Silcon Carbide Cladding Lead Test Rod Development-Phase 1

The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Idaho Operations Office is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement under solicitation DE-FOA-0003577 for the research, development, and fabrication of Silicon Carbide cladding specimens. The primary objective is to advance the technological maturity of SiC cladding for nuclear fuel rods to be used in commercial light water reactors, ensuring they can withstand significant transient and accident conditions. The scope of work includes improving SiC/SiC composite fabrication methods, conducting irradiation campaigns in research reactors such as INL ATR, ORNL HFIR, and MITR, and performing post-irradiation evaluations. These efforts are intended to provide critical performance data for fuel vendor licensing and NRC licensing review by 2030. This is a three-year project with an estimated start date of April 06, 2027, and anticipated 12-month budget periods. The DOE expects to make one award based on a combination of technical review criteria and program policy factors. Applicants must adhere to ASME NQA-1 quality assurance standards and comply with Build America, Buy America and Davis-Bacon Act requirements. Required submissions must be uploaded in PDF format to the eXCHANGE portal by December 07, 2026, and must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier via SAM.gov, a transparency of foreign connections document, and a comprehensive project management plan featuring milestones and risk mitigation strategies.