Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.
Who we are supporting
The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:
- Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
- Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
- Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
- Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
- Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.
Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.
The program
Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.
To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.
Role Background
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is NATO’s single Information Technology service provider organization. The Agency's Innovation group supports the analysis and exploration of digital technologies with the potential to make a major positive difference to NATO. As a part of its institutional mission, NCIA is always looking for to new technologies and cutting edge solutions to be implemented in support of the Alliance.
The overarching goal of the Data Centric Security concept is to maintain and enhance Information Superiority of the Alliance by increasing efficiency and effectiveness of enforcement of NATO security policies and directives related to protection, control and sharing of information.
Role Duties and Responsibilities
Data Centric Security (DCS) Implementation Plan (DCS IP) has identified three DCS Maturity Levels to achieve DCS NATO-wide.
- DCS-1 Majority of new Data Labelled / Basic Labelling;
- DCS-2 Enhanced Labelling;
- DCS-3 Cryptographic Protection.
In accordance with the DCS IP, one of the use cases is to implement the DCS-1 in the GEOMETOC community and the Portal to Access NATO Geospatial Exchange Area (PANGEA) project in particular.
PANGEA will enhance NATO Geospatial interoperability allowing the exchange of GI (Geospatial Information) data, metadata, products and services compliant with NATO Geospatial standards (2592, 6523). All data exchanged through PANGEA will be ingested by NATO Core GIS (Geographic Information System) and CIS (Communications and Information Systems) environment, displayable in all NATO FAS (Functional Area Services) viewers, such as NCOP (NATO Common Operational Picture), and interoperable with NATO Nations/partners GIS and C2 (Command and Control) systems. Additionally, PANGEA will be connected with the future GECS (Geospatial Enterprise Core Services) allowing GI data exchange between unclassified and classified NATO networks. One of the challenges is the amount of data to be shared. The details in this regard will be shared with the contractor after the contract is signed.
Essential Skills and Experience
The contract that will be granted in relation to the present SoW will:
- Perform the analysis, concept development, model creation, coding, writing of the report, holding external discussions and reporting progress.
- The contractor shall analyze the input dataset received from the NCI Agency as the exemplary dataset (TEST dataset) consisting of files representative for the GEOMETOC Community of Interest (COI) and explore the possibility of metadata labelling according to STANAG 4774, and binding according to STANAG 4778.
- The contractor shall perform testing of the introduced data labelling and binding on the standalone infrastructure as well as in the cloud, exploiting received TEST dataset.
- The contractor shall perform a feasibility study analysing TEST labelled data sharing in cross-domain use cases, agreed with the supplier.
- The contractor shall deliver the Demonstrator providing the possibility to label GEOMETOC data according to agreed label format and binding profile in the form that allows to run it in the supplier environment.
- The contractor shall prepare demonstration on the PANGEA use case to help implementation of DCS-1 during the roll-out of project PANGEA.
- The supplier must grant license to all the deliverables for their free demonstration, use, and modification by NATO stakeholders.
- Develop & Deliver the Technical Report describing:
- Part 1: Solutions analysed, use cases and methodology of work.
- Part 2: Architecture and technical documentation of the solution.
- Part 3: Feasibility study.
- Part 4: Technical and user documentation of the demonstrator.
- Take part in the project meetings and document the work done.
- Perform basic dissemination activities with NCI Agency staff.
The dataset consisting of the GEOMETOC data used for the analysis will be delivered by the NCI Agency to the contractor after the contract is granted.
NCI Agency staff will provide oversight and inputs that shall be taken into account in the conduct of the work but which shall not waive the contractor’s responsibility for the deliverables.
Deliverables
- Technical report Part 1. Agreed use cases for labelling data in the PANGEA project and concept of technical realisation of work.
- Technical report Part 2. Implementation of the labelling capability.
- Technical report Part 3.Tests of the solution on the cloud and on standalone environment
- Technical report Part 4. Demonstrator
Working Location
- Remote
Working Policy
- Off-Site
Travel
- Some travel to other NATO sites may be required
Contract Duration
- Jul 2024 – Sep 2024
Security Clearance
- No Security Clearance required