Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§8852 National Quantum Information Science Research Centers

Title 15 › Chapter 114— NATIONAL QUANTUM INITIATIVE › Subchapter IV— DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY QUANTUM ACTIVITIES › § 8852

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must set up and run at least 2, but no more than 5, National Quantum Information Science Research Centers through the Office of Science. These Centers will do basic research to speed up discoveries in quantum information science and to support related work under section 8851. Centers are chosen through a competitive, merit-reviewed process. Eligible applicants include National Laboratories, colleges and universities, research centers, multi-institution teams, and other entities the Secretary allows. Teams that win awards can include different research organizations and private companies. The Centers should, as much as possible, meet the needs of the Department of Energy, industry, and academia to advance basic quantum research and U.S. competitiveness. The Secretary must coordinate the Centers’ work and avoid duplicating efforts with other DOE research programs (for example, Nanoscale Science Research Centers, Energy Frontier Research Centers, Energy Innovation Hubs, and the National Laboratories), colleges, and industry. Each Center gets up to 5 years of funding and can reapply for more 5-year periods through another competitive review. The Secretary may end a Center early for poor performance. The Department may provide up to $25,000,000 per Center for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, if money is appropriated.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §8852

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of Energy, acting through the Director of the Office of Science (referred to in this section as the “Director”), shall ensure that the Office of Science carries out a program, in consultation with other Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, to establish and operate at least 2, but not more than 5, National Quantum Information Science Research Centers (referred to in this section as “Centers”) to conduct basic research to accelerate scientific breakthroughs in quantum information science and technology and to support research conducted under section 8851 of this title.

(2)(A)The Centers shall be established through a competitive, merit-reviewed process.

(B)An eligible applicant under this subsection shall submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director determines to be appropriate.

(C)The Director shall consider applications from National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, research centers, multi-institutional collaborations, and any other entity that the Secretary of Energy determines to be appropriate.

(b)A collaboration that receives an award under this section may include multiple types of research institutions and private sector entities.

(c)To the maximum extent practicable, the Centers developed, constructed, operated, or maintained under this section shall serve the needs of the Department of Energy, industry, the academic community, and other relevant entities to create and develop processes for the purpose of advancing basic research in quantum information science and improving the competitiveness of the United States.

(d)The Secretary of Energy shall ensure the coordination, and avoid unnecessary duplication, of the activities of each Center with the activities of—

(1)other research entities of the Department of Energy, including—

(A)the Nanoscale Science Research Centers;

(B)the Energy Frontier Research Centers;

(C)the Energy Innovation Hubs; and

(D)the National Laboratories;

(2)institutions of higher education; and

(3)industry.

(e)(1)Each Center established under this section is authorized to carry out activities for a period of 5 years.

(2)An awardee may reapply for additional, subsequent periods of 5 years. The Director shall approve or disapprove of each reapplication on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.

(3)Consistent with the authorities of the Department of Energy, the Secretary of Energy may terminate an underperforming Center for cause during the performance period.

(f)The Secretary of Energy shall allocate up to $25,000,000 for each Center established under this section for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, subject to the availability of appropriations. Amounts made available to carry out this section shall be derived from amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Energy.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 8852

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60