Scientifically relevant quantum computing RFI.docx

892431-26-RFI-0001 - QUANTUM SUPERCOMPUTER REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Request for Information (RFI) on Scientifically Relevant Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing Systems.

THIS REQUEST IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY for conducting market research and does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a solicitation. Responses are voluntary. We will use the responses to inform strategic planning, program design, and future funding mechanisms.

AGENCY: Office of Science, Department of Energy RFI Number: 892431-26-RFI-0001 Issue Date: May 12, 2026 Response Due: June 9, 2026 Introduction The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) has a long history of deploying leading-edge computing capabilities for science and national security. DOE is interested in integrating fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) into the U.S. and national laboratory scientific computing infrastructure. DOE envisions quantum computing as an important tool that will enable scientific discovery. This request for information (RFI) is to provide DOE with information on:

· The viability of achieving identified technical targets for an FTQC by 2028.

· An overview of a technical approach that is capable of achieving those targets.

· The specific scientific applications such a system would enable and how they relate to the DOE mission.

· Other factors that DOE should consider if a solicitation for such a system were to be developed.

· What, if any, non-recurring engineering (NRE) activities could accelerate delivery and enable them to be more capable, perform higher, have lower total ownership cost, and be more productive.

DOE seeks input from respondents that may be interested in contributing hardware and/or software to this effort, if a future solicitation occurs. DOE encourages respondents to use external expertise in their responses to complement their core capabilities. Your written response should include your answers to the questions along with any other information you think will help us structure this potential solicitation.

Requested Information Responses should address the six areas specified below. If a topic does not apply to your organization or proposed approach, briefly explain why.

DOE target capabilities DOE believes the deployment and demonstration of a scientifically relevant FTQC may be possible by 2028 that provides at least:

· 150-250 logical qubits

· A computationally universal instruction set

· The ability to accurately execute quantum circuits containing at least 105 hard operations (e.g., T or Toffoli gates) and a logical error rate of 10-8 per quantum operation.

Your response to this question should describe:

· Your view on the feasibility of this goal. If this goal is infeasible, your recommendation on achievable, but still ambitious, goals for this timeframe

· How you expect your architecture to achieve or approach these targets

· Any alternative or additional metrics that describe your architecture to indicate its capabilities

· How progress, milestones, and achievement of this capability should be tracked and evaluated.

The hardware and software solution Provide a high-level description of your contributions to the proposed system, including the following elements, as applicable:

· Notional system architecture sketch including characteristics of the quantum register (e.g., physical qubits)

· Logical architecture for fault-tolerant computation, including quantum error correction, logical gate set, and planned scheme for universal gates

· Software environment, including development, compilation, execution, and system management components

· Packaging, including site requirements, consumables, power, cooling, floor space, and weight (if you have a site preparation guide, please include it)

· How the proposed solution fits into your long-term roadmap.

DOE scientific needs Discuss how the proposed system will demonstrate a scientific computing capability within the 2028 timeframe, along with how it will scale to provide high scientific value to DOE by the early-to-mid 2030s:

· Comment on the accuracy of these resource estimates for high-impact scientific quantum computing in the 2028 timeframe.

· Comment on how using current Federal initiatives—along with partnerships with the national laboratories, industrial, and academic complex—could accelerate and impact efforts.

· Identify specific, high-impact scientific problems or demonstrations the proposed quantum computing system is uniquely positioned to address, potentially in concert with High-Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

· Provide resource requirements for these applications to the capability of the solutions proposed in the hardware and software section above.

· Propose examples of intermediate milestones that could benchmark progress toward the demonstration.

· Ensure the problems are more specific than a broad application to a scientific domain.

· Describe other scientific domains (if any) impacting DOE’s mission where your implementation of scientifically relevant quantum computing will provide value.

· Current estimates suggest future general DOE science campaigns must execute quantum circuits involving O(109) hard gates on 1000+ logical qubits to achieve broad impact on scientific domains, including chemistry, materials, plasma physics, and high energy physics. Comment on:

· These resource estimates

· High-impact problems your system expects to solve by early-to-mid 2030s

· Your ultimate timeline to scale up to these systems.

· Describe any ways the proposed solution is uniquely suited, optimized, or codesigned for DOE’s science mission, as opposed to generic quantum computation.

Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) considerations NRE activities are work packages uniquely required for delivering a particular system or version of technology. So, NRE costs are one-time expenses required to design, develop, and test a new product or process before it goes into production. Once completed, that work does not have to be repeated and the outcomes typically apply to subsequent uses of the system. This method is a way to support activities that may not already be on a vendor’s plan of record.

Specific areas of NRE investment include activities leading to:

· Accelerated delivery schedule

· Reduced system costs

· Increased resilience and fault tolerance

· Improved programmability

· Any other innovations that improve time-to-solution or total cost of ownership

Describe the potential impact of NRE funding on the proposed system:

· What are the primary areas where you feel NRE funding is needed?

· How would NRE funding alter the system that might otherwise be bid (compressed schedule, improved technology, reduced cost, etc.)?

· How would the NRE work complement your related R&D funding (internal and external)?

· How does NRE funding impact cost? For example, would it provide higher capability at the same cost or a reduced cost for the same capability?

Subsequent Systems and Innovations Describe how the proposed system concept is expected to advance beyond 2028 to the early-to-mid 2030s timeframe, including, as appropriate:

· Qubit technology and logical architectures

· Fault tolerance and quantum error correction techniques

· Infrastructure, packaging, ease of system management, or system-level integration

· Other innovations relevant to improving capability or usability.

Cost and pricing Provide cost estimates for the proposed system that would address the previously described technical specifications and, if applicable, unit costs for smaller, fully functional quantum computing modules that may be offered. Include any other cost considerations such as cost drivers, hardware, software, licenses, support cost, and customizations. This information will be used for internal budgeting purposes only and does not constitute a commitment from either DOE or your organizations.

Partnership Structure Describe how DOE can most effectively structure partnerships and provide incentives to achieve quantum computing platforms with the targeted specifications. In your response, consider:

· Prize challenges or other transaction authorities (OTA) under 42 U.S.C. §7256(a) and (g)

· Intellectual property rights, e.g., invention and data, for the government, national laboratories, and partners and developers that would best promote and enable innovation

· Any potential barriers to innovation in the standard DOE data rights in Rights in Data—Programs Covered Under Special Protected Data Statutes in Appendix A to Subpart D of Part 910 and standard patent rights in 37 C.F.R. § 401.14 for DOE to address using OTA flexibilities including at 2 C.F.R. Part 930

Confidential Business Information Any person submitting information that he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via email two well-marked copies: one copy of the document marked “confidential” that includes all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked “non-confidential” that does not include any information believed to be confidential (10 C.F.R. § 1004.11).

If you don’t follow these marking requirements, unmarked information could be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act or otherwise. The U.S. Government is not liable for disclosure or use of unmarked information and may use or disclose such information for any purpose. If your response contains confidential, proprietary, or privileged information, you must include a cover sheet marked with the following Notice of Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data identifying the specific pages containing confidential, proprietary, or privileged information:

Notice of Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data Pages [list applicable pages] of this response may contain confidential, proprietary, or privileged information that is exempt from public disclosure. Such information shall be used or disclosed by the Government and its contractors (including DOE’s contractor operated laboratories) only for the purposes described in RFI 892431-26-RFI-0001. The Government may use or disclose any information that is not appropriately marked or otherwise restricted, regardless of source.

In addition:

· The header and footer of every page that contains confidential, proprietary, or privileged information must be marked: Contains Confidential, Proprietary, or Privileged Information Exempt from Public Disclosure

· Every line and paragraph containing proprietary, privileged, or trade secret information must be clearly marked with [[double brackets]] or highlighting.

DOE may make available for public inspection all other comments, in their entirety, submitted by organizations and businesses (except as provided above for proprietary information) or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or businesses.

Submission Instructions Responses should not exceed 20 pages, including attachments and cover letters. Please also include the organization’s name and point of contact. Your response can include an (optional) appendix providing feedback or changes to specific terms and conditions or DOE policy. The appendix does not count toward your page count limit.

Submit your response electronically to QCInput@science.doe.gov and include “Scientifically Relevant FTQC Systems” in the subject line of the email.

Further Information You can send questions about this RFI to the DOE Office of Science Quantum Computing Team at QCInput@science.doe.gov.