2024-0277 Support to SolarWinds Monitoring Engineering (NS) - THU 19 Jun

Deadline Date: Thursday 19 June 2025

Requirement: Support to SolarWinds Monitoring Engineering

Location: Mons BE

Full Time On-Site: Yes

Time On-Site: 100%

Period of Performance: 2025 Base period: as soon as possible but not later than 22 Jul 2025 to 31 Dec 2025 with possibility to exercise the following options:

2026 Option: 1 January until 31 December 2026

2027 Option: 1 January until 31 December 2027

2028 Option: 1 January until 31 December 2028

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET (see Section 11 for more detail)

1. BACKGROUND

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is dedicated to acquiring deploying and defending communication systems for NATOs political decision-makers and Commands. It operates on the frontlines against cyber-attacks collaborating closely with governments and industry to prevent future debilitating attacks. The NCIA plays a crucial role in maintaining NATOs technological edge and ensuring the collective defence and crisis management capabilities of the Alliance. In pursuit of our mission we require specialized advisory services to enhance our interim workforce capacity.

2. INTRODUCTION

NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is looking for a contractor to support the work of Enable Branch: to ensure the availability performance and security of NATOs data and communication networks across multiple sites. Focus will be on delivering key networking solutions and providing technical expertise in compliance with NATOs operational requirements and security standards.

3. OBJECTIVE

The aim of this SOW is to support NCSC with technical expertise specifically related to the operation and maintenance of NATOs SOLARWINDS MONITORING ENGINEERING with a deliverable based (completion-type) contract to be executed in 2025.

The main objective is to secure advisory services that provide expert guidance and support to achieve:

Enhanced Monitoring Performance: Reduced downtime and faster issue detection through real-time alerts and automated responses improving overall system visibility and performance.

Improved Network Security Monitoring: Enhanced visibility into potential security threats significantly reducing vulnerability to cyberattacks and data breaches through continuous monitoring of network activity.

Increased Scalability of Monitoring Systems: SolarWinds will enable seamless integration of new technologies and expansion of monitoring capabilities as the network grows supporting future operational expansion.

Greater Operational Efficiency and User Satisfaction: Proactive monitoring and automation through SolarWinds will lead to faster issue resolution consistent system performance and greater overall network reliability resulting in higher satisfaction for both IT staff and end-users.

4. SCOPE OF WORK

Under the direction/guidance of NCIA or delegated staff the Contractors Personnel will designing deploying managing and optimizing the systems and platforms that support NATOs Networks. This work will include the following activities:

SolarWinds Monitoring Assessment Report A detailed review or the current monitoring setup identifying gaps configuration issues and recommendations for optimisation across NATO networks.

SolarWinds Monitoring Architecture Design A proposed technical architecture for an optimised SolarWinds environment ensure scalability redundancy and alignment with NATOs security and operational requirements

Monitoring Implementation Plan A phased plan detailing how the proposed architecture and improvements will be rolled out including timelines resource allocations and integration steps with existing systems

SolarWinds Security Enhancements implementation of hardening measures access controls role-based permissions and audit capabilities to ensure Solarwinds aligns with NATO security baselines and controls.

Monitoring Performance Optimization Tuning of polling intervals alert thresholds and database maintenance to enhance the responsiveness reliability and accuracy of the monitoring solution.

Disaster Recovery and Monitoring Redundancy Plan- Design and document of procedures for failover data recovery and system continuity in case of primary system failure or site outages

Training and Handover - Knowledge transfer sessions and documentation provided to NATO personnel to ensure and sustainable in house support and administration of the upgraded monitoring environment.

The Contractors Personnel will be reinforcing the existing team and will work using an Agile and iterative software development approach during multiple sprints.

The Contractors Personnel shall participate in periodic status update meetings sprint planning sprint review and other meetings via electronic means using collaborative platforms.

On rare occasions there may be a requirement to attend in-person meetings at NATO offices in Mons Belgium as requested by the Project Manager.

Each sprint is planned for a duration of 1 week. The content and scope of each sprint i.e. the deliverables will be agreed during the sprint-planning meeting in coordination with the NCIA and the contractor. Upon completion and validation of each sprint the completed sprint can be submitted for payment.

Due to the agile approach of this project there is a need to define a set of specific arrangements between the NCIA and the contractor that specifically defines the deliverables to be provided for each sprint as well as their associated acceptance criteria. This includes sprint planning execution and review processes which are detailed below:

Sprint Planning:

Objective: Plan the objectives and deliverables for the upcoming sprint;

At the start of each sprint a sprint planning meeting will be conducted with the contractor to discuss and plan the objectives and deliverables of the upcoming sprint;

Define clear achievable objectives for the sprint and associated acceptance criteria including specific delivery targets and quality standards for each task to be recorded in the sprint planning meeting minutes.

Agree on the required level of effort for the various sprint tasks.

Backlog Review: Review and prioritize the backlog of tasks issues and improvements from previous sprints.

Assess and validate the status of completion of the previous sprint and sign off sprints to be submitted for payment.

Sprint Execution:

Objective: Contractor to execute the agreed sprint plans with continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Regular meetings: The contractor shall participate in status update meetings to review sprint progress to address issues and to make necessary adjustments to the processes or objectives. Those sprint meetings will be via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities. On rare occasions there may be a requirement to attend a physical meeting in the office or in person as requested by the project manager.

Continuous improvement: The contractor will establish a continuous feedback loop to gather input from all stakeholders for ongoing improvements and their subsequent implementation depending on NCIA approval.

Progress Tracking: Contractor to track and share the status of the sprint deliveries and any risks / issues.

Quality Assurance / Quality Check: The contractor shall ensure that the quality standards agreed for the sprint deliverables are maintained throughout the sprint.

Quality Control: NCIA will perform the quality control of the agreed deliverables and provide feedback on any issues.

Sprint Review:

Objective: Review the sprint performance and identify areas for improvement.

At the end of each sprint there will be a meeting to review the deliverables and outcomes against the acceptance criteria.

Define specific actions to address issues and enhance the next sprint.

Sprint Payment:

Progress on the above deliverables will be checked and approved on a per sprint basis.

For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable the contractor must report the outcome of their work during the sprint first verbally during the sprint review meeting and then in writing within three days after the sprints end date. The format of this report shall be an email to the NCIA Point of Contact mentioning briefly the work performed and the development achievements during the sprint against the agreed tasking list set for the sprint.

The payment of each sprint will be depending upon the achievement of agreed acceptance criteria for each task defined at the sprint planning stage.

If the contractor fails to meet the agreed acceptance criteria for any task the NCIA reserves the right to withhold (partial) payment for that sprint.

Invoices shall be accompanied by a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) signed by the contractor and the project manager and shall follow the payment milestones.

5. DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The following deliverables are expected from the work on this Statement of Work:

1) Complete the activities/tasks agreed in each sprint meeting as per section 4 above.

2) Produce sprint completion reports (format: e-mail update) which include details of activities performed and the list of the deliverables of the week.

3) The contractor will participate in the daily reporting and planning activities (daily stand-ups) as well as the required participation in workshops events and conferences related to the supported services as requested by the service delivery manager.

4) Payment schedule will be according to the payment milestones upon completion of the respective sprint. Upon completion and validation of each sprint and at the end of the monthly milestone following the acceptance of the sprint report.

5) The Purchaser (NCIA) reserves the right to exercise a number of options of one or more sprints based on the same deliverables at a later time depending on the project priorities and requirements at the following cost: for base year (2025) at the same cost for following years (2026-2028) the Price Adjustment Formula will be applied in accordance with paragraph 6.5 of the Framework Contract Special Provisions.

6) The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the sprint report and the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) (annex B).

7) Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (annex B) signed by the contractor and the NCIA POC.

2025 BASE: 22 July 2025 31 December 2025:

Deliverable: 20 sprints (Number of sprints is estimated considering a starting date 28 July 2025. This will be adjusted depending on the actual start date)

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of 4 consecutive sprints and at the end of the work. Completion of each payment milestone shall be accompanied by a DAS signed for acceptance by the Purchasers authorized point of contact.

AND 2028 OPTIONS: 01 JANUARY TO 31 DECEMBER:

Deliverable: Up to 46 sprints

Cost Ceiling: Price will be determined by applying the price adjustment formula as outlined in CO115786 AAS Special Provisions article 6.5.

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of 4 consecutive sprints and at the end of the work. Completion of each payment milestone shall be accompanied by a DAS signed for acceptance by the Purchasers authorized point of contact.

6. WORK EXECUTION

Due to the nature and classification of the working environment all services and deliverables outlined in this Statement of Work (SOW) will be performed onsite on clients premises at NCIA location in S.H.A.P.E. Mons Belgium. The contractor will be physically present on location to conduct assessments implement network solutions and provide ongoing support as required throughout the project.

NCIA IT equipment will be provided (one REACH laptop will be provided). This equipment can be used by one person only and associated to that individual.

Results of the work to be stored on NCIA NATO RESTRICTED SharePoint portal.

All the documentation provided under this statement of work will be based on NCIA templates and/or agreed with the NCIA service manager.

All support maintenance documentation will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCIA tools.

All developed solutions will be property of the NCIA.

7. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Client will:

Provide necessary access to systems and information required for all services

Tools and equipment (laptop) will be provided for remote service provisioning. Access to the Agencys tools that are used to execute daily tasks will be provided.

Designate primary points of contact for escalations and decision-making

Early Definition: Establish criteria at the beginning of the project or sprint; Refine criteria as needed throughout the development process

Prioritization: Identify must-have criteria vs. nice-to-have features; Align prioritization with project / service goals and constraints

Consider Edge Cases: Include criteria for handling unexpected inputs or scenarios; Address potential failure modes and error handling

8. COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The Contractor shall deliver services onsite in Mons Belgium.

The Contractor shall report to the NCIA Project Manager or designated Point of Contact (POC) assigned by the NCIA Cyber Security Service Line.

The Contractor shall participate in monthly status update meetings and other meetings physically in the office or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities according to service delivery managers instructions.

For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable the contractor must report the outcome of his/her work during the sprint first verbally during the retrospective meeting and then in writing within five (5) working days after the sprints end date. A report in the format of a short email shall be sent to NCIA POC briefly mentioning the work held and the achievements during the sprint.

9. SCHEDULE

This task order will be active immediately after signing of the contract by both parties.

The 2025 BASE period of performance is as soon as possible but not later than 22 July 2025 and will end no later than 31 December 2025.

If the and 2028 options are exercised the period of performance is 01 January until 31 December of that respective year.

10. CONSTRAINTS

All the deliverables provided under this statement of work will be based on NCIA templates or agreed with the project point of contact.

All documentation etc. will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCIA tools.

11. SECURITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

It is mandatory for the Contractor to hold NATO SECRET (NS) security clearance.

NATO COSMIC TOP SECRET (CTS) may be required for specific follow-on activities and will be coordinated on a case-by-case basis.

The signature of a Non-Disclosure Agreement between the contractor contributing to this task order and NCIA will be required prior to execution.

12. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

The contractor will be required to work 100% onsite in Mons / BEL as part of this engagement. The NCSC Team is located in Mons / BEL with working hours will from 08:30 to 17:30 with 1 hour for lunch from Monday to Thursday. On Friday working hours will be from 08:30 to 15:30 with 1 hour for lunch.

The contractor will be required to work following the rules and regulations applicable for the operations of NATO CIS.

The Purchaser will provide the Contractor with the following Purchaser-Furnished Equipment (PFE):

Access to NATO sites as required for the purpose of executing this SOW.

Workspace (needed business IT for both on- and off-site work hot-desk at NCSC facility).

NCIA REACH laptop to be used by the contractor for the execution of the contract.

13. TRAVEL

Regular travel costs to and from the service delivery location (SHAPE) are out of scope and will be borne by the contractor.

Travel costs to other NATO locations are not included in the quoted price as there is no expected travel foreseen.

However should travel be required travel arrangements will be the responsibility of the contractor and the expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of the AAS Framework Contract and within the limits of the NCIA Travel Directive.

14. QUALIFICATIONS

See Requirements

14. QUALIFICATIONS

Services under current SOW are to be delivered by ONE resource that must have demonstrated skills knowledge and experience as listed below:

• Security Classification: It is mandatory for the Contractor to hold NATO SECRET (NS) security clearance.
• Language Proficiency: English
• Past Performance and Qualifications: To provide a high level of service quality the contractor supporting the network engineering team has a proven track record of successfully designing implementing and optimizing network and security infrastructures for a variety of organizations across multiple industries.

The engineer should provide and prove the following mandatory performance education and qualifications:

• Minimum 4 years of experience working with SolarWinds including modules such as Network Performance Monitor (NPM) Server and Application Monitor (SAM) and Network Configuration Manager (NCM).
• Experience with Cisco switches routers and firewalls including integration with SolarWinds for monitoring and alerting.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a military or NATO environment with different levels of network and information classification.
• Experience in deploying and managing network performance monitoring tools in large complex environments including the configuration of alerting dashboards and reports.
• A valid certification in network monitoring or related fields (e.g. SolarWinds Certified Professional (SCP).
• At least one certification in network or security technologies such as Cisco CCNA CCNP Juniper JNCIA or Palo Alto PCNSE with a focus on integrating these with monitoring solutions.
• Knowledge of ITIL 4 for managing service-level agreements (SLAs) and incident response processes in the context of network monitoring.

The following performance and qualifications are not mandatory but highly beneficial:

• Experience with virtualization platforms (e.g. VMware Hyper-V) and their monitoring within SolarWinds.
• Working knowledge of Linux and Windows servers in monitored environments.
• Familiarity with log management tools and how to integrate them with SolarWinds for enhanced monitoring.
• Experience with cloud-based monitoring solutions and hybrid infrastructures using SolarWinds.