The DOE Quantum Genesis Q Competition

Office of Science

Published: Sep 17, 2026

Updated: Sep 17, 2026

Source: grants_gov

About This Opportunity

This is a grants contract in the Research, energy and power, information and communication technology and construction and civil works sectors, with a focus on Buildings, Software, Hardware and Innovation. Located in United States, North America, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of USD 250,000 – USD 200.0 million. Proposals must be submitted before October 19, 2026.

Published through Grants.gov, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for grants in the Research sector. Grant applications generally require a detailed project proposal, a clear results framework, and evidence of the applicant's capacity to deliver the proposed activities. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.

Description

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the establishment of the Quantum Genesis initiative to develop and deploy the world’s first fault-tolerant, scientifically relevant quantum computing (SRQC) capability for research and development. The Department seeks to realize this bold ambition through the Quantum Genesis Q Competition (herein, the Q Competition), a first of its kind effort to accelerate the timeline for realizing this novel, transformative capability. The Quantum Genesis initiative will serve as a foundational pillar of the broader Genesis Mission, designed to usher in a new era of computational power for the nation and accelerate scientific discovery and innovation. The announcement of the Quantum Genesis initiative marks a significant step toward the Department’s goals outlined in President Trump’s Executive Order (EO), Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation and its Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) effort.[1] This request for applications (RFA) invites proposals from domestic commercial entities have a technically viable plan for the Quantum Genesis program and achieving the milestones of the Q Competition. The intent of the Q Competition is to accelerate the development timeline for SRQCs, align successful applicants with the needs of the Department and the scientific community, and to enable the necessary scaling of quantum hardware, software, and enabling technology while developing scientific workflows that ensure SRQCs contribute to national scientific and technological advancement. In addition to the goal of building the first-generation SRQC, these partners may also help to form the technical foundation for DOE’s continued efforts into the 2030s to deploy one or more next-generation SRQCs at National Laboratories. DOE envisions this competition as a first step toward scaling fault-tolerant quantum computers to scientific relevance alongside other ongoing and planned activities. DOE acknowledges that potential vendors may have timelines that do not coincide with this competition, even though they may have a viable path to future platforms of interest to the DOE. Failure to participate or complete the milestones does not disqualify an entity or vendor from future DOE collaborations or procurements. Agency: Michael S Zarkin Grants Management Specialist CFDA: 81.049 Applicant Types: Small businesses; For profit organizations other than small businesses Cost Sharing: No Contact: Michael S Zarkin Grants Management Specialist Email: qcompetition@doe.gov

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from Grants.gov and was originally published on September 17, 2026. Last refreshed today. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Office of Science

Office of Science has issued 3 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 2 currently open and 0 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Information & Communication Technology, Energy & Power, and Construction & Civil Works. All notices are published for United States. Notices are distributed via Grants.gov. Most recent publication: September 17, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

How can I submit a bid?

Visit Grants.gov to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions provided by the contracting authority.

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is October 19, 2026. You have 32 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Office of Science in United States. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Grants contract in the Research & Innovation sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is $250,000 - $200,000,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United States. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.