Deadline Date: Tuesday 11 August 2026

Requirement: Exercise CIS Technical Support

Location: 100% onsite in Bydgoszcz, POL

Period of Performance: 2026 BASE: 01 October 2026 - 31 December 2026.

2027 Option: 1 January 2027 until 31 December 2027.

2028 Option: 1 January 2028 until 31 December 2028.

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

1. INTRODUCTION

The Directorate of CIS Support Units (DCSU) is responsible for the delivery of end-to-end Communication and Information Systems (CIS) services across NATO commands through its CIS Support Units (CSUs). These services include installation, operation, maintenance and support of CIS capabilities required to enable NATO missions in peacetime, crisis, and war.

CSU Bydgoszcz provides CIS services in support of local and deployed Operational Partners, ensuring that CIS systems and end-user services are delivered in a reliable, secure and operationally effective manner. The CSU's Service Operations Branch (SOB) is responsible for the execution of operational CIS services, including endpoint lifecycle management, user support and deployment of CIS equipment for exercises and operational activities.

This Statement of Work (SoW) defines the provision of Exercise CIS Technical Support to all services intended to augment the capacity of the SOB. The Contractor personnel will provide technical support to ensure the timely preparation, configuration, deployment and maintenance of end-user devices, as well as execution of associated operational activities in accordance with NCIA standards, procedures and operational requirements.

2. BACKGROUND

CSU Bydgoszcz supports NCIA's Operational Partners through the delivery and maintenance of assigned CIS products and services. This includes support of day-to-day operations and exercise-related CIS activities.

Due to the growing demand coming from the NATO exercises, the SOB requires additional Exercise CIS Technical Support service to ensure timely preparation of end-user devices, execution of low-to-average complexity operational tasks and maintenance of the endpoint service readiness in line with the NCIA standards and procedures.

3. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this contract is to obtain Exercise CIS Technical Support service that contributes to the effective delivery of operational CIS support within CSU Bydgoszcz. The Statement of Work is to obtain services ensuring the following:

• The availability of properly configured and operationally ready end-user devices aligned with the approved baseline configurations.
• The execution of approved endpoint update and patching activities in accordance with the defined procedures and schedules.
• The timely and accurate administration of user accounts and access rights based on the authorised requests.
• The effective preparation, deployment and recovery of CIS equipment in support of exercises and operational activities.
• The maintenance of complete, accurate and auditable records of all performed activities and delivered outputs.

All services shall be delivered under the direction and prioritisation of the SOB and in close coordination with the Purchaser's (NCIA) designated Points of Contact.

4. SCOPE OF WORK

4.1 General

The Contractor personnel shall deliver Exercise CIS Technical Support service in support of the CSU Bydgoszcz SOB, focusing on the preparation, configuration, deployment, maintenance and lifecycle support of all assigned end-user CIS equipment and associated operational activities.

The services shall encompass low-to-medium complexity technical tasks related to the endpoint management, including workstation and laptop reimaging, configuration in accordance with the approved baselines, execution of assigned updates and patching activities as well as administration of the user accounts and access rights. The Contractor personnel shall ensure that all tasks are executed in compliance with the NCIA policies, technical standards and operational procedures.

All services shall be delivered in an outcome-based manner, with clearly defined deliverables, measurable outputs and traceable records of completion. The Contractor personnel shall ensure that all activities are properly documented in relevant systems and that all outputs are auditable and verifiable.

The Contractor personnel shall operate as an integral part of the SOB, supporting day-to-day operational requirements as well as preparation and execution of CIS support activities for exercises and other operational events.

4.2 Governance and Prioritisation

The Contractor personnel shall perform all activities under the direction of the Purchaser, who will assign, prioritize and validate tasks through established service management processes.

All work shall be initiated based on the authorized requests, including but not limited to Work Orders (WOs), service requests, tasking instructions, or equivalent mechanisms defined by the Purchaser. The Contractor personnel shall ensure that all assigned tasks are executed within the agreed timelines and in accordance with the operational priorities.

The Contractor personnel shall maintain regular communication with the Purchaser's Points of Contact, provide status updates on ongoing activities and promptly report any issues, risks, or deviations that may impact service delivery. The service shall be delivered by two (2) Contractors.

4.3 Support to Other CIS Service Areas

In addition to the core responsibilities within the SOB, the Contractor personnel may be required to provide support to other CIS service areas within CSU Bydgoszcz, where such a support is directly related to the endpoint services and remains within the defined technical scope of this SoW.

Such a support may include assistance with deployment activities, coordination with other technical teams, or execution of related operational tasks, as directed by the Purchaser.

5. SERVICE AREAS AND DELIVERABLES

The services shall be delivered in line with the SOB's operational priorities and in accordance with NCIA policies, procedures and technical standards. The Contractor personnel shall provide the deliverables defined below, ensuring that all outputs are measurable, traceable and subject to the formal acceptance by the Purchaser, against the mentioned KPIs.

Delivery will generically be assessed based on timeliness, quality of the outputs and compliance with the agreed requirements.

5.1 Exercise CIS Technical Support Service Deliverables

Deliverable D1: Device Setup & Reinstallation - Install or reinstall desktop workstations and laptops using the approved standard image. Configure basic settings (network, domain access, required applications) so the device is fully ready for the end user.

Acceptance Criteria A1: Device is delivered ready for use; system boots without errors; user can log in successfully; network access is working; required applications are installed; any issues identified after delivery are corrected within the agreed timeframe.

KPIs D1: KPI 1: greater than or equal to 98% of workstation/laptop installations completed using the approved standard image without requiring rework. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 95% of devices delivered to end users within the agreed installation SLA and successfully accepted on first deployment.

Deliverable D2: Software Updates & Patching - Apply required operating system and application updates to keep devices secure and operational. Monitor update status and resolve basic deployment failures. Perform regular configuration compliance checks.

Acceptance Criteria A2: All assigned devices receive required updates within the planned schedule; no critical updates are left uninstalled; failed updates are retried or escalated promptly; update actions are recorded; no issues are left unattended.

KPIs D2: KPI 1: greater than or equal to 95% of assigned devices remain fully compliant with approved operating system and application patch levels. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 90% of update deployment failures are resolved within the agreed support SLA.

Deliverable D3: User Account Support - Handle user account requests such as account creation, password resets and access changes based on the approved requests. Ensure users can access required systems and services.

Acceptance Criteria A3: Requests are completed within agreed timelines; users' access works as requested; approvals are verified before execution; all actions are recorded; no unauthorized changes are identified.

KPIs D3: KPI 1: greater than or equal to 98% of approved account requests completed within the agreed service target. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 99% of completed account requests are delivered without requiring corrective actions due to processing errors.

Deliverable D4: Equipment Deployment for Exercises - Prepare, transport, install and connect IT equipment required for exercises, events or operational activities, including workstations, laptops, phones and peripherals.

Acceptance Criteria A4: Equipment is installed and operational before the agreed exercises start time; devices are powered, connected, and tested; users are able to work without blocking issues; deployment is recorded and inventory updated.

KPIs D4: KPI 1: 100% of requested equipment is installed and operational before the agreed event or exercise start time. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 98% of deployed equipment passes initial operational testing without requiring replacement or significant reconfiguration.

Deliverable D5: Troubleshooting & Support - Provide first-line support to resolve common IT issues such as login problems, software errors, or connectivity issues. Escalate more complex issues when needed. Perform routine system checks on assigned assets (performance, connectivity, system status).

Acceptance Criteria A5: Reported issues are addressed within agreed response times; resolution is confirmed with the user; troubleshooting steps are recorded; issues that cannot be resolved are escalated without a delay. Scheduled checks are carried out as planned. Issues are not left without an action.

KPIs D5: KPI 1: greater than or equal to 85% of first-line incidents are resolved without escalation. KPI 2: 100% of scheduled routine system health checks are completed within the planned maintenance window.

Deliverable D6: Exercise Preparation Check - Verify that all required IT equipment and user setups are ready prior to exercise execution. Includes testing connectivity, access and basic functionality.

Acceptance Criteria A6: All required systems and devices are tested before the exercise; connectivity and access are confirmed; any issues are resolved before start or formally reported; readiness is confirmed to the responsible authority.

KPIs D6: KPI 1: 100% of assigned systems are verified and tested before exercise commencement. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 98% of verified devices operate successfully during exercise start without requiring corrective intervention.

Deliverable D7: Activity Logging & Documentation - Record all performed work (installations, updates, fixes, deployments) in the designated systems to ensure traceability and accountability.

Acceptance Criteria A7: All activities are logged within the agreed timeframe; entries clearly describe what was done and the outcome; records are complete and can be reviewed or audited without missing information.

KPIs D7: KPI 1: 100% of completed activities are recorded in the designated ITSM or asset management system within one business day of completion. KPI 2: greater than or equal to 98% of work records pass documentation quality review with complete and accurate information.

6. DELIVERABLE ACCEPTANCE, REPORTING AND PAYMENT

All deliverables are defined under this Statement of Work as the provision of Exercise CIS Technical Support services, covering all information described in Sections 4 and 5.

Each payment is subject to the following acceptance conditions:

• The corresponding deliverable has been formally submitted and accepted by the Purchaser.
• The associated KPIs have been achieved for the reporting period. Where a KPI is not fully met, payment may be reduced proportionally in accordance with the contractual performance mechanism.
• All supporting evidence (e.g., tickets, deployment reports, patch compliance reports, asset records, account management logs, readiness checklists and audit logs) has been provided.
• Any identified deficiencies or review comments have been addressed before final acceptance.

Acceptance shall be formalized through the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS), signed by the Purchaser's representative. Payment shall be made only upon satisfaction of the above conditions.

6.1 Generic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

In addition to the deliverable-specific KPIs defined for each Deliverable, the Contractor personnel's overall performance shall be assessed on a monthly basis using the Generic Performance KPIs described below. These KPIs measure the quality of service delivery across all activities performed under this Contract and shall contribute to the overall performance assessment of the Contractor personnel.

Achievement of the Generic Performance KPIs shall not replace the requirement to satisfy the deliverable-specific acceptance criteria and KPIs but shall be used by the Purchaser to assess the Contractor personnel's overall operational performance throughout the execution of the Contract.

The Generic Performance KPIs shall be weighted as follows:

1. Timeliness (Weight 30%): Greater than or equal to 95% of Work Orders (WO), Service Requests (SR) and scheduled activities completed within the agreed timelines. Greater than or equal to 90% of incidents responded to within the agreed response times. 100% of exercise and event readiness activities completed before the agreed operational start time.

2. Quality (Weight 30%): Greater than or equal to 85% first-time resolution rate for first-line support activities without requiring escalation. Greater than or equal to 98% of workstation, laptop and peripheral deployments successfully completed and accepted by the end user without rework. Greater than or equal to 95% successful operating system and application patch deployments without critical failures requiring rollback.

3. Compliance & Traceability (Weight 25%): 100% of installations, updates, account changes, deployments and support activities recorded in the designated IT Service Management (ITSM) or asset management system. 100% of account changes, installations and configuration activities executed only against approved Work Orders, Service Requests or authorized requests. Greater than or equal to 95% of operational records complete, accurate and suitable for audit purposes.

4. Governance & Communication (Weight 15%): 100% submission of required monthly performance reports by the agreed reporting deadline. Greater than or equal to 95% of operational risks, issues and service-impacting events escalated in accordance with agreed procedures and timescales. Greater than or equal to 90% satisfaction score from the Purchaser's Point of Contact based on service quality, communication, responsiveness and professionalism.

6.2 Payment Model

A delivery-based payment model balances delivery, ensuring that all deliverables, supporting documentation, quality assurance findings, and contractual obligations are satisfactorily completed before final payment.

This allows a transparent, objective, auditable procurement practice by linking payment directly to measurable performance while maintaining incentives for quality, governance, and timely delivery.

For each deliverable, a Deliverable KPI Score is calculated as a weighted average of the two deliverable-specific KPIs (50% each): DPS = (KPI1 x 50%) + (KPI2 x 50%).

The Contractor personnel's monthly payment shall consist of two independent performance components: Deliverable Performance Score (DPS) at 80%, and Generic Operational Performance Score (GPS) at 20%. The Overall Monthly Performance Score (OMPS) shall be calculated as: OMPS = (DPS x 80%) + (GPS x 20%).

To assess whether a KPI has been attained, the following achievement scale applies:

Target achieved or exceeded: 100% score.

Within 5% of target: 90% score.

Within 10% of target: 75% score.

More than 10% below target: 0% score.

The deliverables are then weighted as follows for the purpose of the monthly payment calculation:

D1 - Device Setup & Reinstallation (Weight 20%): Payment upon acceptance that all planned installations for the reporting period have been completed and both KPIs have been achieved.

D2 - Software Updates & Patching (Weight 15%): Payment upon acceptance of the update/compliance report demonstrating that patching and compliance KPIs have been met for the reporting period.

D3 - User Account Support (Weight 15%): Payment upon acceptance of the account management report confirming successful completion of approved requests within agreed service levels.

D4 - Equipment Deployment for Exercises (Weight 20%): Payment upon successful completion of each scheduled exercise or event, with all equipment operational before commencement and KPIs achieved.

D5 - Troubleshooting & Support (Weight 15%): Payment upon acceptance of the monthly service report demonstrating incident resolution performance, escalation management and completion of scheduled health checks.

D6 - Exercise Preparation Check (Weight 10%): Payment upon acceptance of the pre-exercise readiness verification report confirming successful completion of all required checks and KPI compliance.

D7 - Activity Logging & Documentation (Weight 5%): Payment upon acceptance of the activity log and audit confirming complete, timely and accurate documentation of all activities.

Total combined weight of all deliverables: 100%.

Monthly payment: Payment % = (OMPS1 + D1 weight) x (OMPS2 + D2 weight) x (OMPS3 + D3 weight) x (OMPS4 + D4 weight) x (OMPS5 + D5 weight) x (OMPS6 + D6 weight) x (OMPS7 + D7 weight). Monthly payment = NTE value x Payment %.

7. COORDINATION AND GOVERNANCE

The Contractor personnel shall coordinate all activities with the SOB and shall participate in all meetings as required by the Purchaser.

The Contractor personnel shall provide updates on progress, highlight risks or issues and support coordination with other teams where necessary.

8. SCHEDULE

The service shall start upon contract signature.

The Contractor shall provide two (2) full-time personnel to deliver the services defined in this Statement of Work.

The BASE period of performance shall be from 01 October 2026 to 31 December 2026.

The NCIA may exercise options for continued service delivery as follows:

• OPTION 1: 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027.
• OPTION 2: 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2028.

The exercise of options is subject to operational needs and available funding.

9. CONSTRAINTS

All activities shall be performed in accordance with NATO and NCIA standards, policies, security directives and procedures.

The Contractor personnel shall not perform activities outside the defined scope without prior authorisation from the Purchaser.

10. SECURITY

The security classification of the service will be up to NATO SECRET.

The Contractor personnel providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance.

11. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

The Contractor personnel shall provide services on-site at NCIA CSU Bydgoszcz, Poland.

The Contractor personnel shall ensure the availability of the required expertise.

No travel outside Poland is required.

12. QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]

13. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

[See Requirements]

Requirements

10. SECURITY

• The Contractor personnel providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance.

12. QUALIFICATIONS

Mandatory:

• Proven experience in end-user IT support (desktops, laptops, peripherals) in an enterprise or operational environment.
• Experience with device setup, reimaging and software installation.
• Practical experience in a VDI-based environment.
• Hands-on experience in user support and troubleshooting (hardware, OS, connectivity).
• Experience working in a ticketing or service management system (logging and tracking tasks, e.g., ITSM).
• Familiarity with working in structured environments (following procedures, processes, checklists, and instructions).
• Good working knowledge of Windows operating systems (installation, configuration, troubleshooting), basic networking (IP addressing, connectivity checks, Wi-Fi/LAN issues), standard office software and common enterprise tools.
• Basic understanding of IT security practices (e.g., password handling, access control, safe use of devices).
• Ability to follow and develop documented procedures and technical instructions.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment (e.g., during exercises).
• Good communication skills for interacting with users and team members.
• Ability to accurately record work performed (ticket updates, logs, checklists).
• Willingness and ability to work on-site and during extended hours when required (e.g., exercises).

Desirable:

• Experience in NATO or NCIA environments.
• Knowledge of ITIL practices.
• Experience supporting CIS deployments for exercises.
• In-depth knowledge of VMware and Microsoft systems / tools.

13. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

• The Contractor personnel shall demonstrate English language proficiency at a minimum of STANAG 6001 Level 3 (or equivalent CEFR B2/C1 level).