SATCOM Engineering Support Services; NS WED Relaunch

Location: Norfolk, VA, US or Hybrid from Mons, Belgium or Remote from Canada [See Section 5.1. We have asked NATO for more details regarding the work arrangements for this RFQ.]

Period of Performance: 2026 Base:
As soon as possible but not later than 1 May 2026 – 31 December 2026, with the possibility to exercise following options:

• 2027 Option: 01 January 2027 – 31 December 2027
• 2028 Option: 01 January 2028 – 31 December 2028

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

1. Scope

This Statement of Work (SOW) defines the provision of specialized SATCOM Engineering Support Services to assist NATO entities in the definition, assessment, and evolution of future SATCOM capabilities.

The Contractor shall provide expert engineering services to support the strategic planning, design, and definition of NATO SATCOM systems, ensuring alignment with operational requirements, interoperability standards, and emerging technologies within the Alliance’s communication and space domains.

All work shall be performed as service-based deliverables, with measurable outputs and documented technical artefacts produced under NCIA’s supervision and in close coordination with Allied Command Transformation (ACT), ACO, and other NATO stakeholders.

2. Objectives

The objective of this engagement is to provide engineering and analytical support to ongoing NATO activities related to the definition, harmonization, and modernization of SATCOM capabilities, including:

• Assessment of current and future SATCOM architectures;
• Identification of capability gaps and dependencies;
• Development of engineering baselines and system‑level requirements;
• Analysis of interoperability with NATO, national, and commercial SATCOM assets;
• Technical input to strategic planning, feasibility studies, and decision‑making documents.

3. Tasks and Activities

The Contractor shall perform, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

3.1 Engineering Analysis and Studies

• Conduct technical assessments of SATCOM networks, terminals, and anchoring systems across NATO strategic, operational, and tactical domains;
• Support system architecture definition, including integration of MILSATCOM and COMSATCOM resources;
• Perform trade‑off and feasibility analyses addressing performance, resilience, spectrum efficiency, and cost‑benefit aspects;
• Contribute to the development of future‑oriented SATCOM system concepts, including Low Earth Orbit (LEO) integration, software‑defined payloads, and multi‑orbit architectures;
• Create Analysis of Alternative documents for different options considered.

3.2 Requirements and Interface Definition

• Develop and maintain system‑level functional and technical requirements for future SATCOM systems and related ground infrastructure;
• Support interoperability and standardization activities (e.g., STANAGs, NATO interoperability profiles, SATCOM reference architectures);
• Provide interface control documentation (ICD) and configuration baselines for engineering reference.

3.3 Capability and Architecture Modelling

• Contribute to modelling and simulation of SATCOM service delivery architectures and integration with existing Networks;
• Assess the impact of emerging technologies such as AI‑driven resource management, optical links, and protected waveforms;
• Provide recommendations for technology insertion and obsolescence mitigation.

3.4 Stakeholder Coordination and Reporting

• Liaise with ACT, ACO, and NCIA technical authorities, providing engineering inputs and consolidated documentation;
• Prepare technical briefings, reports, and data packages supporting NATO capability planning;
• Participate in workshops, technical meetings, and industry engagement events as required.

The contractor shall produce the following deliverables:

Deliverable D1: Engineering Analysis Report(s) on SATCOM architectures, capabilities, and integration options, Analysis of alternatives documents

Frequency:
Quarterly or upon request

Deliverable D2: Draft and final versions of system‑level requirements and interface documents

Deliverable D3: Technical briefings, presentations, and meeting minutes

Frequency:
As required

Deliverable D4: Contribution to capability assessment documentation and…