Solicitation
Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 Announcement
Dept of Defense · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) · Sol. DARPA-PA-26-02
Due in 85 days
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DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 announcement seeks revolutionary approaches to building a utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer. This notice is an umbrella program announcement: proposals can only be sent in response to specific QBIT topic calls, not to this announcement itself.
Watch out for
- Cannot propose directly. You must wait for or find a specific QBIT call; a proposal to this announcement alone will be rejected.
Proposals submitted directly to this PA will not be considered.
- Highly advanced research focus. The work targets utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computing, which requires deep specialized expertise.
Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.
Read from the notice text only.
Full brief
What they want
- Innovative research toward a utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer
- Computational workflows that include quantum compute steps
- Revolutionary advances in design, engineering, test and evaluation of such systems
- Responses to specific QBIT (QBI topic) calls, which give details and due dates
- Contract vehicle
- DARPA Program Announcement DARPA-PA-26-02 (QBI 2026); work is defined in separate QBIT calls
- Offers due
- 2026-12-30T23:59:00 as listed in SAM.gov fields; each QBIT call sets its own proposal due date
What to include when you submit
- Submit only in response to a QBIT call; proposals sent directly to this announcement will not be considered
- Each QBIT provides its own proposal and submission instructions and due date
Not in the notice text
- Evaluation criteria
- Award type, funding amounts and period of performance
- Eligibility rules, security requirements and submission method (given in the full announcement and each QBIT)
- Topic details and due dates of the QBIT calls
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Key facts
- Response due
- Dec 31, 2026, 4:59 AM UTC
- Posted
- Jul 29, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- DARPA-PA-26-02
- 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 CoordinatorQBI@darpa.mil
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) seeks innovative approaches to address challenges related to quantum computing. The Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) aims to examine approaches for constructing a utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer and computational workflows that include quantum compute steps. Proposed research should investigate approaches that enable revolutionary advances in design, engineering, test, and evaluation of such systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. To rapidly capitalize on new opportunities, DARPA announces the QBI 2026 opportunity, which seeks specific solutions to targeted challenges related to developing utility-scale quantum computers, as defined in specific QBI topic (QBIT) calls. Each QBIT will (1) outline specific details regarding the research topic of interest and (2) provide proposal and submission instructions, including the due date for proposal submission, in addition to those outlined in this PA. Proposals must only be submitted in response to a QBIT. Proposals submitted directly to this PA will not be considered.
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