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Procurement Methods

NCIA can use a variety of procurement methods to fulfil its requirements.

The method used for a given competition is outlined in the NATO Procurement Policy for Common Funding (NPP), taking into consideration the:

  1. Established Financial Thresholds (EFLs).
  2. Nature of the goods or services being procured.

Separate from NCIA's procurement methods, is market research. Market research is the process by which information is gathered about industry capabilities and overall market supply.

All procurement opportunities shall be publicly notified through the NCIA Bulletin Board. For reasons of practicality, such notifications apply only to procurements above €80K. Public notification is not required for procurements where the intended pool of vendors is known.

Established Financial Thresholds (EFLs)

This table outlines the procurement methods applicable to a given EFL.

All Procurements (excl. COTS Products or Commercial Services) COTS Products or Commercial Services
EFL Procurement Method EFL Procurement Method
≤ €1.6M Determined by NCIA ≤ €1.6M Determined by NCIA
> €1.6M NATO Competitive Procurement > €1.6M–€3.2M NATO Competitive Procurement, Limited Competition or Pre-Competed Award
> €3.2M–€9.6M NATO Competitive Procurement or Pre-Competed Award
> €9.6M NATO Competitive Procurement only

Methods

NATO Competitive Procurement (NCP)

NATO Competitive Procurement is a procurement method that is open to all eligible vendors from participating nations. This procurement method is carried out in accordance with the Procedure for NATO Competitive Procurement.

Pre-Competed Award

This method allows goods and services to be procured using pre-competed vehicles (e.g., IDIQs, Enterprise Agreements, etc.). The initial contractual vehicle will often be competed following the NCP procedure; however, once established, it can be used as a pre-competed vehicle. This allows for the timely procurement of goods and services.

Limited Competition

This method allows the NCIA to procure goods and services from predefined pools of vendors, based on objective criteria (e.g., goods/services categories, participation in framework agreements, etc.).

Sole Source

Sole source is a procurement method that allows the NCIA, with justification, to award a contract directly to a vendor without competition.

Market Research

We use market research to assess the available industry solutions that could satisfy our requirements. This research can be used to inform subsequent competitions and help us to refine our solicitations.

Request for Information (RFI)

Companies may be asked to respond to a market survey about a requirement. This is the most common type of market research conducted by NCIA. 

Request for Bidders' View

Companies may be asked to review solicitation documents and assess the feasibility of the proposed solution under consideration.

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Still have questions?

Please consult the Documents and Resources section, which contains help articles and other information that may provide you with answers.

You can also submit your questions to NCIA via a contact form on the Business page.