Value: The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) seeks to establish a consortium of accredited Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to conduct fundamental research in nuclear science and engineering. This initiative aims to support the development of technologies and expertise to detect nuclear proliferation activities, improve nuclear security, and cultivate a skilled workforce for DOE National Laboratories and other U.S. government agencies. The consortium will focus on disciplines such as nuclear physics, radiation detection, nuclear material science, and computational methods for nuclear applications.

The funding opportunity will award a single five-year cooperative agreement totaling up to $25 million. The lead IHE must collaborate with at least three other universities and one or more DOE National Laboratories. Eligible applicants are U.S. IHEs offering graduate-level professional doctorate degrees. The project will be unclassified, and the lead institution will be responsible for financial and program reporting. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov.