As part of its Quantum Computing Access at NERSC (QCAN) programme, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) is seeking project proposals to conduct research using IBM’s superconducting quantum processors available through the IBM Quantum Innovation Center (QIC).
Selected project teams will receive quantum processing unit (QPU) resources and technical support over a six-month period to carry out their research. Depending on resource availability and satisfactory performance, that period may be extended.
This is an open call. Proposals from all areas of quantum information science are welcome. Applicants do not have to be current NERSC users.
Requirements
To be successful, a project’s scope must be clearly defined and align with the DOE mission.
The proposal should articulate clear, specific, and measurable objectives, make appropriate resource commitments, designate and maintain a point of contact, and staff the team from a single organization.
Additionally, it should include a complete implementation of the (initial) quantum circuits to be executed and provide an accounting of the respective quantum resources required. Numerical simulations of the proposed quantum circuits (or smaller versions) are strongly encouraged.
The principal investigator’s (PI’s) institution must sign an institutional user agreement with NERSC (if one does not yet exist), as well as an IBM Member agreement with IBM. Additionally, the PI and any others working under the PI on the project must agree to the NERSC Quantum Acknowledgement agreement, NERSC appropriate use policies, and the IBM Quantum End User Agreement (as part of IBM account creation). All project users must also comply with US export control requirements.
Selection criteria
Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Relevance to research areas supported by the DOE Office of Science.
- Technical feasibility.
- Application readiness for quantum hardware runs.
- Potential for scientific impact and/or advancements in quantum information science (QIS), including quantum integration with high performance computing (HPC) systems.
- Team commitment.
- Clarity in scope, timeline, objectives, and track record of previous engagements.
Awards
Successful applicants will receive access to IBM QPUs through IBM’s premium plan, as well as technical support from IBM and NERSC experts. Allocations for QPU access are determined by QCAN program managers depending on availability and are subject to change during the performance period.
The initial award is for up to six months, with the possibility of renewal, and typically includes up to 60 minutes per 28-day window (the approximate conversion factor is 30k shots/min for a heavy-hex chip and 10 times slower for a grid chip).
Export control requirements
Project users are required to comply with all applicable U.S. export control laws and regulations. The use of NERSC and Berkeley Lab resources to store, manipulate, or remotely access information, software, or data that may affect the legal or security status of NERSC or Berkeley Lab or that requires additional controls must have prior written approval from Berkeley Lab and IBM. Approval may be withheld at the sole discretion of each party.
Such materials include, but are not limited to, export-controlled software or technical data, e.g., under EAR (Export Administration Regulations) or ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), personally identifiable or health information (including data covered by HIPAA, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act), and information subject to “Official Use Only” or similar governmental restrictions.
How and when to apply
Online applications are currently being accepted and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Submissions made by March 20, 2026, will be given full consideration.
