Computing_Partnerships_RFI.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Request for Information (RFI) on A New Era of Partnership: Advancing America's Computing Capabilities

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-0002 Issue Date: 27 July 2026 Response Due: 08 September 2026

Introduction

America’s enduring leadership in science, technology, and national security critically depends on sustained innovation in computing technologies—high-performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing. The Genesis Mission, launched by the President’s Executive Order,1 is a massive effort to harness these capabilities to revolutionize science innovation in this Nation, effectively doubling the productivity and impact of American science and engineering in a decade. These advances will lead to new industries and highly skilled jobs and will solve some of our Nation’s most pressing challenges in energy, security, and scientific discovery.

The landscape of computing technology is evolving at an unprecedented rate.

To maintain and advance American’s leadership, American industry must play a central role in the Genesis Mission. This role involves integrating world-leading commercial expertise and capabilities with those of the Nation’s National Laboratories and universities. The Department of Energy (DOE) has a long and storied history of successful partnerships with the private sector, dating back to the Manhattan Project.

More recently, public-private partnerships have catalyzed innovations ranging from high-performance computing to beamlines at world-leading x-ray light sources and specialized detectors for telescopes.

New models of collaboration must be formulated that are as agile and innovative as the technologies we seek to advance. These new collaborations cannot simply be a means of procuring hardware—they must be founded on establishing a highly synergistic relationship in which DOE, the National Laboratories, and private sector partners work together to advance our shared interests in technological frontiers.

1 Executive Order 14363, Launching the Genesis Mission, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/28/2025-21665/launching-the-genesis-mission https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/28/2025-21665/launching-the-genesis-mission https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/28/2025-21665/launching-the-genesis-mission

In October 2025, DOE announced two public-private partnerships.2 The partnership of NVIDIA and Oracle with Argonne National Laboratory plans to build two new AI supercomputers, Equinox and Solstice. Additionally, the partnership of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise with Oak Ridge National Laboratory will deliver the new AI supercomputer Lux. These partnerships have the potential to co-create our future computing platforms to yield benefits to DOE and industry, and most importantly, to the scientific community and the Nation.

Through public-private partnerships with industry on a large or small scale, DOE will provide a sound investment for the American taxpayer. Benefits will extend far beyond DOE, empowering the academic community and the business sector with access to capabilities that would not otherwise exist. However, we recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work, and each future partnership may have a different structure, tailored to the unique goals of the partners and the nature of the technology.

DOE seeks input from respondents with innovative ideas for public-private computing partnerships that can advance our national interests, economic security, and national security. Respondents may also suggest criteria for evaluating proposed partnerships. Together, we can build the future of computing and ensure the United States remains at the forefront of scientific and technological discovery.

Requested Information

Responses should address any or all the areas specified below.

Proposed Partnership Describe one or more proposed partnership including:

• Who the partners may be and what each will contribute

• How the partnership will be financed, capitalized, and financially sustained

• What the business model for the partnership may be, including assumptions about how DOE and other U.S. Government agencies will serve as customers and how in-kind contributions will be valued

• What resources and capabilities will the partnership make available to DOE and what resources are needed from DOE to reach the goals of the partnership

• What will the partnership add to our national capabilities

• What the timeline for the partnership is projected to be, especially major milestones and decision points

• What the largest technical and non-technical (e.g., policy, regulatory) risks or barriers are to timely success

2 https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-new-partnership-nvidia-and-oracle-build-largest-doe-ai https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-new-partnership-nvidia-and-oracle-build-largest-doe-ai https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-new-partnership-nvidia-and-oracle-build-largest-doe-ai

Partnership Structure Describe how DOE can most effectively structure mutually beneficial partnerships.

In your response, consider:

• How responsibilities for financing, risk mitigation and management, infrastructure support, regulatory compliance, security, business development, and other factors are satisfied and split between DOE and the private sector partners

• How to balance the value to DOE and the taxpayer versus the value to the private-sector partners

• How to balance the risks and opportunity costs to DOE and the taxpayer versus the risks and opportunity costs to the private-sector partners

Evaluation Criteria DOE is considering the criteria listed below as part of the evaluation of proposed partnerships. Are these criteria sufficient? Should DOE consider other criteria?

• Deployment speed

• Scale of the resources provided

• Ability to accelerate innovation and facilitate partnership formation

• Coupling to existing DOE resources

• Flexibility to provide DOE with more capabilities over time

• Alignment with the DOE mission to accelerate DOE research priorities

• Ability to address national priorities and enhance national competitiveness

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 do not 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-0002.

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 five pages, including attachments and cover letters.

Please also include the organization’s name and point of contact.

Submit your response electronically to ComputingPartnerships@science.doe.gov and include “Computing Partnerships” in the subject line of the email.

Further Information

You can send questions about this RFI to the DOE Office of Science at ComputingPartnerships@science.doe.gov.

mailto:ComputingPartnerships@science.doe.gov mailto:ComputingPartnerships@science.doe.gov