The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to enable the nation to safely use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected.

The NRC regulates the nation's civilian

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use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment.

This regulatory control is most commonly accomplished through the process of licensing those that use and/or possess radioactive material.

An important component of safe use of material is proper disposition of material (typically through transfer to another authorized entity or proper final disposal) that is unwanted or orphan.

Unwanted materials is normally defined as material under regulatory control but no longer in use and no longer wanted by the user.

Orphan materials are typically defined as materials that are out of regulatory control, e.g., material that has been found by a member of the public, or as specified in the NRC glossary or in accordance with other NRC guidance.

NRC is interested in projects that promote the NRC mission by; 1) effectively providing information regarding the disposition of unwanted and orphan material; and 2) effectively providing assistance for the disposition of orphan material.

The goal of this grant is:
Proper disposition of material that is unwanted or is orphan, in order to ensure safe use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected.

The primary objectives of this grant:
1. Effectively provide information regarding the disposition of unwanted and orphan material; 2. Effectively provide assistance for the disposition of orphan material.

The areas of interest to accomplish the objectives including but not limited to:
- compliance with all Federal and State regulatory requirements regarding disposition of radioactive material, including those for possession, transfer, transport and disposal - ensuring that funds expended are done in an efficient and prudent manner, ensuring best value while maintaining safety, - ability to assemble, maintain, and provide accurate information regarding available disposition options, processes and requirements for disposition of material, and available service providers for activities related to disposition of radioactive material, including:
characterization, packaging, transportation, and surveys, - ability to produce accurate, knowledgeable determination of available disposition options for individual unwanted or orphan material situations, and provide recommendations of options to possessors of material, - ability to effectively coordinated with State and local governmental entities regarding unwanted or orphan material, and - capability to address issues related to orphan material.