One key factor in doing business with NATO is understanding the landscape, as stated by businesswoman Louisa DuBois. DuBois, a retired industry expert and the president of AFCEA Belgium Chapter, emphasized the importance of knowing the history of the NATO structure, politics, military, and management.
In order to start doing business with the alliance, it is recommended to first complete the registration process. This process has various requirements, with the country of origin needing to be an alliance member and the supplier needing to be certified by its local government.
NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) is responsible for engaging with industry and purchasing a range of goods and services for the alliance. Both the NSPA and the NCIA have separate registration processes that are divided into distinct steps. They offer a range of programs to onboard both large and small suppliers.
Despite the various steps involved, NATO has a vendor structure in place. Anne Seguin, chief of the market research and industry information section at NSPA, suggests monitoring the contractor web page to identify prime contractors. Smaller suppliers are encouraged to establish themselves as subcontractors before moving towards larger business opportunities.