logo-icon-img
Ctrl+K

Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) 2026 Announcement

Closed — responses were due 14 Nov 2026 · Unrestricted (full and open) · Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), DoD · NAICS 541715 · Solicitation DARPA-PA-26-02

FedSift has already read this solicitation package. See what is being bought, the deal-breakers and the key risks — each quoted from the document it came from.

See the AI read

A newer version of this notice has been posted. SAM.gov republished solicitation DARPA-PA-26-02 on 29 July 2026. This page is kept because it is a real record, but the current requirement, dates and attachments are on the latest version. Read the latest version →

What happened next

This solicitation has closed — responses were due 14 November 2026.

SAM.gov re-posted this solicitation and it is open again until 30 December 2026. Read the open version →

Email me when the award is announced. One email, when SAM.gov posts the award notice. Not every award is posted there; if none appears within six months we'll tell you and stop. No account needed.

Solicitation details

Solicitation numberDARPA-PA-26-02
Notice IDc26b38bf041a4d70b00ed619bebb4773
AgencyDepartment of Defense (DoD)
Sub-agencyDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Contracting officeDEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY
NAICS code541715 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (Except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
Product / service code (PSC)AC12
Set-asideUnrestricted (full and open)
Notice typeSolicitation
Posted14 November 2025
Response deadline14 November 2026 (closed)
CompetitionCompetitive

AI read of this solicitation

FedSift read the solicitation and pulled out what decides a bid, quoting the document wherever it makes a claim. Analysed 22 October 2026.

What is being bought

Innovative approaches for designing, engineering, testing, and evaluating utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers for the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI).

  • Researching and describing utility-scale quantum computer (USQC) concepts
  • Developing R&D plans with risk mitigation and prototypes for USQC
  • Providing government tools for USQC verification and validation
  • Augmenting QBI V&V team with quantum testing and evaluation tools

Competition

Full and open competition — no set-aside restrictions; any responsible offeror may bid.

Deal-breakers

  • Proposals submitted directly to this Program Announcement will not be considered.
    “Proposals submitted directly to this PA will not be considered.” — SAM.gov description
  • Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and maintain active registration.
    “Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://sam.gov/ at time of proposal submission and must maintain an active registration” — p. 7

Key risk

  • Organizational conflicts of interest (OCI) policy prohibits concurrent provision of Scientific Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA/A&AS) and technical performer services.
    “DARPA has an organizational conflict of interest (OCI) policy that prohibits contractors/performers from concurrently providing Scientific Engineering Technical Assistance” — p. 6
With a free account:
  • A compliance matrix built from the package — every requirement with the page it came from, exportable to Excel
  • 4 more deal-breakers
  • 5 more key risks
  • How it will be evaluated — 3 factors
  • The strategic read: is this worth pursuing, and how to win it
  • Your fit score and a prime-or-sub recommendation for your company
  • All 2 documents in the package, downloadable as one ZIP
See the full analysis — freeNo credit card.

Get new NAICS 541715 solicitations by email

This one has closed. We'll email you when new NAICS 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (Except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)) solicitations post — the first email lists what is open right now, then at most once a week, only when something new posts. No account needed; unsubscribe in a click.

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.

Version history

SAM.gov has posted 2 notices under solicitation DARPA-PA-26-02, oldest first.

Documents in the solicitation package

2 files are attached to this notice.

  • DARPA-PA-26-02.pdf
  • QBI_CUI_Guide.pdf

Download all 2 files as one ZIPFree account, no credit card.

Reading them for requirements? FedSift turns the package into a compliance matrix — every requirement with the page it came from, exportable to Excel.

Or download them one at a time from SAM.gov.

Go deeper on this solicitation

FedSift reads the full solicitation package — every attachment — and pre-extracts the compliance matrix, evaluation factors, key risks, win themes and deal-breakers, each with a verbatim quote and the exact PDF page it came from. It scores the opportunity against your company profile, tells you whether to bid as prime or sub, and ranks teaming partners who could close your gaps.

Open the AI analysis in FedSift →

Free forever plan — no credit card. Browse solicitations without an account; sign in for AI analysis and matching.

Market context: DoD and NAICS 541715

About the buyer and the industry, not this specific solicitation. Source: USASpending.gov award data, updated nightly.

  • In fiscal year 2026, DoD obligated $10.1B across 5,114 contract actions under NAICS 541715.
  • 4,054 contracts worth $40.5B in this category end within the next 18 months.

DoD contracts under NAICS 541715 →

Other open solicitations in NAICS 541715

All NAICS 541715 solicitations →

More from Department of Defense

All DoD solicitations →

Source: this notice on SAM.gov. FedSift republishes public federal procurement data and is not affiliated with the U.S. Government. Always confirm dates and requirements against SAM.gov before responding.

FedSift turns SAM.gov and USASpending data into federal BD intelligence — smart matches, recompete radar, cited AI solicitation analysis and compliance matrices.

Source data: SAM.gov (solicitations) and USASpending.gov (awards), refreshed nightly. FedSift is not affiliated with the U.S. Government.

Pricing · Privacy · Terms · support@fedsift.app

FedSift dashboard