DARPA is seeking innovative research for the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) to develop utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers and computational workflows, specifically excluding evolutionary improvements. The QBI 2026 opportunity aims to rapidly capitalize on new advances by targeting specific challenges defined in individual QBI topic (QBIT) calls. Each QBIT provides detailed research topics, proposal requirements, and submission instructions; proposals must be submitted in response to a QBIT and will not be accepted if sent directly to this announcement. No budget amounts or performance location are specified. The initiative focuses on revolutionary advances in design, engineering, test, and evaluation of such systems.

DARPA is seeking innovative research proposals for its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which aims to enable revolutionary advances in the design and evaluation of utility-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers. The opportunity, referred to as QBI 2026, targets specific challenges in developing these systems, excluding work that offers only evolutionary improvements. Proposals must be submitted in response to specific, forthcoming QBIT topic calls, which will provide detailed research outlines and instructions; submissions made directly to this program announcement will not be considered.