NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB): NATO Communications and Information Agency Support Services

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) intends to compete an omnibus-ordering contract for consultant support services. Services will be grouped into 4-5 areas that firms may submit bids against. These areas are 1) software/IT support services, 2) military operations research and analysis, 3) professional administrative support services, and 4) communications and IT network engineering. There may also be one additional area for junior-level administrative and technician support services. Firms may bid on any or all areas and areas will be separately evaluated for award. The solicitation may result in the award of as many as five separate contracts, each contract covering a group of related areas of expertise or activities. While as many as five contracts may be placed according to the areas identified, partial bidding against a single area or areas will not be allowed. Contracts will be let for 12 months with two one-year options. Potential U.S. prime contractors must be nominated to the bidders list by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government will nominate to the bidders list only those firms that have been approved for participation in NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB). Contractor personnel will be called upon to work at a NATO site in conjunction with the contract and such contractor personnel shall be required to have a security clearance at the level of NATO SECRET. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) forwards to the NCI Agency the required NATO security clearance certifications. The reference for the Invitation for Bid (IFB) is IFB-CO-13777-SSC and all correspondence concerning the IFB should reference this number. A summary of the requirements is attached. BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO BID NATO ICB requires that the U.S. Government nominate U.S. prime contractors to the bidders list. Before the U.S. Government can nominate a U.S. prime contractor to the bidders list for this procurement, the firm must be approved for participation in NATO ICB. Firms are approved for NATO ICB on a facility-by-facility basis. The NATO ICB application is a one-time application. The application requires supporting documentation in the form of 1) a company resume 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. NATO ICB application from the following website: http://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/other-areas/strategic-industries-and-economic-security-sies/nato-related-business-opportunities The application and supporting documentation may be submitted as e-mail attachments. If, when submitting the application, your firm is interested in a specific NATO ICB project, please include the following in the text of your email: - the title and/or solicitation number of the project - the name/phone/FAX/email of the point of contact for the bid documents After approval of your one-time NATO ICB application, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) will then know to follow up by issuing a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) for that project. NATO member governments use a DOE to nominate an approved firm to the bidders list for a particular NATO ICB project. IMPORTANT DATES: - Request from DOC that a DOE be issued (and, for firms new to NATO ICB, submit completed one-time NATO ICB application): 10 June 2014 - IFB planned to be issued: June 2014 - Bid Closing planned for: August 2014 - Contract Award anticipated: September 2014