NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB): Provision of CIS Support for ISAF in Afghanistan

The NATO Consultation, Command, and Control Agency (NC3A) intends to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) in relation to the provision of CIS support for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. NC3A released an initial Notice of Intent to Invite Bids (NOI) for this project in May 2009. The IFB, however, was not released to industry, due to unexpected design and security integration issues. The requirements for this project have since been reassessed and revalidated. The reference for the reissued IFB is IFB-CO-12735-OPL, and all correspondence concerning this IFB should reference this number. All nominations from the previous NOI issued in 2009 have been included in the preliminary bidders list. The estimated cost for the services and deliverables included within the basic scope of the intended contract is - 1,700,091. NC3A has been authorized to use the Alliance Operations and Mission (AOM) International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedure. The contract shall be awarded on a lowest price, technically compliant basis. NC3A plans to place a single contract for the entire scope of work. No partial bidding shall be allowed. The technical specifications applicable to the bidding and the contractual documents are NATO UNCLASSIFIED. For the performance of the contract, however, contractor personnel will be required to hold a NATO SECRET security clearance. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) forwards to NC3A the NATO clearance certifications for all personnel assigned to the contract. SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS The project provides Liaison Office Deployable kits (LNO packs) that will enable LNOs to tie into the main ISAF and NATO networks as required. Each LNO pack will support users connecting to static networks over commercial Inmarsat links. ISAF personnel will be regularly deployed on liaison tasks, requiring the capability to have secure voice and data connectivity up to ISAF SECRET to static locations. To achieve this, 11 LNO packs are required and shall be self-contained, compact, portable units that will provide deployable secure communications services to support up to eight users. Each transportable pack shall be self-contained in transit cases to include voice and data terminals along with the associated network infrastructure. Each pack shall also include its own power generation capability. The LNO packs will need to be fully configured, tested, and documented prior to fielding in ISAF. Furthermore, the necessary training must be provided. SCOPE OF WORK The contractor shall be responsible for the design and delivery of 11 deployable kits including power generation capability. Three cryptographic equipment and Inmarsat terminals will be provided as Purchaser Furnished Equipment (PFE), which the contractor will integrate into its solution. The contractor will be responsible for building, integrating, pre-configuring, and documenting all the deployable kits to be ready for use on the NATO network with support from NC3A and NATO CIS Support Agency (NCSA) staff. The contractor shall be responsible for generating all security accreditation documentation in relation to the designing of the deployable kit solution, with support from NC3A and NCSA staff. The contractor shall be responsible for providing complete training both the use and maintenance of the deployable kits. BIDDING PROCEDURE Before a firm can be nominated to the bidders list for this ICB procurement, it must be approved for participation in NATO ICB. Firms are approved for NATO ICB on a facility-by-facility basis. The U.S. Department of Commerce approves U.S. firms that have a professionally active facility (office, factory, laboratory, etc.) located within the United States. U.S. firms will find a copy of the U.S. NATO ICB application at the following website: http://www.bis.doc.gov/defenseindustrialbaseprograms/osies/natoprograms/index.htm The NATO ICB application is a one-time application. The application requires supporting documentation in the form of 1) a company resume and 2) an annual report or set of financial documents indicating compilation, review, or audit by an independent CPA. 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 Department of Commerce will then know to follow up by issuing a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) for that project. A DOE is used to nominate an approved firm to the bidders list for a particular NATO ICB project. Using the contact information on the DOE, the NATO contracting agency will contact the firm directly when the IFB has been issued. IMPORTANT DEADLINES 1. Final date to request a DOE (and, for U.S. facilities not yet approved for NATO ICB, to submit a completed NATO ICB application): March 04, 2011 2. Anticipated release of IFB will be issued: March 2011 3. Bid closing date: second half of April 2011 4. Contract award: second quarter of 2011