September 3, 2024
 

Participation Options: IN PERSON or WEBCAST

Registration is required for attendance.
Scroll down to find the "New Registration" button.

Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 27 at 11:59 PM ET

Registration will close on the above referenced date or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first.

Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI)
Program Overview

It has been credibly hypothesized—but not proven—that quantum computers will have a transformative impact on a variety of scientific and technical disciplines. DARPA is interested in innovative approaches to constructing a Utility-Scale Quantum Computer and applications that can run on those machines. Depending on the maturity of their approach and technology, QBI performers will focus on one or more of the following efforts:

  1. Developing and describing a Utility-Scale Quantum Computer concept that has a plausible path to realization in the near term,
  2. Developing and describing a robust research and development plan that reduces key risks that a Utility-Scale Quantum Computer can be constructed,
  3. Identifying and validating quantum computer applications and algorithms that provide demonstrated utility, and
  4. Working with the Government to verify and validate that the Utility-Scale Quantum Computer can be constructed as designed and operated as intended.

 To view the full Special Notice, click the button below.

Event Participation (In Person and Webcast)

Registration

There is no registration fee for the Proposers Day meeting or webcast. The registration deadline is Tuesday, August 27 at 11:59 PM ET or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Advance registration is required for both in person and webcast attendance. NOTE: All persons wishing to attend the webcast must register (whether viewing alone or as part of a group).

Eligibility

The Proposers Day is open only to registered potential proposers. The event is closed to the general public and media.

All registrants who are not U.S. citizens must complete and submit either a DARPA eForm 60 (U.S. Permanent Resident and Foreign National Visit Request – e.g., industry or academia) or an Official Foreign Visit Request (foreign government personnel, only) through the U.S. Embassy based in Washington, DC, no later than August 27, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. Form 60 submission instructions will be provided in the registration confirmation email. Contact your Embassy staff for assistance in submitting the Official Visit Request.

Upon entry to the physical meeting, all attendees must present valid, Government-issued photo identification.

Sidebars 

One‐on‐one breakout sessions with the QBI Program Manager, Dr. Joe Altepeter, and/or Deputy Program Manager, Dr. Micah Stoutimore, will be available during the Proposers Day
(in-person & virtual) and two subsequent days (virtual only). Advanced registration is required.

Sidebar sessions will be scheduled in 12‐minute intervals on three (3) different dates after the Proposers Day Meeting. Day one will be on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM ET and will be hosted directly after the Proposers Day in the ECC. This opportunity will include both in-person and virtual participation. Day two will be on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM ET. This opportunity will be virtual participation only. Day three will be on Friday, September 6, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET. This opportunity will be virtual participation only. To request a session, please indicate your discussion topic and participating attendees (no more than six) when registering.

Please note that all members participating in the sidebar sessions must be successfully registered in order to attend.  Requests submitted through registration do not guarantee selection for an individual session. All registered attendees chosen to participate in sidebar sessions will receive notification containing their selection, scheduled time and location, and detailed guidance on or before August 30, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.

Individuals/teams who registered for the Proposers Day may request a sidebar if they did not initially do so by emailing the webinar host directly. Individual meetings will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served, and PM-availability basis and limited to one meeting per institution.

Teaming

DARPA recognizes that there is an active worldwide quantum computing community, including not only teams that are targeting a large, commercial quantum computing system design, but also an ecosystem of software developers, environmental systems developers, and other critical enabling technology vendors. While not required for QBI, DARPA recognizes that collaboration across the community as appropriate may provide benefits to some approaches and some organizations. To facilitate the building of collaborations, Proposers Day registrants may choose to participate in the options below:

  1. Attendee List: Participant contact information (name, organization, email address) will be included on a QBI Proposers Day attendee list distributed to other prospective proposers. Registrants may indicate during registration whether they approve publication of their contact information.
  2. Proposer Profile List: Interested parties should submit a one-page profile consisting of their contact information (name, organization, email, telephone number, mailing address, and, if applicable, organization website), a brief unclassified description of their technical competencies, and, if applicable, the expertise desired from other teams/organizations. All profiles must be emailed to QBI@darpa.mil no later than August 30, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET. Following this deadline, the consolidated teaming profiles will be sent via email to the proposers who submitted a profile. Specific content, communications, networking, and team formation are the sole responsibility of the participants. Neither DARPA nor the DoD endorses the information and organizations contained in the consolidated teaming profile document, nor does DARPA or the DoD exercise any responsibility for improper dissemination of the teaming profiles.
  3. Requests Through Email: Prospective proposers can also request the attendee list and/or the prospective proposer profile list through email at QBI@darpa.mil. All email requests must be received by October 15, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET and follow the same security requirements as Proposers Day attendees (e.g., government photo ID and DARPA Form 60 or FVR requirements). It is incumbent on email requesters to ensure all provided information is accurate. DARPA will not provide access to secure data transfer capabilities (e.g., DoD SAFE), and DARPA reserves the right to deny requests stemming from its vetting of requesters’ security documentation.