2026-0132 AFN/AFS Governance & Management Secretariat Support (NS) - WED 16 Sep

Deadline Date: Wednesday 16 September 2026

Requirement: AFN/AFS Governance & Management Secretariat Support

Location: On-site:

NHQ Brussels BEL: 1 week each month over the period of the contract.

NCIA The Hague: 1 week each quarter over the period of the contract.

NATO HQ BLA: First two weeks of contract onboarding on site.

Offsite: When not at the locations detailed above.

Period of Performance: Base Contract: 1 October 2026 – 31 March 2027. Option Contract: 1 April 2027 – 31 December 2027.

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

Special Terms and Conditions: See Annex B below.

ANNEX A – STATEMENT OF WORK

A-1 OVERALL PROJECT SCOPE

The Alliance Federation Services (AFS) establishes a federated network that integrates the NATO Enterprise, NATO Nations, NATO Force Structures, and Multinational Entities across the Alliance. NCIA is the primary contractor to deliver the AFS Federation with NATO Nations on behalf of Cyber Digital Transformation (CDT), NHQ Brussels. This integration facilitates the interconnection of Alliance Federated Participants (AFP) to the AFN by encompassing a range of technical services, including Communications, the Core Services, the Community of Interest (COI) Services, the Service Management and Control (SMC) and Communication and Information Systems (CIS) Security.

The AFS is a NATO Enterprise-driven and Nations-enabled initiative to build a modern, coherent, transparent and effective CIS platform for delivering and consuming C3 services across the Alliance. It evolves the current NATO Enterprise-centric Alliance-wide network (NS WAN) into a broader and distributed network of networks, building upon the model of the Internet and specifications developed under the Federation Mission Networking (FMN) framework.

The project will support the Secretariat Organisation supporting the Governance & Management structure to realise the intended AFS aims as stated above.

A-2 OBJECTIVE

The contractor shall provide administrative assistant support to the AFS Secretariat at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium.

A-3 SCOPE OF WORK

• Manage & maintain the AFS Information and Knowledge Portals.
• Provide full document management and control for all AFS Doctrine, Policy, Technical, Security, Independent Assurance & Validation, Process and Procedure documents; all formal communications, including notifications, agendas, minutes and reports.
• Provide professional, end-to-end support for recording meeting discussions, organizing the captured content, and delivering polished draft minutes for review by chairs and supporting staff.
• Provide conference support to all significant work group and executive meetings.
• Communications support for external attendees (partners, clients, speakers, media, regulators, etc.) so that they can participate in corporate meetings, conferences, and related events smoothly, securely, and in compliance with the client's policies.
• Deliver end-to-end administrative support that streamlines meeting logistics, builds clear agendas, tracks action items, and maintains consistent stakeholder communication. The service is designed to keep teams aligned, improve efficiency, and drive measurable progress toward the client's strategic goals.

A-4 DELIVERABLES

The following provides the deliverables under this contract. The deliverables are derived from the requirements of the overall project management plan. Each deliverable has an acceptance criterion and is also grouped into payment milestones, given in Annex B, Section B-4.

A.1 – Manage & Maintain AFS Information Knowledge Portals on Low and High Side

Deliverable Definition: Administer and update information portals to ensure content currency and accuracy; govern portal taxonomy, metadata standards, and lifecycle of articles, FAQs, and multimedia assets; hold regular status meetings, track KPIs, and provide executive summaries.

Deliverable Format: SharePoint/MS Office format.

Acceptance Criteria: Ensure intuitive organization, efficient searchability, defined workflows for content lifecycles, and robust user role permissions; criteria should cover functional capabilities (editing, publishing), security (access controls), and usability (CMS interface) to allow staff to manage content without technical assistance.

Deliverable Schedule: Content audit report (quarterly); updated taxonomy guide (as needed); status meeting minutes (bi-weekly); KPI dashboard (continuous).

Quantity/Effort: As per deliverable schedule.

A.2 – Document Management

Deliverable Definition: Document Preparation: gather, format, and organize all required files, documents and supporting materials so they meet formal standards and are ready for review or distribution. Coordination: act as the central point of contact among authors, reviewers, legal/compliance teams, and external partners, ensuring everyone receives the right versions at the right time. Workflow Management: design, implement, and monitor a clear, step-by-step process (draft → review → approval → archiving) using the chosen DMS tools, setting deadlines, sending reminders, and tracking progress in real time. Quality Assurance: verify that each document complies with naming conventions, version-control policies, and regulatory requirements before it moves to the next stage. Reporting & Continuous Improvement: generate status dashboards, capture bottlenecks, and propose refinements to streamline future document-handling cycles.

Deliverable Format: SharePoint/MS Office format.

Acceptance Criteria: All files conform to the approved template and naming convention; metadata fields are populated correctly; no spelling or formatting errors detected by the QA checklist; lists every role (author, reviewer, approver, external partner); roles are validated by the client's project sponsor; identifies at least two actionable improvements per quarter; documented in a shared, read-only location; displays current stage, pending actions, and due dates for every active document; shows a 100% pass rate for naming, versioning, and compliance items; any deviations are documented with remediation steps and signed off; summarizes number of documents processed and cycle-time averages; distributed to the client's steering committee on the agreed day.

Deliverable Schedule: Weekly/monthly reports in accordance with acceptance criteria.

Quantity/Effort: As per deliverable schedule.

A.3 – Recording Meeting Minutes

Deliverable Definition: Provide professional, end-to-end support for recording meeting discussions, organizing the captured content, and delivering polished draft minutes for review by chairs and supporting staff.

Deliverable Format: MS Office, following provided templates.

Acceptance Criteria: Complete, time-stamped capture of every spoken contribution; no missing speaker attribution; delivered within 1 day after meeting adjournment; organized into clearly labelled sections (Agenda, Discussion, Decisions, Actions); consistent formatting (font, headings, bullet style); reviewed and approved by the designated note-taker lead; all decisions, action items, owners, and due dates are accurately reflected; language is concise, neutral, and free of editorial bias; meets the client-provided template (if any); all chair-staff comments incorporated; no outstanding open items remain unaddressed; signed off by the chair or delegated authority.

Deliverable Schedule: Raw notes/draft delivered within 1 day; full draft within 3 days; finalised minutes within 5 days.

Quantity/Effort: Up to 20 meetings per year.

A.4 – Provide Conference Services

Deliverable Definition: Provide end-to-end logistical and communications support for external attendees (partners, clients, speakers, media, regulators, etc.) so that they can participate in corporate meetings, conferences, and related events smoothly, securely, and in compliance with the client's policies. Pre-event: registration, collecting attendee information (name, affiliation, travel details, security clearance), verifying identity and completing any required background or compliance checks. On-site: welcome desk assistance, badge pick-up, orientation briefings, escort to session rooms, exhibition halls, or networking areas as needed, and real-time issue resolution (lost badge, dietary needs, accessibility). Materials: distribute session agendas, speaker bios, and supplemental materials. Post-event: collect feedback surveys, distribute presentation decks, and provide certificates of attendance.

Deliverable Format: SharePoint/MS Office; following client templates.

Acceptance Criteria: All external participants appear with complete, verified data; no duplicate records; approved by the client's Event Coordinator; includes correct session times, locations, and any pre-arranged meetings; matches the master event agenda; signed off by the participant or their designated liaison; attendance numbers, feedback summary, and expense reconciliation are complete and accurate; no outstanding open items remain; approved by the client's Event Lead; shows current registration count, pending tasks, and risk items; updated at least once per week during preparation; accepted by the client's project sponsor.

Deliverable Schedule: 100% of external participants registered at least 7 days before the event; all presentations uploaded to the portal 48 hours prior to conference start; list of attendees; list of absentees; conference survey; conference report.

Quantity/Effort: Up to 5 per year.

A.5 – General Administration Support to Secretariat

Deliverable Definition: Deliver end-to-end administrative support that streamlines meeting logistics, builds clear agendas, tracks action items, and maintains consistent stakeholder communication, designed to keep teams aligned, improve efficiency, and drive measurable progress toward the client's strategic goals. Tasks include: scheduling recurring and ad-hoc meetings (room booking, virtual links, equipment setup); preparing and distributing meeting invitations with dial-in details; gathering topics from sponsors, prioritizing, and formatting agendas; attaching supporting documents and pre-reads; capturing decisions and assignments during meetings; maintaining a centralized action-item register, assigning owners, setting due dates, and sending reminders; drafting and circulating meeting minutes, status updates, and follow-up notices; managing distribution lists and ensuring receipt acknowledgment; compiling KPI snapshots (meeting attendance, action-item completion rate, overdue items); presenting a concise progress report to senior leadership; capturing feedback on meeting effectiveness; and proposing process tweaks and best-practice updates.

Deliverable Format: SharePoint/MS Office.

Acceptance Criteria: All meetings listed with correct date, time, location/virtual link; no double-bookings or conflicts; approved by the client's Office Manager; includes all approved topics, supporting docs, and clear time allocations; distributed to the full participant list at least 24 hours before the meeting; no missing attachments; every decision/action captured with owner, due date, and priority; status column reflects current state (Open, In-Progress, Completed); updated within 4 hours of meeting adjournment; accurate summary of discussions, decisions, and action items; free of typographical errors and follows the client's minute template; sent to all participants for review; summarizes upcoming meetings, pending actions, and any risks.

Deliverable Schedule: As required and in line with the acceptance criteria.

Quantity/Effort: NHQ Brussels BEL (1 week each month over the period of the contract); NCIA The Hague (1 week each quarter over the period of the contract), excluding external conferences and meetings.

Below is a measurable KPI framework aligned with the deliverables and acceptance criteria. The KPIs are used for monthly performance reporting, deliverable acceptance, and performance-based payment.

1. Manage & Maintain AFS Information Knowledge Portals — Low and High Side (Includes A.1)

Content currency and accuracy: Linked acceptance criteria: Portal content is accurate, current, and properly maintained. Measurement: Active content reviewed or updated within its assigned review cycle ÷ active content due for review × 100. Target: ≥98%; 100% of critical content. Evidence: Content inventory, review dates, approval history. Weight: 50%.

Governance and reporting timeliness: Linked acceptance criteria: Regular status meetings, KPI tracking, and executive summaries. Measurement: Meetings and reports completed by the agreed deadline ÷ meetings and reports due × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Meeting records and distribution timestamps. Weight: 50%.

2. General Administration Support to Secretariat (Includes A.2 through A.5)

Meeting schedule accuracy: Linked acceptance criteria: Correct dates, times, locations, links, and no conflicts. Measurement: Error-free meeting entries ÷ meetings scheduled × 100. Target: 100%; zero unresolved double-bookings. Evidence: Calendar audit. Weight: 15%.

Schedule approval: Linked acceptance criteria: Meeting schedule approved by the Office Manager. Measurement: Approved schedules ÷ schedules requiring approval × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Office Manager approval. Weight: 5%.

Agenda completeness: Linked acceptance criteria: All approved topics, supporting documents, presenters, and time allocations included. Measurement: Agenda items meeting all requirements ÷ approved agenda items × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Agenda checklist. Weight: 10%.

Agenda distribution timeliness: Linked acceptance criteria: Agenda distributed to the complete participant list at least 24 hours in advance. Measurement: Agenda packages distributed ≥24 hours before the meeting ÷ packages due × 100. Target: ≥95%; 100% for governance meetings. Evidence: Email or SharePoint timestamp. Weight: 10%.

Attachment completeness: Linked acceptance criteria: No supporting documents or pre-reads missing. Measurement: Complete agenda packages ÷ agenda packages issued × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Distribution checklist. Weight: 5%.

Decision and action capture: Linked acceptance criteria: Every decision/action has an owner, due date, priority, and status. Measurement: Complete decision/action records ÷ total decisions/actions × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Action register and minutes. Weight: 15%.

Action-register timeliness: Linked acceptance criteria: Register updated within four hours of adjournment. Measurement: Registers updated within four hours ÷ meetings held × 100. Target: ≥95%; 100% by the next working day. Evidence: Register timestamp. Weight: 10%.

Minutes accuracy and quality: Linked acceptance criteria: Accurate summary, no material typographical errors, correct template. Measurement: Minutes passing content and QA review ÷ minutes issued × 100. Target: ≥98% first pass; 100% before approval. Evidence: Minutes QA checklist. Weight: 10%.

Review distribution completeness: Linked acceptance criteria: Minutes sent to all required participants for review. Measurement: Required recipients receiving minutes ÷ required recipients × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Distribution record. Weight: 5%.

Action completion rate: Linked acceptance criteria: Actions completed by their agreed due date. Measurement: Actions completed on time ÷ actions due during the period × 100. Target: ≥90%, excluding approved extensions. Evidence: Action register. Weight: 5%.

Leadership reporting: Linked acceptance criteria: Report covers upcoming meetings, pending actions, overdue items, and risks. Measurement: Reports containing all mandatory sections and delivered on time ÷ reports due × 100. Target: 100%. Evidence: Leadership report and distribution timestamp. Weight: 5%.

Continuous improvement: Linked acceptance criteria: Agreed improvements implemented by their target date. Measurement: Improvement actions implemented on time ÷ improvement actions approved × 100. Target: ≥90%. Evidence: Improvement register. Weight: 5%.

A weighted performance score can be calculated as: Deliverable Score = Σ (KPI Achievement Score × KPI Weight).

Target fully achieved: KPI score 100%.

Minor deviation, corrected within the agreed remediation period: KPI score 90%.

Target missed by no more than 10%, with an accepted corrective-action plan: KPI score 75%.

Material or recurring shortfall: KPI score 50%.

KPI not delivered, evidence unavailable, or critical failure: KPI score 0%.

Overall acceptance thresholds:

Weighted score ≥95%: Fully accepted.

Weighted score 85–94.99%: Accepted subject to minor remediation.

Weighted score 70–84.99%: Conditionally accepted; corrective-action plan required.

Weighted score below 70%: Rejected.

A-5 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Monthly report on activities undertaken to the AFS Secretariat and NCIA contract manager.

A-6 SPECIFIC EXPERTISE REQUIRED

One (1) Administrative Assistant for the AFS Secretariat Organisation.

A-7 REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

[See Requirements]

A-8 SECURITY CLEARANCE

All personnel assigned to this contract by the Contractor are required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance for the duration of the contract period of performance.

A-9 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Contractor will perform all activities and tasks to achieve the deliverables during the period:

Base Contract: 1 October 2026 – 31 March 2027.

Option Year: 1 April 2027 – 31 December 2027.

A-10 REPLACEMENT

Any replacement of the personnel assigned shall be subject to prior written approval by NCIA and shall meet or exceed the qualifications, experience, and security requirements defined for the respective profile. In the event that assigned personnel become unavailable during the Period of Performance, the Contractor shall propose suitable replacement personnel and ensure seamless continuity of the services at no additional cost, including the provision of appropriate knowledge transfer.

The Contractor personnel shall ensure an orderly handover of services both in the case of personnel replacement and at the conclusion of the Period of Performance. This shall include the transfer of all relevant documentation, data, work products, system configurations, and operational procedures necessary to maintain continuity of service delivery. The Contractor personnel shall also provide reasonable support to NCIA and, where applicable, to any follow-on contractor personnel, including clarification of activities and assistance in mitigating disruption.

All transition activities shall be completed within a timeframe agreed with NCIA and in accordance with NCIA instructions. All applicable NCIA Terms and Conditions shall apply.

A-11 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Services under this SOW will be performed at the following NCIA sites:

• NATO Headquarters Brussels, 1 week each month over the period of the contract.
• NCIA The Hague, 1 week each quarter over the period of the contract.
• NATO HQ BLA: First two weeks of contract onboarding on site.

Service delivery through 'teleworking' is expected, when not at the location detailed.

Travel

This Task Order requires scheduled travel as detailed above, consisting of up to one visit to NCIA The Hague (per quarter) for a maximum of five working days at each visit. A further requirement of one visit per month to NHQ Brussels for a maximum of five working days. The travel, lodging and associated expenses for travel are included in the price of the bid (NTE), such that the purchaser shall not be invoiced. Extraordinary Travel (Purchaser Directed Travel) may be required to other NATO or non-NATO locations as necessary. In the event of such unforeseen travels being called, the cost of all travel and subsistence will be addressed through a contract amendment. Extraordinary Travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of the AAS+ Framework Contract. Such costs will be set as a separate PO line with a not-to-exceed value to cover and reimburse actual expenses upon submission of all receipts and invoices in line with NCIA processes.

A-12 LANGUAGE OF PERFORMANCE

All work under this contract, both oral and written, is conducted in English.

Proficiency in the English language (listening, speaking, reading and writing) is required.

ANNEX B – SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

B-1 Special Terms

This Contract requires personnel with highly specialist skills to execute and complete the work.

The Contractor shall ensure Contractor's personnel hold valid NATO SECRET security clearances for the duration of the contract period of performance, and shall submit this documentation to the Purchaser.

The Contractor shall provide the professional information to the Purchaser regarding the proposed candidate personnel and shall arrange the requested interviews by the Purchaser.

The Purchaser will interview the proposed personnel.

Travel to the Duty Location shall be included in the price of this Contract.

Office space and computer equipment shall be provided by NCI Agency at the specified Duty Location.

Extraordinary travel (Purchaser Directed Travel) may be required to other NATO or non-NATO locations as necessary. Purchaser directed travel to non-Duty locations shall be subject to AAS+ framework contract provisions and the current NCI Agency Travel Directive.

NATO shall retain the intellectual property rights for all products developed in relation to this contract.

During the contract execution, due to interdependencies with other Work Packages, NCIA reserves the right to re-align the deliverables and associated delivery dates if the project so requires. The adjustment(s) will be within the scope of the contract and without exceeding the total value of the contract and shall be executed through a bilateral contract amendment.

B-2 Obligations on the Contractor and/or Any Contractor's Personnel

The Contractor's obligations required under this Contract include:

• In the performance of all work under this Contract, it shall be the Contractor's responsibility to ascertain and comply with all applicable NATO security regulations as implemented by the local Security Officer.
• The Contractor's personnel shall provide services under all reasonable conditions as agreed between the Contractor and the Purchaser.
• The Contractor's personnel may not be voluntarily diverted by the Contractor to perform work outside of the Contract.
• The Contractor shall provide services as an integral part of the Purchaser's delivery team.
• The Contractor's personnel shall take direction from the appointed Purchaser Project Manager, or the designated alternate, and Technical Lead.
• The Contractor's personnel shall abide by the project plan, schedules and priorities as dictated by the Purchaser's appointed Project Manager and Technical Lead.
• The Contractor shall follow the Project Manager and Technical L