Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 Announcement
Solicitation from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (darpa). Due Dec 30, 2026, 73 days left.
| Solicitation number | DARPA-PA-26-02 |
|---|---|
| Agency | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (darpa) |
| Office | Def Advanced Research Projects Agcy |
| Notice type | Solicitation |
| Set-aside | None |
| Trade (NAICS) | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715) |
| Product or service code | AC12 |
| Posted | Jul 29, 2026 |
| Response deadline | Dec 30, 2026 (73 days left) |
Official notice and attachments
Description
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.
About the buyer
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded $1.2 billion in contracts in the last 12 months; its biggest suppliers were Lockheed Martin Corporation, Securigence LLC and The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC. See what DARPA is buying now.