Selecting Entity: Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance (MPQA), operating under the brand PhotonIQ.

Purpose

PhotonIQ, operating under MPQA and supported by the US EDA Tech Hubs Program, is soliciting proposals to develop multiple market-ready photonic products. These projects will use PhotonIQ’s internal capabilities and external partner network across photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design, test, packaging, system validation, and field testing.

This solicitation is focused on the commercialization and market deployment of products incorporating PIC technologies (TRL 4+ or equivalent) with a high Total Addressable Market (TAM), rather than early-stage product development or fundamental and/or applied research. Awarded projects will serve as public examples demonstrating regional capability and supporting long-term growth.

Additional information on PhotonIQ is available at https://photon-iq.ai.

Download RFP: PhotonIQ_RFP_Phase1

Program Overview

Submission Process:
This RFP uses a two-stage submission process. For Stage 1, applicants must submit a one-page, non-confidential Concept Paper that details the proposed project and its market potential. Selected applicants will receive an invitation from MPQA to submit a Full Proposal under separately-issued Full Proposal Instructions. Only invited applicants may submit a Full Proposal. An invitation is not an award.

Eligibility:
Open to all entities capable of executing a development project alongside PhotonIQ’s partner network. Applicants must not be debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from US federal financial assistance.

Award Structure:
Awards are made in the form of in-kind development services and/or goods provided from PhotonIQ and/or their partner network, such as PICs and packaging. No cash funds are disbursed to awardees for self-directed expenses, whether internal or external. Typical award value is $200,000–$300,000 in-kind valuation.

Successful proposals are expected to include an applicant cost share of at least 10%. Acceptable cost share forms include applicant cash contribution, applicant in-kind contribution, such as engineering labor or facilities, or third-party contributions. All cost shares must be documented and verifiable consistent with 2 CFR Part 200 standards.

Period of Performance:
All awarded projects are expected to be complete by October 31, 2027.

Areas of Interest

Proposals must align with the following:

• Infrastructure Validation: PIC design, component and/or system, PIC test, wafer, die, module, PIC packaging, and system validation.
• Industry Sectors: Remote Sensing, Defense, Quantum Technologies, Space Instrumentation, Precision Agriculture, and Life Sciences.

Concept Paper Submission Requirements

Each Concept Paper must be submitted as a single PDF, one page maximum, 8.5″ x 11″, minimum 11pt font, and include the following:

• Applicant name, organization, and primary contact, including name, title, email, and phone.
• Project title.
• Project narrative describing the product being commercialized and the problem being solved. Market potential, including target market and estimated TAM.
• Description of project needs. A detailed budget incorporating PhotonIQ costs will be developed in the Full Proposal stage.
• Signed cover letter from an authorized representative. This does not count toward the page limit.

Note: Attachments and/or supplementary materials will not be reviewed at the Concept Paper stage and should not be submitted. Detailed content will be requested in the Full Proposal Instructions issued to invited applicants.

Schedule & Selection

Key Dates:

• RFP Issued: June 1, 2026
• Questions Period Closes: June 15, 2026
• Q&A Posted Publicly: June 19, 2026
• First-Round Concept Papers Due: June 30, 2026
• Full Proposal Invitations Issued: Starting July 8, 2026, on a rolling basis

Selection Process:
Every Concept Paper will be evaluated by MPQA for completeness, eligibility, and alignment with PhotonIQ capabilities. Selected applicants will receive an invitation to submit a Full Proposal. We anticipate approximately 10 applicants to proceed to a Full Proposal. MPQA expects to issue at least three awards under this RFP.

Awardee Obligations

Upon receiving an award, recipients agree to the following terms:

• Grant PhotonIQ and MPQA a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to publicly reference the project for marketing, regional economic development, and federal reporting purposes, including project name, summary, partner involvement, and high-level outcomes.
• Provide written feedback on the partner network experience at project close to inform ecosystem development.
• Negotiate intellectual property terms in the award agreement. PhotonIQ will not claim ownership of awardee foreground IP. Background IP, license-back rights, and any rights in jointly developed IP will be negotiated case by case.
• Comply with all applicable federal requirements.

Point of Contact & Questions

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to proposals@photon-iq.ai. To ensure equal access to information, questions and answers will be posted publicly at https://photon-iq.ai. Verbal questions and answers will not be considered binding.

Reservations & Legal Disclaimers

MPQA reserves the right to accept, reject, or request modification of any proposal; negotiate terms with any applicant; issue no awards if no proposals meet program requirements; cancel or amend this RFP at any time; and request additional information from any applicant during review. Submission of a Concept Paper does not obligate MPQA to invite a Full Proposal or to make an award, and does not obligate MPQA to reimburse proposal preparation costs.

Applicants must disclose any actual, apparent, or potential conflicts of interest with MPQA, PhotonIQ, or PhotonIQ partner organizations, if known, at the time of Phase 1 submission. This disclosure does not count toward the one-page limit. Proposal materials marked as confidential by the applicant will be handled accordingly to the extent permitted by federal and state law, including freedom-of-information statutes.

Key Definitions

• PIC: Photonic Integrated Circuit.
• TAM: Total Addressable Market.
• TRL: Technology Readiness Level.
• In-Kind Award: Services or goods delivered by PhotonIQ partners on behalf of the awardee, valued at fair market rates, in lieu of cash disbursement.

v1.0 (2026-06-01)

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