Procurement Notice 

Conducting Research on APO Productivity Databook and Database

Develop comprehensive, harmonized productivity accounts for Asian Productivity Organization (APO) members, selected nonmembers in Asia, and reference economies covering 1970–2022; analyze the productivity performance of APO members, selected nonmembers in Asia, and reference economies; and project economic growth and labor productivity trends in APO members up to 2030.

For more details, PN and Implementation Procedures.

The APO conducts annual productivity measurement research on productivity trends and economic growth performance in member countries and reference regions to assist economic analysts, policymakers, and development planners in analyzing national productivity performance and socioeconomic progress. The results are published in the annual APO Productivity Databook and Productivity Database (APO PDB). The APO PDB is constructed under an internationally harmonized measurement framework, allows cross-country productivity analyses and comparisons, and can be accessed on the APO website.

The 2024 edition of the APO Productivity Databook will feature economic growth, labor productivity, and total factor productivity (TFP) estimates in APO members and selected nonmember economies in the Asian region and elsewhere.

1. Cover letter of interest (Annex 1)

2. Basic organizational details (Annex 2)

3. Profile of institution (maximum 1 A4-sized page)

4. Experience in conducting research in similar areas (Annex 3)

5. Financial proposal to indicate the cost of services.

5.1 Total costs and breakdowns for conducting the research should be given only in US dollar amounts.

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.

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 16:00 (Japan Standard Time), 10 October 2023 to jelvinia@apo-tokyo.org, amanickam@apo-tokyo.org, and AOhara@apo-tokyo.org.

The subject line of the email message should be: Proposal for Conducting Research on APO Productivity Databook and Database by <Institution name>.

The selected institution will be awarded a research contract with the APO for conducting the research, based on the following selection criteria:

・Methodology of research;

・Prior experience in conducting similar research;

・Quality of prior publications; and

・Research quotation.

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.

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 institutions 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 requiring any clarification of this document, or the process itself, shall submit its queries in writing only to the following email address by the deadline of 10 October 2023:

Multicountry Program Division 2
Asian Productivity Organization (APO Secretariat)
1-24-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Email: jelvinia@apo-tokyo.org, amanickam@apo-tokyo.org, and AOhara@apo-tokyo.org

Development of the National Productivity Master Plan for Sri Lanka

Assisting the National Productivity Secretariat (NPS) of Sri Lanka in crafting a comprehensive National Productivity Master Plan, which will serve as a strategic blueprint to steer the nation’s efforts toward enhancing productivity. This initiative aims not only to integrate productivity principles into Sri Lanka’s economic development agenda but also to formulate a holistic nationwide strategy for fostering productivity growth. The primary objectives encompass the establishment of mid- to long-term productivity objectives underpinned by a set of well-defined strategies and initiatives that will facilitate their achievement. It seeks to catalyze a sustained, impactful productivity movement within the country, driving economic progress and prosperity.

For more details, PIP and Implementation Procedures.

Sri Lanka’s productivity landscape has exhibited remarkable dynamism over the past decade, particularly within nonfarm sectors like tourism and services, resulting in substantial growth in labor income. Nevertheless, the onset of the pandemic dealt a severe blow to the nation’s productivity trajectory, causing economic contraction and a surge in poverty rates.

The low labor productivity prevailing in Sri Lanka can be traced to several underlying factors. Skill gaps, inadequate training programs, limited technology adoption, and suboptimal work practices collectively contribute to this issue. Furthermore, in the agriculture sector, outdated farming techniques, restricted access to modern technology, and susceptibility to the adverse effects of climate change have all played a role in hampering productivity levels.

Within the manufacturing sphere, productivity levels exhibit a diversified landscape. Some subsectors have successfully harnessed cutting-edge technology and embraced efficient processes, while others grapple with challenges stemming from outdated machinery, limited innovation, and a dearth of value addition. In contrast, the service sector has demonstrated promise in terms of productivity growth. However, enhancing service quality and efficiency remains an imperative goal, as does the development of skills in this sector. Addressing these key areas of improvement will be pivotal in propelling Sri Lanka toward a more robust, sustainable productivity path.

1. Cover letter of interest (Annex 1)

2. Basic organizational details or institutional resource person details (Annex 2)

3. Profile of individual or institutional resource person (maximum 1 A4-sized page)

4. Experience in conducting similar projects (Annex 3)

5. Financial proposal to indicate the cost of services.

5.1 Total costs and breakdowns for conducting the research should be given only in US dollar amounts.

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.

5.3 All rates and costs quoted in financial proposals should be written in both numeric and alphabetic forms, e.g., USD3,500 (three thousand five hundred US dollars).

Download: Annexes

1. 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 17:00 (Japan Standard Time), 20 October 2023 to abuana@apo-tokyo.org.

2. The subject line of the email message should be: Proposal for Development of the National Productivity Master Plan for Sri Lanka by <Institution name>.

1.  The selected individual or institutional resource person will be awarded a research contract with the APO for conducting the research, based on the following selection criteria:

1.1. Methodology

1.2. Prior experience in conducting similar projects

1.3. Quality of prior publications and/or output from similar projects

1.4. Project quotation

2. Only the selected institution will be notified via email within 1 month of the submission deadline of the acceptance of its proposal.

1. 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(s).

2. The APO is not obligated to respond to any objections or to inform the affected institution(s) of the grounds for such decisions.

3. 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 selected institution.

1. 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 individual or institutional resource persons for sending proposals to the APO.

2. 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 requiring any clarification of this document, or the process itself, shall submit its queries in writing only to the following email address by the deadline of 20 October 2023:

In-country Program Division
Asian Productivity Organization (APO Secretariat)
1-24-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Email: abuana@apo-tokyo.org

Explore digital prediction tools available for adoption in the agriculture sector in APO member economies; develop guidelines on adopting digital prediction tools to analyze innovation and productivity performance in agriculture; and provide learning materials for adopting digital prediction tools in the agriculture sector in APO members.

For more details, PN and Implementation Procedures.

Predictive agriculture tools are valuable assets for guiding decision-making by providing precise information for improving operational efficiencies via the modeling and simulation of agricultural systems. By harnessing data analytics, machine learning, and predictive modeling, these tools offer insights into complex scenarios, allowing stakeholders to anticipate trends and outcomes. However, the utilization of such tools in agriculture for predicting the adoption of innovation remains an underexplored avenue.

This research will explore existing digital prediction tools for the agriculture sector and develop learning material on their applications to enhance the innovation and productivity performance of APO member economies.

1. Cover letter of interest (Annex 1)

2. Basic organizational details (Annex 2)

3. Profile of institution (maximum 1 A4-sized page)

4. Experience in conducting research in similar areas (Annex 3)

5. Financial proposal to indicate the cost of services.

5.1 Total costs and breakdowns for conducting the research should be given only in US dollar amounts.

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.

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.

The subject line of the email message should be: Proposal for Conducting Research on New Productivity Tools in Agriculture by <Institution name>.

1.1 Methodology of research;

1.2 Prior experience in conducting similar research;

1.3 Quality of prior publications; and

1.4 Research quotation.

2. Only the selected institution will be notified via email within 1 month of the submission deadline of the acceptance of its proposal.