2025-0168 AFN/AFS Governance & Management Instantiation (NS) - THU 22 May

Deadline Date: Thursday 22 May 2025

Requirement: AFN/AFS Governance & Management Instantiation

Location: Mons BE

Full Time OnSite: Yes

Time OnSite: 100%

Not to Exceed: BIDDERS TO PROPOSE THE PRICE

Period of Performance: As soon as possible but not later than 23 June 2025 (tentative) to 31 December 2025

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

A1 Overall Project Scope

The Alliance Federation Network (AFN) and Alliance Federation Services (AFS) establishes a federated network that integrates the NATO Enterprise NATO Nations NATO Force Structures and Multinational Entities across the Alliance. NCIA is the primary contractor to deliver the AFN/AFS Federation with NATO Nations on behalf on NATO Digital Staff Brussels This integration facilitates the interconnection of Alliance Federated Participants (AFP) to the AFN by encompassing a range of technical services including Communications the Core Services the Community of Interest (COI) Services the Service Management and Control (SMC) and Communication and Information Systems (CIS) Security.

The AFN is a NATO Enterprisedriven and Nationsenabled initiative to build a modern coherent transparent and effective CIS platform for delivering and consuming C3 services across the Alliance. It evolves the current NATO Enterprisecentric Alliancewide network (NS WAN) into a broader and distributed network of networks building upon the model of the Internet and specifications developed under the Federation Mission Networking (FMN) framework.

The project run through NCIA will dealt will instantiate the Governance & Management structure to realise the intended AFN/AFS aims as stated above.

A2 Objective

The company shall provide subject matter expertise to support the instantiation of a Governance & Management Support Structure to support AFN/AFS.

A3 Scope of work

Provide subject matter expertise to facilitate the creation of the AFN/AFS Governance & Management Support Structure across the 32 NATO Nations also known as Alliance Federated Partners (AFPs) and NCIA;

The SME shall provide the mechanism (processes) for the AFN/AFS assigned authorities (beneath) to collaborate with each other and receive requirements from NDS and Nations:

a. AFS Operational Authority

b. CIS Operational Authority

c. Information Management Authority

d. Service Management Authority

e. Technical Authority Verification and Validation Authority

f. CIS Security Coordinating Authority

g. Security Accreditation Authority;

The SME shall draft the AFN/AFS roadmap and governance and managements plans; coordinate and synchronise and update as necessary with approval from NDS;

The SME shall lead and Implement governance and management activities to ensure seamless application of the AFN/AFS instantiation and its operational and change management processes;

The SME shall initiate a Communications and Information knowledge Management strategies;

The SME shall create issue and risk registers and link to NCIA registers

The SME shall direct the service management activities processes and functions across the AFPs;

The SME shall organise key stakeholder meetings in the name of AFN/AFS/NDS/NCIA; ensuring agenda minutes etc. are recorded and distributed.

The SME shall engage and interact with senior staff officers from all AFPs/NDS/NCIA;

A4 Deliverables

The following table provides the deliverables under this contract. The deliverables are derived from the requirements of the overall project. The deliverables are also grouped into payment milestones which is given in SectionB

Deliverable D.1 Implementation: interfaces

D.1.1 The Contractor shall carry out all relevant tasks for the instantiation of the Governance and Management Structure for AFN/AFS

D.1.2 The Contractor shall carry out all relevant tasks for the implementation of the Service Management Authority.

D.1.3 The Contractor shall carry out all relevant tasks for the implementation of the interfaces between the Governance and Management authorities including all documentation i.e. Terms of References processes and procedures:

Service Engineering WG

Service Management WG

Interoperability Assurance and Validation WG

CIS Security WG

Technical Authority

Verification and Validation Authority

Service Management Authority

CIS Security Coordinating Authority

D.1.4 The Contractor shall act as the conduit for all AFN/AFS requirements coming from NDS and NATO Nations.

D.1.5 The Contractor shall create a plan for the instantiation of the Governance and Management Support Structure.

D.1.6 D.1.9 are not in the SOW

D.1.10 The Contractor shall attend and lead meetings in support of the AFN/AFS instantiation.

D.1.11 The Contractor shall produce a monthly progress update report to NDS/NCIA/Nations

D.1.12 The Contractor shall facilitate the creation of AFS Working Groups and Authorities Terms of Reference for:

Service Engineering WG

Service Management WG

Interoperability Assurance and Validation WG

CIS Security WG

Technical Authority

Verification and Validation Authority

Service Management Authority

CIS Security Coordinating Authority

D.1.13 The Contractor shall define the criteria and create template for a dynamic roadmap that should collect and show the overall AFN/AFS implementation project (NCIA and Nations plan)

D.1.14 The Contractor shall provide the following supporting documentation and registers:

IKM Strategy

Communication Strategy

Risk & Issue Registers

A5 Specific Expertise Required

The following highly specialist expertise will be required for the execution of this contract:

One (1) SMC Subject Matter Expert (SME) for AFS Service Management Authority Lead Manager role.

A6 Required Skills Knowledge & Experience

Profile for AFS Service Management Authority Lead Manager

See Requirements

A7 Security Clearance

All personnel assigned to this contract by the Contractor are required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance for the duration of the contract period of performance.

A8 Period of Performance

The Contractor will perform all activities and tasks to achieve the deliverables during the period between 23 June (tentative) up to 31 Dec 2025.

A9 Place of Performance

Services under this SOW will be performed at the following NCIA sites: Mons (SHAPE)

Travel:

The cost of travel and subsistence in/to the Duty Location shall be included in the bidders quote.

The consultant may be required to travel to other NCIA locations other than the stated duty location where required by the project. NCIA shall cover the costs of such travel in accordance with the NCI Agencys prevailing travel policy at the time of travel and AAS framework contract provisions.

A10 Language of Performance

All work under this contract both oral and written is conducted in English.

Proficiency in the English language (listening speaking reading and writing) is required.

Annex B Special Terms and Conditions

B1 Special Terms

This Contract requires personnel with highly specialist skills to execute and complete the work.

The Contractor shall ensure Contractors personnel to hold valid NATO SECRET security clearances for the duration of the contract period of performance and shall submit these documentation to Purchaser.

The Contractor shall provide the professional information to the Purchaser regarding the proposed candidate personnel and shall arrange the requested interviews by the Purchaser

The Purchaser will interview the proposed personnel

Services related to the Contract shall be performed onsite at the Duty Location indicated.

Travel to the Duty Location shall be included in the price of this Contract.

Office space and computer equipment shall be provided by NCI Agency at the specified Duty Location.

Extraordinary travel (Purchaser Directed Travel) may be required to other NATO or nonNATO locations as necessary. Purchaser directed travel to nonDuty locations shall be subject to AAS framework contract provisions and current NCI Agency Travel Directive.

NATO shall retain the intellectual property rights for all products developed in relation to this contract.

During the contract execution due to interdependencies with other Work Packages NCIA reserves the right to realign the deliverables and associated delivery dates if the project so requires. The adjustment(s) will be within the scope of the contract and without exceeding the total value of the contract and shall be executed through a bilateral contract amendment.

B2 Obligations on the Contractor and / or any Contractors Personnel

Below are the Contractors obligations required under this Contract:

In the performance of all work under this Contract it shall be the Contractors responsibility to ascertain and comply with all applicable NATO security regulations as implemented by the local Security Officer.

The Contractors personnel shall provide services under all reasonable conditions as agreed between the Contractor and the Purchaser.

The Contractors personnel may not be voluntarily diverted by the Contractor to perform work outside of the Contract.

The Contractor shall provide services as an integral part of the Purchasers delivery team.

The Contractors personnel shall take direction from the appointed Purchaser Project Manager or the designated alternate and Technical Lead.

The Contractors personnel shall abide by the project plan schedules and priorities as dictated by the Purchasers appointed Project Manager and Technical Lead.

The Contractor shall follow the Project Manager and Technical Leads directions with respect to project rhythms status and other reporting requirements related to project progress.

The Contractor shall abide by the requirements outlined in the projects Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM).

The Contractors personnel shall review the projects RTM as per the Technical Leads directions and abide to its contents for the implementation of the work under this Contract.

The Contractor shall support the Purchaser in the necessary tasks for the implementation of a Change and Configuration Management toolset for project use.

The Contractor shall review and provide written feedback on various Purchaser produced documentation including but not limited to project schedule high level designs detailed designs as built documentation and training material.

The Contractors personnel shall interface with other teams as required for the correct execution of this Contract.

The Contractor shall submit any required change requests as necessary using the Purchaser furnished equipment and processes.

B3 Obligations on Purchaser

The Purchaser shall:

Provide identification to all Contractor personnel who have at least a NATO Secret Clearance to allow them unescorted access within Purchaser facilities;

Provide the Contractors personnel with office space and furniture;

Provide the Contractors personnel with materials for NATO SECRET network access where required and materials for NATO RESTRICTED network access with internet access functionality;

Inform the Contractors personnel of any major changes / issues that may affect the contract deliverables.

Provide the Contractors personnel with instruction and guidance (within the limits of this scope of work) certification of task execution processing CIS requests.

Prioritise execution of tasks assigned to the Contractor personnel as per the current contract. The work to be performed will be mutually agreed with the Purchaser identified project team on a weekly basis and shall depend on the project activities and needs.

Countersign the Delivery Acceptance Sheet(s) confirming that the work completed by the Contractors personnel is satisfactory and acceptable for payment.

In some circumstances e.g. absence some of the activities listed above may be delegated.

B4 Delivery and Payment Schedule

This requirement is for the deliverables laid out in section D Deliverables.

Payment will be made based on the milestones indicated in the table below. The Payment Milestones are based on the phases and progression of the overall projects plan and schedules as dictated by the Purchaser and include a set of the Deliverables (Ref. Section A) that the Contractor is expected to have completed.

B4.1 Base contract

Item P1: Two Monthly progress update report

Completed Deliverables: D.1 Sub Set (Exact details for each of the sub sets will be agreed with the contractor based on discussion with the customer.)

Timeline: Mid June (tentative) Aug (The estimated timelines are based on calendar months not working days.)

Value (% of total base contract): 33%

Item P2: Two Monthly progress update report

Completed Deliverables: D.1. Sub Set (Exact details for each of the sub sets will be agreed with the contractor based on discussion with the customer.)

Timeline: Sept Oct (The estimated timelines are based on calendar months not working days.)

Value (% of total base contract): 33%

Item P3: Completion report

Completed Deliverables: D.1. Complete Set (Exact details for each of the sub sets will be agreed with the contractor based on discussion with the customer.)

Timeline: NovDec (The estimated timelines are based on calendar months not working days.)

Value (% of total base contract): 34%

Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex C) signed by the relevant project authority

A6 Required Skills Knowledge & Experience

Profile for AFS Service Management Authority Lead Manager

Experience:

• A university degree in computer science or a related scientific or engineering discipline. The lack of a university degree may be compensated by the demonstration of particular abilities or experience of interest to the Agency;
• Extensive relevant and recent experience (at least 10 years) all:
• IT Service Management experience in a military service provider environment
• Project Management Prince 2;
• 5 years experience in preparing planning and participating in formal testing events such as NATO interoperability exercises
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Experience in engaging with the primary customers i.e. NDS NHQ ACO etc.;
• Knowledge of the NATO processes especially for requirements management and capability planning
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements;
• Leadership within the Federated context i.e. AMN FMN AFS
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization including International International Military Staff and NATO Digital Staff (former C3 Board).

A7 Security Clearance

• All personnel assigned to this contract by the Contractor are required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance for the duration of the contract period of performance.