Requirement: NSATU Routing & Switching Level 3 Engineering Support
Location: Wiesbaden, Germany
Cost Not to Exceed: 13,320 EUR/month
Period of Performance: Commencing as soon as possible but no later than 1 September 2026 until 31 December 2026.
Required Security Clearance: NATO COSMIC TOP SECRET (NATO SECRET acceptable initially, with COSMIC TOP SECRET in process — see Requirements)
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) is responsible for the coordination, planning, and delivery of engineering and operational support capabilities across NATO Enterprise Architecture and Mobile CIS Infrastructure, including Deployable CIS Services (DCIS), Dispersible Systems, Highly Mobile Systems, SATCOM, and Wireless Communications, supporting NATO Missions. To ensure the sustained availability, performance, and resilience of these mission-critical capabilities, NIMSC requires structured, continuous Engineering, Operations and Maintenance (O&M) support, aligned with NATO governance, processes, and operational priorities.
- Through this Statement of Work (SoW), NIMSC seeks industry support to deliver technical, operational, engineering, and service-governance activities for the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), and its NATO Enterprise Architecture and Deployable CIS (DCIS). The objective is to ensure uninterrupted service delivery, effective incident and change management, accurate and auditable reporting, and continuous service improvement across all NSATU functional locations. The Contractor, through the selected personnel, will provide Routing and Switching Level 3 service technical support, infrastructure maintenance, system documentation management, engineering service reporting, and participation in on-call and operational coordination activities, ensuring that NSATU NATO Enterprise Architecture and Deployable CIS (DCIS) capabilities remain fully operational, secure, and aligned with NATO standards.
The intended business outcome of this Statement of Work is to ensure the reliable, secure, and continuous operation of NATO CIS services, more specifically for the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, through proactive support, maintenance, and iterative service improvement.
Specifically, the main objectives are:
- Ensure service continuity and availability by maintaining stable and resilient NSATU NATO CIS Services and architectural operations aligned with defined performance targets and service levels.
- Reduce operational disruptions through timely incident intervention, efficient fault diagnosis, and adherence to defined resolution KPIs.
- Enable proactive engineering service delivery by implementing continuous monitoring and preventive maintenance of NSATU NATO CIS Services, architecture, and services.
- Support operational agility and evolution through iterative updates and enhancements aligned with emerging business and operational requirements.
- Strengthen governance and compliance by ensuring that all activities (Incident, Change, and Release Management) are executed in accordance with NATO processes and standards.
Scope of Work
The scope covers Routing and Switching Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of NSATU NATO CIS Services and architecture, including continuous support, monitoring, maintenance, and controlled service updates. The Contractor shall provide services in a continuous and structured manner, ensuring alignment with operational priorities, service levels, and NATO governance processes. The services shall be delivered through the assignment of one (1) qualified personnel as set out in the Qualifications section.
The assigned personnel shall perform the activities defined herein and contribute to the achievement of the agreed service levels and performance targets.
The Contractor shall ensure that the assigned personnel possess the required qualifications and experience; perform the tasks in accordance with NATO processes and procedures; and maintain continuity and quality of service delivery.
NSATU Routing and Switching Operations and Maintenance Activities
The Contractor shall provide services contributing to the availability, performance, and continuous operation of the NSATU and associated IT and Data Management Services. This includes the following activities:
- 3rd Level Technical Support: Supporting the delivery of advanced (3rd level) technical support for NSATU NATO CIS Services and architecture and IT/Data Management Services, ensuring service availability is maintained in accordance with defined targets.
- Fault Diagnosis and Troubleshooting: Supporting fault diagnosis activities using the IT and Data Management Services Management System, including both local and remote diagnostic capabilities.
- Infrastructure Maintenance: Supporting the supervision and execution of routine maintenance activities for infrastructure, management appliances, and associated NSATU IT/Data Management equipment.
- System Documentation Management: Supporting the maintenance and updating of system documentation to reflect changes, configurations, and operational procedures.
- Backup and Restore Operations: Supporting the execution and validation of backup and restore procedures for IT and Data Management Services devices.
- Remote Support Capabilities: Supporting remote fault diagnosis and intervention activities as required to ensure service continuity.
- Stakeholder Coordination: Supporting collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective coordination of support, maintenance, and service activities.
- Process Execution (ITSM): Supporting the execution of Incident Management, Change Management, and Release Management.
- All activities shall be performed in accordance with NATO processes and procedures, ensuring compliance, traceability, and auditability.
The Contractor shall establish, maintain, and operate a structured reporting framework to ensure full visibility of service performance, operational status, and compliance with the requirements of this Statement of Work (SoW). The reporting framework shall provide transparent and auditable evidence of service performance against defined KPIs; enable continuous monitoring of service health, availability, and operational risks; support informed decision-making by NCIA; and facilitate performance evaluation and validation of payment.
Reporting Requirements
Service Performance Report
The Contractor shall produce monthly Service Performance Reports, including, as a minimum:
- KPI performance (MTTI, MTTR, MRT).
- Incident summaries and analysis (P1-P4), including volume, classification, and resolution status.
- Service availability across all service domains.
- Major incidents and outages, including impact assessment.
- Root cause analysis for critical incidents (P1/P2).
- Preventive and corrective actions implemented or planned.
- Change and maintenance activities performed during the reporting period.
- Identified risks and associated mitigation measures.
- Recommendations for service optimisation and improvement.
For high-priority incidents, the Contractor shall provide: initial notification; regular status updates; and Post-Incident Reports including root cause analysis and corrective actions.
KPI Reporting
The Contractor shall provide KPI measurement data and supporting evidence; identification of KPI breaches; and calculation of applicable service credits. This report shall serve as the basis for performance validation and payment.
Operational Dashboards
If applicable, the Contractor shall provide dashboards showing service status and availability; active incidents; and performance trends.
Reporting Obligations
The Contractor shall ensure that all reports are completed and submitted no later than the fifth (5th) working day following the end of the respective reporting period, unless otherwise agreed.
Service Governance Model
The Contractor shall establish and operate a structured Governance Model to ensure effective oversight, control, and continuous improvement of the services delivered under this Statement of Work. The Governance Model shall ensure effective oversight of engineering performance against defined KPIs; provide a structured mechanism for reviewing service quality, risks, and issues; enable timely decision-making and escalation; support continuous service improvement; and ensure alignment with NATO governance frameworks and processes.
Governance Structure
Operational Level (Day-to-Day Engineering Management): Focus: Service execution and operational coordination. Activities: incident review and coordination; change and release planning; operational issue tracking. Frequency: Daily or as required.
Service Review Level (Engineering Performance Management): Focus: KPI performance, service quality, and reporting. Activities: review of KPI performance (MTTI, MTTR, MRT); validation of engineering performance reports; review of incidents, trends, and root causes; tracking of corrective and preventive actions. Frequency: Monthly (or as agreed).
Continuous Service Improvement
The Contractor shall identify opportunities for service and efficiency improvements; propose and track corrective and preventive actions; and monitor trends and recurring issues to drive long-term improvements. All improvement actions shall be documented and reported monthly; reviewed during governance meetings; and tracked to completion.
Requirements
Security Clearance
- Performance of the services requires a valid NATO COSMIC TOP SECRET. NATO SECRET personal security clearance can be accepted, prior to the start of the engagement with COSMIC TOP SECRET clearance in process.
The support required under this SoW demands a combination of advanced technical expertise, operational experience, and strong communication and coordination skills. The Contractor's personnel shall meet the following minimum qualifications:
Specific Technical Qualifications and Experience
Assigned personnel shall possess the following qualifications and have at least three (3) years of experience in the following areas:
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - (Code 200-301) or equivalent qualifications.
- In-depth knowledge of Cisco routing and switching technologies.
- Proficiency in configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers and switches.
- In-depth knowledge of network security principles and practices.
- Proficiency in fault diagnosis utilizing a number of management platforms (e.g. HP Openview, Netscout, Cisco Works).
- Proficiency in configuration and operation of HP Network Automation or equivalent network automation and orchestration systems.
- Proficiency in configuration and operation of Network Monitoring and Event Management systems (ideally CA Spectrum, HP Openview and Splunk).
- Familiarity with IP Diffserv QoS in Networks.
- In-depth knowledge of OSPF and BGP to include (Multi-area architectures, BGP Confederations and Route Reflectors).
- Familiarity with EIGRP and IS-IS.
- Proficiency in implementing and operating LAN technologies (e.g. HSRP, STP, Switching, VLANs, DHCP snooping, ARP Inspection, Port-Security).
- Proficiency in implementing and operating network authentication and authorization systems and technologies (e.g. Secure ACS 5.x, 802.1x, 802.1ae MACSEC, RADIUS, TACACS+).
