction and Maintenance of New and Aging Nuclear Power Plants in the Southeast
- Summer School in Reactor Physics and Nuclear Criticality Safety
- Development of a Course (TO) and a Course Module (UC) on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics
- Development of Interrelated Minors in Nuclear Energy and Health Physics
- Nuclear Power Plant Technician Program
- Development of an Educational Course Module: Environmental Assessment for Siting of Nuclear Facilities. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Selection for support is based on the soundness of the proposed approach including objectives, methodology, plan of operation, timetable, expected products and results, evaluation, and dissemination plans. The applicant's capability to perform the project is assessed to the degree that the project will strengthen its teaching or research capacity; the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and the relevance and importance to announced program objectives.