NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB): Cable Supply, Installation and Maintenance for CIS Support Unit

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) intends to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the procurement of cable supply, installation, and maintenance for the CIS Support Unit in Mons, Belgium.

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 International Competitive Bidding (ICB), 3) have a Facility Security Clearance at the level or SECRET or higher, and 4) be issued a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) by the U.S. Government.   

In addition, contractor personnel may be required to work unescorted in Class II Security areas and therefore, access can only be permitted to individuals with NATO CTS clearance. Only companies maintaining such cleared facilities and the appropriate personnel clearances will be able to perform the resulting contract.

The reference for the IFB is IFB-CO-115750-CAB and all correspondence concerning the IFB should reference this number.

The successful bid pursuant to this IFB will be that bid that is deemed to offer the best value for the money in accordance with predefined bid evaluation criteria, which will be detailed in the IFB as prescribed by the Best Value Procedures. The top level criteria will be Technical (55%) and Price (45%).

The contract resulting from the IFB will be a single Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract. The NCI Agency intends to place a single contract with one contractor. No partial bidding will be allowed.

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENT

Please see attached. This requirement is being refined and detailed as part of the preparation of the IFB.

BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO BID

NATO ICB 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 NATO ICB.  U.S. firms are approved for NATO ICB on a facility-by-facility basis. 

The U.S. NATO ICB 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. 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 Department of Commerce (DOC) is the U.S. Government agency that approves NATO ICB applications. Please submit to the email address provided your application and supporting documentation (as attachments). If your firm is interested in a specific NATO ICB 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 NATO ICB 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 NATO ICB, submit the completed one-time NATO ICB application): 09 August 2022

NCI Agency distributes the IFB (planned): Q3 2022

Bid Closing: October 2022

Contract Award (target): Q4 2022

Period of Performance: 01 Jan 2023 – 31 Dec 2023 with four option years