DARPA Releases Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) Solicitation
Anna Davis08/30/2024
Solicitation
HigherGov
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released a solicitation seeking innovative approaches to tackle challenges in quantum computing through the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). The initiative aims to explore methods for constructing a utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer and developing computational workflows that incorporate quantum computing steps. The solicitation is expected to result in the award of an Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype agreement.
The QBI is an expansion of the existing DARPA Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing (US2QC) program. Contractors currently holding contracts supporting US2QC include Microsoft, PsiQuantum, and The John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
The work to be completed under the QBI contract involves verifying and validating paths to utility-scale quantum computers through three critical stages.
Stage A: Requires participants to describe a plausible concept for a utility-scale quantum computer. This stage sets the foundation for the entire initiative by establishing a clear vision of what a utility-scale system might look like.
Stage B: Demands the outlining of a comprehensive Research and Development Plan. This plan must address potential risks and detail the prototypes necessary for realizing the proposed quantum computing concept. By doing so, DARPA aims to ensure that all potential obstacles are identified and addressed early in the development process.
Stage C: Collaboration with DARPA is essential to verify and validate the proposed concept. This stage provides unbiased third-party verification of organizations' paths toward achieving utility-scale quantum computing. Importantly, efforts that only reach this goal with significant financial support from QBI are excluded. Proposers must define their concept's scale, quality, and configuration while justifying its computational value exceeding costs.
Responses to the solicitation are due by September 19, 2024.
