Requirement: Penetration Testing Service - NPCL Support
Location of Performance: 100% onsite in Mons, BELGIUM
Cost Not to Exceed: 2026: €85,140 (22 sprints at €3,870 NTE / sprint).
Period of Performance: As soon as possible but not later than 15 June 2026 until 31 December 2026
Evaluation Methodology: Lowest Priced Technically Compliant
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
Purpose:
- The objective of this statement of work (SoW) is to outline the scope of work and deliverables for the penetration testing service to be conducted by the selected company.
- The purpose of the work package is to provide support to NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to fulfil identified penetration testing activities more effectively.
- To support the NCSC with the execution of tasks identified in the subject work package of the service, the NCI Agency is looking for experienced penetration testing professionals to augment the existing teams in order to respond to the increasing demand for high quality security assessments and expertise.
- This contract is to provide consistent support on a deliverable-based (completion-type) contract, to NCSC contributing to its POW based on the deliverables that are described in the scope of work below.
- The "Senior Penetration Tester" is a position within the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), an organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- The NCIA has been established with a view to meeting to the best advantage the collective requirements of some or all NATO nations in the fields of capability delivery and service provision related to Consultation, Command & Control as well as Communications, Information and Cyber Defence functions, thereby also facilitating the integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Target Acquisition functions and their associated information exchange.
- The NCI Agency NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is responsible for planning and executing all lifecycle management activities for cyber security. In executing this responsibility, NCSC provides specialist cyber security-related services covering the spectrum of scientific, technical, acquisition, operations, maintenance, and sustainment support, throughout the lifecycle of NATO Information Communications and Technology (ICT).
- Within the NCSC, the Assess Branch performs comprehensive vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, security compliance audits and red teaming activities against NATO CIS components throughout their lifecycle and across the NATO CIS footprint, improving its cyber hygiene while contributing to the CIS accreditation, IT change management and cyber incident response and recovery processes. It reports on security shortfalls and provides expertise in support of the mitigation and remediation assistance process. The Section also supports exercises, software development assurance and purple teaming activities.
- The Penetration Testing Section manages and conducts tailored penetration testing activities against NATO networks and systems, with the objective to assess the impact of current cyber threats, as well as their likelihood and difficulty of exploitation, on NATO CIS, a NATO Mission or NATO's cyber defences by emulating an intermediate or advanced cyber adversary. These unique activities are performed in support of accreditation, IT change management and software development assurance throughout the lifecycle of NATO CIS, during NATO exercises and in support of incident handling and recovery.
- Provide Web, infrastructure and application-level penetration testing, including but not limited to COTS software and NOTS/GOTS software (NATO/Government off the Shelf), following clearly defined methodologies.
- Participate in kick-off meetings with stakeholders and technical points of contact in order to identify requirements for testing.
- Follow the documented procedures and workflows outlined by the technical leads.
- Attend team meetings if required.
- Write technical reports in fluent English, following defined templates and Reporting Tools.
- Brief at both executive and technical levels on security reports and testing outcome, including at flag officer level.
- In case of new vulnerabilities detected for COTS software, follow the Responsible Disclosure Process and follow-up with vendors and stakeholders.
- In co-ordination with the Technical Lead of the Penetration testing team, ensure proactive collaboration and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
- Stay abreast of technological developments relevant to the area of work.
- Perform any other duties as may be required.
Coordination and Reporting:
- The contractor shall participate in daily status update meetings, activity planning and other meetings as instructed, physically in the office, or in person via digital means using conference call capabilities, according to the manager's / team leader'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 written within three (3) days after the sprint's end date. The format of this report shall be a short email to the NCI Agency Project Manager mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the sprint.
- At the end of the project, the Contractor shall provide a Project Closure Report that is summarizing the activities during the period of performance at high level.
- The Contractor shall perform the Services 100% on-site, in Mons, Belgium. Any work-from-home may be permitted only with the prior written approval of the Line Manager and where compatible with project requirements. The NCSC Team is located in Mons, Belgium, with working hours to be adjusted accordingly.
- The contractor is required to follow the rules and regulations applicable for the operations of NATO CIS.
- The Contractor shall not be required to travel to other NATO locations for the performance of the Services under this Contract.
- Regular travel costs to and from main location of the work are out of scope and will be borne by the contractor.
- For the avoidance of doubt, the following are expressly excluded from reimbursement: (i) daily travel between the Contractor's domicile and the Main Location; (ii) costs arising from the Contractor's personal choice of domicile location; (iii) any travel undertaken at the Contractor's own initiative; (iv) travel expenses for missions to other NATO/NCIA locations rather than Mons, BEL.
- This work must be accomplished by one contractor.
- 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.
Mandatory Experience and Education:
- The service contractor will be required to have a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree at a nationally recognised/certified university in a technical subject with substantial Information Technology (IT) content and 3 years post-related experience. As an exception, the lack of a university degree may be compensated by the demonstration of a candidate's particular abilities or experience that are of interest to the NCI Agency; namely, at least 10 years of extensive and progressive experience in the duties related to the functions of this post.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in web application penetration testing.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in IT infrastructure penetration testing.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in network security architecture design.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in assessing security vulnerabilities within OS, software, protocols & networks.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in researching and evaluating security products & technologies.
- Knowledge in system and network administration of UNIX and Windows systems.
- Extensive knowledge and experience (at least 3 years) in the use of penetration testing tools, techniques, and recognized testing methodologies.
- Scripting skills in at least one of the following: Python, Go, PowerShell, shell (bash, ksh, csh).
- Technical knowledge in system and network security, authentication and security protocols, cryptography, application security, as well as malware infection techniques and protection technologies.
- Ability to evaluate risks and formulate mitigation plans.
- Proven ability to brief at executive level on security findings, reports and testing outcome.
- Proven ability to write clear and structured technical reports including executive summary, technical findings and remediation plan for several different audiences.
- Professional qualifications: OSCP, OSCE, OSWE, GPEN, CREST Certified Web Application Tester, GXPN, GWAPT or equivalent.
- Familiarity with risk analysis methodologies.
- Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements.
- Knowledge of NATO organization, internal structure and resultant relationships.
- A thorough knowledge of one of the two NATO languages, both written and spoken, is essential and some knowledge of the other is desirable. Most of the work of the NCI Agency is conducted in the English language.
- The candidate must hold a NATO SECRET security clearance.
