Mary-Louise Hoffman
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity has issued a broad agency announcement to acquire ideas for the development of quantum annealing methods to solve complex optimization problems in enterprise operation.
IARPA said Feb. 25 it aims to create application-specific quantum annealers that the agency believes can help address operational efficiency and risk issues of an organization.
The agency seeks industry partners to design and demonstrate annealing testbeds that will comprise superconducting qubits, architectures and operating processes under the  Quantum Enhanced Optimization initiative.
Capabilities of interest listed in the BAA include advanced quantum fluctuations and annealing protocols, spin connectivity, quantum error mitigation and electronic calibration and control signals.
Phase one of the QEO project will have 12 base months and two 12-month options and will be followed by a potential 24-month second phase of the program.
Responses are due April 13.
