Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Working Group

Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Working Group

Small Modular Reactor (SMR)*1 Working Group

Overview 

The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA), including the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union (CSEU) and Industry and Analysis (I&A) Office of Energy & Environmental Industries, will launch a Small Modular Reactor Working Group (SMR WG or WG), in furtherance of the planned interagency SMR Public-Private Program (SMR PPP), to promote the deployment and export of U.S. SMRs in key European*2 markets under the highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation. 

The WG is a service provided to eligible U.S. companies and associations by ITA for a fee. The WG will bring U.S. industry and U.S. Government (USG) together through quarterly meetings with the goal of expediting SMR deployment in European markets, positioning U.S. companies to succeed in those markets, and working with the European Commission and other European governments to expand opportunities for collaboration with the USG and U.S. industry. The SMR WG will provide WG members with sector knowledge of European markets and networking opportunities with prospective European customers, including European government officials. 

Terms

ITA will form and organize all services and activities of the SMR WG. CSEU will post a recruitment announcement for the SMR WG annually on the CSEU website and each year will select no more than 40 companies and four business or industry associations to join the WG. The recruitment and selection process are described more fully below.

Scope of Work

ITA will provide the following services to SMR WG members:  

  1. Organize meetings for targeted briefings to the WG on relevant U.S. and European government activities and policies and provide information on export opportunities for prospective SMR markets in Europe. The WG meetings will take place four times a year in the United States, in Europe, or virtually (as necessary).
  2. Hold calls and webinars with the WG for the purpose of exchanging facts or information on projected European energy needs in European markets.
  3. Engage with the WG and external experts to continuously increase the industry knowledge base and enhance networking opportunities with potential European customers.
  4. Provide notice of opportunities for WG members to apply to participate in related USG programs, activities, and events, such as trade missions, reverse trade missions, industry roundtables, workshops, and other promotional programs, subject to any applicable fees and eligibility criteria for the specific program, activity, or event. 
  5. Support industry-led workstreams established by WG members, including limited use of a contractor (maximum 60 hours across all workstreams) to further support industry-led workstream meetings and deliverables. 

SMR WG Membership Duration

SMR WG membership for all entities will last for one calendar year period that commences annually on January 1stP and ends on December 31stP of the same year. Entities that join the SMR WG during the one-year period, as space becomes available, will be admitted to the WG on a pro-rated fee basis.

Recruitment and Selection

ITA will post an annual recruitment announcement through targeted emails to industry, posting on ITA and USG interagency websites, sharing through industry associations, and posting on the CSEU website (34TUhttps://www.trade.gov/european-unionU34T). The annual recruitment notice will be published online no later than January 1. Entities must submit a Gold Key Service (GKS) questionnaire (OMB Form No.0625-0143) within 30 days of that announcement to demonstrate interest in participating in the SMR WG. To be eligible for WG membership, an entity must be: 1) a U.S. company in the SMR sector seeking to export goods or services of U.S. origin or that has at least 51% U.S. content; 2) a U.S. SMR technology company that has technology that is scheduled to be deployed in the late 2020s to mid-2030s; 3) a U.S. company that supports the supply chain of U.S. SMR providers (e.g., component manufactures, fuel fabricators, service providers); and 5) an industry association whose members are comprised of the eligible entities listed in (1), (2), and/or (3). *3 U.S. companies in this sector include providers of advanced light water SMRs, high-temperature gas reactors, molten salt reactors, and sodium-cooled fast reactors, as well as U.S. companies that support the supply chain of these providers. Applicants must commit to attending and participating in WG quarterly meetings at an appropriate level and function in the organization *4 (entities must designate one primary point of contact and one alternate).

Those entities that meet the above criteria will be accepted into the WG on a rolling first-come, first-serve basis up to the maximum number of participants which is 40, including both company and industry associations. Order of application will be assessed based on time of receipt of the complete email application. Each year ITA will select no more than 40 entities, including representatives of industry associations, to participate in the WG.

ITA will inform selected entities as soon as possible after confirming receipt of their applications. Once WG membership has reached capacity, eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list and accepted for membership if a selected entity fails to pay its membership fee by the annual payment deadline of January 1s or otherwise leaves the SMR WG during the one-year period. 

Service Fee

WG fees are incurred annually and are fixed at $550 for small companies and association representatives, $800 for medium companies, and $900 for large companies. *5

For the calendar year 2023, selected entities are requested to pay the service fee within a week of their membership acceptance (no later than January 15th). 

Refunds  

Entities wishing to cancel their membership will be refunded the annual fee on a pro-rated basis minus any direct costs spent on behalf of that entity. 

Service Contacts 

Your ITA contact will be Jonathan Chesebro, Senior Civil Nuclear Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Phone: +1 (202) 482-1297, Email: Jonathan.chesebro@trade.gov, U.S. Department of Commerce. 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington DC, 20230. Office Hours 9 AM – 5 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Anna Costiuc, Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Mission to the European Union. Phone: +32 475 70 81 23, Email: Anna.Costiuc@trade.gov, U.S. Mission to the European Union. Boulevard du Régent 27, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium. Office Hours 9 AM-6 PM Central European Time.

Quality Assurance:

As a valued client, your satisfaction is of the utmost importance, and we strive to meet your expectations and address your concerns. Members will each have an entry in Salesforce, and account managers at DOC’s U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs) will be notified for needed follow up. 

______________________________________________
  1) For purposes of the SMR WG, SMRs are broadly defined as light water SMRs and advanced non-light water reactor designs with a capacity of 300 MWe or less.
  2) For purposes of the SMR WG, “European” refers to the EU, EU Member States, and other European countries.
  3) As part of their WG membership, a trade association must certify that it will only be representing the interests of its U.S. member companies seeking to export goods or services of U.S. origin or that have at least 51% U.S. content.
  4) Ideal applicants have experience in SMR or SMR supply chain business development, technical expertise in SMR technology, and responsibility for SMR/SMR supply chain development within their organization.
  5) A small company is defined as a business that qualifies under the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) size standards matched to their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. A medium company is defined as a company that does not qualify under SBA’s size standards matched to their NAICS code, but has less than $1 billion in annual revenue. A large company does not qualify under SBA’s size standards matched to their NAICS code and has more than $1 billion in annual revenue