Procurement Notice

To develop practical, structured curricula for the Certified Productivity Specialist (CPS) and Certified Green Productivity Specialist (CGPS) schemes. The curricula will support the development of competent professionals who can apply productivity and Green Productivity (GP) concepts, approaches, and tools.

For more details, please see the AN.

On 15 May 2024, the Singapore National Productivity Organization Certification Body (SG NPO-CB) was accredited by the Asian Productivity Organization Accreditation Body (APO-AB) to certify Green Productivity Specialists. In October 2025, its scope was expanded to include the certification of Productivity Specialists. With effect from 1 April 2026, the certification body was renamed Singapore Productivity Centre–Professional Certification (SPC-PC).

The CPS and CGPS schemes recognize the professional competence of individuals engaged in applying productivity and GP solutions in areas such as consultancy, training, promotion, and research. The schemes are intended to help build a strong pool of skilled professionals who can support productivity improvement and sustainable business practices in Singapore.

To strengthen implementation of the schemes, the SPC-PC requires structured, practice-oriented curricula that translate the relevant APO competency requirements into coherent learning objectives, modules, delivery approaches, and training materials. The curricula will support consistent preparation of prospective CPS and CGPS candidates and contribute to the wider development of professional capability in productivity and GP.

The APO will select an institution or professional with extensive, specialized expertise in curriculum development or reskilling/upskilling training material related to productivity and GP to develop curricula for the CPS and CGPS schemes in consultation with the APO Secretariat and SPC-PC.

Curriculum development for CPS and CGPS, including the following:

• ・Review relevant APO competency requirements, certification scheme documents, and available reference materials for CPS and CGPS, including APO-PS 101:2023 and APO-GPS 201:2023, as applicable.
• ・Develop a curriculum framework for each scheme, including learning objectives, structure/modules, recommended duration, and training delivery approach.
• ・Develop practice-oriented curriculum content and training/learning materials covering the knowledge and competencies required for CPS and CGPS.
• ・Incorporate appropriate learning methods, practical exercises, case-based applications, and other approaches that support competency development and application in workplace settings.
• ・Consult with the APO Secretariat and SPC-PC on draft curricula and revise the materials based on feedback received.
• ・Submit finalized curricula and related materials in editable electronic formats suitable for subsequent use and updating by the SPC-PC.

1. 1. Cover letter of interest (Annex 1).
2. 2. Basic organizational details if applicable (Annex 2).
3. 3. Profile of the organization if applicable (maximum 1 A4-sized page).
4. 4. Experience in developing curriculum or training materials in similar areas (Annex 3).
5. 5. Financial proposal to indicate the cost of services (Annex 4).
   1. 5.1 Total costs and breakdowns for conducting the research should be given only in US dollar amounts.
   2. 5.2 All national taxes and levies applicable should be stated and   included in the total costs. The APO will consider the inclusive costs as the final quoted prices when evaluating proposals.
   3. 5.3 All rates and costs quoted in financial proposals should be written in both numeric and alphabetic forms, e.g., USD2,500 (two thousand five hundred US dollars).

Download: Annexes.

Proposals with all required information specified should only be sent via email in password-protected PDF file attachments signed by authorized representatives no later than 23:59 (Japan Standard Time), Tuesday, 13 October 2026, to tgoto@apo-tokyo.org and esaito@apo-tokyo.org.

The closing date for the submission of proposals has been extended to 23:59 (JST) on 13 October 2026, although the AN indicates 12 October 2026 as the closing date.

The subject line of the email message should be:

Proposal for Curriculum Development for CPS and CGPS by <Institution/professional name>.

• ・The selected institution will be awarded a research contract with the APO for conducting the research, based on the following selection criteria:
  • Technical proposal: proposed approach and methodology; proposed curriculum framework/content outline; work plan and timeline; development team composition
  • Relevant experience: prior experience in curriculum development, professional certification training, productivity, and/or GP
  • Quality of previous curricula/training materials or similar deliverables
  • Financial proposal.
• ・Only the selected institution will be notified via email within 1 month of the submission deadline of the acceptance of its proposal.

• ・The APO reserves the right to annul the RFP or the vendor selection process, or to accept or reject any or all proposals in whole or part at any time without stating any reason and without incurring any liability to the affected institution.
• ・The APO is not obligated to respond to any objections or to inform the affected institution of the grounds for such decisions.
• ・The APO also reserves the right to change the scope of work in case of need or depending upon changes in requirements before or during the implementation phase. However, if changes are made during the implementation phase, the APO will negotiate the costs for the additional work separately with the institution/professional.

• ・The APO will not bear any costs related to research, planning, design, or any other such activity related to the preparation of proposals in response to this RFP by bidders for sending proposals to the APO.
• ・The APO may, at its own discretion, extend the submission deadline by notifying all bidders of the extension in writing. Any proposal received after the deadline will be rejected.

A prospective institution/professional requiring any clarification of this document, or the process itself, shall submit queries in writing only to the following email addresses:

Capacity Solutions & Implementation Department (CSI)
Asian Productivity Organization (APO Secretariat)
1-24-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Email: tgoto@apo-tokyo.org and esaito@apo-tokyo.org