Requirement: Obsolescence Management Support
Location of Performance: 60% off-site at contractor's premises; 40% on-site at NCIA premises in Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium.
Cost Not to Exceed: 2026 BASE NTE: Fixed monthly service fee of 12,960 EUR,
Period of Performance: 2026 BASE: As soon as possible, no later than 29 June 2026 (tentative) - 31 December 2026.
2027 OPTION: 1 January 2027 - 31 December 2027 (if exercised).
2028 OPTION: 1 January 2028 - 31 December 2028 (if exercised).
Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET
Please do NOT apply for any NATO contract positions unless you meet ALL the following criteria:
- Current National or NATO SECRET clearance
- Nationality of one of the NATO member countries
- Current work visa for the specific location if applying for an in-country position
Introduction:
- The NATO Integrated Mission Services Centre (NIMSC) - Engineering Management Office (EMO) provides expertise in design and maintenance of mobile infrastructure such as: DCIS, Dispersible systems and highly mobile systems, SATCOM, and Wireless Communications in support of Projects, Services, and POWs. With this SOW, EMO pursues industry services to manage obsolescence, while maintaining control over standards and quality.
- The NIMSC-EMO requires Obsolescence Management Services to provide the technical depth and strategic oversight required to sustain a resilient, future-ready Hardware (HW) and Software (SW) estate. The aim is to shift the organisation from a reactive stance to a predictive, intelligence-driven lifecycle posture. The focus is on safeguarding operational continuity, reducing risk exposure, and ensuring that critical systems remain supportable, secure, and aligned with long-term capability needs.
The intended business outcome of this contract is to ensure continuous, high-quality obsolescence management processes. Specifically, the NCIA seeks to:
Reduce operational risk: Minimise the likelihood and impact of unplanned obsolescence events that could compromise mission-critical systems.
Achieve optimised investment planning: Enable smarter, data-driven decisions on technology refresh, vendor engagement, and long-term capability sustainment.
Improve predictability and control: Transition from reactive to proactive lifecycle management, achieving stable and predictable operations.
Attain enhanced system availability and resilience: Ensure that essential communication and information services remain reliable, supportable, and compliant throughout their lifecycle.
Adhere to governance standards in engineering: Structured processes and technical guidance.
The successful delivery of this contract will result in NIMSC having reliable obsolescence management services with a critical emphasis on Unplanned Obsolescence Management (UOM) mitigation and long-term Lifecycle Management (LCM).
Scope of Work:
The scope of this contract covers the establishment of a comprehensive deployable CIS obsolescence-management framework by developing an inventory process that captures stakeholder knowledge, conducting a gap analysis, and mapping technical and operational dependencies across systems. The scope also includes assessment and prioritization of obsolescence risks and development of risk management methodologies. The standardized approach encompassing governance and business continuity includes the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Deliverables as listed below will enable sustained lifecycle visibility and risk mitigation for critical CIS assets.
Production of Obsolescence Management Process Framework:
- The Obsolescence Management Process Framework shall include: an inventory of all obsolescence-related processes, workflows, ownership, and associated systems; a gap analysis of the obsolescence-related processes, workflows, ownership, and associated systems to identify inconsistencies or inefficiencies; and recommendation and action-oriented proposals to streamline the processes and workflows.
- In the course of delivery, the Contractor shall engage with relevant stakeholders in structured elicitation sessions, including workshops and one-on-one interviews, with several Purchaser-designated Points of Contact (PoCs) to validate existing documentation and extract implicit operational knowledge. The obtained information shall be structured in formal documents with registers or logs, including roles and responsibilities, decision-making processes, risks, pain points, and workarounds.
- The Contractor shall develop a structured framework that defines how service, system, and component dependencies are identified, assessed, and documented, accompanied by practical case studies demonstrating how dependencies influence obsolescence risk. The framework shall include: principles, definitions, and methodology for identifying and classifying dependencies; criteria for assessing dependency criticality and impact; and standardized templates and/or visualization formats (e.g., diagrams, matrices).
- The Contractor shall regularly assess the impact of the developed Dependencies Mapping Framework and shall provide updated Dependency and Impact Maps containing: updated systems, updated relationships, and optimization actions.
Based on the gap analysis, the Contractor shall identify and prioritize missing processes. The Contractor shall develop models of the top priority processes in BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) format compliant with the Agency Process Framework (AProF).
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Development:
- The Contractor shall standardize processes across systems and stakeholders through formal documentation, by developing SOPs and/or Process Guidance Documents (PGDs) focused on Unplanned Obsolescence Management (UOM) that define governance, workflows, and responsibilities.
- The Contractor shall develop SOPs covering the 3 most impactful processes from deliverable 3.1, using ServiceNow, Configuration Management Database (CMDB), and other existing toolsets. The Contractor shall regularly assess and provide updated SOPs and/or PGDs including: process improvements, updated workflows, new decision criteria, and clarified roles and responsibilities.
The Contractor shall develop: a structured and consolidated Risk Log integrating financial, operational, and technical risk assessments with risk prioritization based on impact and likelihood, ensuring integration with existing NCIA Risk Management tools; a refined Risk Management Methodology; and an updated Obsolescence Risk Alerts Package containing a report on obsolescence performance, early-warning intelligence, and action-oriented mitigation proposals.
Performance Management
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The Contractor's performance shall be measured against the following KPIs on a monthly basis:
KPI 1 - Knowledge Formalization Rate: The percentage of identified implicit knowledge documented and
converted into formal SOPs. Target: 100% conversion of identified critical legacy workflows. Measured monthly.
KPI 2 - Data Integrity and Sync Score: Variance between physical inventory records and digital records (e.g., ServiceNow / FocalPoint). Target: less than 3% variance (high-fidelity synchronization). Measured monthly.
KPI 3 - Proactive Lead Time: Time between identification of a risk (e.g., vendor EOL announcement) and its registration in the Risk Log. Target: less than 5 business days. Measured monthly.
KPI 4 - Evaluation of Deliverables: Evaluation of deliverables D-3.1 to D-3.5 against agreed acceptance criteria including timeliness, fitness for purpose, completeness, and compliance with NCIA/NATO standards, using the methodology defined in Section 3.6.2. Target: 100% of deliverables achieve a minimum Good performance level (Total Score 5 or above). Measured monthly.
KPI 5 - Monthly Service Reporting Timeliness: Timeliness, completeness, and usability of monthly service reporting, measured by delivery of all required reports by the fifth working day of the reporting period, ensuring all reports are complete and fit for purpose. Target: 100% compliance. Measured monthly.
KPI Monitoring
KPI performance shall be reviewed on a monthly basis. The Contractor shall demonstrate measurable progress toward KPI targets in each reporting period. For KPIs with defined target dates, incremental progress and trajectory toward the target shall be evaluated monthly. Lack of progress, regression, or insufficient supporting evidence may result in a lower score under fitness for purpose and/or completeness. KPI reporting shall be included in the Contractor's monthly submission and may be used by the Purchaser to validate service quality, support acceptance decisions, and justify performance scoring and associated payment adjustments.
Service Credits
KPI Weighting
KPI 1 - Knowledge Formalization Rate: 1% weighting.
KPI 2 - Data Integrity and Sync Score: 1% weighting.
KPI 3 - Proactive Lead Time: 5% weighting.
KPI 4 - Evaluation of Deliverables: 5% weighting.
KPI 5 - Monthly Service Reporting Timeliness: 3% weighting.
Calculation of Service Credits
Where a KPI is determined to be Non-Compliant (Not Met), the corresponding percentage shall be applied as a Service Credit. Total Service Credit (%) = sum of percentages assigned to each KPI that is Not Met. Service Credit Value = Total Service Credit (%) x Monthly Service Fee. Service Credits shall be calculated based on validated KPI results, documented in the Service Performance Report, reviewed and confirmed during service review meetings, and deducted from the corresponding invoice.
Cap on Service Credits
The total service credits applied in any reporting period shall not exceed 15% of the applicable monthly service fee.
Audit and Verification
The Contractor shall ensure that all KPI measurements and service credit calculations are accurate, transparent, and auditable. The Purchaser reserves the right to verify KPI results, request supporting evidence, and challenge any calculation deemed incorrect.
Roles and Responsibilities:
NIMSC-EMO Head: Main stakeholder. Responsible for overseeing service performance, validating KPI outcomes, and confirming monthly acceptance of services and deliverables based on the agreed performance framework.
Contractor: Responsible for delivering all services and outputs in accordance with the defined KPIs, performance standards, and acceptance criteria. Also responsible for ensuring continuous compliance with KPI targets and timely corrective actions where required.
Practical Arrangements
Working environment is 60% off-site at contractor's premises and 40% on-site support at NCIA premises in Braine-l'Alleud as required. The contractor will provide services under an NCI Agency contract issued through the Prime AAS.
In the event that the contractor filling the profile leaves during the contract period, the Prime AAS shall provide a single replacement candidate who meets the required qualifications (Section 11) for the relevant profile. The replacement candidate shall be dedicated to the same profile. All NCIA Terms and Conditions apply.
NCIA hours of operations: Monday to Thursday 08:30-17:00 and Friday 08:30-15:00 (CET). NCIA official holiday schedules for the locations specified in Section 10 apply and will be provided to the contractor.
The Contractor shall furnish everything required to perform the contract, except for access to necessary tools, data, and NATO networks, which will be provided by NCIA subject to Agency policies, security authorization, and coordination.
Requirements
Technical Qualifications:
- MSc degree in Data Engineering, Systems Engineering, Cybersecurity, or Defence Technology; or BSc degree in Data Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field. Exceptionally, the lack of a university degree may be compensated by at least 6 years of extensive and progressive expertise in duties related to the function of the post.
- ITIL Foundation certification of completion or certificate (highly valued within NCIA service management frameworks).
- Certificate of completion or certificate in ServiceNow Administrator.
- Certificate of completion or certificate in Functional Principles of Oracle ERP-EBS and SaaS (SCM).
- Certificate of completion or certificate in Power BI.
- 7 or more years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or lifecycle data management.
- Strong proficiency in SQL, Python, and distributed data processing frameworks (e.g., Spark, Kafka).
- Strong proficiency in ETL/ELT development, data modelling, metadata management, and data quality frameworks.
- Strong proficiency in integrating data from CMDBs, logistics systems, ERP platforms, and OEM lifecycle sources.
- Experience with obsolescence-related datasets (EOL/EOS, vendor roadmaps, supply chain risk indicators).
- Familiarity with CIS architectures, configuration management, and interoperability standards.
- Minimum 2 years of experience working in NATO, NCIA, defence, military, or multinational secure CIS environments.
- Demonstrated ability to work under strict cybersecurity, accreditation, and information assurance constraints.
- At least 2 years of experience using a data orchestration tool such as KNIME or equivalent.
- At least 2 years of experience in advanced data visualization such as Power BI Desktop or equivalent.
- At least 2 years of experience using data architecture: SQL.
- At least 2 years of experience using ServiceNow and Enterprise Business Applications (EBA).
- Fluent in Business English.
- Ability to translate complex lifecycle and configuration data into actionable obsolescence insights for senior stakeholders.
- Excellent communication skills and comfort working in a multinational, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Proactive, structured, and detail-oriented approach to managing complex data ecosystems supporting mission-critical CIS.
