U.S. industry may use a number of avenues in seeking business opportunities associated with NATO. These include pursuing International Competitive Bidding (ICB) opportunities through the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as non-ICB opportunities directly with the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA); the NATO Consultation, Command, and Control Agency (NC3A); the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE); and the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT). NATO assets are increasingly deployed in support of projects related to peacekeeping and humanitarian activities in Crisis Response Operations (CROs) theaters such as Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. As a result, NATO is pursuing many projects associated with CROs and peacetime operations and using NAMSA, NC3A, SHAPE, and SACT as the primary procurement agencies. FINDING AND QUALIFYING FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING (ICB) OPPORTUNITIES For projects with a value greater than 136,000 Euro (indicative amount, reference to NATO Procurement Directives), the NATO alliance uses the International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procurement process to aid in the timely implementation of projects, to foster an environment conducive to maximizing the participation of qualified firms, and to avoid discrimination against firms of participating nations. The ICB process is the standard method of procurement, although waiver exceptions may be granted when appropriate, such as for emergency requests or operational justifications to support CROs. The majority of NATO projects that the U.S. Department of Commerce advertises are conducted under the process of ICB. The U.S. Department of Commerce advertises those procurements that require ICB on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. (Select Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security.) The Department also issues Declarations of Eligibility on behalf of U.S. firms that qualify to bid on ICB procurements. To apply for eligibility, please complete the application available at the following website: http://www.bis.doc.gov/defenseindustrialbaseprograms/OSIES/NATOprograms/index.htm and submit it to Lee Ann Carpenter
[email protected] (Phone 202-482-2583) or David Newsom
[email protected] (Phone 202-482-7417). OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE NATO MAINTENANCE AND SUPPLY AGENCY (NAMSA) The NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) is the principal logistics support agency within NATO. NAMSA assists NATO nations by organizing common procurement and supply of spare parts and by arranging the maintenance and repair services necessary for the support of the various weapons systems in their inventories. This assistance is available whenever two or more nations operate the same system and use NAMSA support facilities. The main areas in which NAMSA is involved are supply, maintenance, procurement, contracted management, and engineering/technical support. NAMSA does contract for goods and services through the ICB process. However, the majority of NAMSA procurements are awarded to firms that are registered in the Source File, a database of suppliers. The Source File maintains information on vendors that provide the services, equipment, and commodities that are procured by NAMSA on behalf of NATO collective forces such as supplies, repairs, weapons systems and components, ammunition, demilitarization equipment, security items as well as road repair materials and food and laundry supply services. NAMSA often contracts with registered vendors in its Source File to support CROs. Firms interested in registering with the NAMSA Source File are encouraged to visit the following website: http://www.namsa.nato.int/suppliers/source_e.htm The NAMSA website also provides future supply and service opportunities, which are amended and updated on a daily basis at: http://www.namsa.nato.int/suppliers/fut_opps_e.htm Current Requests for Proposals are also published and available at: http://www.namsa.nato.int/suppliers/rfp_frameset_e.htm The regulations governing NAMSA procurements are available at: http://www.namsa.nato.int/Suppliers/gen-prov_e.htm OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE NATO CONSULTATION, COMMAND, AND CONTROL AGENCY (NC3A) The NATO Consultation, Command, and Control Agency (NC3A) is the principal agency involved in the research and development, procurement, and implementation of C3 capabilities within NATO. It procures technology that can support the objectives of its NATO member nations, partner nations, and CROs. As well as offering opportunities to industry under ICB, NC3A is increasingly pursuing Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs) with qualified firms. BOAs are negotiated agreements with a supplier for a specified range of goods and services. As with the NAMSA Source File, NC3A BOAs provide blanket eligibility for firms interested in pursuing future bidding opportunities. Firms interested in negotiating a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) are encouraged to visit the following link: http://boa.nc3a.nato.int/ For additional information regarding NC3A, please visit http://www.nc3a.nato.int/ OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE) Firms may also seek to register with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which administers all CROs as well as peacetime NATO headquarters. To learn more about registering in the SHAPE Supplier Database, please visit the web site: www.nato.int/shape/community/budfin/index2.htm. The site will provide information about Bi-SC Procurement Directive 60-70 and about open ICB. As SHAPE operates in a military hierarchy, the SHAPE J8/Purchasing & Contracting (P&C) Branch may relay your company information to the Joint Force Commands (JFCs) located at Naples, Italy; Brunssum, Netherlands; or Lisbon, Portugal; or directly to the NATO Theatres responsible for the acquisition projects. For additional information regarding SHAPE, please contact:
[email protected] OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER TRANSFORMATION (SACT) Firms may also seek opportunities with the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), which focuses on the military transformation of Alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force (NRF) and new doctrines in order to improve the military effectiveness of the Alliance. For more information regarding SACT, please visit http://www.act.nato.int/budfin/rfpmain.htm The ACT command is co-located with United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia; there is also an ACT command element located in Belgium. As SACT operates in a military hierarchy, the SACT J8/Purchasing & Contracting (P&C) Branch may relay your company information to the Joint Warfare Center (JWC) in Stavanger, Norway; the Joint Force Training Center (JFTC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland; the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC) in Monsanto, Portugal; or the NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) in La Spezia, Italy. Please note: Each firm registered with a NATO agency is encouraged to keep its registration information current as failure to do so may result in missed bidding opportunities.