BIDDING INSTRUCTIONS

Technical Proposal

Bidders shall submit a proposal clearly providing the following information:

Understanding and experience within NATO

More than 7 years of NATO experience related to Education and Training.

Previous experience at the NATO HQ and across the NATO Enterprise performing digital transformation related stakeholder engagement, strategy planning and operational execution.

Track record of collaboration with NETFs and the Bi-Strategic Commands (BiSCs) in the field of NATO L&D.

Proficiency in the NATO Joint Exercise Management Module (JEMM) and the NATO Training Objective Management Module (TOMM).

Application experience of the NATO Lessons Learned process (for the purpose of quality assurance).

Highly experienced in NATO Individual and Collective training and exercises within National and NATO frameworks. This includes the creation of TNAs and L&D solutions for consumption by NATO Enterprise personnel.

Industry and Professional Experience

More than 7 years industry experience in change management and L&D-related posts.

Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Security related field, and/or multi-year experience in a role conducting Digital Transformation in an international environment.

Prior experience in the creation and delivery of L&D offerings in all formats (residential, online, distributed, hybrid) to international organizations such as NATO, UN, etc.

Technical skills and certifications

Must possess an internationally recognized Cybersecurity certification.

Certification in ITIL 4 and Agile Project Management.

Approach on deliverables and execution

Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Significant experience in event management, and the planning, design and delivery of NATO L&D exercises and training events.

Demonstrated ability to deliver learning architectures/experiences and skills-competency mappings using the Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) frameworks.

Experience of designing enterprise-level Operating Models.

Experience of design and delivery of engagement strategies and maturity models aligned to NATO cybersecurity and ICT coherence objectives.

Deadline Date: Friday 21 August 2026

Requirement: NELDOM Orchestration and Role Mapping Delivery Service

Location: 10% on-site & 90% Offsite

Period of Performance:

2026 BASE: 15 September 2026 until 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. SERVICE NAME

NELDOM Orchestration and Role Mapping Delivery Service

2. STRATEGIC CONTEXT

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is seeking a NATO Enterprise Learning & Development Operational Model (NELDOM) Orchestration Delivery Service (NODS) to provide support to the development and implementation of Enterprise-wide Learning and Development (L&D) strategies for CDT Division Cyber Readiness initiatives and more specifically for the NELDOM project.

This service will focus on ensuring positive user experience and driving engagement across the Individual to Collective Education and Training (E&T) spectrum throughout the NATO Enterprise by coordinating and conducting Orchestration engagements with NATO stakeholders, both through face-to-face and virtual engagements. The NODS will support local commanders and working level staff articulate gaps and priorities in order to aggregate them, and, in turn, raise awareness of other entity's gaps and priorities in order to achieve improved cybersecurity posture and hygiene for their organizations through an uplift in the capabilities of their workforce via a range of L&D activities conducted via innovative formats and technologies.

The NODS will work closely with the NELDOM Project team, NCIA Project Manager, Learning designers, developers, and L&D communities of interest throughout the NATO Enterprise to build user-centric L&D experiences that align with the CDT Division Cyber Readiness function. This encompasses the comprehensive assessment, oversight, and implementation of enterprise-wide capabilities and initiatives, all geared towards the realization of NATO's Digital Transformation in support of NATO 2030 objectives through more coordinated L&D efforts, as well as enabling the NELDOM project Team to more rapidly engage with NATO Enterprise entities in order to aggregate local entity information into a more accurate and effective NELDOM design and execution.

3. KEY FOCAL POINTS

The 2026 Service Delivery focuses on advancing NATO's L&D ecosystem from Phase 0: Assembly through Phase 1: Building Communities of Interest (CoIs) and into Phase 2: Developing Communities of Understanding (CoUs). The service will support the design, implementation, and operationalisation of the NELDOM, ensuring systematic progression of four target communities toward mature Communities of Practice (CoPs).

The 2026 deliverables are structured to:

• Establish functional CoIs through voluntary governance, shared frameworks, and best effort initiatives.
• Transform CoIs into CoUs through formalized governance, shared frameworks, and pilot initiatives.
• Support the design and implementation of NELDOM governance structure, processes, and integration architecture.
• Establish NATO Enterprise-wide coordination infrastructure supporting cross-community collaboration.
• Prepare foundations for Phase 3: CoPs Transition in 2027 & 2028.

4. OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

2025 Achievements Foundation

The 2025 L&D Mobile Engagement Delivery Service (MEDS) successfully completed Phase 0 activities including:

• Comprehensive stakeholder mapping across NATO Education and Training Facilities (NETF), Human Resources (HR), Bi-Strategic Commands (Bi-SCs), and DIANA, Industry and Academia (DIA) communities.
• Value proposition development demonstrating collaboration benefits.
• Initial governance framework documentation.
• Strategic engagement with 40+ NATO Enterprise entities.
• Proof-of-concept collaborations (ICT Role Mapping, NATO entity partnership).

2026 Strategic Priorities

The 2026 service extension addresses critical transformation requirements:

• Operationalise NELDOM as the integrating framework for NATO Enterprise L&D activities.
• Transition communities from informal interest groups to structured understanding networks.
• Establish systematic knowledge transfer mechanisms between communities.
• Formalise governance structures through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
• Facilitate the launch of pilot initiatives within the CoIs demonstrating tangible collaboration value.

5. SCOPE OF WORK

Objective

The NODS provider will be responsible for coordinating the design and delivery of NATO Enterprise-wide L&D initiatives and post-activity analysis to ensure that they are consumed effectively by a broad spectrum of NATO Enterprise stakeholders. This will incorporate the development and implementation of blended learning activities and rapid engagement strategies that align with NCI Agency and CDT initiatives in support of the NELDOM. This service will also involve conducting user research; formulating the design and delivery of distributed L&D offerings (residential/ mobile/ hybrid); creating user journey maps; tracking and analysing comprehensive L&D engagement metrics; and managing stakeholder relationships while contributing to the definition of the broad spectrum of NATO L&D initiatives especially related to the linkages between Individual and Collective learning practices. It is expected that the incumbent will have to engage consistently with centres of excellence (eg: CCDCOE), NATO Education & Training Facilities (NETFs), namely the NCI Academy, NATO School Oberammergau and NATO Defence College, and HQ Supreme Allied Command Transformation (SACT).

6. KEY ACTIVITIES

User Research and Journey Mapping

• Conduct quarterly user research to understand user needs and pain points related to the L&D mobile engagement.
• Create Enterprise personas and user journey maps to identify opportunities for improving the mobile user experience.

Design and Delivery of L&D Offerings

• Conduct bespoke Training Needs Analyses (TNAs) for respective training audiences (technical and non-technical).
• Formulate the design and delivery of L&D solutions to appropriately address the TNAs.
• Employment of Learning Management Systems.

Engagement Strategy

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope develop and implement L&D engagement strategies, engagement plans and communication plans that align with CDT initiatives.
• Collaborate with designers, developers, and product managers to create user-friendly learning experiences.
• Effectively lead, manage and deliver simultaneous projects, ensuring all projects meet their requirements and are delivered on time, to cost and quality standards, while realising any identified benefits.
• Create and manage project milestones; critical learning pathways; and potential risks and issues, ensuring that appropriate and effective mitigation strategies and contingency plans are prepared.

Metrics Tracking and Analysis

• Track and analyse bespoke metrics to measure the success of mobile engagement and initiatives.
• Identify areas for improvement and make recommendations based on data analysis.

Change Management

• Develop a change management plan to support the adoption of CDT initiatives through mobile channels.
• Identify and address potential resistance to change from mobile users.

Stakeholder Management

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope identify key stakeholders across the NATO Enterprise who will be impacted by or influence CDT initiatives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure alignment and buy-in.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders to keep them informed of project progress and address any concerns.
• Conduct institutional analysis and quality assurance reporting directly to senior NATO Enterprise leadership.

Content Management

• On a monthly rotation adapt at least four compelling content artefacts for internal stakeholders via communication channels, including newsletters, intranet, and other platforms.
• Within the remit of the NELDOM collaborate with at least 10 different NATO Enterprise entities to ensure consistency and alignment with CDT organizational messaging.
• On a weekly basis, review and contribute to the creation of digital content, ensuring information flow is up-to-date and user-friendly.
• On a bi-monthly basis review and update implementation strategies to improve content curation, enabling better engagement and accessibility across the NATO Enterprise.

Collaboration

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope engage daily with NCI Academy and CDT L&D staff and project teams to actively support L&D portfolio delivery.

Leadership & Employee Engagement

• On a monthly rotation support the planning and execution of internal events, workshops, and employee development programs.
• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope design and support the preparation of engagement and key leadership development, ensuring alignment with the overall CDT communication strategy.
• Support the dissemination of important updates and messages from leadership to staff.

Feedback and Analysis

• Establish feedback mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of internal communications.
• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope design and analyse NATO Enterprise-wide engagement metrics to evaluate engagement and make recommendations for improvement.
• Due to the AGILE approach of this project, there is a need to define a set of specific arrangements between NCIA and CDT and the contractor that specifically defines the deliverables to be provided as well as their associated acceptance criteria. This includes deliverable planning, execution and review processes, which are detailed below.

NELDOM Design and Implementation

• Support the design of comprehensive NELDOM governance architecture defining roles, responsibilities, processes, and decision-making authorities.
• Support the development of a NELDOM integration framework connecting NATO Enterprise L&D entities.
• Support the creation of a NELDOM service catalogue defining standardized NATO L&D offerings.
• Support the establishment of a NELDOM metrics framework measuring enterprise-wide L&D effectiveness.
• Facilitate NELDOM validation through stakeholder workshops and governance board reviews.

Community Maturation Coordination

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope conduct quarterly Community Maturity Model (CMM) assessments measuring progress against defined criteria.
• Facilitate vision-setting workshops establishing shared objectives and success metrics.
• Coordinate development of shared taxonomies, frameworks, and standards.
• Support pilot initiative design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Manage Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) development and signature processes.

Knowledge Management and Transfer

• Design and implement knowledge repositories for each NELDOM community.
• Establish cross-community knowledge exchange mechanisms.
• Create documentation standards and templates.
• Facilitate Lessons Identified/ Lessons Learned (LI/ LL) capture and dissemination using the NATO LI/ LL format and best practices.
• Support best practice identification and sharing.

Metrics, Analysis, and Reporting

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope develop comprehensive metrics frameworks measuring community maturity progression.
• Track engagement metrics, participation rates, and collaboration intensity.
• Conduct quarterly stakeholder satisfaction assessments.
• Analyse pilot initiative outcomes and value realisation.
• Produce executive-level progress reports and recommendations.

Stakeholder Engagement and Change Management

• Within the remit of the NELDOM scope execute targeted stakeholder engagement strategies for each community.
• Facilitate periodic community forums building relationships and trust.
• Conduct change impact assessments and mitigation planning.
• Develop communication strategies ensuring consistent messaging.
• Manage resistance through targeted interventions and stakeholder dialogue.

Planning

Objective: Plan the objectives for the upcoming quadrimesterly block.

Kick-off meeting: Conduct a kick-off meeting at the beginning of each quadrimesterly block to plan the objectives and deliverables as described in Section 7 (Deliverables and Payment Milestones).

Agree on the required level of effort: Determine the necessary level of effort for each task within the quadrimester and allocate resources accordingly.

Deliverable Strategy & Rollout Plan: Develop and update the Orchestration Delivery Strategy & Rollout Plan and the Quadrimester Performance Monitoring Matrix (QPMM) at the beginning of each quadrimester (Months 1, 5, and 9).

Execution

Objective: Within the remit of the NELDOM scope execute the agreed plans with continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Bi-Monthly Deliverables: The contractor will produce and deliver bi-monthly reports as specified in the deliverables section (e.g., combined reports on engagements, Quadrimester Rollout Progress Reports (QPRRs)).

Regular Meetings: Conduct regular meetings between the NCIA, CDT and the contractor to review progress, address issues, and make necessary adjustments to the processes or production methodology. Meetings will be held physically in the office or in loco.

Progress Tracking: The contractor will use a shared dashboard or tool to track the status of the deliveries and any issues.

Quality Assurance/ Quality Check: The contractor shall ensure that the quality standards agreed for the deliverables are maintained throughout the quadrimester.

Quality Control: NCIA will perform the final quality control of the agreed deliverables and provide feedback on any issues.

Review

Objective: Review the performance and identify areas for improvement.

Bi-Monthly Review Meetings: At the end of each bi-monthly period, there will be a meeting between NCIA, CDT and the contractor to review the outcomes against the acceptance criteria comprising goals, agreed quality criteria, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Quadrimester Review: At the end of each quadrimester (Months 4, 8, and 12), conduct a review of the contractor's performance based on the quadrimesterly reports and the overall progress of the project.

Payment

Objective: Ensure timely and accurate payment based on the achievement of deliverables and acceptance criteria.

Quadrimester Reports: Payments will be made in three instalments, within 30 days of acceptance of delivery of each final quadrimesterly report (April 15, August 1, December 1).

Payment Milestones: The contractor's payment for each quadrimester will depend on the achievement of agreed acceptance criteria for each task, defined at the beginning of the planning stage.

Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS): Invoices shall be accompanied by a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) signed by the contractor and project authority.

Withholding Payment: If the contractor fails to meet the agreed acceptance criteria for any task, the NCI Agency reserves the right to withhold payment for that task/ sprint.

7. DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES

This is a deliverable based contract (completion type).

The work shall be conducted primarily offsite (e.g. at the Contractor's premises).

The work under Task ID #D1 - # D12 (2026 Base) shall be completed and the final report delivered to the NCIA in a timely manner to achieve NCIA acceptance of the work no later than 5 December 2026.

The Purchaser's representative for acceptance of deliverables under this Contract is the NCI Academy Learning Design and Development (LDD) Branch Head.

Coordination and progress checks shall be conducted at least once per month during the period of performance with metrics reporting the work completed and work remaining, and during final report phase. These periodic checks can be accomplished remotely as required.

Schedule of payments. An invoice shall be submitted and payment will be made after Purchaser's written acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS), based on the requirements described in this SOW, of the deliverables below.

2026 Base

Period 1 (September 2026)

Deliverable D1: Delivery Strategy & Rollout Plan including QPMM and NELDOM Architecture Support: Strategy document delivered in agreed format and approved by Sponsor; QPMM includes baseline measures, targets, reporting frequency, owners and data sources; Evidence of contribution to NELDOM architecture package through documented inputs, reviews or recommendations; Final package accepted after no more than two consolidated review iterations.

Delivery Date: 30 September 2026

Deliverable D2: NELDOM Implementation Roadmap Package: Roadmap includes milestones, dependencies, resources, risks and transition points; Roadmap reviewed by designated NATO stakeholders and comments addressed; Final roadmap formally accepted by Sponsor.

Delivery Date: 30 September 2026

Deliverable D3: Community Development Progress Report: Report submitted by reporting deadline; Report includes achievements, issues, risks, mitigation actions and next steps; Report reflects engagement status of all identified stakeholder groups.

Delivery Date: 30 September 2026

Deliverable D4: Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence of at least six stakeholder engagements completed (including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 30 September 2026

Period 2 (October 2026)

Deliverable D5: Community Formalisation Package including updated QPMM: Package includes governance model, stakeholder roles, decision-making framework and engagement mechanisms; Updated metrics reflect operational lessons identified (LI/ Lessons Learned (LL)) and approved adjustments; Key stakeholder feedback incorporated and documented.

Delivery Date: 30 October 2026

Deliverable D6: Pilot Initiative Implementation Report: Report documents objectives, outcomes, benefits and implementation results; Minimum 5 actionable LIs documented and assigned for follow-up; Recommendations developed as per the NATO LI/ LL framework.

Delivery Date: 30 October 2026

Deliverable D7: Operationalisation Status Report including Community Maturity Model (CMM) Mid-Year Reassessment: Reassessment conducted using approved maturity model methodology; Report includes comparison against baseline assessment; Progress against roadmap and objectives quantified and documented.

Delivery Date: 30 October 2026

Deliverable D8: Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence provided for all engagements (minimum six, including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 30 October 2026

Period 3 (November - December 2026)

Deliverable D9: Phase 3 Readiness Preparation Package: Package delivered within agreed timeline; Assessment covers people, process, governance, technology and stakeholder readiness; Readiness gaps documented with mitigation recommendations.

Delivery Date: 15 December 2026

Deliverable D10: NATO Enterprise Integration Assessment: Assessment evaluates integration opportunities across relevant NATO entities; Minimum 5 optimisation opportunities documented and quantified where possible; Recommendations reviewed and accepted by Sponsor.

Delivery Date: 15 December 2026

Deliverable D11: NELDOM Maturity and Sustainability Report: Assessment executed using approved methodology; Report includes governance, funding, capability and resource sustainability recommendations; Future maturity improvement recommendations documented.

Delivery Date: 15 December 2026

Deliverable D12: Comprehensive Assessment Report and 2027 Strategic Plan: Report consolidates results from all reporting periods; 2027 plan includes objectives, initiatives, milestones, dependencies and performance measures; Strategic Plan reviewed and endorsed by designated stakeholders; At least 90% of recommendations assessed as actionable by Sponsor.

Delivery Date: 15 December 2026

2027 Option (if exercised) – Orchestration (NODS)

Period 1 (January - April 2027)

Deliverable D13: 2027 Delivery Strategy & Rollout Plan including updated QPMM and Phase 3 Launch Package: Delivery Strategy submitted by agreed milestone date and approved by Sponsor in agreed format; QPMM includes 2027 objectives, baseline measures, targets, reporting frequency, owners and data sources; CoP Launch Package contains governance charters, membership criteria and activation timelines for all four target communities, accepted by Sponsor; Final package accepted after no more than two consolidated review iterations.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2027

Deliverable D14: CoP Governance and Charter Package: Formally approved governance charters in place and signed for a minimum of three CoPs; Roles, responsibilities, decision rights and escalation paths documented and agreed for each CoP with charter; MoUs signed and filed for a minimum of two CoPs.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2027

Deliverable D15: Community Development Progress Report: Report submitted by the agreed reporting deadline; Report includes sections covering achievements, issues, risks, mitigation actions and planned next steps for all four target communities; Report reflects engagement status of all identified stakeholder groups with no gaps in coverage.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2027

Deliverable D16: Quadrimester Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence provided for all engagements (minimum six, including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2027

Period 2 (May - August 2027)

Deliverable D17: CoP Operationalisation Report including updated QPMM: Evidence of operational status documented for a minimum of three CoPs; Updated QPMM reflects operational LI/ LL and approved adjustments, accepted by Sponsor; Mid-year CMM reassessment completed using approved maturity model methodology with maturity trends documented against baseline.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2027

Deliverable D18: Quadrimester Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence provided for all engagements (minimum six, including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2027

Period 3 (September - December 2027)

Deliverable D19: NELDOM Maturity and Sustainability Report: Assessment executed using approved methodology; Report includes governance, funding, capability and resource sustainability recommendations; Future maturity improvement recommendations documented.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2027

Deliverable D20: Comprehensive Annual Assessment Report and 2028 Strategic Plan: Report consolidates results from all reporting periods; Strategic Plan includes objectives, initiatives, milestones, dependencies and performance measures; Strategic Plan reviewed and endorsed by designated stakeholders; At least 90% of recommendations assessed as actionable by Sponsor.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2027

2028 Option (if exercised) – Orchestration (NODS)

Period 1 (January - April 2028)

Deliverable D21: 2028 Delivery Strategy & Rollout Plan including updated QPMM and Phase 4 Activation Package: Delivery Strategy submitted by agreed milestone date and approved by Sponsor in agreed format; QPMM updated to reflect 2028 objectives, baseline measures, targets, reporting frequency, owners and data sources; Phase 4 Activation Package contains consolidated CoP performance baselines, advanced feature adoption plan and enterprise integration milestones, accepted by Sponsor; Final package accepted after no more than two consolidated review iterations.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2028

Deliverable D22: Community Development Progress Report: Report submitted by the agreed reporting deadline; Report includes sections covering achievements, issues, risks, mitigation actions and next steps for all four consolidated CoPs; Report reflects engagement status of all identified stakeholder groups with no gaps in coverage.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2028

Deliverable D23: Quadrimester Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence provided for all engagements (minimum six, including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2028

Period 2 (May - August 2028)

Deliverable D24: Enterprise Integration and Interoperability Report including updated QPMM: NATO Enterprise integration assessment updated and accepted by Sponsor, reflecting advanced feature activation; QPMM updated to reflect operational LI/LL and approved adjustments, accepted by Sponsor; At least five resource optimisation opportunities identified, quantified where possible, and documented.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Deliverable D25: Continuous Improvement and Governance Maturity Report: Mid-year CMM reassessment completed using the approved maturity model methodology with results documented; LI/LL submitted to the NATO Lessons Learned Database (LLDB) in NATO format; Governance board second review cycle completed and outcomes formally documented.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Deliverable D26: Quadrimester Rollout Progress Report (QRPR): Evidence provided for all engagements (minimum six, including at least two in-person); Successful in-person presentation conducted and attendance recorded at NATO HQ; Report submitted by reporting deadline.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Period 3 (September - December 2028)

Deliverable D27: Long-term Sustainability and Transition Plan: Transition plan delivered covering governance, funding, capability, technology and people dimensions, accepted by Sponsor; Risk register updated with identified transition risks, owners and mitigation actions.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

Deliverable D28: NELDOM Enterprise Maturity Assessment and Benchmark Report: Final maturity assessment completed across all four CoPs using the approved CMM methodology; Benchmark comparison against 2026 baseline formally documented in the report; Report formally accepted by Sponsor after no more than two consolidated review iterations.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

Deliverable D29: 2029 Strategic Roadmap and Lessons Learned Package: 2029 Strategic Roadmap includes objectives, initiatives, milestones, dependencies and performance measures, accepted by Sponsor; Comprehensive LI/LL package submitted to the NATO LLDB covering the full 2026-2028 programme; Roadmap reviewed and formally endorsed by designated stakeholders, with endorsement documented.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

2027 Option (if exercised) – ICT Role Mapping

Period 1 (January - April 2027)

Deliverable D30: 2027 Engagement Strategy: Scalable engagement model documented and approved by CDT; 2027 communication plan published and distributed by 15 February 2027.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2027

Deliverable D31: NATO Security Accreditation Submission Package: Accreditation submission package complete and formally submitted to NOS no later than 31 March 2027; All required security documentation sections completed in collaboration with the vendor; Formal accreditation review timeline agreed with NOS and documented.

Delivery Date: 31 March 2027

Period 2 (May - August 2027)

Deliverable D32: Enterprise T3 (Train-The-Trainer) Programme Rollout: T3 programme delivered to HR/NETF representatives across a minimum of three NATO entities; SOPs for SFIA-aligned JD creation approved and distributed.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2027

Deliverable D33: Category B and C Role Mappings Completion: 100% of Category B JDs mapped, validated by SMEs, and uploaded to the platform; Category C mapping plan formally agreed with a minimum of three entities.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2027

Period 3 (September - December 2027)

Deliverable D34: NATO Security Accreditation Confirmation: Formal NATO accreditation certificate received; Advanced platform features activated for all participating entities within 2 weeks of accreditation.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2027

Deliverable D35: Operational SLA and Governance Board Establishment: 2027 NATO Enterprise SLA signed by all parties; Governance board constituted with ToRs agreed and signed; Long-term funding model approved by CDT and relevant financial authorities.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2027

Deliverable D36: Final 2027 Annual Report and 2028-2029 Strategic Roadmap: Annual report covering all 2027 deliverables approved by CDT and NCI Academy leadership; 2028-2029 roadmap formally approved and baselined by CDT.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2027

2028 Option (if exercised) – ICT Role Mapping

Period 1 (January - April 2028)

Deliverable D37: 2028 Engagement Strategy and Full Enterprise Coverage Plan: Active engagement plans confirmed in place for 100% of in-scope Category C entities; 2028 communication plan published and distributed; Governance board endorsement of the 2028 strategy formally documented.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2028

Deliverable D38: Advanced Platform Feature Adoption Report: Feature adoption rates documented per entity and persona type and included in the report; User experience assessment completed covering all advanced capabilities; A minimum of ten actionable recommendations for maximising platform value produced and presented to CDT.

Delivery Date: 30 April 2028

Period 2 (May - August 2028)

Deliverable D39: Category C Role Mappings — Full Completion: 100% of in-scope Category C entity JDs mapped and validated by SMEs; All Category C mappings uploaded to the accredited platform with training recommendations linked; Cumulative NATO Enterprise mapping database confirmed complete across Categories A, B and C.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Deliverable D40: T3 Programme Maturity and Self-Sufficiency Assessment: SFIA-aligned JD creation capability self-assessed as embedded in a minimum of six entities; T3 programme materials updated to reflect platform advanced features and lessons from the 2027 rollout; T3 champion network active and self-sustaining, with community of practice formally documented.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Deliverable D41: Governance Board Annual Review and SLA Performance Report: Governance board annual review completed with all board members participating, outcomes formally documented; SLA performance assessed against all agreed KPIs for the 2027-2028 period and results reported.

Delivery Date: 31 August 2028

Period 3 (September - December 2028)

Deliverable D42: Enterprise-wide Platform Analytics and Impact Assessment: Platform usage data consolidated across a minimum of ten participating entities; Skills gap analysis outputs produced for a minimum of five entities using platform data.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

Deliverable D43: Long-term Sustainability and Transition Plan: Internal NATO ownership model formally confirmed for platform operation and maintenance; Handover schedule agreed with CDT and all receiving entities and documented; Vendor transition or continuation arrangements formally confirmed beyond 2028; Risk register updated with identified transition risks, owners and mitigation actions.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

Deliverable D44: Final 2028 Annual Report, Lessons Learned Package, and 2029 Roadmap: Final report consolidates outcomes of all 2028 deliverables and the full 2026-2028 programme, accepted by CDT; Comprehensive LI/LL package submitted to the NATO LLDB covering the full 2026-2028 programme; 2029 strategic roadmap formally approved and baselined by CDT and the governance board.

Delivery Date: 1 December 2028

Payment Schedule

2026 Base

Period 1 (D1–D4): Payment: 30% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 September 2026, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 2 (D5–D8): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 October 2026, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 3 (D9–D12): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 15 December 2026, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

2027 Option – Orchestration/NODS (if exercised)

Period 1 (D13–D16): Payment: 30% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 April 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 2 (D17–D18): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 31 August 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 3 (D19–D20): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 1 December 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

2028 Option – Orchestration/NODS (if exercised)

Period 1 (D21–D23): Payment: 30% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 April 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 2 (D24–D26): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 31 August 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 3 (D27–D29): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 1 December 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

2027 Option – ICT Role Mapping (if exercised)

Period 1 (D30–D31): Payment: 30% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 April 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 2 (D32–D33): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 31 August 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 3 (D34–D36): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 1 December 2027, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

2028 Option – ICT Role Mapping (if exercised)

Period 1 (D37–D38): Payment: 30% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 30 April 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 2 (D39–D41): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 31 August 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

Period 3 (D42–D44): Payment: 35% of NTE. Payment Milestone: 1 December 2028, after deliverable completion and signed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS).

An invoice to include the duly signed DAS shall be submitted to the Purchaser for payment in accordance with the Contractual Terms and Conditions.

8. COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The Contractor shall deliver services at both the contractor's premises or if project requires at a NATO site.

At any NATO sites, the highest level of classification that contractor may need to access is NATO SECRET (NS). As a result of this contractor must hold a valid NATO SECRET Security Clearance.

The contractor shall report to the NCI Academy Learning Design and Development (LDD) Branch Head.

The contractor shall coordinate the activities with the NCIA PM supervisor or their designated representative.

The contractor shall participate in status update meetings, sprint planning, and other meetings, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to line manager's instructions.

For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable, the contractor must report the outcome of his/her work during the deliverable, first verbally during the retrospective meeting and then in written within three (3) days after the deliverables end date. The format of this report will be aligned the line manager mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the deliverable.

Acceptance of each deliverable completion will be documented in a Delivery Acceptance Sheet.

9. SCHEDULE

This task order will be active immediately after signing of the contract by both parties.

The BASE period of performance is as soon as possible but not later than 15 September 2026 and end not later than 31 December 2026.

If the 2027 option is exercised, the period of performance is 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2027.

If the 2028 option is exercised, the period of performance is 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2028.

Notes on Option Years

Both option years follow the same three-period quadrimesterly structure (Plan / Execute / Review) as the 2026 base period.

Deliverable numbering is sequential from the base period to enable end-to-end traceability.

All options are exercisable separately and independently; exercise of the 2027 option does not obligate exercise of the 2028 option, nor the exercise of one 2026 option obligates the exercise of the other 2026 option.

10. CONSTRAINTS

All the documentation delivered under this statement of work shall be based on NATO or NCIA templates or templates agreed with the NCIA PM supervisor.

All project work package material shall be stored on the NCIA dedicated spaces on SharePoint.

All the deliverables of this project will be considered NATO UNCLASSIFIED, unless otherwise stated.

11. SECURITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

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

The contractor providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance at the time of proposal submission.

12. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

This service must be accomplished by ONE contractor.

The contractor will work 90% offsite and 10% on-site in Brussels, with requirement to travel to necessary locations in order to fulfil necessary tasks.

NATO HQ Recognized Business hours/Holidays. NATO HQ official holiday schedule applies and will be provided to the contractor.

NATO HQ Hours of Operations: Monday to Thursday 0830 – 1730hrs and Friday 0830 – 1530hrs (CET).

13. TRAVEL

Regular travel needed, to NATO entities across the NATO Enterprise (up to 1 trip per month) including Brussels/ Mons (Belgium), and at least 4 trips per year. Travel under this Contract requires the prior coordination with the NCIA Project Manager.

All travel and per diem costs shall be included in the Firm Fixed Price of this Contract together with cost of lodging and subsistence costs for all individuals. There shall be no separate reimbursement for travel and accommodation.

14. QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]

Requirements

11. SECURITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

• The contractor providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance at the time of proposal submission.

14. QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• More than 7 years of NATO experience related to Education and Training.
• More than 7 years industry experience in change management and L&D-related posts.
• Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Security related field, and/or multi-year experience in a role conducting Digital Transformation in an international environment.
• Previous experience at the NATO HQ and across the NATO Enterprise performing digital transformation related stakeholder engagement, strategy planning and operational execution.
• Track record of collaboration with NETFs and the Bi-Strategic Commands (BiSCs) in the field of NATO L&D.
• Must possess an internationally recognised Cybersecurity certification.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Significant experience in event management, and the planning, design and delivery of NATO L&D exercises and training events.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver learning architectures/experiences and skills-competency mappings using the Skills for the Information Age (SFIA) and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) frameworks.
• Application experience of the NATO Lessons Learned process (for the purpose of quality assurance).
• Prior experience in the creation and delivery of L&D offerings in all formats (residential, online, distributed, hybrid) to international organisations such as NATO, UN, etc.
• Highly experienced in NATO Individual and Collective training and exercises within National and NATO frameworks. This includes the creation of TNAs and L&D solutions for consumption by NATO Enterprise personnel.
• Experience of designing enterprise-level Operating Models.
• Experience of design and delivery of engagement strategies and maturity models aligned to NATO cybersecurity and ICT coherence objectives.

Desirable

• Certification in ITIL 4 and Agile Project Management.
• Proficiency in the NATO Joint Exercise Management Module (JEMM) and the NATO Training Objective Management Module (TOMM).

Attributes

• Fluent or Native levels of English so as to ensure excellent written and verbal communication skills, and facilitating being an engaging public speaker.
• Ability to seamlessly engage all levels of staff (from interns to executive leadership, e.g. Flag Officers/General Officers).
• High levels of Digital Literacy.
• Proactive and self-motivated.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
• Creative thinker with a passion for fostering a positive workplace culture.
• Detail-oriented with a commitment to producing high quality, error-free content.