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 1) are pre-approved for participation in NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB) and 2) hold a current SECRET level facility security clearance. In addition, performance of the contract will require that contractor personnel working on the project hold SECRET personnel security clearances. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) forwards to NCIA the required NATO security clearance certifications.

The reference for the IFB is IFB-CO-13550-BMD. 

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the SE&I contract is to procure the technical expertise to execute the tasks and produce the associated deliverables necessary to support the NCIA's BMD Program Office in achieving and delivering a NATO BMD capability. This work consists of review and revision of system specifications, configuration control of those specifications, and integration and testing in support of implementation activities. The NATO capability will be composed of NATO Command, Control, and Communications (C3) Systems components, and the NATO sensors and National sensors, interceptor and C3 systems that are expected to be provided by the nations and that will be linked to NATO Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (BMC3I). The contractor will support the development and integration of the NATO C3 systems, and the design, development, and testing of the interfaces of these systems to NATO and National weapons and sensors. Please see the attached Summary of Requirement for more information.

BIDDING PROCEDURE

NATO ICB requires that the NATO member governments nominate to the bidders list potential prime contractors that are located within their borders. Before the U.S. Government can nominate a U.S. firm to the bidders list for this ICB procurement, the firm must be approved for participation in NATO ICB. Firms are approved for NATO ICB on a facility-by-facility basis. 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 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): 24 May 2013

- IFB planned to be issued in July 2013

- Bid Closing planned for October 2013

- Contract Award anticipated in March 2014