Heterogeneous Architectures For Quantum

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, operating under the U.S. Department of Defense, has released a solicitation titled Program Solicitation: Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ). DARPA is widely recognized as the Department of Defense’s central research and development agency, tasked with exploring advanced scientific and engineering concepts to maintain national security advantages. Its role is to fund high-risk, high-reward research initiatives that can drive transformative breakthroughs in areas where conventional approaches are insufficient. This solicitation continues that tradition by seeking proposals aimed at creating novel quantum computing architectures that move beyond incremental advances. The HARQ program is designed to accelerate innovation at the intersection of quantum hardware and software. The objective is to foster the development of heterogeneous quantum computing systems that integrate multiple architectural approaches in ways that yield significant performance improvements over current methods. Proposals should address a wide range of technical areas critical to the realization of scalable quantum systems. These areas include quantum interconnects, distributed algorithms, quantum circuit compilers, resource estimation, quantum memories and repeater devices, quantum frequency converters, and transducers bridging microwave and optical domains. The program emphasizes transformative ideas over incremental enhancements, meaning proposals that result in small, evolutionary improvements will not be considered responsive. The solicitation outlines that DARPA is seeking groundbreaking theories, devices, and system-level concepts. The focus is on building interoperable quantum computing frameworks capable of addressing scientific and defense-related challenges that cannot be effectively tackled by classical computing alone. The scope of acceptable spending is therefore limited to research and development activities directly tied to the program’s aims, with no provision for routine infrastructure support or non-research expenditures. Eligibility to apply is consistent with DARPA’s typical solicitation processes. The opportunity is open to a broad range of organizations including higher education institutions, for-profit entities, small businesses, nonprofits, and government research centers. While the notice does not specify restrictions to particular states or regions, eligibility is understood to be nationwide given DARPA’s mandate to fund projects of federal interest. Foreign participants may also be involved as sub-awardees or team members subject to compliance with applicable regulations, though such details would require confirmation in the attached proposal instructions. Applications must be submitted electronically by October 14, 2025, at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Proposals will be evaluated on technical merit, innovativeness, feasibility, and potential impact relative to program goals. The solicitation became active on September 10, 2025, and will remain open until the close date. No pre-application steps such as letters of intent or concept papers are specified in the notice. The program is active now, and the closing date aligns with DARPA’s policy of maintaining sufficient lead time for evaluation and award determinations. While future cycles of this program are possible, the current solicitation does not explicitly confirm recurrence. For further information, applicants may contact the program solicitation coordinator at harq@darpa.mil. The contracting office is located at 675 North Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia, 22203. Supporting materials, including proposal instructions, templates, and question-and-answer documents, are available through the attachments listed on SAM.gov. These documents provide additional detail on required proposal structure, submission requirements, and compliance obligations. Interested parties are encouraged to review all attachments to ensure full compliance with DARPA’s submission guidelines.

The program explicitly excludes projects that aim for incremental improvements over existing technologies, emphasizing the need for groundbreaking research.