Grants / Department of Energy / Office of Science

DE-FOA-0003265: Accelerated Research in Quantum Computing

Closed Closed May 8, 2024 Opportunity DE-FOA-0003265 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Genesis Mission Graduate Fellowship Pilot (DE-FOA-0003673). Status: Closes January 12, 2027 (66 days left). It is in our archive of Office of Science notices from 2024.

• Award ceiling$15.0 million
• Award floor$1.3 million
• Total funding$45.0 million
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

All types of domestic applicants are eligible to apply, except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.Federally affiliated entities must adhere to the eligibility standards below:III.A.1. DOE/NNSA National LaboratoriesDOE/NNSA National Laboratories are eligible to submit applications (either as a lead organization or as a team member in a multi-institutional team) under this FOA but may not be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a lead applicant or as a team member, funding will be provided through the DOE Field-Work Proposal System and work will be conducted under the laboratory’s contract with DOE. No administrative provisions of this FOA will apply to the laboratory or any laboratory subcontractor. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section VIII of this FOA.III.A.2. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCsNon-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to submit applications under this FOA but are not eligible to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. Instead, they must submit their own application as a team member in a multi-institutional team. If recommended for funding, either as the sole applicant or in a multi-institutional team, funding may be provided through an interagency agreement to the FFRDC’s sponsoring Federal Agency. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section VIII of this FOA.III.A.3. Other Federal AgenciesOther Federal Agencies are eligible to submit applications under this FOA but are not eligible to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. Instead, they must submit their own application as a team member in a multi-institutional team. If recommended for funding, either as the sole applicant or in a multi-institutional team, funding will be provided through an interagency agreement. Additional instructions for providing statutory authorization are found in Section VIII of this FOA.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Office of Science Financial Assistance Program awards averaged $1.2 million; this notice allows up to $15.0 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

Quantum information science [https://quantum.gov] has emerged as a promising area for the development of disruptive computing technologies. Since 2015, ASCR has organized several workshops that have indicated the potential of quantum computing for scientific applications [2 -5] and has supported basic research to improve all layers of the quantum software stack including algorithms, programming languages, error mitigation, and compilers. The progress has been remarkable, however, practical applications of quantum computing that improve time-to-solution, or power-to-solution, or accuracy of the results with respect to the best classical system have not yet been deployed. The 2023 Basic Research Needs Workshop in Quantum Computing and Networking [6] identified several priority research directions (PRDs); this FOA targets end-to-end software toolchains to program and control quantum systems and networks at scale (PRD1), quantum algorithms delivering quantum advantage (PRD2), and resilience through error detection, prevention, protection, mitigation, and correction (PRD4). These are key components for the development of a software ecosystem that must be ready to account for modularity and interoperability on one side, and for specialization and performance on another. Research proposed in response to this FOA must primarily focus on addressing one of the two topics described below: Topic 1 – ­Modular Software Stack: The diversity of quantum computing architectures and hardware technologies is expected to persist into the foreseeable future; this is an important consideration that guides the advancement of computer science sought in this topic. The development of an integrated computational ecosystem requires a general-purpose quantum software stack that is adaptable to, and takes advantage of, multiple kinds of quantum hardware. We seek basic research in computer science and applied mathematics that: · Addresses practical and fundamental bottlenecks that hinder modularity and potential synergy among selected hardware technologies; · Pursues general approaches to integration that may remain relevant for future technologies; · Devises ways to embed quantum processors in parallel and distributed computing models; and · Integrates error management across the software stack.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, DE-FOA-0003673, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.