NATO Business Opportunity: MANTIS Capability - Communication and Information System Infrastructure

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) intends to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the procurement of a Communication and Information System (CIS) infrastructure to support the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) capability that supports military operations, exercises and real-world events. The MANTIS Service shall provide Core Enterprise Services (Secure e-mail, skype, Secure VTC, etc,) and Community of Interest (COI) NATO Functional Application Services (FAS) including Secure Joint chat and data services. MANTIS shall be deployed at NS WAN connectivity to two NATO Data Centers, forming the MANTIS Anchor Function (MAF) and at five different Military Bases (Main Operating Bases or MOBs). All five MOBs are connected with terrestrial links and Military SATCOM to the two NATO Data Centers.

Potential U.S. prime contractors must 1) maintain a professionally active facility (office, factory, laboratory, etc.) within the United States, 2) be pre-approved for participation in NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB), 3) hold a current Facility Security Clearance at the level of SECRET or higher, and 4) be issued a Declaration of Eligibility (DOE) by the Department of Commerce (DOC).

In addition, contractor personnel will be required to work unescorted in Class II Security areas. Therefore, access can only be permitted to cleared individuals. Only companies maintaining such cleared facilities and the appropriate personnel clearances will be able to perform the resulting contract

The reference for the IFB is IFB-CO-115819-MANTIS nd all correspondence concerning the IFB should include this reference.

The NCI Agency will award the contract based on Lowest Priced Technically Compliant criteria.

SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS

Project Objective

MANTIS project is delivering a NATO SECRET Network, providing highly available and highly resilient voice, video and data services. These services are to be delivered from three geographically dispersed locations in Europe.

MANTIS is extending also the Network and Services at an additional five different Air Bases and within each Air Base, to five different buildings.

Finally, MANTIS is also delivering seven deployable Network access points for extending services in to shelters operating over an integrated SATCOM capability.

Scope of Work

The contract scope is for the provision by the contractor of the following activities:
1. Deliver the above mentioned scope: design, execution, delivery, test.
2. Provide support for security accreditations.
3. Provide comprehensive Integrated Product Support package.

BECOMING ELIGIBLE TO BID

NATO ICB requires that the U.S. Government issue a DOE for potential U.S. prime contractors interested in this project. Before the U.S. Government can do so, however, the U.S. Government must approve the U.S. firm for participation in NATO ICB. U.S. firms are approved for 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 or capability statement 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

DOC is the U.S. Government agency that approves NATO ICB applications. Please submit to the email address provided your application and supporting documentation (as attachments). If your firm is interested in a specific NATO ICB project at this time, please also include the following in the text of your email:

the title and/or solicitation number of the project
- the name/phone/email of the company employee who should receive the bid documents

After approval of your one-time NATO ICB application, DOC will then know to follow up by issuing a DOE for the project. DOC will transmit the DOE to the NATO contracting agency.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Request a DOE (and, for firms new to NATO ICB, submit the completed one-time NATO ICB application): 13 September 2023

NCI Agency distributes the IFB (planned): 30 September 2023

Bid Closing (planned): 29 March 2024

Contract Award (estimated): 31 July 2024