Staff Support to Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee for Engagement with the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy on Radioactive Materials Transportation Planning

The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, is offering the Staff Support to Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee for Engagement with the U.S. Department of Energy on Radioactive Materials Transportation Planning funding opportunity, DE-FOA-0003618. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. The program is intended to facilitate engagement among the Tribal Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee, federally recognized Tribes that participate in the committee, DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy Office of Storage and Transportation, and DOE's Office of Environmental Management Office of Packaging and Transportation. The work supports planning and coordination for ongoing Departmental radioactive waste and materials shipments and future large-scale transportation of commercial used nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and other radioactive materials. DOE views this engagement as an important component of a transportation program that is safe, secure, and merits public trust and confidence. The recipient will provide staff and organizational support for Tribal engagement, shipment planning and preparedness, communications, and related work products. Principal activities include supporting TRMTC strategic planning; identifying transportation issues of interest to Tribal representatives; convening two TRMTC committee meetings each year; supporting conference calls and web meetings; preparing agendas, briefing materials, meeting summaries, and action reports; supporting participation in the National Transportation Stakeholders Forum and other working groups; assisting TRMTC when it hosts an NTSF annual meeting; and improving engagement between Tribal representatives and State Regional Groups. The recipient will also support assessment of rail, highway, bridge, port, routing, and infrastructure issues near Tribal lands, maintain relevant Tribal contacts, help develop and distribute public information, coordinate Tribal review of DOE materials, maintain a public TRMTC website, and provide Tribal input into transportation emergency preparedness training products. Supplemental program tasks may be proposed annually and require DOE approval. DOE expects required deliverables throughout the cooperative agreement. Within 30 days after the performance period begins, the recipient must provide DOE with current TRMTC member contact information and subsequently provide updated information within 30 days of changes. Meeting summaries are due within 45 days after each semiannual committee meeting, and quarterly progress reports are due within 30 days after the end of each Federal fiscal year quarter. Each Federal fiscal year, the recipient must obtain independent feedback from TRMTC members concerning the quality and effectiveness of support services and provide that feedback to DOE in a written report. Supplemental program tasks must be proposed for approval at least 60 days before the beginning of each Federal fiscal year. Foreign travel is not allowed. All work must be performed in the United States unless DOE approves a foreign work waiver, and applicable purchases of equipment and supplies are subject to the stated American-made requirements. Up to 2000000 in total funding may be available, subject to future appropriations. DOE anticipates one cooperative agreement with an approximate individual award between 1800000 and 2000000. Funding is valued at up to 2000000 over the five-year period and may be up to 400000 per year. The approximate project period is 60 months, with anticipated 12-month budget periods. The estimated period of performance is November 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031. Cost sharing is not required. Applicants may voluntarily offer cost share, but if voluntary cost share is incorporated into the negotiated award, it becomes a binding commitment. Funding for future budget periods is not guaranteed and remains subject to available appropriations and DOE decisions. Eligible domestic prime applicants include institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, state and local government entities, and Indian Tribes. Domestic entities must be organized, chartered, incorporated, or otherwise formed under United States, state, or territorial law, have majority domestic ownership and control, and maintain a physical place of business in the United States. Foreign entities generally are not eligible but may seek an explicit DOE waiver to participate as a recipient or subrecipient. DOE and non-DOE federally funded research and development centers may participate as subrecipients under the stated authorization requirements but may not apply as prime recipients. Federal agencies and instrumentalities other than DOE may participate as subrecipients but not as recipients. Excluded or debarred entities, specified sanctioned entities, certain lobbying 501(c)(4) organizations, and Entities of Concern are ineligible. An applicant may submit only one application. The application includes the SF-424, Statement of Objectives, a Project Management Plan or Project Narrative of no more than 20 pages, SF-424A budget information, Budget Justification Workbook, applicable Subrecipient Budget Justification, and other applicable disclosures and supporting documents. Requirements can include Impacted Indian Tribes Documentation, FFRDC documentation, foreign entity or foreign work waiver requests, biosketches and current and pending support for Covered Individuals, Transparency of Foreign Connections, Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice, Locations of Work, lobbying forms, a one-page Summary for Public Release, and a one-page Summary Slide. Applications potentially affecting Indian Tribes must provide the applicable Tribal support or awareness documentation. The Project Management Plan must address management and organization, project objectives, and risk analysis and mitigation. Applications are submitted by email to Regional_State_Tribal_Groups@id.doe.gov, and DOE strongly encourages submission at least 48 hours before the deadline. The NOFO was issued August 31, 2026, and the controlling Key Facts and cover-page application deadline is September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The anticipated selection notification date is October 22, 2026, and the anticipated award date is November 1, 2026. No required pre-application gating deadline is established in the Key Facts for this opportunity. Eligible applications are reviewed for compliance and responsiveness and then evaluated using three weighted criteria: Expertise at 50 percent, Key Personnel at 30 percent, and Conformance to the Statement of Objectives at 20 percent. Applicants should demonstrate expertise with Tribal governments, radioactive materials transportation, Federal policy, project and financial management, qualified staffing, experience working with affected Tribal governments, and a complete and low-risk approach to the Statement of Objectives. Questions regarding the NOFO should be sent to Regional_State_Tribal_Groups@id.doe.gov. The announcement is identified as an initial funding opportunity accepting new applications, and the source does not state that this funding opportunity recurs on an annual or other regular application cycle.

Prioritize evidence of substantive expertise because Expertise carries 50 percent of technical review weight. Demonstrate knowledge of Tribal government operations and sensitivities, radioactive materials transportation, Federal policies and rules, and successful management of relevant prior awards. Clearly document qualified key personnel and adequate staffing because Key Personnel carries 30 percent. Provide a complete, well-rationalized response to the Statement of Objectives with minimal performance risk. Address management structure, objectives, schedule, milestones, technical and security risks, environmental and Tribal impacts, organizational risks, and mitigations. Submit all required documents and strongly consider submitting at least 48 hours before the deadline.