2025-0174 L3 Application Support for HR and CIS Security (NS) - TUE 10 Jun

Deadline Date: Tuesday 10 June 2025

Requirement: L3 Application Support (HR Applications and CIS Security Support)

Location: Braine l’Alleud, BE

Full Time On-Site: No

Time On-Site: 50%

Period of Performance: 2025 BASE: As soon as possible but not later than 21st July 2025 – 31st December 2025, with the possibility to exercise following options:

2026 option 1: 01st January 2026 – 31st December 2026

2027 option 2: 01st January 2027 – 31st December 2027

2028 option 3: 01st January 2028 – 31st December 2028

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

1 INTRODUCTION

The NCI Agency (hereafter referred to as the “Purchaser”) is seeking an L3 Application Support Engineer (HR Applications & CIS Security Support) to provide ongoing support for the NBAC Business Area for the Personnel Management Application Service. This role will focus on ensuring continued L3 support for existing HR applications while also offering expert guidance and consultation on CIS Security efforts when required.

2 OBJECTIVES

The Personnel Management Application Service is an integrated service which consisting of multiple flavors, which provides software applications for personnel management, ID card management, installation access management, entitlements management; and enables business users to provide HR and personnel services across NATO (ACO commands, ACT, NCIA).

This Statement of Work aims to enhance the support model for NBAC Personnel Management Application Service, focusing on maintaining existing applications while providing support for CIS Security evaluation.

The ideal candidate should have:

• Expertise in COTS application deployment and support
• Strong background in cloud technologies (Azure/AWS)
• Proven experience in configuring and supporting: RLDatix ‐ DefenceSuite / OneView (APMS), Creative Information Technology – manageID (AMIS), PNMSoft Sequence
• Strong analytical, problem‐solving, and organizational skills
• The ability to document processes and provide training on tools and best practices.

3 SCOPE OF WORK

Under the direction / guidance of the local NCIA Service Delivery Manager or the NCIA Service Area Owner, the following activities will be supported:

1) Cloud Configuration (Azure, AWS)

a) Configure CI/CD Pipelines

b) Manage EntraID Groups and Roles

c) Manage and configure different Cloud components

2) End‐User Support in relation to the following COTS applications: DefenceSuite, manageID, Sequence

a) Provide third‐level support for end‐user queries.

b) Troubleshoot and resolve software issues, ensuring minimal disruption to users.

c) Troubleshoot and resolve software problems, ensuring efficient use of resources and problem resolution.

3) Incident Logging and Tracking:

a) Log and track support incidents using the helpdesk ticketing system.

b) Ensure all tickets are updated with accurate and detailed information and resolved within the agreed service levels.

4) Escalation:

a) Escalate complex issues to vendor support or appropriate teams when necessary.

b) Follow up on escalated issues to ensure timely resolution and user satisfaction.

5) Knowledge Base Management:

a) Contribute to the creation and maintenance of a knowledge base, documenting common issues and solutions.

b) Share knowledge and best practices with team members to improve overall service quality.

6) User Education:

a) Provide users with guidance and training on best practices for using HR Applications.

b) Promote self‐service tools and resources to empower users and reduce support requests.

7) Technical:

a) Controlling, managing and providing access to the restricted areas managed by the business area.

b) Ensuring the proper functionality and security of software and hardware managed by the NBAC.

c) Monitoring HR Applications and other software managed by NBAC by identifying and reporting any problems with the infrastructure, hardware and software applications.

d) Providing support to NBAC team for security approval and accreditation of software applications and CIS.

e) Controlling and checking compliance with security regulations laid down by NCIA and NATO on the use of software and hardware which is part of the NBAC services.

8) Communication and Collaboration:

a) Communicate effectively with users to understand their issues and provide clear instructions.

b) Collaborate with IT teams to resolve issues and improve service delivery.

We envision the above activities to be delivered by one Service Engineer (L3 Support) that will be part of a team providing Technical Level 3 support to HR Applications users and CIS Security support to NBAC.

The contractor will support in‐person and on‐call during core working hours (0800 – 1200 and 1300 ‐ 1700). The measurement of execution for this service is sprints, with each sprint being planned for a duration of one week.

4 SPRINTS PLANNING, EXECUTION, REVIEW AND PAYMENT:

Due to the AGILE approach of this project, there is a need to define a set of specific arrangements between the NCIA and the contractor that specifically defines the deliverables to be provided for each sprint as well as their associated acceptance criteria. This includes sprint planning, execution and review processes, which are detailed below:

1. Sprint Planning:

Objective: Plan the objectives for the upcoming sprint.

Kick‐off meeting: Conduct a monthly meeting with the contractor to plan the objectives of upcoming sprints and review contractor`s manpower to meet the agreed deliverables.

Set sprint goals: Define clear, achievable goals for the sprint and associated acceptance criteria, including specific delivery targets, Quality standards as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each task to be recorded in the sprint meeting minutes.

Agree on the required level of effort for the various sprint tasks.

Backlog Review: Review and prioritise the backlog of tasks, issues, and improvements from previous sprints.

Assess each payment milestone cycle duration of one calendar month. State of completion and validation of each sprint status and sign off sprints to be submitted for payment as covered in Section 4.

2. Sprint Execution:

Objective: Contractor to execute the agreed “sprint plans” with continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Regular meetings between NCIA and the contractor to review sprint progress, address issues, and make necessary adjustments to the processes or production methodology. The Meetings will be physically in the office.

Continuous improvement: Contractor to establish a continuous feedback loop to gather input from all stakeholders for ongoing improvements and their subsequent implementation depending on NCA approval.

Progress Tracking: Contractor to use a shared dashboard or tool to track the status of the sprint deliveries and any issues.

Quality Assurance/Quality Check: Contractor shall ensure that the quality standards agreed for the sprint deliverables are maintained throughout the sprint.

Quality Control: NCIA to perform the Final Quality Control of the agreed deliverables and provide feedback on any issues.

3. Sprint Review:

Objective: Review the sprint performance and identify areas for improvement.

At the end of each sprint, there will be a meeting between the NCIA and the Contractor to review the outcomes against the acceptance criteria comprising sprint goals, agreed quality criteria and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Define specific actions to address issues and enhance the next sprint.

4. Sprint Payment:

For each 4 (fourth) sprints to be considered as complete and payable, the contractor must report the outcome of their service during the sprint, first verbally during the retrospective sprint review meeting and then in writing within five days after the 4 th sprint’s end date. A report must be sent by email to the NCIA service manager, listing all the service achieved against the agreed tasking list set for the sprint.

The contractor's payment for each set of 4 sprints will be depending upon the achievement of agreed Acceptance Criteria for each task, defined at the sprint planning stage. This will include specific delivery targets, quality standards as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each task.

The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance as set in the above planning/review meetings. This will follow the payment milestones that shall include a completed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B)

Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B) signed by the Contractor and project authority.

If the contractor fails to meet the agreed Acceptance criteria for any task, the NCIA reserves the right to withhold payment for that task/sprint.

5 DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES

The following are expected from this statement of work:

1) Complete the activities/tasks agreed in each spring meeting as per sections 2 and 3 above.

2) Produce sprint completion reports (format: e‐mail update), which include details of activities performed and the list of the deliverables of the week.

3) The contractor will participate in the daily reporting and planning activities (daily stand‐ups) as well as the required participation in workshops, events and conferences related to the supported services, as requested by the service delivery manager.

4) Payment schedule will be according to payment milestones upon completion of 4 sprints. Upon completion and validation of each sprint, following the acceptance of the sprint report.

5) The NCIA team reserves the possibility to exercise a number of additional sprints for the based and the options performance period, based on the same deliverable timeframe, at a later time, depending on the project priorities and requirements.

6) The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the sprint report and the delivery acceptance sheet (DAS) – (ANNEX B).

7) Invoices shall be accompanied with a delivery acceptance sheet (DAS) – (ANNEX B) signed by the contractor and the NCIA POC

2025 BASE: PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 21 July 2025 to 31 December 2025

Deliverable: Up to 25 sprints x one week support (Number of sprints will be adjusted based on actual starting date.)

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the service. Completion of each sprint shall be accompanied documented in Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B), signed for acceptance by the Purchaser’s authorized point of contact and the Contractor

2026 Option 1: 01 January 2026 to 31 December 2026

Deliverable: Up to 46 sprints x one week support

Cost Ceiling: Price will be determined by applying the price adjustment formula as outlined in CO‐115786‐ AAS+ Special Provisions article 6.5.

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the service. Completion of each sprint shall be accompanied documented in Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B), signed for acceptance by the Purchaser’s authorized point of contact and the Contractor

2027 Option 2: 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027

Deliverable: Up to 46 sprints x one week support

Cost Ceiling: Price will be determined by applying the price adjustment formula as outlined in CO‐115786‐ AAS+ Special Provisions article 6.5.

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the service. Completion of each sprint shall be accompanied documented in Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B), signed for acceptance by the Purchaser’s authorized point of contact and the Contractor

2028 Option 3: 01 January 2028 to 31 December 2028

Deliverable: Up to 46 sprints x one week support

Cost Ceiling: Price will be determined by applying the price adjustment formula as outlined in CO‐115786‐ AAS+ Special Provisions article 6.5.

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the service. Completion of each sprint shall be accompanied documented in Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B), signed for acceptance by the Purchaser’s authorized point of contact and the Contractor

6 COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The contractor’s personnel shall participate in daily status update meetings, activity planning and other meetings as instructed, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to the Service Delivery Manager / Team Leaders instructions.

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 must conduct the following reviews:

A daily ‘touch point’ between NCIA POC and the contractor’s POC to ensure service is on track

Draft versions of the reports where the supplier’s POC presents the draft report to the customer, with the opportunity for the customer to provide feedback and implement uplifts.

Final versions of the reports where the incumbent presents and delivers the final report to the customer.

7 SCHEDULE

It is expected the service starts as soon as possible but no later than 21 July 2025 and ending no later than 31 December 2025.

If the 2026 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2026 to 31 December 2026

If the 2027 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027

If the 2028 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2028 to 31 December 2028

8 CONSTRAINTS

All the deliverables provided under this statement of work will be based on NCI Agency templates or agreed with the project point of contact.

All code, scripts, documentation, etc. will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCI Agency tools.

9 SECURITY

The duties of the consultant require a valid NATO SECRET security clearance.

All the deliverables of this project will be considered NATO UNCLASSIFIED, while access to networks exceeding this classification level is required.

With this role being of technical nature providing administrative support, a security clearance at the NATO Secret level is required prior to the start of the engagement.

10 PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

Place of Performance: The contractor shall support the NCIA on‐site for up‐to 50% of time in the NCIA Braine L'Alleud, Belgium premises during contract performance. Contractor can provide services remotely for up‐to 50% of the remaining time from a NATO country as per NATO Security Policy. The remote performance could be increased depending on status of the project with agreement of the line manager; in this case, the competed price remain unchanged.

Hours of Operation: The service will be conducted during normal office hours (Monday to Thursday from 08h30 until 17h30 and Friday from 08h30 until 15h30) following the Braine l’Alleud calendar.

Additionally, there might be a need that during the services to be provided can include weekdays, weekends, and national holidays. These outside business hours are followed by a subsequent 1‐day off period (max 1 sprint per month).

NCI Agency in Braine l’Alleud Recognized Business hours/Holidays: NCI Agency in Braine l’Alleud official holiday schedule applies and will be provided to the contractor.

Contractor Furnished Services: Contractor shall furnish everything required to perform the contract except for the items specified and covered under NCIA Furnished Property and Services below.

NCIA Furnished Property and Services: Access to relevant networks and environments will be provided by NCIA. Service is to be performed on the NCI Agency network(s) and appropriate hardware and connectivity will be provided by the NCI Agency, for the duration of this contract, and is to be returned upon completion of the contract.

Travel: Travel costs from off‐site of Contractor location to on‐site to Braine L'Alleud, Belgium shall be included in the sprint costs. Other Travel will be the responsibility of the contractor and the expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of AAS Framework Contract and within the limits of the NCIA Travel Directive. They will be invoiced separately to the purchaser by the service provider, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the framework agreement. These additional travel costs are considered an extra charge to the overall bid price.

Other: The service depicted in this SOW is expected to be carried by a SINGLE RESOURCE.

11 QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]

11 QUALIFICATIONS

This role is critical for maintaining efficient IT support operations, ensuring users receive timely and effective assistance with HR Applications services.

The proposed person to deliver these services should be a motivated engineer with strong problem‐solving skills, full proficiency in English, and a passion for customer service.

The consultancy support for this service requires an experienced (10 years’ experience) Service Engineer (L3Support) with the following qualifications:

1) Technical Proficiency:

• Understanding of end‐user devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones) running Windows OS, Android OS and Apple iPhones/iPads.
• Expert knowledge of Linux server infrastructure, Windows server infrastructure and Active Directory.
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server 2016‐2022 and IIS based web servers.
• Expert knowledge of networking infrastructure.
• Strong background of cloud technologies and deployment.
• Expert knowledge of PKI.
• Deep understanding of security constraints and requirements in CIS.
• Deep understanding of NCIA and NATO security directives and regulations, along with understanding of industry best practices and standards.
• Familiarity with Microsoft services and tools, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint.
• Experience and good knowledge of the following COTS technology: GENPACT Sequence Kinetics or Sequence Cora; CITI Manage ID; RLDATIX DefenceSuite / OneView
• Experience in human resource (HR) IT applications related to personnel, posts, organizations, identity management and badges;
• Experience (at least two years) in various areas of Software Engineering including some of the following: Requirements elicitation and management (including non‐functional requirements for Operations & Maintenance); SW change management and testing; Application release and deployment management; Configuration management practices and tools; Application Lifecycle Management concept and tools.
• Knowledge of NATO HR processes;
• Knowledge and experience in state‐of‐the‐art technologies, relevant to software engineering: Technologies and standards (at least 4 of them): HTML5, REST Services, Web Services, XML, SQL, Visual Basic for Applications; Application server technologies and Relational data base management systems; programming languages and platforms like .NET, C#, JAVA, JavaScript;

2) Problem‐Solving Skills:

• Strong troubleshooting skills to diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and network issues.
• Ability to guide users through problem‐solving steps effectively.

3) Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Full proficiency in English. French language proficiency is of advantage.
• Ability to communicate technical information to non‐technical users in a clear and concise manner.

4) Customer Service Orientation:

• Strong customer service focus with a commitment to user satisfaction.
• Patience and empathy when dealing with user issues and concerns.

5) Organizational Skills:

• Ability to manage multiple support tickets and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Attention to detail in documenting support activities and maintaining accurate records.

6) Team Collaboration:

• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and share knowledge and resources.
• Willingness to collaborate with colleagues to solve complex issues.

7) Others:

• The candidate has strong customer relationship skills, including negotiating complex and sensitive situations under pressure.
• The candidate must have the nationality of one of the NATO nations.
• The candidate must possess a NATO Secret Security Clearance or national equivalent.
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements;