2024-0249 Technical Help Desk Support (NS) - WED 30 Oct

Deadline Date: Wednesday October 2024

Requirement: Technical Help Desk Support

Location: Oeiras, PT

Full Time On-Site: Yes

Time On-Site: 100%

Period of Performance: 2025 BASE: 02 January 2025 with possibility to exercise the following options:

2026 Option: 1st January 2025 until 31st December 2026

2027 Option: 1st January 2026 until 31st December 2027

Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET

INTRODUCTION

The NATO Communications and Information Academy (NCI Academy) located in Portugal, Belgium and The Netherlands reinforces NATO’s technological edge through excellence in Cyberspace learning.

The NCI Academy has the Academy Learning Environment, which is the toolset associated with all back-end learning and development activities, the transfer of knowledge from trainers to students and the support of the student learning process. To secure the Academy Learning Environment, there is a team responsible for all activities related to the operation and maintenance of this infrastructure. In addition to setting up courses, maintaining them and deploying them as they iterate, the team is also responsible for running projects to ensure that the Academy Learning Environment is state of the art.

SCOPE OF WORK

The NCI Academy is looking to outsource the Help Desk function for Academy Systems and Users.

The services under this SOW have to be delivered by ONR that is expected to work in close conjunction with and report to the NCI Academy Technical Capability and Support Section (TCS).

The services shall be provided at the NCI Academy in Oeiras.

The resource will be part of a team and will provide the service using an Agile and iterative approach during multiple sprints.

Each sprint is planned for a duration of 1 week and main activities are as follows:

• Activating user accounts.
• Addressing issues related to locked accounts, password resets, and reactivations.
• Resolving system email failures and activating them as required.
• Addressing issues related to older LMS accounts.
• Offering guidance on account creation.
• Resolving account duplication issues.
• Analysing credentials, making necessary changes, and securing POC approvals.
• Addressing delivery failures by checking and modifying accounts.
• Providing support to cyber security incident investigations
• Resolving access issues, including assisting users in course search.
• Addressing content-related issues and forwarding correction requests.
• Assisting user with issues in tracking learning progress in the LMS platform.
• Resolving issues with generation of course certificates.
• Supporting instructors and other users with technical issues.
• Supporting the implantation and management of a ticket system.
• Provide support in migrating data from other systems.
• Provide rapid response to all user issues.
• All support inquiries must receive a written response within 30 minutes, either resolving the issue or providing a status update with a resolution prognosis.

The content and scope of each sprint will be agreed during the sprint-planning meeting, in writing, based on the activities mentioned above.

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT MILESTONES

The NCI Academy team reserves the possibility to exercise the described options, depending on the project priorities and requirements.

The payment shall be dependent upon successful acceptance of the Delivery Acceptance Sheet (DAS) –(Annex A) including the EBA Receipt number.

Invoices shall be accompanied with a Delivery Acceptance Sheet (Annex A) signed by the Contractor and line manager.

2025 BASE: 2 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Deliverable:  48 sprints of help desk support.

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

2026 OPTION: 01 January 2026 to 31 December 2026

Deliverable:  Up to 48 sprints of help desk support.

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

2027 OPTION: 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027

Deliverable:  Up to 48 sprints of help desk support.

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

COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The resource shall participate in status update meetings, sprint planning, and other meetings, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to line manager’s instructions.

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 will be aligned the line manager mentioning briefly the work held and the development achievements during the sprint.

Acceptance of each sprint completion will be documented in Annex A – Delivery Acceptance Sheet.

SCHEDULE

This task order will be active immediately after signing of the contract by both parties.

The BASE period of performance starts 2nd January 2025 and will end no later than 31st December 2025

If the 2026 option is exercised, the period of performance is 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2026.

If the 2027 option is exercised, the period of performance is 1st January 2027 to 31st December 2027.

CONSTRAINTS

All the deliverables provided under this statement of work will be based on NCI Agency templates or agreed with the line manager.

All documentation will be stored under configuration management and/or in the provided NCI Agency tools.

All the deliverables of this project will be considered NATO UNCLASSIFIED.

Part of the work may involve handling classified networks, therefore, a security clearance at the right level is expected for the contractor(s) undertaking this service. This security must be in place before applying for this contract to be considered compliant.

SECURITY

The security classification of the service will be up to NATO SECRET.

The contractor providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance

PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

The contractor will be required to provide the service on-site in NCI Academy Oeiras (PRT)

Travel costs are out of scope and will be borne by the NCI Agency separately in accordance to the provisions of the AAS+ Framework Contract. He or she will work under the direction and guidance of the NCI Academy Technical Capability Support Section Head or their designated representative.

This service must be accomplished by ONE contractor.

QUALIFICATIONS

[See Requirements]

Requirements

SECURITY

• The contractor providing the services under this SOW is required to hold a valid NATO SECRET security clearance

QUALIFICATIONS

This work requires a resource with the following qualifications and experience:

• The candidate has a security clearance, provided by the national security organization valid at the time of submission of the bid and covering the period of the contract.
• Experience in a help desk or technical support role, preferably with exposure to Learning Management Systems.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and interact positively with multiple departments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of conveying complex technical information in a user-friendly manner
• Demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations with calmness, ensuring the user feels supported throughout their interaction. Empathetic and patient, understanding the frustrations users may feel and aiming to alleviate them. Positive attitude and a genuine desire to assist and educate users.
• Strong analytical skills, capable of quickly identifying issues and determining the most efficient resolution.

Desirable qualifications and experience

• Proficiency in using diagnostic tools to troubleshoot technical issues
• A strong understanding of cybersecurity practices and protocols, ensuring the safety and privacy of user data
• Knowledge and experience of working with NCI Agency.
• Knowledge and experience of working with the NCI Academy.
• Knowledge and experience with agile implementation methodology.

Language Proficiency

• Level 3 English language skills according to NATO STANAG 6001: Listening (3); Speaking (2); Reading (3); and Writing (2) or according to Common European Framework of Reference for Language level B2-C1/Upper Intermediate-Advanced level)