2025-0011 Support for AI and Data Exploitation Dashboards (NS) - THU 13 Feb

Deadline Date: Thursday 13 February 2025

Requirement: Support for AI and Data Exploitation Dashboards and Deliverables for NATO Headquarters EDS&AI

Location: Brussels, BE

Full Time On-Site: Yes

Time On-Site: 100%

Period of Performance: 2025 BASE: 01 Apr 2025 – 30 Jun 2025, with the possibility to exercise following option:

2025 option: 01 Jul 2025 – 31 Dec 2025

2026 option: 01 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2026

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

1 INTRODUCTION

The NATO Information and Communication Agency (NCIA) located in The Hague, Netherlands, is currently involved in the development and support of new and existing capabilities for NATO.

In light of these activities, within NCIA Chief Technology Office, the Exploiting Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (EDS&AI) Team has as primary goal to ensure that Big Data and AI can be used to make better and faster decisions. In leveraging the volume of big data, EDS&AI team aims to turn data overload into decision dominance.

Inside NATO, leaders in different functions need support for their decision making. EDS&AI brings the expertise to exploit the vast and varied data available for extracting insights, and we achieve that by using both cloud computing and the Agency’s high performance computing sandbox.

The EDS&AI team provide the core data science skills and technology needed for big data analysis and AI.

The EDS&AI team applies innovative technology to data whenever it is not possible to extract value with conventional approaches.

2 OBJECTIVE

This Statement of Work (SOW) describes the work necessary to provide specific AI and Data Exploitation activities which the NCIA CTO/EDS&AI team provide within NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The services described below will be provided to the NCIA CTO/EDS&AI team, as they deliver specialised Data Science and AI results to their stakeholders in NATO Headquarters.

3 SCOPE OF WORK

Under the direction of CTO-EDS&AI, the resource providing services under this SOW will provide supporting the following:

• Apply available data and tools to deliver data analytics and data science products, such as data visualization dashboards and implement the dashboards in a production environment on NATO classified networks.

• Design of automated data integration, analytics and data science models for selected use cases, including defining requirements, proposing data sources and machine-learning algorithms to use, and designing data visualisation product.

• Further development and enhancement of the Data Exploitation and AI Programme Synch Dashboard to include, e.g. automated data ingestion. Deployment into the NATO business networks to enable access and maintenance by NATO staff across the Enterprise, with a focus on HQ.

• Independently validate external data and reports on data quality.

• Deliver and refine initial data analytics and visualisation products.

• Presentation of data visualization products to user communities and subsequent product refinement based on user feedback.

• Training staff on the use of dashboards and available data analytics and data science tools.

• Close engagement with the NCIA EDS&AI team in The Hague through digital collaboration tools, plus one day in The Hague every second sprint.

• Produce sprint completion reports (format: e-mail update, see Section 4), which include detail of activities performed.

• Participate in meetings and boards on as-needed basis, or as requested by NCI Agency.

All of the deliverables and the underlying work under this contract will be in English. Deliverables will be sent via e-mail or removable media. Disclosure of any or all of the deliverables to another third party, besides NCI Agency, will require the prior agreement of NCI Agency.

4 DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES

The contractor will work using an iterative approach using multiple sprints. Each sprint is scoped for a duration of 4 weeks. Services are expected to be delivered within Agency’s working hours/days and follow the team’s schedule.

It is envisaged that there will be gap of at least 2 weeks between sprint 7 and sprint 8. Payment milestones will be after each sprint completion.

The NCIA team reserves the possibility to exercise a number of options, based on the same sprint 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

- Sprint Report;

- Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex C) including the EBA Receipt number.

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

The following deliverables are expected from this statement of work:

4.1. 2025 BASE performance: 01/04/2025 to 30/06/2025

Deliverable: 3 sprints of support activities

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each sprint and at the end of the work.

4.2. 2025 OPTIONAL performance: 01/07/2025 31/12/2025

Deliverable: Up to 6 Sprints

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each sprint and at the end of the work.

4.3 2026 OPTION: 01/01/2026 to 31/12/2026

Deliverable: Up to 12 Sprints

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each sprint and at the end of the work.

5 COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The Contractor shall provide services primarily on-site at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, BE. The Contractor shall coordinate with, and report to, the NCIA EDS&AI team in The Hague. One day, in-person visits to The Hague are envisaged approximately every second sprint.

Costs for travel to The Hague (1 day every 2 sprints) is included in the scope of the bid.

Other travel costs will be reimbursed separately, as per AAS+ framework contract provisions and NCIA Travel Directive.

The Contractor shall coordinate on at least a weekly basis with stakeholders within NATO Headquarters, as identified by the NCIA EDS&AI team.

The Contractor shall be given access to necessary NATO IT systems, and comply with all necessary policies and procedures.

The Contractor shall participate in regular status update meetings and other meetings, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to their 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 writing within three (3) days after the sprint’s end date. A report in the format of a short email shall be sent to the nominated point of contact of the NCI Agency, mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the sprint.

6 SCHEDULE

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

The 2025 BASE period of performance is 01/04/2025 to 30/06/2025.

The 2025 OPTIONAL period of performance is 01/07/2025 to 31/12/2025.

If the 2026 option is exercised, the period of performance shall be 01/01/2026 to 31/12/2026.

7 SECURITY

The services provided under this SOW require a valid NATO SECRET security clearance prior to the start of the engagement.

8 CONSTRAINTS

All the documentation provided under this statement of work will be based on NCI Agency templates and/or agreed with the NCIA service delivery point of contact.

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

9 PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

ONE resource is required to provide the services described in this SOW.

The contractor is expected to provide services on-site at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium.

He or she will provide services under the direction and guidance of the CTO-EDS&AI or their designated representative.

10 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

[See Requirements]

Requirements

10 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

The resource providing services under this SOW has to have the minimum following experience and qualifications:

• BSc/BA in Computer Science, Engineering or relevant field.
• A higher degree in Data Science is preferred.
• At least 3 years of practical experience in the field of data science and/ or data analytics;
• Experience using business intelligence and visualization tools (e.g. ArcGIS (Insights, Dashboards, Web Experience, Knowledge), PowerBI, Tableau), data programming skills (e.g. Python, R, Neo4j’s Cypher, and SQL)
• Experience using data visualization/analytics software packages and development environments, such as ArcGIS (Pro, Notebooks), KNIME, AWS, MS Azure, or similar;
• Experience in data validation and ability to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of data sourced for analysis;
• Experience of data analysis in geo-spatial, resilience, political decision-making, military C2, hybrid threats.
• Have an in-depth knowledge of the execution of tasks similar to the ones specified in this SOW, including data mining, pre-processing of structured and unstructured data, data analysis and visualization, dashboard development, employment of data algorithms, NLP, and machine-learning, as well as understanding broader issues concerning the responsible development and employment of Artificial Intelligence;
• Excellent drafting, communication and presentation skills in English, including at senior level.
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including NCIA, IS, IMS, ACO and ACT.
• Experience Strong organizational and multitasking abilities;
• High attention to detail and accuracy;
• Strong interpersonal skills to coordinate effectively with multiple stakeholders;
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including INFOSEC/COMSEC procedures.
• Valid NATO SECRET Security Clearance.