Solicitation
QBI Topic Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)
Dept of Defense · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) · Sol. DARPA-PA-26-02-01
Due in 81 days
Track this notice by email. We'll email you if it's amended or awarded, and a week and two days before responses are due.
AI summary Beta
DARPA is looking for outside teams, labs and experts to independently verify and validate (IV&V) progress by companies trying to build useful, fault-tolerant quantum computers under its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. Selected teams get a research Other Transaction (OT) agreement, not a standard contract. Assume a 12-month effort. A short abstract is due first (October 23, 2026), and only invited teams submit a full proposal (December 30, 2026).
Watch out for
- Future DARPA work may be off limits. Doing this IV&V work may make your company ineligible for research work on future DARPA programs, which matters if DARPA is a key customer.
IV&V performance under this effort may render offerors ineligible for research performance
- Highly technical quantum computing scope. DARPA wants proven expertise in quantum information science, large-scale facilities and hardware testing, so this is a poor fit without that depth or a strong team.
DARPA is particularly interested in teams with experience planning and red-teaming the design,
- Publication restrictions. The awardee will likely need DARPA permission before publishing anything about the work, which affects universities and research-driven firms.
Therefore, the Government anticipates restrictions on the resultant
- Unlimited data rights expected. DARPA expects all data generated to be delivered with Unlimited Rights, and you must justify in detail any lesser rights you want to claim.
all data generated under a resultant IV&V effort would be delivered with Unlimited Rights.
- Conflict-of-interest limits. DARPA may require a conflict-of-interest mitigation plan and may require you to declare your QBI role when bidding on other government quantum computing work.
DARPA may require offerors to submit an OCI mitigation plan if the
- No profit or fee on resource-shared awards. DARPA encourages resource sharing (your own cash or in-kind contributions), and a resource-shared research OT pays no profit or fee.
will not include payment of profit or fee to the performer.
- Old attachment shows outdated dates. The original DARPA-PA-26-02-01.pdf lists abstracts due September 1, 2026 and proposals October 15, 2026, but Amendment 01 extends them. Use the amended dates.
Abstract Responses Due: October 23, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)
Read from the notice and 3 attachments.
- DARPA-PA-26-02-01-Amendment-01.pdf
- DARPA-PA-26-02-01.pdf
- Attachment_A_QBIT_IV_V_Abstract_Instructions_and_Template.docx
Full brief
What they want
- Independent verification and validation of quantum computer builders' progress across the whole quantum computing stack
- Test and evaluation tools, concepts and skilled teams to add to DARPA's own QBI Test & Evaluation team
- Facilities that can host and test quantum computing devices (computing, space, power, cooling)
- Expertise in systems engineering, high-performance computing, quantum information science, applications and hardware testing
- Experience planning and red-teaming first-of-their-kind, large-scale technical systems
- Reproducing results and defending findings without delaying the quantum builders' existing R&D
- Contract type
- Other Transaction (OT) for Research, awarded through a Quantum Benchmarking Initiative topic (abstract, then invited full proposal)
- Period of performance
- Assume 12 months for abstract purposes
- Contract vehicle
- DARPA Program Announcement DARPA-PA-26-02 (QBI 2026), topic DARPA-PA-26-02-01
- How they'll choose
- Abstracts are judged on one criterion, value added to the existing QBI IV&V effort. Full proposals are judged on three criteria in descending order of importance.
- Offers due
- Abstracts: October 23, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Full proposals (invited teams only): December 30, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- How to submit
- DARPA's Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT). Questions go to QBIT_IVandV@darpa.mil
- Page limits
- Abstract: 5 pages, with cover sheet, table of contents and bibliography not counted
What they'll judge offers on
- Technical Feasibility and Execution
- Scientific Validation and Evidence
- Budget and Price
What to include when you submit
- An abstract is required before a full proposal. DARPA aims to reply within 30 calendar days with an invitation or feedback.
- Use the mandatory abstract template (Attachment A) in PDF or Word, 8.5 x 11 inch pages, 1-inch margins, 12-point font.
- Abstract sections: Technical Areas of Expertise, Facilities and Equipment, Personnel, Estimated Budget (with a high-level schedule), Bibliography (up to 2 pages, no links).
- Cover sheet needs the CAGE code, UEI, technical and administrative points of contact, organization type, funds requested and any cost share.
- Mark proprietary information. Abstracts should be Unclassified or CUI level.
- Full proposal templates and a model OT agreement are sent only to invited teams.
- DARPA invites a call or email to QBIT_IVandV@darpa.mil before submitting an abstract to check fit.
You must have
- CMMC Level 1 (Self): a valid, unexpired Final Level 1 CMMC status recorded in SPRS for the CAGE code on the proposal, plus a current annual affirmation by an authorized Affirming Official
The required CMMC level for this solicitation is Level 1 (Self).
- Prime contractor must be able to handle and protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) per DoD Instruction 5200.48 and NIST SP 800-171
the expectation that the Prime contractor will be capable of handling and protecting CUI.
- For-profit and nonprofit organizations, universities and (with conditions) non-U.S. organizations may respond. FFRDCs, UARCs and government entities should not propose directly.
Eligible to respond to this announcement in any capacity:
- Active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity ID and CAGE code (the cover sheet asks for both, and the notice warns registration can take up to a month)
Not in the notice text
- Total funding available and how many awards DARPA expects to make
- Where the work will be performed
- The model OT agreement terms, which are only sent to invited full-proposal teams
- Full proposal template and detailed instructions, sent only with an invitation
- The Program Announcement DARPA-PA-26-02 (QBI 2026) is referenced for background but was not included
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Key facts
- Response due
- Dec 30, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Aug 28, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- DARPA-PA-26-02-01
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Office
- Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy
- NAICS
- 541715
- Product/service code
- AC12
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research
- Contracting contact
- QBI PA CoordinatorQBIT_IVandV@darpa.mil
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
What similar contracts paid
227 contracts at this agency for the same NAICS and product/service codes had activity in the last 5 years, according to USAspending.gov. Small businesses won 15% of the dollars in this market over the last 3 fiscal years.
Typical contract$4MMiddle half: $2.5M to $5.8M
Typical per year$1.5MValue divided by years of performance
Before you respond
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is issuing a Quantum Benchmarking Initiative topic (QBIT) inviting submissions of innovative infrastructure, equipment, and expertise available to provide independent verification and validation (IV&V) support for DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), described in the QBI 2026 Program Announcement (PA), DARPA-PA-26-02. All proposals in response to the technical area(s) described herein will be submitted to DARPA-PA-26-02-01 and, if selected, will result in an award of an Other Transaction (OT) for Research project. To view the original DARPA Program Announcement for QBI 2026, visit SAM.gov under solicitation number DARPA-PA-26-02: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/c26b38bf041a4d70b00ed619bebb4773/view
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