NATO Business Opportunity: Support to Protected Business Network (PBN) Capability Program Implementation – Project 0, Discover and Accelerate

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Support to Protected Business Network (PBN) Capability Program Implementation – Project 0, Discover and Accelerate.

This competitive process supports the initial PBN Project 0 (Discover and Accelerate) aimed at selecting the top qualified and experienced industry leader that will assume the role of Service Integrator supporting the implementation of the whole capability. Based on the above, NCIA is seeking to enter into a framework contract with the Service Integrator selected as a result of the competitive process. The framework contract will include reference prices for any support the Integrator will provide in respect to the entire PBN Capability implementation. A single award is planned.

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) 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

In addition, contractor personnel will be required to work unescorted in Class II Security areas. Therefore, access can only be permitted to cleared individuals. Only personnel maintaining the appropriate personnel clearances will be able to perform the resulting contract.

The reference for the RFP is RFP-CO-424219-PBN_0 and all correspondence concerning the RFP should include this reference.

Important: On 19 February 2025, NCIA is hosting an informative session (hybrid onsite/remote event) addressing NCIA’s vision on PBN and the basis of the NATO Cloud Enterprise View. To participate in this event, please see the Department of Commerce announcement posted here on SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/opp/e26e47a9fa434d1bba9b32f39efbb431/review

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS

Please see attached (5 pages total).

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:

https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/other-areas/strategic-industries-and-economic-security-sies/nato-related-business-opportunities

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): 20 February 2025

NCI Agency distributes the RFP (planned): 07 March 2025

Bid closing (anticipated): 17 March 2026

Contract Award (estimated): 01 May 2026