2026-0136 BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services (NS) - MON 12 Oct

PART I - BIDDING INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 Bidding Options

A single company may bid for this Statement of Work by proposing a personnel to deliver the scope of works outlined in Section 3 and who meets the required qualifications outlined in Section 8 (Qualifications). The Contractor shall provide one (1) qualified Engineering Support personnel profile to deliver the services described in this Statement of Work. Such profile must meet all mandatory technical, professional, and soft skill requirements. The profile shall ensure continuous service delivery, technical consistency, and the ability to support the production, testing, and validation of technical documentation and Service Instructions for the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services across NATO Nations, in accordance with interoperability requirements, relevant STANAGs, and the target architecture defined in BRE1TA.

All work shall be performed as service-based deliverables, with measurable outputs and documented technical artefacts produced under NCIA's supervision and in close coordination with the relevant NATO stakeholders.

1.2 Technical Proposal

Bidders shall include in the Technical Proposal:

The CV of the proposed candidate, clearly indicating relevant experience that demonstrates compliance with the required qualifications (Section 8).

A compliance matrix for the proposed profile, demonstrating how the proposed candidate meets all required qualifications (Section 8), supported by evidence from their professional experience.

As part of the technical evaluation, the proposed candidate shall be interviewed prior to contract award to verify the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and technical competencies against the requirements specified in the Statement of Work.

The interview may be conducted either virtually or in person, as agreed between the Purchaser and the Contractor. Where the interview is conducted in person in Belgium, all travel and related expenses incurred by the candidate shall be borne solely by the Contractor.

The interview shall be conducted by an interview Board appointed by the Purchaser which shall consist of at least two (2) qualified evaluators. Members of the Interview Board shall declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest before participating in the evaluation.

During the interview, the proposed candidate shall be required to respond verbally, in English to questions relating to the technical and managerial aspects of the duties and responsibilities described in the SOW. Follow-up questions may be asked for clarifications but shall not materially alter the scope of the assessment.

The Interview Board shall individually assess whether the proposed candidate demonstrates the qualifications, experience, and competencies required to perform the services. Individual assessments shall be consolidated into a consensus evaluation in accordance with the Purchaser’s evaluation procedures and shall be on the basis of compliant / non-compliant.

If the Purchaser determines, based on the interview, that the proposed candidate does not satisfactorily meet the requirements of the SOW, the associated bid may be determined to be technically non-compliant and may be excluded from further consideration.

1.3 Price Basis

Bidders shall provide a monthly fee for the services required during the Base Period (Year 1). All prices shall be quoted in EUR. The monthly fee shall be all-inclusive, incorporating all costs necessary for the delivery of the services, including any travel costs as described in Section 3.

Deliverable: Monthly Fee – Provision of BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services. Unit Price in EUR (Bidder Provided): [Bidder to complete]. Quantity for Evaluation: 1.

1.4 Technical compliance

Each bid will be assessed for technical compliance on a per‑profile basis. A bid is considered technically compliant only if the proposed candidate passes the compliance assessment. If the proposed profile is assessed as non‑compliant, the bid will be deemed technically non‑compliant and will not proceed to price evaluation.

Deadline Date: Monday 12 October 2026

Requirement: BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services

Location: Offsite and laboratorial work on NATO sites with the policy and under agreement with NCIA. The Purchaser reserves the right to modify the required on-site and remote work ratio during contract execution, based on operational or business requirements.

Period of Performance: Base Period: Commencing as soon as possible, but no later than 1st November 2026, until 31st December 2026.

Year 1: A period of twelve (12) months immediately following the completion of Base Period and continues until 31 December 2027.

Year 2: A period of twelve (12) months immediately following the completion of Year 1 and continues until 31 December 2028.

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

PART II - STATEMENT OF WORK

1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

This statement of work (SoW) describes the work to be contracted for Subject Matter Expert (SME) support on the development of joining instructions for the national BLOS APs delivering IP over HF based services to NATO.

The NATO Integrated Mission Services Centre (NIMSC) is responsible for the coordination, planning, and delivery of engineering and operational support capabilities across Mobile CIS Infrastructure, including BRASS services. To ensure the successful implementation, interoperability, and harmonized delivery of BRASS Enhancement 1 services across NATO Nations, including the deployment of national Beyond Line-of-Sight Access Points (BLOS APs), NIMSC requires specialized Engineering Support Services aligned with NATO governance, interoperability requirements, relevant STANAGs, and operational priorities.

Through this Statement of Work (SoW), the NIMSC seeks industry support to deliver Engineering Support Services. The Contractor, through the selected personnel, will provide dedicated engineering support for the preparation, testing, validation, and maintenance of technical documentation and service instructions required for the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services. The support shall ensure alignment with operational requirements, interoperability standards, relevant STANAGs, and NATO policies, while ensuring that BRASS Enhancement 1 services are implemented consistently across Nations, minimizing interoperability risks and supporting harmonized service delivery. Where required, the support shall also include engineering activities related to interoperability assessments and the integration of national solutions to facilitate seamless service delivery across NATO.

The NCIA has been acting as a focal entity for the technical co-ordination to ensure a coherent realization of the Wireless implementations of the CP 9A0101 life-cycle, taking the assigned responsibilities of coordinating the efforts of the various Territorial Host Nations (HNs). Those include consultancy, management and engineering activities in direct support to Strategic Commands (SCs) and the 18 Territorial Host Nations (HNs); as well as, the development of specific tasks considered foundational for a harmonized, integrated, interoperable and security accredited implementation of the capabilities included in the CP 9A0101 activities.

The implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 and deployment of national BLOS APs will require a deep understanding about NATO HF based service delivery management and its different interdependencies, both to NATO and National infrastructure. In addition to the challenges associated with the deployment of BRASS IP Enhanced System (BRIPES), there will be more demanding ventures related with the integration of non-BRIPES solutions, which require skilled and unbiased consultation and support from NCI Agency to ensure ultimate harmonized and seamless service delivery to MARCOM.

As the service management sophistication and complexity is increasing, with BRASS Enhancements, SCs and MARCOM shall rely on the NCI Agency to support service delivery advice and interoperability related support to harmonize potential inconsistencies and non-conformities on national BLOS APs.

Within this context, Wireless Implementation Management Authority (Wi IMA) requires external engineering support to undertake a set of activities encompassing the configuration, testing, and optimization of the full BRIPES protocol stack under a variety of use cases, together with the development of supporting documentation for Service and Procedural Instructions to ensure consistent and interoperable service delivery.

In addition, given that some Nations may implement solutions other than BRIPES, the required support shall also encompass interoperability testing and integration-related investigations to assess and facilitate coexistence with such alternative solutions.

2. INTENDED BUSINESS OUTCOME

The intended business outcome of this Statement of Work is to ensure the effective delivery of Engineering Support Services, through specialized engineering support, technical documentation, testing and validation activities, and the production of Service Instructions supporting the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services.

Specifically, the main objectives are:

- Ensure the successful preparation of technical documentation containing the required full protocol stack parameters and configurations for the implementation of the services described in BRE1TA (BRASS Enhancement 1 Target Architecture).
- Support the testing and validation of the proposed configurations using NCIA reference systems and laboratory equipment to address STANAG 5066 interoperability challenges, other BRIPES-related standards and vendor implementation specificities.
- Enable harmonized implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services across NATO Nations through the production of Service Instructions for BRIPES and non-BRIPES user Nations, in line with the requirements for inclusion in ACP 176 NS1.
- Support interoperability and operational effectiveness by providing engineering analysis, technical recommendations, and validated implementation guidance that minimizes interoperability risks and ensures consistent service delivery across Nations.
- Strengthen governance and compliance by ensuring that all engineering activities, technical deliverables, and Service Instructions are developed in accordance with NCIA processes, NATO standards, relevant STANAGs, and applicable governance frameworks.

The successful delivery will result in validated technical documentation, tested service configurations, and comprehensive Service Instructions supporting the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services, ensuring interoperability, harmonized service delivery, and alignment with Alliance operational requirements.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The scope covers BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services, including the preparation of technical documentation, engineering analysis, testing and validation of service configurations, interoperability assessments, and the development of Service Instructions supporting the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services across NATO Nations.

The Contractor shall deliver the services in a structured and proactive manner, ensuring alignment with operational priorities, interoperability requirements, relevant NATO standards, and NCIA governance processes. The services shall be delivered through the assignment of one (1) qualified personnel as set out in Section 8.

The assigned personnel shall perform the activities defined herein and contribute to the achievement of the agreed objectives, technical deliverables, and performance targets. The Contractor shall ensure that the assigned personnel:

- Possesses the required qualifications and experience;
- Performs the tasks in accordance with NCIA processes and procedures;
- Maintains continuity and quality of service delivery.

3.1 Engineering Support Services

The Contractor shall provide BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services contributing to the preparation, testing, validation, and harmonized implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services across NATO Nations.

This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Technical documentation development

- Characterization of BLOS AP use cases, in accordance to the BRIPES service delivery concept, and definition of configuration baselines;
- Prepare and maintain technical documentation containing the STANAG 5066 complete protocol stack parameters and configuration required for the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services;
- Interoperability analysis on different implementations of STANAGs, namely STANAG 4538 and 5066, and documentation of discrepancies found in the configuration of different Editions of those STANAGs.
- Optimization of configuration baselines based on identified performance criteria;
- Ensure technical documentation is complete, consistent, traceable, and aligned with applicable NATO standards and NCIA engineering practices;
- Identify configuration dependencies resulting from different STANAG editions, vendor implementation specificities, and national implementation approaches;
- Maintain version control and configuration management of all engineering documentation and technical artefacts.

Testing and validation activities

- Setup of a testing environment for verification and validation of configuration baselines, including modems back-to-back, usage of HF channel simulators and over-the-air transmission;
- Analysis on interoperability and interfacing challenges between STANAG 5066 and interfacing modules part of the IP over HF architecture. This includes troubleshooting of identified standard interface issues and conformance testing.
- Develop testing approaches and validation plans supporting the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services;
- Participation, as requested, in experimentation and demonstration activities in events held within NATO countries. Configure and validate service parameters using NCIA reference systems and laboratory equipment, simulated HF environments, and, where required, over-the-air testing capabilities;
- Support the establishment and maintenance of representative testing environments for the verification and validation of BRASS Enhancement 1 service configurations;
- Perform technical testing and interoperability validation of service configurations prior to publication of implementation guidance;
- Analyse test results, identify interoperability issues, configuration inconsistencies, and implementation risks;
- Recommend corrective actions and optimized service configurations where required;
- Document testing activities, validation results, engineering findings, and recommendations.

Service Instructions development

- Development of Service Instructions for BRIPES, including full protocol stack for the different information services, i.e. formal messaging (ACP 127 and STANAG 4406 Annex E), e-mail, chat and web services;
- Ensure Service Instructions are aligned with the technical documentation, validated configurations, and applicable NATO standards;
- Maintain consistency between Service Instructions, technical documentation, and approved implementation baselines;
- Update Service Instructions following validation activities, stakeholder feedback, or changes to technical requirements.

Engineering analysis and technical support

- Perform engineering assessments of proposed service configurations and implementation approaches;
- Analyse interoperability impacts associated with differing STANAG 5066 editions, vendor-specific implementations, and national deployment environments;
- Analyse interoperability and interface challenges affecting the BRIPES architecture and provide recommendations to resolve identified issues;
- Provide engineering recommendations supporting harmonized implementation across NATO Nations;
- Support technical coordination with NCIA stakeholders and other NATO organizations involved in BRASS Enhancement 1 implementation;
- Contribute engineering expertise to implementation planning, technical reviews, and working groups as required.

Stakeholder coordination and reporting

- Liaise with NCIA technical authorities and relevant NATO stakeholders, providing engineering inputs and consolidated technical documentation;
- Prepare technical reports, engineering analyses, implementation guidance, and briefing material;
- Participate in technical meetings, workshops, validation activities, and engineering reviews, technical demonstrations, and experimentation activities as required;
- Report progress, technical risks, issues, and recommendations in accordance with NCIA governance processes.

3.2 Engineering Support Services Deliverables

The Contractor shall produce and maintain the following deliverables as part of the BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services:

- Report on the characterization of BLOS AP use cases, in accordance with the BRIPES service delivery concept, and definition of configuration baselines.
- Support in experimentation and demonstration activities in events held in NATO countries, through the setup and operation of systems, coordination of test events with other participants, reporting of test results in the appropriate platforms and presentation of test results in meetings.
- Technical Documentation for BRASS Enhancement 1 services, including the required full protocol stack parameters and configurations for the implementation of the services described in BRE1TA (BRASS Enhancement 1 Target Architecture) – Draft and final versions (templates will be provided by the Purchaser, where applicable).
- Service Instructions for the defined use cases, in accordance to the BRIPES service delivery concept;
- Report on interoperability analysis and interfacing challenges between STANAG 5066 and interfacing modules part of the IP over HF architecture;
- Report on interoperability analysis on different implementations of STANAGs, namely STANAG 4538 and 5066, including analysis on discrepancies found in the configuration of different Editions of those STANAGs.
- Joining instructions for the national BLOS APs delivering IP over HF based services to NATO, including recommended verification testing.
- Configuration baseline documentation, test plans, validation reports, engineering analyses, interoperability assessment reports, and technical recommendations documenting the testing and validation of service configurations using NCIA reference systems and laboratory equipment.
- Reports documenting configuration optimization activities, interoperability analyses, interface assessments, and engineering findings related to BRASS Enhancement 1 service implementation.
- Technical briefings, reports, presentations, and meeting minutes supporting engineering activities, stakeholder coordination, technical discussions, experimentation activities, and interoperability assessments.
- Updates to the technical documentation, Service Instructions, and validation artefacts identified above, incorporating engineering findings, stakeholder reviews, validation results, approved changes, and configuration baseline updates.

All deliverables shall be produced in accordance with NCIA requirements and shall be subject to review and acceptance as part of the service performance validation process.

3.3 Engineering Support Services Delivery Model

The BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services shall be delivered using an Agile, sprint-based approach. Each sprint shall produce defined service deliverables that contribute to the intended business outcomes of the contract.

Prior to the commencement of each sprint, NCIA shall determine the sprint priorities, define the required sprint deliverables and establish the corresponding acceptance criteria. The Contractor shall be responsible for planning, managing and executing the activities necessary to deliver the required outputs in accordance with the priorities and acceptance criteria established by NCIA.

3.3.1 Sprint Planning

The objective of the Sprint Planning phase is to enable NCIA to establish the priorities, sprint objectives, required deliverables and acceptance criteria for the upcoming sprint, and to allow the Contractor to develop the Sprint Plan describing how the required outputs will be delivered.

The Contractor shall participate in a monthly Sprint Planning meeting convened by NCIA to:

- Receive the sprint objectives, priorities, required deliverables, acceptance criteria, quality standards and target delivery dates established by NCIA.
- Present the proposed implementation approach, planned engineering activities, sequencing, milestones, dependencies, identified risks and mitigation measures.
- Discuss technical dependencies, assumptions and constraints that may affect successful delivery.
- Review and prioritize the engineering service backlog maintained by NCIA, including engineering activities, technical improvements, defects and outstanding actions.
- Review the completion status of the previous sprint, validate completed deliverables against the agreed acceptance criteria, and record the sprint performance results.

Based on the sprint objectives, deliverables and acceptance criteria established by NCIA, the Contractor shall develop the Sprint Plan. The Sprint Plan shall describe the implementation approach, planned activities, milestones, dependencies, identified risks and target delivery dates for the sprint. NCIA shall review the Sprint Plan to verify that it adequately addresses the required sprint deliverables and acceptance criteria. Where necessary, NCIA may request revisions to the Sprint Plan prior to the commencement of Sprint Execution. Such review shall not relieve the Contractor of its responsibility for the adequacy of the Sprint Plan or for the successful delivery of the agreed sprint outputs.

The Sprint Plan, together with the sprint objectives, deliverables and acceptance criteria, shall be documented in the Sprint Planning Meeting Minutes.

3.3.2 Sprint Execution

The objective of the Sprint Execution phase is to deliver the sprint outputs defined by NCIA in accordance with the Sprint Plan, while maintaining the required quality standards and providing NCIA with visibility of progress, risks and issues throughout the sprint.

During each sprint, the Contractor shall:

- Deliver the agreed sprint scope in accordance with the Sprint Plan.
- Participate in weekly progress meetings to provide updates on delivery progress, discuss risks, dependencies, issues and proposed mitigation actions.
- Monitor progress against the agreed sprint objectives and provide regular status updates on completed work, remaining activities, risks and issues.
- Apply appropriate quality assurance processes to ensure that all sprint deliverables comply with the acceptance criteria prior to submission.

3.3.3 Sprint Review and Acceptance

The objective of the Sprint Review and Acceptance phase is to enable NCIA to assess the completed sprint deliverables against the predefined acceptance criteria, determine whether the contractual outputs have been satisfactorily delivered, evaluate delivery performance and establish the priorities for subsequent sprints.

At the conclusion of each sprint, NCIA shall conduct a Sprint Review meeting with the Contractor to:

- Review and demonstrate the completed sprint deliverables.
- Assess the deliverables against the acceptance criteria established by NCIA.
- Review achievement of the sprint objectives.
- Review technical findings, lessons learned and opportunities for engineering improvement.
- Determine follow-on engineering activities, technical improvements and backlog priorities for future sprints.

The Contractor shall submit the completed sprint deliverables together with supporting evidence demonstrating compliance with the applicable acceptance criteria. Where one or more sprint deliverables do not meet the applicable acceptance criteria, NCIA shall identify the deficiencies requiring correction. The Contractor shall correct and resubmit the affected deliverable(s) within the timeframe specified by NCIA. Acceptance of the affected deliverable(s) shall be confirmed following satisfactory correction and resubmission.

Sprint deliverables shall be considered complete only when satisfying the acceptance criteria established by NCIA and have been formally accepted by NCIA. Formal acceptance confirms satisfactory completion of the agreed sprint deliverables. Acceptance shall be based solely on compliance with the defined acceptance criteria and shall not be based on the level of effort expended by the Contractor.

Acceptance of sprint deliverables shall not, by itself, constitute entitlement to payment. Payment shall be determined in accordance with the Contractor's achievement of the contractual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and any applicable Service Credits defined in Section 4.

3.4 Continuous Service Improvement

The Contractor shall:

- Identify opportunities for engineering optimization, interoperability enhancement, and improvements to the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services.
- Propose and track corrective and preventive technical actions arising from engineering analyses, testing, validation activities, and stakeholder feedback.
- Monitor technical trends, recurring interoperability issues, implementation challenges, and stakeholder feedback to support the continuous improvement of BRASS Enhancement 1 technical documentation, service configurations, and Service Instructions.
- All improvement actions shall be documented, reviewed during technical and governance meetings and tracked to completion.

3.5 Services Reporting

The Contractor shall establish, maintain, and operate a structured reporting framework to ensure full visibility of BRASS Enhancement 1 Engineering Support Services, technical documentation development, testing and validation progress, Service Instructions development, and compliance with the requirements of this Statement of Work (SoW).

3.5.1 Sprint Performance Report

The Contractor shall submit a Sprint Performance Report at the conclusion of each sprint. The report shall include, as a minimum:

- Summary of the sprint objectives and agreed deliverables.
- Status of each sprint deliverable, including evidence of completion.
- Progress against planned milestones.
- Summary of engineering activities performed during the sprint.
- Status of testing, validation and interoperability activities.
- Status of technical documentation, Service Instructions and configuration management activities.
- Technical risks, issues, dependencies and mitigation actions.
- Summary of continuous improvement activities and corrective actions.
- Outstanding actions proposed for inclusion in the subsequent sprint.

The Sprint Performance Report shall provide the supporting evidence required by NCIA to assess the completed sprint deliverables against the acceptance criteria.

3.5.2 Service Performance Report

The Contractor shall submit a monthly Service Performance Report providing NCIA with the information necessary to assess the overall delivery of the Engineering Support Services, contractual performance and payment.

The Service Performance Report shall include, as a minimum:

a. Executive Summary

- Summary of the Engineering Support Services delivered during the reporting period.
- Summary of sprint objectives and overall delivery status.
- High-level overview of completed sprint deliverables.
- Key technical achievements and significant milestones.
- Summary of major risks, issues and mitigation actions.
- Summary of significant engineering improvements and decisions.
- Overall assessment of service delivery during the reporting period.

b. Service Performance

- Measurement results for each contractual KPI.
- Supporting evidence for the reported KPI results.
- Identification and analysis of any KPI breaches.
- Status of agreed improvement actions.
- Calculation of any applicable Service Credits.

The Service Performance Report shall provide a management-level summary of the Sprint Performance Report and shall form the basis for the contractual performance assessment and payment determination.

3.5.3 Reporting Obligations

The Contractor shall ensure that all reports are completed and submitted no later than the fifth (5th) working day following the end of the respective reporting period, unless otherwise agreed.

All reports shall be:

- Accurate, complete, and aligned with data recorded in NCIA-approved systems and engineering repositories;
- Suitable for performance validation, KPI assessment, and payment adjustment;
- Produced using NCIA-approved formats and tools;
- Traceable and auditable;
- Reviewed during regular service review meetings.

NCIA reserves the right to request clarification of reported data, validate reported information against supporting records, and require corrective actions in the event of discrepancies or deficiencies.

3.6 Governance Model

The Contractor shall establish and operate a structured Governance Model to ensure effective oversight, control, coordination, and continuous improvement of the services delivered under this Statement of Work.

The Governance Model shall:

- Ensure visibility of BRASS Enhancement 1 engineering activities, technical documentation development, testing and validation activities, Service Instructions development, and associated operational and technical risks;
- Provide a structured mechanism for reviewing technical quality, interoperability considerations, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and overall engineering effectiveness;
- Enable timely technical input to support decision-making, prioritisation, and escalation of engineering- and service-related matters;
- Support continuous improvement of BRASS Enhancement 1 engineering activities, including tracking and closure of improvement actions, risks, and mitigation measures;
- Ensure alignment with NCIA processes, applicable NATO governance frameworks, relevant STANAGs, interoperability requirements, and operational priorities;
- Support coordination and collaboration with NCIA technical authorities, SHAPE, participating Nations, and other relevant NATO stakeholders involved in the implementation of BRASS Enhancement 1 services.

3.6.1 Governance Structure

The governance structure shall include the following levels:

Sprint Planning Meeting: Focus: NCIA establishes sprint priorities, objectives, required deliverables and acceptance criteria. The Contractor presents the proposed Sprint Plan, including the implementation approach, technical activities, dependencies, risks and milestones for the upcoming sprint. Frequency: Monthly.

Sprint Progress Meeting: Focus: Review progress against the Sprint Plan, engineering activities, technical risks, interoperability matters, testing and validation status, dependencies, issues, mitigation actions and overall delivery progress. Frequency: Weekly.

Sprint Review and Acceptance Meeting: Focus: Review completed sprint deliverables, engineering outcomes, testing and validation results, technical documentation, compliance with the defined acceptance criteria, lessons learned, continuous improvement actions and formally accept completed sprint deliverables where applicable. Frequency: End of each sprint.

Service Performance Review: Focus: Review contractual service performance, KPI achievement, service reporting, continuous improvement activities, service credits (where applicable) and overall service delivery performance. Frequency: Monthly.

3.6.2 Escalation

The Contractor shall establish and maintain effective communication with NCIA throughout the execution of the services. The Contractor shall promptly notify NCIA of any issue, risk, dependency, or event that may adversely affect the delivery schedule, quality of the services, technical compliance, or successful completion of the activities defined in this SoW.

Issues shall be escalated without undue delay where:

- Milestones or delivery dates are at risk;
- Technical issues cannot be resolved within the Contractor's area of responsibility;
- Dependencies on NCIA, other contractors, or third parties may impact service delivery;
- Resource constraints or unforeseen events may affect the delivery of the services; or
- Decisions or guidance from NCIA are required to maintain progress.

3.7 Security Clearance

The assigned personnel by the Contractor shall possess valid NATO-SECRET Personal Security Clearance for the duration of the Period of Performance.

The signature of a Non-Disclosure Agreement between the Contractor and its assigned personnel will be required prior to execution.

3.8 Working Provisions

3.8.1 Place of Performance

The primary place of performance shall initially be offsite and on occasion laboratorial work on NATO sites.

The Purchaser reserves the right to decide and modify the required on-site and remote work ratio during contract execution, based on operational or business requirements.

3.8.2 Hours of Performance

The services shall be performed during standard NCIA working hours from Monday to Thursday from 08:30 until 17:30 and Friday from 08:30 until 15:30.

3.8.3 NCIA-Furnished Property and Services

NCIA shall provide access to necessary tools, data, and NATO networks, subject to applicable Agency policies, security authorisation, and coordination requirements.

NCIA will provide one NATO RESTRICTED REACH laptop computer to the contractor during the execution of the Contract. The Contractor shall return this laptop computer back to NCIA after completion of the Contract.

3.8.4 Travel Requirements

When requested and authorized by the NCI Agency Project Manager, the Wi IMA engineer must be prepared to travel by Car (Vehicle not supplied by NATO), Train and Air to locations advised on a case-by-case basis for business travels (TDY).

These Extraordinary Travel shall be subject to prior written approval by NCIA. Extraordinary Travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of AAS+ Framework Contract. Such costs will be set as a separate PO line with a not to exceed value to cover and reimburse of actual expenses upon submissions of all receipts and invoices in line with NCIA processes.

All travel arrangements shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

Overtime, work during weekends and holiday premiums are not permitted for renumeration; overtime, work during weekends or holidays may be permitted but only if agreed with the Purchaser. The individual shall observe local NATO holidays and will not observe his/her traditional national holidays. Access to NATO facilities on weekend or holiday period will only be available at the discretion of local authorities.

Travel requirements (TDY) to locations other than the main location of work shall be authorised in advance by the Purchaser and expenses incurred for travel shall be in addition and billed at a cost not to exceed the price of economy air or first-class rail ticket. The rate of compensation for personal automobile used in travel shall be the same rate as a first-class rail ticket between the point of departure and destination. Expenses will be compensated to the Contractor by the Purchaser on the basis of actual cost of the travel and allowable NATO per diem at the rate of a Level II NATO employee. In no case will the Purchaser make payment for travel/per diem claims without proper support in the form of receipts/cancelled tickets, etc. If travels occur on a non-working day, this day will not be reimbursed at the daily rate specified in the Schedule of Supplies and Service but only under the allowable NATO per diem.

Requests for leave from work and other time off shall be co-ordinated and approved by the NATO Project Manager or Technical Lead in advance. Leave taken shall result in an equivalent credit to the Purchaser for the month in which the leave occurs.

NCIA bears no insurance liability or risk of loss for the contractor’s personnel travel during work or TDYs. Contractor shall be responsible for all insurances of the Contractor/Consultant personnel during the work or TDYs.

4. SERVICE PERFORMANCE

The performance of each assigned personnel shall be measured against the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) defined in this Section. Performance shall be assessed through the following indicators:

KPI 1 - Sprint Deliverable Acceptance: ensuring that sprint deliverables are completed in accordance with the acceptance criteria established by NCIA and accepted at first submission.

KPI 2 - Timely Delivery of Sprint Deliverables: ensuring that agreed sprint deliverables are submitted within the target delivery dates defined during Sprint Planning.

KPI 3 - Technical Quality and Standards Compliance: ensuring that deliverables comply with the agreed technical requirements, applicable NATO standards, relevant STANAGs and NCIA engineering processes, without requiring Major or Critical corrective actions.

KPI 4 - Reporting and Governance Compliance: ensuring that all contractual reports are submitted on time and support the governance and contractual performance assessment of the Engineering Support Service.

All KPI thresholds, performance monitoring, and associated Service Credits shall be applied as defined in this Section and linked to the reporting and payment mechanism.

4.1 KPI Measurement

The performance of the assigned personnel shall be measured on a monthly basis as follows:

KPI 1 - Sprint Deliverable Acceptance

Frequency: Monthly

Compliant (Met): ≥95% of sprint deliverables are accepted by NCIA at first submission.

Non-Compliant (Not Met): <95% of sprint deliverables are accepted at first submission.

Evidence: Sprint Governance records, Sprint Performance Report.

Low-volume adjustment: For reporting periods with fewer than ten (10) applicable deliverables, one (1) deliverable not meeting the KPI requirement shall not, by itself, result in the KPI being assessed as Non-Compliant, provided that the deficiency is corrected within the timeframe established by NCIA.

KPI 2 - Timely Delivery of Sprint Deliverables

Frequency: Monthly

Compliant (Met): ≥95% of sprint deliverables are submitted by the agreed target delivery dates.

Non-Compliant (Not Met): <95% of sprint deliverables are submitted on time.

Evidence: Sprint Governance records, Sprint Performance Report.

Delays demonstrably resulting from circumstances outside the Contractor's reasonable control shall not be considered, provided that the Contractor has notified NCIA and taken reasonable measures to mitigate the delay.

KPI 3 - Technical Quality and Standards Compliance

Frequency: Monthly

Compliant (Met): ≥95% of deliverables submitted during the reporting period meet the applicable technical requirements, NATO standards, relevant STANAGs and NCIA engineering requirements without requiring significant technical rework.

Non-Compliant (Not Met): <95% of deliverables meet the above requirements without requiring significant technical rework.

Evidence: Sprint Governance records, Sprint Performance Report.

KPI 4 - Reporting and Governance Compliance

Frequency: Monthly

Compliant (Met): 100% of required reports are submitted within the applicable reporting deadlines and provide complete, accurate and sufficiently clear information to support service performance assessment and governance activities, without requiring significant clarification or rework by NCIA.

Non-Compliant (Not Met): One or more required reports are submitted late, are materially incomplete or inaccurate, or require significant clarification or rework before they can be used for service performance assessment.

Evidence: Report submission records, Service Performance Review meeting minutes.

4.2 Service Credits

4.2.1 KPI Weighting

Each KPI shall contribute to the overall service performance as follows:

KPI 1 - Sprint Deliverable Acceptance: 5%

KPI 2 - Timely Delivery of Sprint Deliverables: 4%

KPI 3 - Technical Quality and Standards Compliance: 4%

KPI 4 - Reporting and Governance Compliance: 2%

4.2.2 Calculation of Service Credits

Where a KPI is determined to be Non-Compliant (Not Met) in accordance with Section 4.1, the corresponding percentage specified in Section 4.2.1 shall be applied as a Service Credit. Service Credits shall:

- be calculated based on validated KPI results;
- be documented in the Service Performance Report;
- be reviewed and confirmed during service review meetings; and
- be deducted from the corresponding invoice.

Where one or more KPIs are assessed as Non-Compliant during the applicable reporting period, the corresponding KPI weightings shall be cumulative. The Total Service Credit applicable for the reporting period shall be calculated as follows:

Total Service Credit (%) = Sum of the KPI weightings for all KPIs assessed as non-compliant

The monetary value of the applicable Service Credit shall be calculated as follows:

Service Credit Value = Total Service Credit (%) × Monthly Fee

4.2.3 Cap on Service Credits

The total Service Credits applied in any reporting period shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the applicable monthly service fee.

4.3 Audit and Verification

The Contractor shall ensure that all KPI measurements and service credit calculations are accurate, transparent, and auditable.

The Purchaser reserves the right to:

- Verify KPI results;
- Request supporting evidence;
- Challenge any calculation deemed incorrect.

5. PAYMENT

5.1 Monthly Service Fee

The work carried under this Statement of Work shall be delivered on the basis of a fixed monthly service fee (Monthly Service Fee). The Monthly Service Fee shall cover all costs associated with the delivery of the services, including personnel, management, tools, overheads, and travel as defined in this SoW.

The Monthly Service Fee shall be structured as follows:

Monthly Fixed Fee: equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Monthly Service Fee and payable upon acceptance of the services delivered during the applicable reporting period in accordance with Section 3.3.3

Monthly Performance-Based Fee: equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the Monthly Service Fee and payable upon acceptance of the services delivered during the applicable reporting period in accordance with Section 3.3.3 subject to performance assessment against the applicable KPIs defined in Section 4.1 and shall be adjusted through the application of Service Credits in accordance with Section 4.2.

The payable Monthly Performance-Based Fee shall be calculated as follows:

Payable Monthly Performance-Based Fee = Monthly Performance-Based Fee − Service Credit Value

The total monthly payment shall be calculated as follows:

Total Monthly Payment = Monthly Fixed Fee + Payable Monthly Performance-Based Fee

Service Credits shall be applied only to the Monthly Performance-Based Fee and shall not affect the Monthly Fixed Fee, provided that the sprint deliverables have been formally accepted by NCIA.

Where NCIA does not formally accept the sprint deliverables, the Monthly Fixed Fee shall not become payable until the Contractor has satisfactorily corrected the identified deficiencies and the deliverables have been accepted by NCIA in accordance with Section 3.3.3.

5.1.1 Invoicing

The Contractor shall submit one invoice per calendar month in arrears. Each invoice shall:

- Correspond to the Engineering Support Services delivered during the applicable reporting period.
- Clearly identify the Monthly Fixed Fee and the Monthly Performance-Based Fee.
- Identify any applicable Service Credits in accordance with Section 4.2.
- Be supported by the Sprint Performance Report and the monthly Service Performance Report for the applicable reporting period.

Payment of the monthly invoice shall be subject to:

- Formal acceptance by NCIA of the completed sprint deliverables in accordance with Section 3.3.3.
- Submission of the required Sprint Performance Report and Service Performance Report.
- Validation by NCIA of the Contractor's KPI performance and the applicable Service Credit calculation.

NCIA reserves the right to withhold payment of any disputed amounts pending resolution of identified deficiencies, without prejudice to any other contractual rights.

6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This Statement of Works is expected to commence as soon as possible but no later than 1st October 2026 until 31st December 2026 which is considered the Base Period. The Period of Performance may be extended through the exercise of the following option periods, at the sole discretion of the NCIA:

Year 1: A period of twelve (12) months immediately following the completion of Base Period.

Year 2: A period of twelve (12) months immediately following the completion of Year 1.

Year 3: A period of nine (9) months immediately following the completion of Year 2.

7. REPLACEMENT

Any replacement of the personnel assigned shall be subject to prior written approval by NCIA and shall meet or exceed the qualifications, experience, and security requirements defined for the respective profile. In the event that assigned personnel become unavailable during the Period of Performance, the personnel shall propose a suitable replacement personnel and ensure seamless continuity of the services at no additional cost, including the provision of appropriate knowledge transfer.

The Contractor shall ensure an orderly handover of services both in the case of personnel replacement and at the conclusion of the Period of Performance. This shall include the transfer of all relevant documentation, data, work products, system configurations, and operational procedures necessary to maintain continuity of service delivery. The Contractor shall also provide reasonable support to NCIA and, where applicable, to any follow-on contractor, including clarification of activities and assistance in mitigating disruption.

All transition activities shall be completed within a timeframe agreed with NCIA and in accordance with NCIA instructions. All applicable NCIA Terms and Conditions shall apply.

8. QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]

9. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All products delivered under this contract shall be property of NATO.

Requirements

3.7 SECURITY CLEARANCE

- The assigned personnel by the Contractor shall possess valid NATO-SECRET Personal Security Clearance for the duration of the Period of Performance.

8. QUALIFICATIONS

8.1 Specific Technical Qualifications

- Assigned personnel shall possess a University Degree in Telecommunications, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, with at least two (2) years of post-related experience; or Higher Vocational Training with a minimum of five (5) years of post-related experience.
- Assigned personnel shall possess a minimum of two (2) years of practical experience in the engineering, implementation, configuration, or support of military or secure communications systems.
- Assigned personnel shall have a solid scientific background and a proven track record of technical management work in the area of IP over HF services based on STANAG 5066.
- Assigned personnel shall possess demonstrated knowledge of STANAG 5066 Ed 3 and Ed 4, including its protocol stack, implementation considerations, and interoperability aspects.
- Assigned personnel shall possess knowledge on the usage of standards associated with IP over HF services, namely STANAG 4538 and STANAG 4539.
- Assigned personnel shall possess knowledge on the usage and interfacing commercial and/or open-source application clients with STANAG 5066, namely in the areas of formal messaging (ACP127, STANAG 4406 Annex E, ACP142), e-mail, chat and web services.
- Assigned personnel shall possess expertise in developing STANAG 5066-based testbeds and test setups applying the different STANAG 5066 configurations and modes of operation.
- Assigned personnel shall possess demonstrated capability in performing interoperability testing activities, namely in international forums, using STANAG 5066 testbed. This includes experience in coordinating interoperability test scenarios and performing interoperability analysis reporting.
- Assigned personnel shall possess demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Use Cases applying STANAG 5066, namely in the NATO Maritime Forces domain.
- Assigned personnel shall possess strong knowledge of IP networking principles, communication protocols, and network architectures, including protocol stack configuration and interoperability considerations.
- Assigned personnel shall possess experience in the preparation of technical documentation, engineering specifications, implementation guidance, or Service Instructions for communication systems.
- Assigned personnel shall possess experience in testing, validation, and troubleshooting of communication systems, including analysis of technical issues and implementation of corrective actions.
- It is desirable that assigned personnel possess experience in developing or supporting engineering test environments and interoperability testing activities for communication systems.
- Assigned personnel shall possess a good understanding of interoperability principles, configuration management, and engineering practices supporting multinational or multi-vendor communication environments.
- Assigned personnel shall possess familiarity with relevant NATO communications standards, STANAGs, and secure communications architectures.
- It is desirable that assigned personnel possess experience working with laboratory environments, reference systems, or engineering test platforms for the validation of communication services.

8.2 General Technical Qualifications

- It is strongly desirable that personnel demonstrate experience in NATO or multinational military environments.
- Personnel shall demonstrate a solid understanding of NATO operational standards, procedures, and communication protocols.
- Personnel shall demonstrate experience supporting engineering activities related to military communication systems, technical documentation, interoperability, or implementation of communication services.
- Personnel shall demonstrate strong analytical capability applied to technical assessments, interoperability analysis, testing, validation, and engineering activities.
- It is desirable that personnel demonstrate experience coordinating technical activities with multiple stakeholders and contributing to technical meetings, workshops, or multinational working groups.
- It is desirable that personnel demonstrate experience collecting, analysing, and consolidating technical information from multiple sources into engineering documentation and technical reports.
- Personnel shall demonstrate English language proficiency at minimum C1 level, communicating effectively in English both in writing and orally, with excellent writing and briefing skills to different types of audiences (including senior technical and non-technical stakeholders), and writing high-quality technical reports for NATO circulation.

8.3 Professional competences

- Personnel shall possess strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical communication and interoperability concepts.
- Personnel shall possess strong interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with technical teams and stakeholders.
- Personnel shall possess the ability to work independently with minimal supervision while contributing effectively as part of a team.
- Personnel shall possess strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Personnel shall possess the ability to engage constructively with stakeholders, identify technical issues, and recommend practical engineering solutions.
- Personnel shall possess a high level of motivation, adaptability, and collaboration.
- It is desirable that personnel possess knowledge of NATO and NCIA structures, roles, and organisational context.