Department of Energy SC High Energy Physics: Quantum Information Science Enabled Discovery (QuantISED) Grant

DOE National Laboratories may not submit applications as prime applicants under this FOA, but they may submit proposals under its companion Program Announcement to the DOE National Laboratories (LAB 19-2077) at https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov.

Applicants that are not domestic organizations should be advised that:
• Applicants who are individuals are unlikely to possess the skills, abilities, and resources to successfully accomplish the objectives of this FOA. Individual applicants are encouraged to address this concern in their applications and to demonstrate how they will accomplish the objectives of this FOA.
• Non-domestic applicants are advised that successful applications from non-domestic applicants include a detailed demonstration of how the applicant possesses skills, resources, and abilities that do not exist among potential domestic applicants.

DOE cannot support an applicant’s commercial activity through its financial assistance research programs. Applications from for-profit organizations that propose a scientific scope of work directly related to current business activity or a scientific scope considered to be commercial activity will be declined. Applications containing a scientific scope of work that is or has been supported by or proposed to a Federal Small Business Innovative Research or Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR / STTR) program are considered to be commercial activity and may be declined without merit review. All for-profit applicants must include a description, not to exceed 200 words, of how their proposed work will advance scientific understanding of a basic and fundamental nature as an appendix to the research narrative.

The DOE SC program in High Energy Physics (HEP) hereby announces its interest in receiving interdisciplinary applications for Pioneering Pilots proposing open scientific research on Quantum Information Science (QIS) Enabled Discovery (QuantISED) to understand how the universe works at its most fundamental level [1].

The QIS thrust within HEP has been developed over the last few years [2-4] and is aligned with a broader SC initiative in QIS and coordinated with various national and interagency programs [5] in QIS, including quantum computing and QIS technology. Transcending the traditional frontiers and thrusts of the HEP program, the QIS thrust exploits the interdisciplinary nature of QIS and associated partnerships for exploratory, early stage research for high impact discovery along HEP science drivers, foundational QIS, and the national QIS enterprise. Such research is intended to create a public benefit by increasing human understanding of the physical universe.

Submitted applications must follow ALL the guidelines and criteria provided in the supplementary information below and the following sections. Letters of Intent (LOIs) must be submitted according to the guidelines in the following sections. Applications that have not been encouraged after LOI submission may be declined without merit review.