§8854 Department of Energy Quantum User Expansion for Science and Technology program

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must set up and run the "Quantum User Expansion for Science and Technology" (QUEST) program to help U.S. researchers use American quantum computers and quantum cloud services. The program’s goals are to strengthen U.S. quantum research, train the future workforce, speed up U.S. quantum capabilities, and support related domestic supply chains, manufacturing, and simulations. The Secretary must work with the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science of the National Science and Technology Council, and the Chair of the Subcommittee on the Economic and Security Implications of Quantum Science. The program must give U.S.-based researchers access to quantum resources through a competitive, merit-reviewed process, consider applications from national labs, multi-institution teams, colleges, industry, and other suitable groups, work with private-sector and agency partners on program design and management, and, where possible, balance use of commercial prototypes and federal research prototypes. The Secretary must use expertise across the Department of Energy and from agencies and partners such as NIST, NSF, NASA, other federal agencies, the National Laboratories, industry, universities, and the National Quantum Information Science Research Centers. The Secretary must also make sure appropriate security controls are in place, in consultation with the NSF and NIST directors. The law authorizes these amounts for the Office of Science to run the program: $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; $31,500,000 for fiscal year 2024; $33,075,000 for fiscal year 2025; $34,728,750 for fiscal year 2026; and $36,465,188 for fiscal year 2027.