The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy, has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the High-Assay Low-Enriched (HALEU) Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain Innovative Technology program, under NOFO Number DE-FOA-0003487. This funding opportunity seeks to advance technological innovation across the front-end nuclear fuel cycle, focusing on improving the domestic supply chain for enriched uranium. The program aims to ensure the availability of enriched uranium for existing and advanced nuclear reactors, contributing to U.S. energy security and strengthening domestic nuclear fuel production.

The program will support projects under two primary topic areas: Demonstration Projects (Topic Area 1) and Research & Development Projects (Topic Area 2). Demonstration projects are expected to receive up to $40 million, with up to two awards anticipated, while Research & Development projects will have $40 million allocated across up to ten projects. Funding will support projects addressing mining/milling, conversion, enrichment, and deconversion processes for enriched uranium. The awards will be issued as cooperative agreements, requiring recipients to meet minimum cost-sharing requirements: 50% for demonstration projects and 20% for research and development projects.

Eligible applicants include domestic entities such as institutions of higher education, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, state and local government entities, and Indian Tribes. Foreign entities may participate with a waiver, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may participate as subrecipients but not as prime applicants. All project work must be performed in the United States, with limited waivers available for foreign work if justified. The DOE reserves substantial involvement in project management, decision-making, and technical oversight.

Applications must be submitted via email to the designated DOE contacts, Jeff Rigby (rigbyja@id.doe.gov) and Mark Payne (paynemb@id.doe.gov). The deadline for full applications is March 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, with the final day for submitting questions being March 2, 2025. The anticipated selection notification date is May 28, 2025, and awards are expected to be issued by June 18, 2025. The performance period for funded projects will run from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2030.

Applicants are required to provide detailed application content, including a technical volume, a statement of project objectives, a project management plan, budget justifications, and other supporting documents. Proposals will be evaluated based on technical merit, potential impact, project management plan, team capabilities, and feasibility of commercialization. The DOE encourages applicants to align proposals with U.S. nuclear energy priorities and address any regulatory, technical, or economic challenges in developing an enriched uranium supply chain.

For further details, applicants should consult NOFO Part 1 and Part 2, ensuring compliance with DOE guidelines, submission requirements, and evaluation criteria.