DE-FOA-0002681: National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of NNSA notices from 2022.
NNSA offered grants of up to $1.0 million (at least $500,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 10 awards worth $5.0 million in total. Applications closed on July 7, 2022.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed April 26, 2022. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$1.0 million
- Award floor$500,000
- Total funding$5.0 million
- Expected awards10
- Cost sharingRequired
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | April 26, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 7, 2022 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 6, 2022 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTSApplicants must be U.S. owned and based entities. Any individual person, whether a prime recipient or subrecipient, receiving funding support or benefiting from a grant under this announcement must be a U.S. Person. A U.S. Person is defined as an individual that is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Applicants must adhere to the eligibility standards found in legislation language below [Public Law 116-92 SEC 3122]An eligible entity is a workforce intermediary or an eligibly sponsor of a pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program that:(1) demonstrates experience in implementing and providing career planning and career pathways toward preapprenticeship programs or apprenticeship programs;(2)(A) has a relationship with a National Laboratory or covered facility of the National Nuclear Security Administration;(B) has knowledge of the technician workforce needs of the laboratory or facility and the associated security requirements of the laboratory or facility; and(C) is eligible to enter into an agreement with the laboratory or facility that would be paid for in part or entirely from grant funds received under this section;(3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support individuals who plan to work in relevant technician positions upon the successful completion of the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program;(4) provides students who complete the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program with, or prepares such students for obtaining, a recognized postsecondary credential;(5) uses related instruction that is specifically aligned with the needs of the laboratory or facility and utilizes workplace learning advisors and on-the-job training to the greatest extent possible; an(6) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates of the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program to careers relevant to the program. In selecting eligible entities to receive grants under this FOA, DOE/NNSA may prioritize an eligible entity that—(1) is a member of an industry or sector partnership;(2) provides related instruction for a pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program through—Page 11(A) a local educational agency, a secondary school, a provider of adult education, an area career and technical education school, or an institution of higher education (such as a community college) that includes basic science, technology, and mathematics education in the related instruction; or(B) an apprenticeship program that was registered with the Department of Labor or a State apprenticeship agency before the date on which the eligible entity applies for the grant;(3) works with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or veterans organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and veterans to pre-apprenticeship programs or apprenticeship programs in a relevant sector;(4) plans to use the grant to carry out the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program with an entity that receives State funding or is operated by a State agency; and(5) plans to use the grant to carry out the pre-apprenticeship program or apprenticeship program for—(A) young adults ages 16 to 29, inclusive; or PUBLIC LAW 116–92—DEC. 20, 2019 133 STAT. 1955(B) individuals with barriers to employment. In making grants under this section, DOE/NNSA may consider regional diversity.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past National Laboratory Jobs Apprenticeship for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills awards averaged $664,859; this notice allows up to $1.0 million per award.
- The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.
What the grant funds
The enduring missions of the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) remain vital to the national security of the United States. The science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities resident within the nuclear security enterprise underpin NNSA’s ability to conduct stockpile stewardship, solve the technical challenges of verifying treaty compliance, combat nuclear terrorism, detect, and counter proliferation, and guard against the threat posed by nuclear technological surprise. NNSA’s ability to meet its many national security missions is dependent upon the ability to recruit, train, and retain its world class workforce. As part of the strategy to address future workforce needs, DOE/NNSA has implemented multiple university programs to develop, recruit, and retain high-quality individuals. However, these programs do not address the needs of personnel in the skilled trades and crafts which are essential for the revitalization of the NNSA weapons production complex modernization efforts. The DOE/NNSA announce interest in receiving applications for grants for the Department of Energy National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program. ACCESS is an acronym for – Apprenticeships for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills. This is a new pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship program created under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. As found in legislation language [Public Law 116-92 SEC 3122] the ACCESS Program is a pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship program that: 1) leads to recognized postsecondary credentials for secondary school and postsecondary students. 2) is focused on skills and qualifications needed, as determined by the Secretary of Energy in consultation with the Directors of the National Laboratories, to meet the immediate and ongoing needs of traditional and emerging technician positions (including machinists and cybersecurity technicians) at the National Laboratories and covered facilities of the National Nuclear Security Administration; (a covered facility of the National Nuclear Security Administration means a national security laboratory or a nuclear weapons production facility as such terms are defined in section 4002 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C.
Who has won National Laboratory Jobs Apprenticeship for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Laboratory Jobs Apprenticeship for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills (81.251) awarded $1.3 million across 2 grant awards, an average of $664,859 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices in the Plumbing & Pipefitting Industry | New Mexico | 1 | $1.2 million |
| Hardinge Inc | New York | 1 | $135,257 |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is DE-FOA-0002681 still open?
No. It closed on July 7, 2022.
Who can apply for National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program?
NNSA accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for National Lab Jobs ACCESS Program?
Closed July 7, 2022. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $1.0 million each. About $5.0 million in total across about 10 awards.
Who has won National Laboratory Jobs Apprenticeship for Complete and Committed Employment for Specialized Skills grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices in the Plumbing & Pipefitting Industry, Hardinge Inc. The program made 2 awards worth $1.3 million in that time.
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