Deadline Date: Wednesday 9 October 2024
Requirement: Assets and Configuration Manager for Academy Learning Environment
Location: Oeiras, PT
Full Time On-Site: Yes
Time On-Site: 100%
Period of Performance: 2024 BASE: As soon as possible but not later than 5th November 2024, until 31st December 2024 with possibility to exercise the following options:
• 2025 Option: 1st January 2025 until 31st December 2025
• 2026 Option: 1st January 2026 until 31st December 2026
Start date is as soon as possible but not later than 5th November 2024
Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET
1. INTRODUCTION
The NATO Communications and Information Academy (NCI Academy) located in Portugal, Belgium and The Netherlands reinforces NATO’s technological edge through excellence in Cyberspace learning.
The NCI Academy has the Academy Learning Environment, which is the toolset associated with all back-end learning and development activities, the transfer of knowledge from trainers to students and the support of the student learning process. To secure the Academy Learning Environment, there is a team responsible for all activities related to the operation and maintenance of this infrastructure. In addition to setting up courses, maintaining them and deploying them as they iterate, the team is also responsible for running projects to ensure that the Academy Learning Environment is state of the art.
The NCI Academy is looking to outsource the assets and configuration management of the ALE CIS. The service contractor will work closely with the Technical Capability Support Section, the NCI Academy Account Holders, the CIS Support Unit Lisbon, and the Asset Programme Management Office. The work shall involve: analysis; planning; data collection and management; use of the assets and configuration management tool set; management of the CIS stock and warehouse; identification of obsolete CIS; decommissioning of equipment in collaboration with the CSU; and other duties.
The work shall be primarily conducted onsite at the NCI Academy in Oeiras.
2. OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of this statement of work can be summarized as follows:
1. Develop and optimize an Assets and Configuration Management solution for the NCI Academy ALE implementing tools and procedures to ensure efficient and effective management.
2. Collect and maintain Asset and Configuration data in the assets and configuration management databases, conduct regular database housekeeping; manage security and access management to the databases; and produce comprehensive reports.
3. Support the entire assets lifecycle management, including identification and disposal of obsolete CIS and maintain accurate records through regular audits and inventory checks.
4. Manage and maintain the CIS warehouse to ensure sufficient spares, effective assets management, and effective and efficient use of the space, including monitoring and managing stock levels.
5. Provide training and support to NCI Academy ALE staff on the use and management of the Assets and Configuration Management system, ensuring compliance with regulations and continuous improvement of processes.
3. SCOPE OF WORK
In accordance with the NCI Agency Assets and Configuration standards and policies and together with the Technical Capability Support Section Head and the NCI Agency Assets Programme Management Office, the contractor shall analyse, plan, develop and implement an Assets and Configuration Management solution for the NCI Academy ALE. The contractor shall develop and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for asset and configuration management activities for the NCI Academy ALE and keep them up to date.
The contractor shall develop and execute a monthly plan together with Technical Capability Support Section to implement the capability in an agile manner with each month delivering a minimum viable product. The work shall include the identification of all necessary users of the capability, the collection of their requirements, the identification of configuration items, the capability design specifications, the implementation of the solution and preparation of the technical documentation. The solution shall include tools such as BMC Discovery and Atrium CMDB for configuration management.
The contractor shall also find solutions for the automation of data collection and reports.
The contractor shall report to the NCI Academy Technical Capability Support Section Head or designated representative lead on the progress of the Asset and Configuration Management solution.
The contractor shall provide advice to the Technical Capability Support Section Head for the continuous improvement of the Asset and Configuration Management capability and procedures.
The following activities require support under this SOW:
• Assets and configuration management (ACM)
1. Initial 100% assets inventory and current state
2. Develop, implement and monthly follow Standard Operating Procedures
3. Produce monthly and ad-hoc ACM reports – maintenance plans, number and description of assets, metrics, usage, etc.
4. Daily data collection and entry logs, detailing the collection, inputs, movement, status update of assets in the ACM database
5. Implement and monitor monthly the security measures, including access control and security policy compliance
6. Produce regular updates on assets disposal, need for acquisition, tracking
7. Produce monthly and ad-hoc audit reports on physical inventory checks, data accuracy assessments and identify discrepancies.
• Manage and maintain the CIS warehouse
8. Develop, implement and monitor a CIS warehouse management plan, ensuring optimal space utilization and storage conditions
9. Produce monthly and ad-hoc reports – goods inventory, stock levels, locations, goods description, etc.
10. Deliver ad-hoc warehouse trainings sessions for NCI Academy ALE staff
The contractor will be part of a team and will provide the service using an Agile and iterative approach during multiple sprints.
Each sprint is planned for a duration of 1 week.
The content and scope of each sprint will be agreed during the sprint-planning meeting, based on the activities mentioned above.
4. DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES
The following deliverables are expected from the work on this statement of work:
2024 BASE: 5 November 2024 to 31 December 2024
Deliverable 01: 12 sprints
Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.
Number of sprints will be adjusted depending on the actual start date.
The NCI Academy team reserves the possibility to exercise a number of options, based on the same scrum deliverable timeframe and cost, at a later time, depending on the project priorities and requirements.
The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex A) including the EBA Receipt number.
Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex A) signed by the Contractor and line manager.
2025 OPTION: 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025
Deliverable 01: Up to 48 sprints of project management support.
Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.
The NCI Academy team reserves the possibility to exercise a number of options, based on the same scrum deliverable timeframe and cost, at a later time, depending on the project priorities and requirements.
The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex A) including the EBA Receipt number.
Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex A) signed by the Contractor and line manager.
2026 OPTION: 01 January 2026 to 31 December 2026
Deliverable 01: Up to 48 sprints of project management support.
Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.
The NCI Academy team reserves the possibility to exercise a number of options, based on the same scrum deliverable timeframe and cost, at a later time, depending on the project priorities and requirements.
The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex A) including the EBA Receipt number.
Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex A) signed by the Contractor and line manager.
5. COORDINATION AND REPORTING
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 sprint, first verbally during the retrospective meeting and then in written within three (3) days after the sprint’s end date. The format of this report will be aligned the line manager mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the sprint.
Acceptance of each sprint completion will be documented in Annex A – Delivery Acceptance Sheet.
6. 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 5th November 2024, and will end no later than 31st December 2024
If the 2025 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01st January 2025 to 31st December 2025.
If the 2026 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01st January 2026 to 31st December 2026.
7. CONSTRAINTS
All the deliverables provided under this statement of work will be based on NCI Agency templates or agreed with the line manager.
All documentation will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCI Agency tools.
All the deliverables of this project will be considered NATO UNCLASSIFIED.
Part of the work may involve handling classified networks, therefore, a security clearance at the right level is expected for the contractor(s) undertaking this service, although the contractor may start working already while the clearance process is ongoing.
8. SECURITY
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.
9. PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
The contractor will be required to provide the service on-site in NCI Academy Oeiras (PRT).
Travel costs are out of scope and will be borne by the NCI Agency separately in accordance to the provisions of the AAS+ Framework Contract. He or she will work under the direction and guidance of the NCI Academy Technical Capability Support Section Head or their designated representative.
This service must be accomplished by ONE contractor.
10. QUALIFICATIONS
[See Requirements]
Requirements
10. QUALIFICATIONS
This work requires a project manager with the following qualifications and experience:
11. The candidate has a NATO SECRET security clearance, provided by the national security organization valid at the time of submission of the bid and covering the period of the contract
12. Fluent in English and must be able to read and write technical and user documentation.
13. Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with 2+ years of experience OR 6+ years of relevant experience without a degree.
14. Experience in IT Service Management with BMC Atrium CMDB.
15. Proficiency in foundation data preparation and integration into BMC ITSM.
16. Experience with Remedy ITSM on Microsoft and Linux platforms.
17. System Management expertise in Windows OS and Red Hat Linux.
18. Experience integrating data sources with BMC Atrium CMDB.
19. Familiarity with infrastructure solutions for Service Management tools, databases, hypervisors, storage, and load balancing.
20. Excellent communication, briefing, presentation, and summarization skills.
21. Knowledge of and experience with the NATO Command Structure, the NATO Force Structure, and the NATO Political Structure.
22. Experience working in an International environment with Military and Civilian elements.
Desirable qualifications and experience
23. Experience with BMC Discovery (version and BMC True Sight Operations Management (version
24. ITILv3 or v4 Foundation level certification or higher.
25. BMC Certified Professional qualification (beneficial).
26. Experience in international, military, and civilian environments.
27. Knowledge of and experience with the NATO Command Structure and their responsibilities.
Language Proficiency
28. Level 3 English language skills according to NATO STANAG 6001: Listening (3); Speaking (2); Reading (3); and Writing (2) or according to Common European Framework of Reference for Language level B2-C1/Upper Intermediate-Advanced level)