Request for Information, Quantum Solutions

Background
The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) - Office of the Principal Director of Quantum Science is investigating near-term applications on quantum computing.

The Washington Headquarters Services Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) aims to identify technologies specifically geared toward defense applications utilizing quantum computing or quantum-hybrid capabilities. This initiative is crucial for maintaining national security and involves collaboration with Military Services, Combatant Commands, industry, and academia to address key national security challenges.

Work Details
The goal of this Request for Information (RFI) is to identify near-term U.S. Industry quantum computing-based applications that can provide differentiating capabilities relevant to the Department of Defense (DoD).

Potential defense application areas include:
- Quantum machine learning
- Materials design
- Quantum chemistry simulation
- Simulation of physical systems
- Solving optimization problems.

The OUSD(R&E) seeks information on how quantum and quantum-hybrid applications can solve computational problems facing the Department within a 5-year timeframe, test the functionality of quantum computers, scale from small to larger problems, and facilitate cooperative evaluations between DoD-funded research institutions and commercial entities.

Place of Performance
The geographic location for performance is not explicitly stated but is implied to be within the United States.