NATO Business Opportunity: Design and Implementation of Encrypted Traffic Interception System

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the design and implementation of an encrypted traffic interception system.

Potential U.S. prime contractors must 1) maintain a professionally active facility (office, factory, laboratory, etc.) within the United States, 2) be pre-approved for participation in NATO Competitive Procurement (NCP), 3) hold a Facility Security Clearance at the level of SECRET or higher, 4) be issued a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) by the Department of Commerce (DOC), and 4) register with the NCI Agency’s eProcurement tool, Neo: https://www.ncia.nato.int/business/neo-eprocurement.html 

The reference for the RFP is RFP-CO-424365-CETIS and all correspondence concerning the RFP should include this reference.

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENT

Industry is invited to design and implement a centrally managed solution that can:

-    Intercept, inspect and analyze encrypted traffic in a centralized way

-    Take required actions to enforce network control

-    Using existing NATO systems (existing gateways, firewalls, web proxies) and/or new components (for covering a wider range of network protocols) to be brought by the Contractor

Scope includes:

-    Integration and reconfiguration of all the systems for a coherent security baseline

-    Replacement or deployment of dedicated encrypted traffic interception PKI certificates (to be provided by NATO)

-    On-premise (high side and low side) and Cloud network interfaces

Scale and complexity indicators:

-    Approximately 100 interfaces where existing systems are deployed

-    Approximately 20 high side and 20 low side deployments for the new solution component

-    Infrastructure spans across all NATO nations

Operating Model:

-    The solution shall be delivered to the purchaser’s cyber security operation teams

-    The Contractor shall provide an optional operational services (Operate & Maintain) component as a part of their bid

BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO BID

NCP requires that the U.S. Government issue a DOE for potential U.S. prime contractors interested in this project. Before the U.S. Government can do so, however, the U.S. Government must approve the U.S. firm for participation in NCP.  U.S. firms are approved for NCP on a facility-by-facility basis. 

The U.S. NCP application is a one-time application.  The application requires supporting documentation in the form of 1) a company resume or capability statement indicating contracts completed as a prime contractor and 2) an annual report or set of financial documents indicating compilation, review, or audit by an independent CPA.

U.S. firms can download a copy of the U.S. NCP application from the following website:

https://www.bis.gov/about-bis/bis-leadership-and-offices/SIES/business-opportunities-nato 

DOC is the U.S. Government agency that approves NCP applications. Please submit to the email address provided your application and supporting documentation (as attachments). If your firm is interested in a specific NCP project at this time, please also include the following in the TEXT of your email:

- the title and/or solicitation number of the project
- the name/phone/email of the company employee who should receive the bid documents

After approval of your one-time NCP application, DOC will then know to follow up by issuing a DOE for the project.  DOC will transmit the DOE to the NATO contracting agency.  

IMPORTANT DATES:

Request a DOE (and, for firms new to NCP, submit the completed one-time NCP application): 19 August 2026

NCIA distributes the RFP (planned): 30 September 2026

Bid closing (anticipated): 13 November 2026

Contract Award (estimated): 29 January 2027