Quantum Capacity Boost: AFRL Funds MSU with $31.5M for Regional Equity and Innovation Hub

Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, was awarded a $31,518,010 cost-type contract for Expand Q-CORE. This contract provides for expanding the capabilities of applied quantum capacity, operational resilience, and regional equity test-bed facility to include heterogeneous entanglement capabilities, to further foster a collaborative industry-facing workforce development program, including a hands-on training facility, exploring fidelity definitions and processes, benchmarking in partnership with the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, and establishing an accelerator to facilitate regional economic development with industrial partners. Work will be performed in Bozeman, Montana, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,752,203 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-25-C-B027).