2025-0276 Support for Microsoft Power BI Implementation (NS) - MON 22 Sep, EMW, Inc., BE

Deadline Date: Monday 22 September 2025

Requirement: Support for Microsoft Power BI Implementation, Service Operations, Development and Training

Location: Braine-l’Alleud, BE

Full Time On-Site: Yes

Time On-Site: 100%

Period of Performance: 2025 BASE: As soon as possible but not later than 20 October 2025 – 31 December 2025, with the possibility to exercise following options:

• 2026 option 1: 01 January 2026 – 31 December 2026

• 2027 option 2: 01 January 2027 – 31 December 2027

• 2028 option 3: 01 January 2028 – 31 December 2028

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 To strengthen the Alliance through connecting its forces, the NCIA delivers secure, coherent, cost effective and interoperable communications and information systems in support of consultation, command & control and enabling intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, for NATO, where and when required. It includes IT support to the Alliances’ business processes (to include provision of IT shared services) to the NATO HQ, the Command Structure and NATO Agencies.

1.2 The NATO Business Application Centre (NBAC), as part of the NCIA, and in line with the Agency’s Charter and its Cloud broker role, is to provide Business Applications Capabilities & Services to the Agency, and across NATO Enterprise, and ensure their harmonization rationalisation, and coherence, with the aim to enable overall efficient day-to-day operations, support transparency, and foster internal control.

1.3 In the light of these activities, NBAC (hereafter referred to as the “Purchaser”) is seeking support for Support for Microsoft Power BI Implementation, Service Operations, Development and Training.

This support will focus on ensuring the implementation, configuration, operational support, development, documentation and training of Microsoft Power BI based solutions, including both Power BI Report Server (on-premises) and Power BI Service (cloud-based) environments, in alignment with NATO’s IT Service Management processes.

1.4 The Contractor is expected to deliver and maintain high-quality data visualization solutions, aligned with business and governance requirements, while contributing to Level 2 and Level 3 Support (incident, problem, change and service request management) in accordance with ITIL standards. The service includes coordinating with internal infrastructure service teams, documenting technical work, provisioning end-user training, and supporting secure access and authentication configurations (e.g., ADFS claims-based setup for Power BI Report Server).

1.5 The Contractor is also expected to demonstrate flexibility to support project priorities in a dynamic operational environment and may be to work on-site at NATO classified levels in various NATO locations, including but not limited to NATO Headquarters (Brussels), SHAPE (Mons), and Wiesbaden, or other sites within NATO nations, as operationally required.

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 The Analytics and Core Business Applications is a Branch in NATO Business Application Centre (NBAC) consisting of multiple flavours. It provides technical, architectural, and operational support for enterprise business applications and data analytics platforms; and enables business users to access, interpret, and leverage data-driven insights across NATO entities, including ACO, NATO HQ, and the NCIA.

2.2 Due to the limited time left in 2025, the services depicted in this SOW are expected to be delivered by two resources and aims to enhance the support model for NBAC Analytics and Core Business Applications, focusing on the development, administration, and operational support of Microsoft Power BI platforms (Report Server and SaaS) while providing support for ITSM-aligned incident and problem resolution, dashboard and report development, data integration, end-user enablement, service coordination and end-user training across NATO business areas. If the 2026, 2027 and 2028 option is exercised, only one resource will be needed to deliver the service.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Under the direction / guidance of the local NCIA Point of Contact, assigned Project Manager, Service Manager or NBAC Analytics and Core Business Application Head, the contractor will support the following:

3.1.1 Power BI Platform Installation & Configuration

Deploy, configure, and harden Power BI Report Server (on-premises) and possibly Power BI Service (SaaS) in line with NATO and NCIA security policies and architectural guidance.

Ensure secure setup of claims-based ADFS authentication and compliance with change-control windows.

3.1.2 Installation & Configuration Planning

Produce a detailed Installation & Configuration Plan covering both environments (NR and NS), authentication setup, and security controls. The plan shall serve as a baseline for deployment and accreditation activities.

3.1.3 Security Hardening & Accreditation Support

Provide a hardened, operational platform with tested ADFS login for at least three representative user roles (admin, analyst, and viewer).

Support accreditation with NCIA Security Authority and ensure documentation is stored in relevant project repositories (e.g. CMDB).

3.1.4 Platform Administration & Monitoring

Deliver ongoing Level 2/3 support, including monitoring of backups, logs, and performance tuning.

Maintain compliance with ITIL processes and NATO service operation protocols, and contribute to operational resilience of BI platforms.

3.1.5 Incident, Problem & Change Management

Resolve Service Desk tickets in line with SLA targets (≥98% availability, MTTR per priority class) and participate in change management, including impact assessments, patching, and upgrades.

Ensure coordination with cross-service infrastructure teams.

3.1.6 Cross-Service Coordination & On-Call Support

Collaborate with infrastructure and database teams under OLAs to resolve performance or upgrade-related issues.

3.1.7 Data Integration & ETL Development

Design and implement ETL pipelines using NATO authorised tools (e.g. SQL Server 2014+, KNIME, Oracle Data Integrator or Java…) as appropriate, ensuring compliance with NATO data-classification and retention rules.

Produce complex SQL queries for accurate data extraction, transformation, and loading.

3.1.8 Power BI Visualization & Dashboard Delivery

Build and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards, reports, and data models to support enterprise reporting needs.

Prototype dashboards shall be validated and signed off by the designated Business Product Owner.

For the assignment in scope of the project/service for this RFQ, the aim is to empower the Power Users to build/deploy their own dashboards. And focus will be on platform provisioning and supporting the users in their endeavour.

3.1.9 Contribution to BI Architecture & Standards

Contribute to the creation and maintenance of the documentation of relevant architectural artefacts, data modelling and coding guidelines, standards and best practices.

Contribute to the creation and maintenance of relevant Standard Operating Procedures

3.1.10 Knowledge Transfer & End-User Training

Develop and deliver a Knowledge-Transfer Plan & Schedule for NBAC staff, including end- user training sessions (both remote and in-person).

Provide clear training materials, deliver class-room and/or virtual training classes and maintain attendance records

Provide ad-hoc technical mentoring to Power Users as part of the Service.

3.1.11 Documentation & Handover Assurance

Deliver complete and accurate documentation of platform administration, operational processes, and support procedures.

Training shall culminate in a live walkthrough where NBAC staff demonstrate independent execution of administration tasks.

3.2 The contractor will be part of the project implementation team as well as the service delivery team (early life support and/or service operations), working closely with the Analytics and Core Business Application team, relevant project and/or service manager, ensuring the secure, available, managed and compliant delivery of Power BI services to NCIA, NATO and its Strategic Commands.

3.3 The measurement of execution for this work is sprints, with each sprint being planned for a duration of 5 working days.

3.4 Due to the AGILE approach of this project, the specific deliverables and associated acceptance criteria will be defined for each sprint between the NCIA and the contractor. This includes sprint planning, execution and review processes, which are detailed below:

3.4.1 Sprint Planning:

Objective: Plan the objectives for the upcoming sprint

Kick-off meeting: Conduct a monthly meeting with the contractor to plan the objectives of upcoming sprints and review contractor`s manpower to meet the agreed deliverables.

Set sprint goals: Define clear, achievable goals for the sprint and associated acceptance criteria, including specific delivery targets, Quality standards as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each task to be recorded in the sprint meeting minutes.

Agree on the required level of effort for the various sprint tasks.

Backlog Review: Review and prioritise the backlog of tasks, issues, and improvements from previous sprints.

Assess each payment milestone cycle duration of one calendar month. State of completion and validation of each sprint status and sign off sprints to be submitted for payment as covered in Section 5.

3.4.2 Sprint Execution

Objective: Contractor to execute the agreed “sprint plans” with continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Regular meetings between NCIA and the contractor to review sprint progress, address issues, and make necessary adjustments to the processes or production methodology. The Meetings will be physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to the NCIA staff instructions.

Continuous improvement: Contractor to establish a continuous feedback loop to gather input from all stakeholders for ongoing improvements and their subsequent implementation depending on NCIA approval.

Progress Tracking: Contractor to use a shared dashboard or tool to track the status of the sprint deliveries and any issues.

Quality Assurance/Quality Check: Contractor shall ensure that the quality standards agreed for the sprint deliverables are maintained throughout the sprint.

Quality Control: NCIA to perform the Final Quality Control of the agreed deliverables and provide feedback on any issues.

3.4.3 Sprint Review

Objective: Review the sprint performance and identify areas for improvement.

At the end of each sprint, there will be a meeting between the NCIA and the Contractor to review the outcomes against the acceptance criteria comprising sprint goals, agreed quality criteria and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Define specific actions to address issues and enhance the next sprint.

3.4.4 Sprint Payment

For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable, the contractor must report the outcome of their work during the sprint, first verbally during the retrospective sprint review meeting and then in writing within three days after the sprint’s end date. A report must be sent by email to the NCIA manager, highlighting all work performed against the agreed tasking list set for the sprint.

The contractor's payment for each sprint will be depending upon the achievement of agreed Acceptance Criteria for each task, defined at the sprint planning stage. This will include specific delivery targets, quality standards as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each task.

The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance as set in the above planning/review meetings. This will follow the payment milestones that shall include a completed Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B)

Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B) signed by the Contractor and project authority.

If the contractor fails to meet the agreed Acceptance criteria for any task, the NCIA reserves the right to withhold payment for that task/sprint.

3.5 Each sprint has a duration of 5 working days. The content and scope of each sprint will be agreed during the sprint‐planning meetings.

4. SCHEDULE AND PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

4.1 Period of performance:

• It is expected the service starts as soon as possible but no later than 20 October 2025 and ending no later than 31 December 2025.

• If the 2026 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2026 to 31 December  2026.

• If the 2027 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027.

• If the 2028 option is exercised, the period of performance is 01 January 2028 to 31 December 2028.

4.2 Location:

• Braine-l'Alleud, BE – primary location (current duty location of the BI team)

• NATO HQ, Brussels – secondary location (location of the user community for this project/service)

• Full time on-site: Yes

Due to closed nature of some of the networks, access to on-prem workstations will be required. As the team grows and the service matures, working on-site on a rotational basis will be considered, as long as service availability and business continuity (on closed networks) can be ensured.

4.3 Schedule:

• The work will be conducted during normal office hours following the Braine l’Alleud calendar when working on the project or NATO HQ calendar when working for the resulting service. Unless agreed differently.

• NCIA in Braine l’Alleud and NATO HQ recognized Business hours and Official Holidays schedule will be provided to the contractor.

4.4 Expected Travel:

• There may be requirements to travel for completing duty related tasks for periods not exceeding 2 weeks to other sites within NATO nations, including but not limited to, SHAPE (Mons), and Wiesbaden, as operationally required. NATO Headquarters (Brussels) is considered as a secondary duty location, where training and services might need to be provided on-site, except from travel expenses.

• Travel expenses will be reimbursed to the individual directly (outside this contract) under NATO rules. Travel arrangements will be the responsibility of the contractor and the expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with Article 5.5 of AAS Framework Contract and within the limits of the NCIA Travel Directive.

5. DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES

5.1 This is a deliverable-based contract. The following deliverables are expected from the work on this SoW:

2025 BASE period: from 20 OCT 2025 to 31 DEC 2025 for 2 resources:

Deliverable: 9 sprints of Power BI subject matter expertise * 2 resources = 18 sprints

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.

5.2 The Purchaser reserves the right to exercise a number of options of one or more sprints based on the same scrum deliverables, at a later time, depending on the project priorities and requirements, at the following cost: for base year 2025 and option year 2026 at the same cost, for outer years (2027 and 2028) the Price Adjustment Formula will be applied in accordance with paragraph 6.5 of the Framework Contract Special Provisions.

5.3 The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) – (Annex B).

5.4 Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex B) signed by the Contractor and the project authority.

2026 OPTION period: from 1 JAN 2026 to 31 DEC 2026 for 1 resource:

Deliverable: 46 sprints of Power BI subject matter expertise * 1 resources

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.

2027 and 2028 OPTIONS: from 01 JAN to 31 DEC for 1 resource:

Deliverable: Up to 46 sprints of Power BI subject matter expertise * 1 resources

Cost Ceiling: Price will be determined by applying the price adjustment formula as outlined in CO‐115786‐ AAS+ Special Provisions article 6.5.

Payment Milestones: Upon completion of each fourth sprint and at the end of the work.

6. COORDINATION AND REPORTING

6.1 The contractor shall participate in daily status update meetings, activity planning and other meetings as instructed, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to the Service Delivery Manager / Team Leaders instructions.

6.2 For each sprint to be considered as complete and payable, the contractor must report the outcome of his/her work during the sprint, first verbally during the retrospective meeting and then in written within three (3) days after the sprint’s end date. The format of this report shall be a short email to the NCIA Point of Contact mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the sprint.

6.3 The Contractor shall deliver Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex B) for Purchaser approval and signature for each resource providing services under this SoW.

6.4 The contractor shall follow all general rules, terms and conditions as applicable for working in the NCIA, Braine L’Alleud Offices.

7. GENERAL NOTES

7.1 Services are to be delivered on the NATO/NCIA network(s) and appropriate hardware and connectivity will be provided by the NATO/NCIA, for the duration of this contract, and is to be returned upon completion of the contract.

7.2 Contractor shall furnish everything required to perform the contract except for the items specified and covered under NCIA Furnished Property and Services mentioned above.

7.3 Security:

• The services require a valid NATO SECRET security clearance.

7.4 Constraints:

• All the deliverables provided under this statement of work will be based on NCIA templates or agreed with the project point of contact.

• All code, scripts, documentation, etc. will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCIA tools.

7.5 Quality Assurance Check

• The deliverables shall be produced within the Sprint as requested and be of satisfactory quality to avoid re-work, ensure the achievement of the objectives stated herein (i.e. following vendor, industry and NATO best practices and requirements) and Sprint-specific tasks.

• The Purchaser reserves the right to request change of Contractor personnel in case at least two Sprint out of four have non-satisfactory deliverables.

• The Purchaser reserves the right to request change of Contractor personnel in case of non-compliance with requirements of this SoW, NCIA Code of Conduct and accepted social norms (e.g. unprofessional behaviour, etc.).

8. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]