NATO UNCLASSIFIED

NCIA Request for Information (RFI)

SCIF CONSTRUCTION

RFI-07178-SCIF

NCIA/ACQ/2026/07178

Friday, 29 May 2026

NCIA Request for Information (RFI)

To: Industry Partners

1. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is conducting market research to identify qualified vendors and gather input on potential solutions to support the upcoming acquisition for the construction of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) solution at NATO Secret level located in a war zone country. To that end, we are issuing the attached Request for Information (RFI) 07178-SCIF to solicit feedback from capable and interested industry partners.

2. This RFI is issued for planning purposes only and is not a request for bids. It is part of NCIA’s effort to ensure it has a clear understanding of the marketplace, available capabilities, and potential acquisition strategies.

3. We value your insight and invite you to:

a. Share relevant corporate capabilities and experience;

b. Review and comment on our draft requirements (Annexes A and B) with a view in providing recommendations for improving performance outcomes, competition, and efficiency; and identifying any risks or concerns that should be considered during planning.

4. Submission instructions and additional details can be found in the enclosure to this RFI.

5. Only companies from a NATO member country can participate in or respond to this RFI

(https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/nato_countries.htm).

6. Should you have any questions or need clarification, please contact Mihaela Zoicas at mihaela.zoicas@ncia.nato.int.

7. We thank you in advance for your time and input, and we look forward to engaging with you as we shape this potential acquisition.

For the Chief of Acquisition:

Mihaela ZOICAS Contracting Officer https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/nato_countries.htm mailto:mihaela.zoicas@ncia.nato.int

Enclosure:

• Request for Information with Annexes A and B

• Distribution List

Distribution List

1. NATO Delegation (Attn: Infrastructure Adviser)

1. Albania 12. Greece 23. Poland

2. Belgium 13. Hungary 24. Portugal

3. Bulgaria 14. Iceland 25. Romania

4. Canada 15. Italy 26. Slovakia

5. Croatia 16. Latvia 27. Slovenia

6. Czechia 17. Lithuania 28. Spain

7. Denmark 18. Luxembourg 29. Sweden

8. Estonia 19. Montenegro 30. Türkiye

9. Finland 20. Netherlands 31. United Kingdom

10. France 21. North Macedonia 32. United States

11. Germany 22. Norway

2. All NATEXs

Table of Contents

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

A. Introduction

B. Purpose

C. Background

D. Submission Instructions

E. Industry Engagement

F. Disclaimer

G. Use of Information Provided through Responses

H. RFI Point of Contact

Annex A – Requested Information

Annex B – Draft Requirements

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

A. Introduction

1. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is conducting market research to identify potential sources and gather information regarding industry capabilities to support construction of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) solution at NATO Secret level located in a war zone country. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for informational purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or invitation for bid.

B. Purpose

1. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain input from industry to help inform the NCIA’s acquisition planning. Responses to this RFI will assist in refining requirements, identifying capabilities, and shaping the strategy for any future solicitation.

C. Background

The SCIF will be constructed in an existing building and facilitate the ability to host digital workspace collaboration equipment and a network infrastructure to allow for interoperability between the various NATO platforms.

D. Submission Instructions

1. Interested parties are invited to respond in accordance with the instructions below:

a. Submit responses via the email address in section H no later than 12:00 hours Central European Time (CET) on 12 June 2026.

b. Responses should be submitted in PDF or Word format and must not exceed 15 pages, including:

i. Responses to Annex A and comments on Annex B excluding:

i. Cover page

ii. Company brochures or product literature (if included)

iii. Attachments such as past performance references

c. Use the following subject line for submission

i. “Response to RFI-07178-SCIF – [Company Name]”

ci. All responses should address the items listed in Annex A – Requested Information.

cii. Respondents are also encouraged to review and comment on the draft requirements in Annex B – Please note that the Draft Statement of Work (SOW)/Performance Work Statement (PWS) will be distributed upon receiving signed NDU (Annex C)

E. Industry Engagement

1. Not Applicable

F. Disclaimer

1. This RFI is for planning and informational purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or obligation on the part of the NCIA. The NCIA does not intend to award a contract based on responses to this RFI. Respondents are solely responsible for all costs incurred in responding to this RFI. The NCIA will consider and analyse all information received from this RFI and may use these findings to develop a future solicitation. The NCIA will consider all responses as confidential commercial information and will protect it as such.

2. NCIA reserves the right, at any time, to cancel this informal market survey, partially or in its entirety. No legal liability on the part of NCIA for payment of any sort shall arise and in no event will a cause of action lie with any prospective participant for the recovery of any costs incurred in connection with the preparation of documentation or participation in response hereto. All effort initiated or undertaken by prospective informal market survey participants shall be done considering and accepting this fact.

G. Use of Information Provided through Responses

1. Confidentiality of Responses

The NCIA may incorporate industry comments and responses, in part or in whole, into a future release of a solicitation. Should respondents include proprietary data in their responses that they do not wish to be disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by NCIA (except for internal evaluation purposes), they must:

a. Mark the title page with the following legend:

This document includes data that shall not be disclosed outside NATO and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed – in whole or in part – for any purpose other than for NCIA internal evaluation purposes, unless otherwise expressly authorised by [insert company name]. This restriction does not limit the NCIA’s right to use information contained in this data without restriction if it is obtained from another source. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]

b. Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend:

Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this document.

H. RFI Point of Contact

1. Mihaela Zoicas

2. Mihaela.Zoicas@ncia.nato.int.

mailto:Mihaela.Zoicas@ncia.nato.int

Annex A – Requested Information

1. Respondents are encouraged to provide the following information in their response:

a. Company Information

i. Legal Business Name

ii. Address

iii. Website

iv. Primary Point of Contact

v. Email address

b. Technical Capability

i. Summary of relevant capabilities and past performance

c. Feedback and Recommendations

i. Comments on the draft Statement of Work (SOW)/ Performance Work

Statement (PWS)

ii. Responses to the following RFI Questions

1. Can you execute in a hostile environment?

2. Can you meet NATO SCIF standards?

3. Do you have experience constructing SCIFs?

4. Do you have experience with TEMPEST, Secure Control

Centres or technical surveillance countermeasure requirements?

5. What design & engineering approach do you employ to ensure SCIF compliancy and optimal performance?

6. Can you describe your HVAC, power and redundancy engineering capabilities for secure facilities?

7. Which disciplines and capabilities are available in-house and which will be contracted out?

8. Can you describe your facility clearance level?

9. Can you staff, cleared personnel for overseas or contingency operations?

10. Can you manage security and accreditation risk?

iii. Innovations or alternatives

iv. Rough Order Magnitude (ROM), including any assumptions upon which they are based

d. Questions or Concerns

i. Risks, concerns, or barriers

ii. Suggestions for risk mitigation or enhancing competition

Annex B – Draft Requirements

Note: This is a DRAFT and subject to change. The NCIA is seeking industry feedback.

1. Background

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) requires the construction of a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) solution at NATO Secret level located in a war zone country. This capability supports NCIA’s mission to facilitate the ability to host digital workspace collaboration equipment and a network infrastructure to allow for interoperability between the various NATO platforms up to NATO Secret zone.

2. Scope

The Contractor shall provide high-level information of technical experience in construction of a SCIF including, but not limited to:

a. Description of experience designing, constructing or deploying SCIFs of secure facilities in hostile environments

b. Description of prior project involving rapid deployment

c. An example of projects completed in high-risk environment including high-level timelines, cost estimations and type of resources/roles used for such a project

3. Objectives

a. Definition of the different technical approaches to construct the SCIF compliant to NATO standards and specific requirements

b. Investigation of Physical Access Management Infrastructure aspects;

c. Investigation of industrial aspects, required skills and resource planning associated the with the referred SCIF construction;

d. Provision of a financial estimate for the development of SCIF compliant to NATO standards and specific requirements;

e. Provision of a risk assessment and recommendations in the context of ongoing NATO activities

4. Performance Requirements

a. Construction should comply to the NATO SCIF Standards

b. Construction completed within 1 year from contract award

5. Deliverables

Deliverable Description Frequency Format

6. Purchaser Furnished Equipment (PFE) / Information (PFI)

Contractors shall have a Personal Security Clearance at the level NATO Secret.

7. Period of Performance

a. 1 year from Contract Award

8. Place of Performance

Ukraine

Acquisition Office Boulevard Léopold III

B-1110 Brussels, Belgium

PP.E2(02.26) Page 1 of 4

NON-DISCLOSURE UNDERTAKING

NATO Communications and Information Agency, a subsidiary body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) established pursuant to Article 9 of the North Atlantic Treaty and subject to the 1951 Ottawa Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “NCIA”)

Each a “Party” and together the “Parties”.

The disclosure of any Confidential Information belonging to the NCIA, either preceding, during, or in the aftermath of the Purpose, shall be governed by the conditions of confidentiality set out in this Undertaking.

Article 1. Confidential Information

1.1 For the purposes of this Undertaking, “Confidential Information” shall mean any information shared by the NCIA, or any information that is not generally available to the public and that is treated as confidential by the NCIA, or which the Supplier otherwise obtains as knowledge or as a result of its relationship with, access to premises of, or communication with NCIA’s employees or independent contractors, whether in written, oral, graphic, electromagnetic, digital, or any other tangible or intangible form, including information without limitation relating to NCIA’s organization, business, projects, technology, products, services, marketing, research, activities and/or the existence of the Purpose itself.

1.2 Without being limited thereto, Confidential Information shall include the following tangible and intangible forms of information: concepts, agendas, designs, drawings, presentation slides, ideas, minutes, e-mails, inventions, specifications, techniques, discoveries, models, data, database structures, database schema, metadata, source code, object code, documentation, diagrams, flow charts, videos (including GIFs and other formats), research, development, processes, procedures, know-how, new product or new technology information, training materials, marketing techniques and materials, marketing plans, letters, online messages, verbal conversations, timetables, strategies and development plans (including prospective trade names or trademarks), intellectual property, customer names and any other information related to customers, pricing and pricing policies, and financial information.

1.3 The NCIA shall only disclose Confidential Information to the Supplier as necessary for the Purpose.

Article 2. Confidentiality Obligation

2.1 Scope and identification of the Parties:

(a) The NCIA shall include divisions, organizations, agencies, and other bodies of the NATO Organization, including NATO HQ, agencies, and military commands in accordance with the NATO’s policy framework relating to the need-to-know principle.

(b) The Supplier shall limit the internal dissemination of Confidential Information to the most restricted number of individuals required for the satisfactory execution of the Purpose (need-to-know). Only the following exhaustive list of members of the Supplier shall have access to Confidential Information under the present Undertaking:

# Name Title

(c) Every addition to the list at Article 2.1(b) above shall occur on an exceptional basis only, following the prior written approval of an authorized representative of the NCIA, in accordance with Article 2.2(a) below.

ANNEX C

Boulevard Léopold III

B-1110 Brussels, Belgium

2.2 The Supplier undertakes with respect to all Confidential Information:

(a) to maintain strict confidentiality and to not disclose or reveal to any third party (not mentioned in the list under

Article 2.1(b) above), including professional consultants or affiliates of the Supplier, any Confidential Information received hereunder from NCIA without the clear and express prior written consent of a duly authorized representative of NCIA.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Supplier shall only communicate about Confidential Information with the following individuals acting as duly authorized representatives of NCIA for this Undertaking, unless explicitly instructed otherwise in writing by the following individuals:

- [Add NCIA PoC 1]

- [Add NCIA PoC 2]

(b) to solely use the Confidential Information for the Purpose, and not to make any use, directly or indirectly, by act or by omission, of the Confidential Information in a manner inconsistent with the Purpose;

(c) to inform NCIA of the location of any physical representations of Confidential Information in the possession of the Supplier, and to inform NCIA should the location of this Confidential Information change following physical handling;

(d) to not produce tangible or intangible copies or reproductions of any part of the Confidential Information without the prior express written consent of an NCIA’s representative;

(e) to use the same degree of care and means that it utilizes to protect its own information of a similar nature, but in any event not less than reasonable care and means, technical or other, to ensure the confidentiality of such Confidential Information and avoid a third party to have access to the Confidential Information;

(f) not to alter, modify, disassemble, reverse engineer or decompile any Confidential Information without the clear and express prior written consent of a duly authorized representative of the NCIA;

(g) to immediately, upon instructions from NCIA, return or destroy any Confidential Information in tangible or intangible form, together with any copies that may have been made, in accordance with Article 2.2(d):

i) upon completion or abandonment of the Purpose or the activities to which they relate; or

ii) upon termination of the Undertaking or any business or other relationship between the Parties; or

iii) in any event, upon written request of the NCIA:

(h) in the event of an actual or suspected breach of confidentiality, not limited to but including any misappropriation or unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information, to inform the NCIA immediately in writing of such breach and of the actions the Supplier has undertaken to remediate the actual or suspected breach;

(i) to remain exclusively responsible for any of its staff, agents or similar personnel’s compliance with the terms of this Undertaking.

Article 3. Exceptions to the obligation of confidentiality

3.1 The restrictions on the use or disclosure of Confidential Information set out in Article 2 hereinabove shall not apply to any Confidential Information which:

(a) is or falls within the public domain through no act or omission of the Supplier and as such loses its confidential character; or

(b) is disclosed to the Supplier by a third party who is not in breach of any obligation of confidentiality; or

(c) was known to the Supplier before such Confidential Information was imparted by the NCIA as can be evidenced by its records; or

(d) is independently developed by the Supplier without any reference to any Confidential Information.

3.2 In the event the Supplier is required to disclose any Confidential Information relating to the Purpose of this Undertaking, due to any statute, law, rule or regulation of any governmental authority or pursuant to any order of any court of competent jurisdiction, the Supplier shall advise the NCIA of the request for disclosure within 14 calendar days to apply for such legal protection as may be available with respect to the confidentiality of the Confidential Information. The Supplier shall not disclose any Confidential Information until a non-appealable decision is granted. The Supplier shall let the NCIA interact with any authority, instance, or legally competent requestor.

Article 4. Indemnity and Enforcement

4.1 The Supplier acknowledges that the Confidential Information has been developed or obtained by the investment of significant time, effort and expense, and that this Confidential Information, as well as its confidential nature, is key for the continued well-functioning and critical security of the NCIA. The Supplier understands that the NCIA will thus

Boulevard Léopold III

B-1110 Brussels, Belgium suffer substantial and irreparable harm in the event that the Supplier fails to comply with any of its obligations set forth in this Undertaking.

4.2 The Supplier acknowledges that the NCIA reserves the right to record instances of any actual breaches of confidentiality by the Supplier, as defined within the terms of this Undertaking, for the purposes of minimising risk and safeguarding Confidential Information. In the extreme circumstance the Supplier is found to have caused repeated or grave breaches of confidentiality, the NCIA reserves the right of imposing monetary relief in the form of compensation, for the actual or potential harm caused by the actual breach(es) of confidentiality.

Article 5. Scope of the Undertaking

5.1 This Undertaking shall not be assignable by the Supplier and the NCIA may not delegate its duties hereunder, without the clear and express prior written consent of a duly authorized representative of the NCIA, which consent may be granted or denied in the sole discretion of the NCIA. All of the terms and provisions contained herein shall be binding upon the Supplier and their respective heirs, successors and permitted assigns.

5.2 Nothing in this Undertaking shall be construed as creating any obligation on the part of the NCIA to disclose any

Confidential Information whatsoever.

5.3 All Confidential Information is, and shall remain, the sole property of the NCIA. Nothing in this Undertaking shall be construed as granting the Supplier any license or any other rights with respect to the NCIA’s Confidential Information or proprietary rights.

5.4 Nothing contained in this Undertaking shall be construed as creating any obligation or an exception on the part of the NCIA to enter into a business relationship with the Supplier, or an obligation to refrain from entering into a business relationship with any third party. Nothing contained in the Undertaking shall be construed as creating a joint venture, partnership or employment relationship between the Parties, it being understood that the Parties are independent contractors vis-à-vis one another. Except as specified herein, neither Party shall have any right, power or implied authority to create any obligation or duty express or implied, on behalf of the other Party.

Article 6. General

6.1 This Undertaking shall take effect on its signature date or the first exchange of Confidential Information by the NCIA to the Supplier, whichever occurs first, and shall only cease in effect upon the express written consent of an authorized representative of the NCIA (regardless of the status of the Purpose). The Supplier agrees that any undertaking given in relation to the Confidential Information shall remain valid after termination of the discussion process relating to the Purpose between Parties.

6.2 This Undertaking sets forth the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other oral or written representations and understandings.

6.3 No provision of this Undertaking shall be amended, modified or waived without the clear and express prior written consent of a duly authorized representative of the NCIA.

6.4 If any provision of this Undertaking is held invalid or unenforceable for any reason, this Undertaking shall remain otherwise in full force apart from such provision which shall be deemed deleted, or be amended.

6.5 The fact that the NCIA does not demand the strict execution by the Supplier of any provision or condition of the present Undertaking at any time will not be considered as a final waiver of the exercise of this right.

6.6 The Supplier agrees that, without the prior written consent of the NCIA, the Supplier will refrain from attributing any

Confidential Information to the NCIA in any external or internal communication for any purpose, including but not limited to press releases or otherwise to the media, web sites, offering memoranda, and conversations with third parties including professional consultants and affiliates of the Supplier.

Article 7. Disputes and arbitration

7.1 Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Undertaking, or the validity, interpretation, breach, termination thereof, which are not settled amicably shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012, subject to the following paragraphs.

Boulevard Léopold III

B-1110 Brussels, Belgium

7.2 The number of arbitrators shall be three. Each arbitrator shall be of the nationality of a NATO Member State. The third arbitrator will be of a nationality different from the nationality of the other two arbitrators.

7.3 Conduct of the arbitral proceedings and the provision of evidence is subject to the rules of security in force within

NATO, where applicable. Although each Party has the liberty of choosing their legal representatives and expert witnesses, the Parties acknowledge that the rules of security within NATO may prohibit the communication of NATO information, including classified information, in particular to individuals who do not hold the nationality of NATO Member State.

7.4 The arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in English or French. Any document submitted by the Parties in a language other than the language of the arbitration proceedings shall be accompanied by a translation into the language of the arbitration proceedings.

7.5 The arbitration proceedings and award, but not the existence of the arbitration, shall be private and confidential, except with the consent of all parties, or to the extent that disclosure is required of a Party: by legal duty (including where that duty arises from NATO’s internal legal order); to protect or pursue a legal right; or in relation to legal proceedings before a court or other competent authority.

7.6 The place of arbitration (seat) shall be Brussels, Belgium. For deliberations, the arbitrators may meet at any place of their choice, provided that it is within the territory of a NATO Member State. The hearings shall take place at Brussels, Belgium.

7.7 Nothing in this provision, or in any contract of which it forms a part, shall be interpreted as a waiver of any privileges or immunities accorded to any Party hereto with respect to any procedure before the court or tribunal of any State, including any court or tribunal of the place of arbitration, including but not limited to any procedure that relates to the validity, interpretation or application of the arbitration agreement, requests for interim relief, requires of measures concerning the arbitration procedure, or applications for the recognition or the enforcement of an award or to any measure of execution or detention of property.

Article 8. Representation

8.1 The Supplier warrants and represents that it has carefully read and understood this Undertaking, and acknowledges receipt of a copy thereof. The individual executing this Undertaking warrants and represents that they have the authority to enter into this Undertaking on behalf of the individual, firm or corporation, of any, listed below their name.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the duly authorized representative of the Supplier has executed this Undertaking electronically, each Party retaining a copy of the signed document.

For the Supplier

Name:

Title:

Date:

Signature: