Procurement Notice 

Conducting Research on The APO Productivity Outlook

Analyze the impact of climate change on various sectors, the current challenges of climate change, and effective ways to enhance productivity; examine evidence-based policy implications for enhancing productivity in APO member economies; and publish the APO Productivity Outlook 2025.

For more details, PN and Implementation Procedures.

In its role as a think tank, the APO conducts annual research to monitor the economic growth performance of its members. As part of this effort, it publishes the annual APO Productivity Outlook to provide in-depth insights into productivity prospects in key sectors. Cross-country comparative analyses of factors, levels, and growth rates of sectoral productivity are included. The goal is to contribute to evidence-based sectoral productivity policymaking in APO members.

The impact of climate change on productivity is becoming increasingly important. Even small increases in temperature can lead to extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, and storms, disrupting activities and hindering productivity. Climate variability threatens food security, economic stability, and livelihoods in the region. Understanding these impacts is crucial for designing tailored policies that promote sustainable productivity growth amid environmental challenges for APO members.

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.

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 16:00 (Japan Standard Time), 7 May 2024 to kpark@apo-tokyo.org and asato@apo-tokyo.org.

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

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

1.1. Methodology of research

1.2. Prior experience in conducting similar research

1.3. Quality of prior publications

1.4. Research quotation

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.

2. The APO is not obligated to respond to any objections or to inform the affected institution 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 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 institutions 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 7 May 2024:

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