Notification of Intent to Invite for Bids TOPFAS BMD

Description

In accordance with Reference A, the NCI Agency, as the Host Nation, hereby gives notice of its intent (NOI) to issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Ballistic Missile Defence Increments 1 and 2 functions for TOPFAS (TOPFAS BMD Delivery) (2013/0IS03074, 2013/0IS03089)

a. Work Package 1: Deliver TOPFAS BMD Capabilities: This work package comprises the activities for developing and delivering the first increment of Functional Services for Operations Planning in Support of BMD (TOPFAS BMD) allocated scope of functionality, which is to be implemented by adding new BMD capabilities and making enhancements to the current baseline of the TOPFAS Application Suite.

b. Work Package 2: Deliver TOPFAS BMD Capabilities: This work package comprises of the activities for developing and delivering the second increment of TOPFAS allocated scope of functionality and further evolving and extending the TOPFAS Application Suite capabilities delivered under Work Package 1. This work package is conditional, so that it can be exercised pending the contractor’s performance and successful completion of milestones/gates/criteria for Work Package 1. With the delivery of Work Package 2, a warranty period of one year will start.
c. Work Package 3: Maintenance and Support Services: This work package comprises all activities and services for the maintenance and support of the TOPFAS Application Suite baseline from Final System Acceptance (FSA) up to five years, starting from final system acceptance with the first year being concurrent with the warranty period. This work package is optional.

For planning purposes:
a. the estimated cost of the project is 27.88 MEUR. (17.84 MEUR INV + 10.04 MEUR O&M)
b. the period of performance of the resulting contract is expected to be 9.5 years, broken down as:

i. 4.5 years from Date of Contract Award until Final Systems Acceptance (FSA)

ii. 5 years of Maintenance and Support.

The NCI Agency will use the International Competitive Bidding (ICB) Procedure, best value (BV) evaluation. The successful bid for the TOPFAS BMD delivery, pursuant to the IFB following this NOI, will be the bid which is deemed to offer the best value in accordance with predefined bid evaluation criteria, which for the contract will be detailed in the IFB. The top-level criteria weightings will be 60% Technical and 40% Price.

The NCI Agency anticipates issuing an IFB in Q4 2022 with a bid closing date of 84 days following the IFB release. A Contract award is anticipated for Q2 2023. No partial bidding will be accepted.

Bidders will be required to declare a bid validity of twelve (12) months from closing date for receipt of bids. If the selection and award procedure exceed the bid closing date by more than twelve (12) months, the NCI Agency may request firms to voluntarily extend the validity of their bids and the bid guarantee accordingly. Bidders may decline to do so, withdraw their bid and excuse themselves from the bidding process without penalty.

The National Authorities are advised that all of the IFB package will be NATO UNCLASSIFIED.

The successful Bidder may be required to handle and store classified information up to the level of “NATO RΞSTRICTED”. In addition, execution of the proposed contract may require, in accordance with NATO Security Policy C-M(2002)49, personnel of the successful Bidder to be required to hold individual security clearances of “NATO SΞCRET”. Only firms maintaining such cleared facilities and the appropriate personnel clearances will be able to perform the resulting contract.

1. Background
a. TOPFAS is NATO's modern suite of software applications, consisting of desktop applications, server-hosted or web applications, and integrated services, in support of the NATO Crisis Response Process. Each application within the TOPFAS Application Suite serves a distinct purpose and offers specific capabilities to multiple, distinct communities of interest.
b. The Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme has been established to provide a verified architecture with the capability to defend NATO allies and deployed forces against the full range of Ballistic Missile (BM) threats. This BMD capability is provided by a system-of-systems that is composed Battlefield Management, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (BMC3I) system, and interoperable with sensors and weapons systems provided by Allies.
c. The Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme delivered a BMD baseline capability incorporated within the current TOPFAS Application Suite baseline.
d. The BMD Programme further comprises the transition from this BMD baseline capability to a full BMD capability, which includes enhancements within the TOPFAS Application Suite required to support the expansion of the BMD capability. This forms the scope of the TOPFAS for Ballistic Missile Defence Increments 1&2 delivery.
e. As a summary, the TOPFAS-BMD scope of work includes the analysis, design, development, implementation, maintenance and support for a new, enhanced, NATO-owned TOPFAS Application Suite with functionalities required to support the expansion of the BMD capabilities.
f. Key functional areas for this expansion are:
i. Support for the BMD Pol-Mil consultation process, between the strategic commands, the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and Military Committee (MC);
ii. Enhanced support for passive defence (military and civilian);
iii. Support for Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation Functional Services (ETEE FS) for the BMD capability;
iv. Interfaces and integration with Intelligence Functional Services (INTEL FS);
v. Integration with the NATO platform and other functional and core services.
g. The required capabilities will be delivered through enhancements and extensions of the current TOPFAS Application Suite, resulting in a new baseline of the TOPFAS Application Suite fully replacing the existing one.

2. Estimated Schedule
a. The release of the IFB is anticipated for Q4 2022 with Contract Award in Q2 2023.
b. Following Contract Award, the first increment (Work Package 1) of TOPFAS-BMD is anticipated to be released in Q3 2025, followed by the second increment (Work Package 2) by Q3 2027

3. Agile Methodology
c. The delivery of the functionalities of TOPFAS is planned to be done progressively, in two incremental baselines (Work Package 1 and Work Package 2).
d. It is planned that the contract will use an iterative software development and implementation approach, i.e. using Agile Scrum Framework or equivalent methodology, with sprints and baselines releases to provide regular deliveries of working software. Generally speaking, it is expected that each sprint will last approximately 4 weeks.

4. Scope
a. The scope of this project is split within following work packages:
i. Work Package 1: Deliver TOPFAS BMD Capabilities: This work package comprises of the activities for developing and delivering the first increment of TOPFAS BMD allocated scope of functionality, which is to be implemented by adding new BMD capabilities and making enhancements to the current baseline of the TOPFAS Application Suite.
ii. Work Package 2: Deliver TOPFAS BMD Capabilities: This work package comprises of the activities for developing and delivering the second increment of TOPFAS allocated scope of functionality and further evolving and extending the TOPFAS Application Suite capabilities delivered under Work Package 1. This work package is conditional, so that it can be exercised pending the contractor’s performance and successful completion of milestones/gates/criteria for Work Package 1.
iii. Work Package 3: Maintenance and Support Services: This work package comprises all activities and services for the maintenance and support of the TOPFAS Application Suite baseline from FSA up to five years, starting from final system acceptance with the first year being concurrent with the warranty period. This work package is optional.

5. Key Personnel
a. It is expected that the IFB will include requirements for the following Key Personnel:
i. Project Manager;
ii. Quality Assurance Manager;
iii. Configuration Manager;
iv. Technical Lead Desktop;
v. Technical Lead Web;
vi. Product Owner Desktop;
vii. Product Owner Web;
viii. Lead UX Designer;
ix. Scrum Master;
x. Test Manager;
xi. Lead Instructor.
6. Technical Constraints

a. TOPFAS BMD will be deployed on multiple network domains (i.e., NATO SΞCRET, NATO UNCLASSIFIED, and Mission SΞCRET).
b. The TOPFAS BMD scope will be implemented as enhancements and extensions to the existing TOPFAS Application Suite.
c. The contract will mandate the use of a purchaser furnished Microsoft Azure DevSecOps environment, the existing TOPFAS Application Suite development and build environment.
d. Maintenance and updates to the existing TOPFAS Application Suite shall be incorporated in the deliveries under this contract.
e. The contract is expected to transfer the maintenance responsibility for the full TOPFAS Application Suite.

7. Warranty, Maintenance and Support
a. Following acceptance of the final operational delivery, the contract will require warranty for any software delivered.
b. The contract is expected to include five (5) years of maintenance and support following final system acceptance.

Opportunity closing date

13 November 2022

Value of contract

£5m-50m

The buyer is happy to talk to

manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, agents, consultants