Potential U.S. prime contractors must 1) be pre-approved for participation in NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB) and 2) be nominated to the bidders list by the U.S. Government.

The reference for the IFB is IFB-NCIA-NP-16-09 and all correspondence concerning the IFB should reference this number.

The contract will be a firm fixed price contract. The source selection process will be the lowest price technically compliant bid. It is planned to place a single contract for the entire scope of work. No partial bidding will be allowed.

BACKGROUND

The NCI Agency is responsible for the in-service support of major NATO Communications and Information Systems. NCIA CSU Naples has the responsibility to operate and maintain two integrated computing/network/storage systems (Vblock^TM) architecture within Lago Patria Data Center. Both systems are delivering NS and NU services to the NATO community. In order to provide continuity of service inside Lago Patria Data Center, reactive and proactive support is required.

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS

NCIA CSU Naples requires level 3 support services for the operation, maintenance, and configuration of the two (Vblock^TM) integrated storage, network, and computing fabric made by Virtual Computing Environment (VCE) company. Work under this contract will take place at Allied JFC Naples.

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, however, the U.S. firm must be approved for participation in NATO ICB. Firms are approved for U.S. 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 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 the completed one-time NATO ICB application): 27 September 2016

- IFB issued (target): September 2016

- Bid Closing (target) : October 2016

- Contract Award (target): November 2016

- Period of Performance: Start date in January 2017. One year + 4 one-year options