NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) | 24 586

NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) FAQs (NSF 24-586)

1) What is the NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) program trying to accomplish?

The NQVL is an NSF effort intended to speed up the United States transition from foundational quantum research to practical, usable quantum technology. The concept is to treat NQVL as shared national-scale infrastructure and an organizing framework that helps move quantum systems from isolated lab demonstrations into repeatable technology that real users in science, engineering, and industry can adopt.

2) How does NQVL relate to the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act?

NQVL sits under the broader National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in quantum information science and technology (QISE). The opportunity is positioned as part of that national strategy.

3) What does NSF mean by reducing the gap between "proved it works" and "people can use it"?

NSF is aiming to reduce the gap between foundational demonstrations (showing something works in principle) and technology that can be used reliably to do something valuable. In this program framing, that means maturing quantum systems into user-facing, repeatable platforms that can integrate into real workflows.

4) What kinds of project approaches does NSF emphasize for NQVL?

The solicitation emphasizes use-inspired and application-oriented development, including tighter cycles of research, development, and demonstration. A key expectation is that end-users and potential customers are involved early, not only after the platform is already built.

5) Why is early end-user involvement important in this solicitation?

The stated logic is that involving end-users (for example, chemists, materials scientists, device engineers, national labs, and industry teams) while platforms are still being refined leads to systems that are more relevant, easier to integrate into workflows, and less likely to stall due to mismatch with real-world needs.

6) Does NQVL focus only on technology development?

No. Alongside the technology push, the NQVL vision also emphasizes exploring "quantum frontiers" (advancing the science itself) while also building education, workforce development, and outreach efforts intended to broaden participation and lower barriers to entry across the QISE ecosystem.

7) What are the main components of the full NQVL program?

The full NQVL program is described as including multiple components: Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects, enabling-technology work through Transformative Advances in Quantum Systems (TAQS), and a central coordination hub.

8) What types of proposals are being accepted under this specific solicitation?

For this solicitation, NSF is only accepting proposals for Design-phase and Implementation-phase QSTD projects.

9) Are Pilot-phase QSTD proposals accepted under this call?

No. The information provided indicates that this call does not accept Pilot-phase proposals. It is set up as staged maturation (Pilot to Design to Implementation), and this solicitation is only for Design and Implementation within that pipeline.

10) Is this an open competition for brand-new quantum concepts or teams?

No. Based on the stated eligibility rules, this is not an open, standalone competition for brand-new concepts. It is a continuation and scale-up mechanism for efforts already in the QSTD pipeline and that have passed specific program review checkpoints.

11) What must be true for a team to submit a QSTD Design proposal?

A QSTD Design proposal can only be submitted if there is already an existing QSTD Pilot project in the same topical area and that Pilot has received a positive recommendation from a site visit panel review that occurs nine months into the Pilot.

12) What must be true for a team to submit a QSTD Implementation proposal?

A QSTD Implementation proposal can only be submitted if there is already an existing QSTD Design project in the same topical area and it has received a positive recommendation from the last annual site visit panel review of that Design project.

13) What do "formal reviews" and "positive recommendations" refer to in the pipeline?

Progression between phases is tied to program checkpoints. The Design eligibility depends on a site visit panel review at nine months into the Pilot, and the Implementation eligibility depends on the last annual site visit panel review of the Design project. A positive recommendation from these reviews is required to move forward.

14) Can the Lead Organization change when moving from Pilot to Design or Design to Implementation?

Yes. When transitioning from Pilot to Design or from Design to Implementation, the Lead Organization is allowed to change, as long as the team stays within any solicitation limits NSF sets on the number of proposals per organization and per PI or co-PI.

15) Can the Lead PI change between phases?

Yes. The Lead PI is allowed to change during transitions between phases, subject to the same constraint that the team must stay within any NSF limits on proposal submissions per PI or co-PI referenced in the solicitation.

16) Can teams consolidate or combine during transitions?

Yes. The solicitation indicates teams may consolidate during transitions, meaning multiple groups can combine into a more unified effort if that improves clarity of goals, management, and delivery.

17) Are there restrictions on what type of organization can be the Lead Organization for Design or Implementation proposals?

The provided information states there are no restrictions on the type of organization that can serve as the Lead Organization for Design or Implementation proposals. This is presented as consistent with broad community participation and strong industry engagement.

18) How important are partnerships in the NQVL concept?

Partnership expectations are described as a major part of the NQVL concept. NSF signals that success requires engagement across the full U.S. QISE community.

19) Are industry partners required or optional in this program framing?

The solicitation explicitly highlights industry partners as essential participants, not optional add-ons. This reflects the program goal of building practical, user-facing systems and shortening the path to adoption.

20) Does NSF encourage coordination with other federal agencies?

Yes. The solicitation encourages partnerships with other federal agencies operating under the NQI umbrella, reflecting a desire for coordinated national investment rather than fragmented projects.

21) Are workforce development and outreach expected as part of projects?

Yes. Beyond technology deliverables, projects are expected to contribute to QISE workforce and education strategies and to conduct outreach at multiple levels, aligning technical roadmaps with talent development and broader societal impact.

22) Is pre-submission communication with NSF required?

Yes. Prospective principal investigators must contact the NQVL Program Officer(s) as early as possible, and no later than two weeks before submitting, to confirm that the proposed focus and budget fit the solicitation.

23) What does the Cooperative Agreement funding instrument imply in this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, which is described in the provided information as usually implying substantial NSF involvement during execution, such as milestone-driven oversight, coordination expectations, and active program management.

24) What is the opportunity number for this solicitation?

The opportunity number is NSF 24-586.

25) Which agency is offering this opportunity?

The agency is the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

26) What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?

The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

27) What CFDA numbers are associated with this listing?

The CFDA numbers listed are 47.041, 47.049, 47.074, 47.076, and 47.084.

28) What is the closing date shown in the provided listing?

The original closing date shown is 2027-04-06.

29) Are the award ceiling and expected number of awards provided?

No. The award ceiling and the expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data.

30) If award sizes and counts are not specified, how is an applicant expected to clarify scope?

Based on the provided information, applicants would need to rely on the full solicitation text and discussions with program staff. The required pre-submission contact with the NQVL Program Officer(s) is also presented as a mechanism to confirm alignment and budget fit.

31) What is the simplest way to describe what this QSTD Design and Implementation call is for?

It is NSF's mechanism for scaling promising quantum technology demonstrations into robust, user-facing platforms, while using tight review gates to ensure technical readiness and program alignment.

32) What is meant by treating NQVL as "shared national-scale infrastructure"?

In the description provided, the NQVL is positioned as a shared infrastructure concept and organizing framework, aimed at enabling broader access and repeatable, adoptable systems rather than isolated one-off demonstrations confined to individual labs.