Application to Test in the NRIC DOME Facility

Quick Summary

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), the Management and Operating Contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL), invites industry applicants to collaborate with the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) and INL. This Special Notice is a Request for Application (RFA) for the opportunity to perform advanced reactor experiments in the Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed facility at INL's Material and Fuels Complex (MFC), projected to be ready by July 2027. The goal is to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced reactors.

Purpose & Background

NRIC was established to enable the testing and demonstration of reactor concepts proposed and funded by the private sector. This initiative addresses the challenge for advanced reactor developers to find safe, reliable, and affordable testing facilities outside the national laboratory system. NRIC/INL seeks applications from industry to schedule the DOME facility for fueled reactor experiment testing once it's available.

Application Scope

Applicants must provide detailed information across several categories, including:

• Reactor Technology Maturity: Plan to mature technology prior to testing.
• Fuel: Plan for qualification, procurement, delivery, storage, and disposal.
• Testing: Specific tests planned within DOME.
• Project Schedule: Proposed schedule from application through decommissioning.
• DOME Integration: Special interface needs and understanding of reactor-to-DOME interface and shielding.
• DOE Authorization Plan: Plan for obtaining DOE authorization for reactor startup.
• Funding: Amounts and sources.
• Experience and Capabilities: Key personnel, partnerships, and management infrastructure. An attached Master Document and Deliverable List (MDDL) and the applicant's project schedule are also required.

Eligibility Requirements

Testing in DOME is expected to be self-funded. Eligible applicants must demonstrate significant progress through conceptual design of the proposed reactor and have a DOE agreement or engagement on the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) or 10 CFR 830 safety basis equivalent. Applicants must be:

• United States-owned companies or pass a DOE-P 485.1A review.
• Companies incorporated or organized under U.S. laws with a parent company that affords comparable opportunities and intellectual property protection to U.S.-owned companies. Set-Aside: None specified for this opportunity.

Submission & Evaluation

Interested applicants must first provide contact information (company name, contact name, telephone, email) via email by 5:00 p.m. MDT on June 19, 2026. Respondents will then receive a secure link for submitting applications. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. MDT on July 8, 2026. Applications must be no more than fifty (50) pages in PDF format, excluding the MDDL and schedule. Evaluation will be conducted by NRIC and DOE based on criteria in INL guide GDE-55115 DOME Scheduling Application. NRIC will recommend a testing sequence to DOE, who will make the final determination. Results are anticipated within four to six months of application receipt.

Key Dates & Contacts

• Initial Contact Information Due: June 19, 2026, 5:00 p.m. MDT
• Full Application Due: July 8, 2026, 5:00 p.m. MDT
• Published Date: April 28, 2026
• Primary Contact: AnnMarie Marshall (Ann.Marshall@inl.gov)
• Secondary Contact: Sam Reiss (Samuel.Reiss@inl.gov) Technical questions must be submitted in writing via email at least two weeks prior to the closing date.