Quantum Computing for Highway Transportation

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Exploratory Advanced Research Program is seeking information regarding contractor capabilities in quantum computing research applications for highway transportation through this Sources Sought Notice (693JJ3-26-SS-0003). The government is soliciting capabilities statements from qualified sources to assess market availability and potential contractor capacity before issuing a formal solicitation. Key qualifications required include demonstrated expertise in identifying research questions impractical for classical computing, experience decomposing complex transportation models for hybrid quantum and classical computing environments, proven testing of quantum computing methodologies, data preparation and software workflow development, and the ability to communicate quantum computing benefits to domain experts. Interested contractors must submit a 10-page capabilities statement by January 16, 2026, to the specified email addresses (hcfa-31sri@dot.gov and jason.motala@dot.gov), which should include company details, GSA schedule information, business status, company profile, relevant prior experience, personnel resources, security clearance capability, and performance readiness. This notice targets NAICS code 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) with a small business size standard of up to 1,000 employees.

No specific set-aside designations have been applied to this procurement opportunity. The anticipated contract will be structured as a single award Firm-Fixed-Price arrangement with cost-reimbursable travel and research and development components, though no specific award value or budget range has been disclosed in this pre-solicitation notice. This Sources Sought Notice is explicitly not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations, and respondents should note that their submissions will not be compensated and this notice does not constitute a commitment to issue a formal solicitation or award a contract. The government is using this information-gathering phase to determine the competitive landscape and potential contractor capabilities before proceeding to a formal solicitation stage. The response deadline of January 16, 2026, allows potential contractors approximately three weeks to prepare and submit their capabilities statements.