The DOE Quantum Genesis Q Competition

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. 

Informational Webinar

September 25, 2026, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, virtual. Attendance is optional and requires registration by 5 PM Eastern Time September 23, 2026. Register here.

Eligibility

Applications may only be submitted by for-profit domestic entities as defined herein.

• In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a recipient or subrecipient.

• A foreign entity may apply to this RFA, either as a recipient or subrecipient, but the application must be accompanied by an explicit written waiver.

• All capabilities must be built in the U.S. and all work under the award must be performed in the U.S., but the applicant may request a partial waiver of this requirement.