Release: Marvel Consulting leaps into NCIA’s high-profile projects – Developer of critical systems now competes alongside industry giants
As you might have already seen on Tivi and Tekniikka&Talous, Marvel Consulting has been approved for the NATO Communications and Information Agency’s (NCIA) Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) program. BOA is an international procurement framework through which selected companies are granted access to deliver the defence alliance’s critical IT and software development projects.
This approval places Marvel Consulting directly on the same playing field as the industry’s largest corporations and opens the door to projects where the performance requirements are at their highest – and where the outcome can be vital to security and even human lives.
“This is a tremendous honor for us and at the same time a huge opportunity. Through BOA, we can compete for projects where there is no room for ‘nice-to-have’ solutions – but instead systems whose reliability is critical to security. Entering projects of this scale from Finland simply would not have been possible before the country’s NATO membership,” says Sampsa Siitonen, CEO of Marvel Consulting.
What is NCIA BOA – and why does it matter?
NCIA’s BOA program is the alliance’s own procurement mechanism, designed to make projects faster and more cost-efficient to tender and deliver. Admission requires a rigorous audit and an official Declaration of Eligibility issued by the national defense authorities, confirming a company’s technical, financial, and professional competence.
In practice, BOA is a framework agreement under which NCIA and its member states publish tenders exclusively for approved suppliers. This select group is eligible to compete for projects covering areas from cybersecurity and software development to system integration.
“What makes BOA so compelling is that when a call comes, the response time can be extremely short and the requirements very demanding. We have the capability to find the right experts in as little as a day – either from within our own team or from our extensive partner network – and immediately begin building a solution,” Siitonen adds.
Critical systems, high stakes
NCIA projects differ from many other IT engagements in that their reliability can directly affect national security or even human lives. These levels of security and reliability requirements are well known to Tero Mäkinen, Marvel Consulting’s new Chief Technology Officer, who joined the company following the acquisition of Loom Oy in July 2025.
Mäkinen brings extensive experience as a solutions architect in high-security defense sector projects:
“I have been designing systems where security dictates every decision and where we solve problems hand-in-hand with the client. I understand what these projects demand in terms of architecture and resourcing – and with BOA, Marvel Consulting now has access to exactly these kinds of opportunities,” Mäkinen says.
Growth and international expansion
The BOA approval strengthens Marvel Consulting´s long-term strategy: to expand its footprint in the defense sector while opening doors to international markets. At the same time, it enhances the company’s attractiveness as an employer – especially for top experts seeking technically demanding and meaningful projects.
“International growth is what excites us, and this is the first major step in that direction. We will continue to work on a wide range of projects, but the opportunities BOA offers in the defense sector are strategically important for us,” Siitonen emphasizes.
Background: Loom acquisition strengthens capabilities
Marvel Consulting´s position in the defense sector has also been reinforced by its acquisition of Tampere-based Loom Oy in July 2025. The deal brought in a team of seasoned professionals with a proven track record in high-security and critical systems projects – expertise that will now also be leveraged in BOA engagements.
