Deadline Date:
Friday 4 July 2025
Requirement:
Data Centre Infrastructure Installation Engineering Support
Location:
Mons, BELGIUM
Full Time On-Site:
Yes
Time On-Site:
100%
Not to Exceed:
2025 BASE: 2,700 EUR/sprint (20 sprints, total NTE 54,000 EUR), 2026, 2027 and 2028 OPTIONS
Period of Performance:
2025 Base period: 4 August 2025
Required Security Clearance:
NATO SECRET
Background:
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is dedicated to acquiring, deploying, and defending communication systems for NATO’s political decision-makers and Commands. It operates on the frontlines against cyber-attacks, collaborating closely with governments and industry to prevent future debilitating attacks. The NCIA plays a crucial role in maintaining NATO’s technological edge and ensuring the collective defence and crisis management capabilities of the Alliance. In pursuit of our mission, we require specialized advisory services to enhance our interim workforce capacity.
Introduction:
NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is looking for a contractor to support the work of Enable Branch: to ensure the availability, performance, and security of NATO’s data centre across multiple sites. Focus will be on setting up software or hardware to make it operational and providing technical expertise in compliance with NATO’s operational requirements and security standards.
Objectives:
The aim of this SOW is to support NCSC with technical expertise specifically related to the operation and maintenance of NATO’s DATA CENTE INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLATION ENGINEERING with a deliverable based (completion-type) contract to be executed in 2025.
The main objective is to secure advisory services that provide expert guidance and support to achieve:
- A highly efficient, scalable, and reliable data centre infrastructure that is well-organized, fully optimized for current and future needs, and aligned with industry best practices.
- Standardized procedures for equipment installation, enabling faster deployments, better utilization of space, and minimized risk of error.
- Systematic approach to cable management and enhanced documentation practices for the infrastructure to be easier to maintain, troubleshoot, and expand as organizational needs grow.
- This vision aims to transform the data centre into a model of operational efficiency, flexibility, and resilience.
Under the direction/guidance of NCIA or delegated staff, the Contractor’s Personnel will be responsible for designing, installing, managing, and optimizing NATO’s data centre infrastructure.
The role is essential in ensuring the physical installation, cable management, and maintenance of equipment across multiple sites.
The service-based contractor will focus on delivering key technical solutions and providing expertise in equipment installation, structured cabling, and the use of Patch Manager Software to track and manage network connections.
The contractor’s personnel will ensure that all equipment and infrastructure are installed and maintained to meet NATO’s operational requirements and security standards.
This work will include the following activities:
- Expert guidance on the design and layout of data centre infrastructure: ensuring optimal placement of equipment for scalability, airflow management, and ease of maintenance.
- Technical support and oversight for the installation of data centre equipment:, including servers, networking devices, and power distribution units, adhering to best practices and industry standards.
- Comprehensive cable management solutions: ensuring structured cabling systems are efficiently organized, labelled, and documented to support future growth and ease of troubleshooting.
- Seamless integration of new and existing infrastructure through the use of Patch Manager Software: maintaining accurate records of cable connections, patch panels, and network configurations to optimize network visibility and management.
- Recommendations for optimizing power and cooling systems within the data center, ensuring energy efficiency and adequate cooling to protect sensitive equipment from overheating and ensuring operational reliability.
- Ongoing training and support to data centre staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to maintain, troubleshoot, and upgrade equipment and cabling systems effectively.
- Support to the development of disaster recovery strategies by advising on the physical infrastructure needed to maintain continuity in the event of equipment failure: power outages, or environmental threats.
- Expert technical assessments and audits of the data centre infrastructure: identifying areas for improvement in cable management, equipment placement, and overall operational efficiency, with a focus on aligning with industry best practices and NATO’s security and operational requirements.
The Client will:
- Provide necessary access to systems and information required for all services
- Tools and equipment (laptop) will be provided for remote service provisioning.
- Designate primary points of contact for escalations and decision-making
- Early Definition: Establish criteria at the beginning of the project or sprint; Refine criteria as needed throughout the development process
- Prioritization: Identify must-have criteria vs. nice-to-have features; Align prioritization with project / service goals and constraints
- Consider Edge Cases: Include criteria for handling unexpected inputs or scenarios; Address potential failure modes and error handling
- The Contractor shall deliver services onsite in Mons, Belgium.
- The highest level of classification that contractor may need to access is NATO SECRET (NS). As a result of this contractor must hold a valid NATO SECRET Security Clearance.
- The contractor shall report to the NCIA Project Manager or designated Point of Contact (POC) assigned by the NCIA Cyber Security Service Line
- The Contractor shall participate in monthly status update meetings and other meetings, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to service delivery manager’s instructions.
- For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable, the contractor must report the outcome of his/her work during the sprint, first verbally during the retrospective meeting and then in writing, within five (5) working days after the sprint’s end date. A report in the format of a short email shall be sent to NCIA POC briefly mentioning the work held and the achievements during the sprint.
- This task order will be active immediately after signing of the contract by both parties.
- The 2025 BASE period of performance is as soon as possible but not later than 4 August and will end no later than 31 December 2025.
- If the 2026, 2027 and 2028 options are exercised, the period of performance is 01 January until 31 December of that respective year.
- Results of the work to be stored on NCIA NATO RESTRICTED SharePoint portal.
- All the documentation provided under this statement of work will be based on NCIA templates and/or agreed with the NCIA service manager.
- All support, maintenance, documentation will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCIA tools.
- All developed solutions will be property of the NCIA.
- It is mandatory for the Contractor to be in possession of a NATO SECRET security clearance to facilitate follow-on engagements and coordination at NATO venues.
- The signature of a Non-Disclosure Agreement between the contractor contributing to this task order and NCIA will be required prior to execution.
- The contractor will be required to work 100% onsite in Mons / BEL as part of this engagement. The NCSC Team is located in Mons / BEL, with working hours will from 08:30 to 17:30 with 1 hour for lunch from Monday to Thursday. On Friday working hours will be from 08:30 to 15:30 with 1 hour for lunch.
- The contractor will be required to work following the rules and regulations applicable for the operations of NATO CIS.
- The Purchaser will provide the Contractor with the following Purchaser-Furnished Equipment (PFE): Access to NATO sites, as required, for the purpose of executing this SOW; Workspace (needed business IT for both on- and off-site work, hot-desk at NCSC facility); NCIA “REACH” laptop to be used by the contractor for the execution of the contract.
- Regular travel costs to and from the service delivery location (SHAPE) are out of scope and will be borne by the contractor.
- Travel costs to other NATO locations are not included in the quoted price as there is no expected travel foreseen.
- However, should travel be required, travel arrangements will be the responsibility of the contractor and the expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of the AAS+ Framework Contract and within the limits of the NCIA Travel Directive.
Services under current SOW are to be delivered by ONE resource that must have demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience as listed below:
- Security Classification: NATO SECRET
- Language Proficiency: English
To provide a high level of service quality, the contractor supporting the Installation Engineering Team has a proven track record of successfully designing, implementing, and optimizing network and security infrastructures for a variety of organizations across multiple industries. The engineer should provide and prove the following mandatory performance, education and qualifications:
- Minimum 4 years of experience in data centre environments with hands-on experience in installing, terminating, and testing fibre optic and copper cabling (e.g., Cat5e, Cat6a, Cat7), including structured cabling systems, patch panels, and racks.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a military or NATO environment with a strong understanding of data centre operations and network architecture standards.
- Proficiency in rack and stack operations (installing network, server, and storage hardware) and cable management practices to ensure organized, scalable deployments.
- Experience with network testing tools such as Fluke Networks or equivalent, with the ability to perform cable certification and troubleshooting.
- Experience with patch management software, such as SolarWinds Patch Manager, ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus, or equivalent, to ensure proper documentation and organization of cable and equipment layouts.
- Expertise in network protocols including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), ensuring seamless integration of network infrastructure in the data centre.
- A valid certification such as BICSI Technician, CNet Certified Network Cable Installer (CNCI), or similar.
- Knowledge of data centre power and cooling systems, including UPS, PDUs, and HVAC considerations for optimal performance.
- ITIL v4 Foundation Certification to ensure understanding of service management processes and procedures for structured and efficient operations within the data centre environment.
- Experience in project management and coordination, leading the installation and deployment of data centre projects, including managing timelines, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring adherence to quality standards and best practices.
- Experience with fibre optic splicing and fusion splicing tools.
- Knowledge of safety standards and compliance with data centre design such as TIA/EIA standards.
- Any valid certification or training in data centre operations, such as Uptime Institute’s Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) or DC Professional’s Data Centre Technician certification.
- Knowledge of environmental monitoring systems (e.g., temperature, humidity sensors, and surveillance) for data centres.