Procurement Notice

The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) seeks proposals from qualified research institutions, consulting firms, or individual experts to develop an institutional blueprint for establishing the Fiji Productivity Commission as an independent, credible, fit-for-purpose advisory body aligned with national priorities; recommend its functions, strategic plan, and operational framework; and provide knowledge transfer and capacity-building to the government of Fiji to support effective establishment.

For more details, please see the Project Implementation Plan and Implementation Procedures.

Fiji is moving to establish a dedicated Productivity Commission to provide independent research, analyses, inquiries, and policy advice on productivity, regulatory efficiency, and long-term growth. The need arises from persistent economy-wide inefficiencies, the demand for stronger evidence-based reform, and the MEPWR’s existing productivity mandate under the Employment Relations Act 2007 and Productivity Charter 2005.

It is further reinforced by the National Productivity Master Plan for Fiji 2021–2036, which emphasizes the need to broaden the national approach to productivity and drive a high-profile, whole-of-economy productivity movement.

An institutional blueprint is therefore needed to translate this policy intent into a legally sound, financially viable, operationally ready commission with clear priorities, staffing, systems, and implementation sequences.

The APO will select a research institution, consulting firm, or individual with:

1. a. Extensive knowledge of organizational development, public-institution design, and productivity policy, with a proven record in conducting holistic institutional diagnostics and translating them into implementable reform blueprints.
2. b. At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in institutional reform, economic policy, public-sector governance, or productivity-related advisory work, with at least two comparable assignments.
3. c. Demonstrated expertise in establishing or reforming statutory, semiautonomous, or independent public entities, including governance frameworks, commissioner/board arrangements, inquiry functions, financing options, and accountability mechanisms.
4. d. Strong capability in productivity measurement, diagnostic assessment, strategic planning, financial modeling, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder consultation, and drafting high-quality reports in English.
5. e. Sound quality assurance, integrity, confidentiality, data-governance, and conflict-of-interest practices. Experience working in small Pacific states or comparable contexts will be an advantage.
6. f. Experience in providing policy advisory services to governments and proven track record of successful consultancy projects, including developing and implementing national productivity policies or strategies.
7. g. Excellent English writing and presentation skills.
8. h. Strong data analytical skills including proven knowledge of productivity measurement.

The selected institution/consultant will be expected to undertake, at minimum, the following tasks in close consultation with the APO Secretariat and relevant Fiji counterparts:

1. a. Prepare an inception report setting out the proposed methodology, work plan, consultation strategy, analytical framework, and timeline.
2. b. Undertake a situational analysis and diagnostic assessment covering Fiji’s productivity landscape, existing mandates and institutions, policy gaps, and readiness for establishing the commission.
3. c. Benchmark relevant international models of productivity commissions and pro-productivity institutions, with explicit attention to small-state applicability.
4. d. Design the productivity commission framework, including mandate, functions, inquiry/advisory scope, governance, organization structure, staffing profile, operating processes, and transparency arrangements.
5. e. Develop the strategic plan, first 2–3-year work program, first-year business plan, financial and resource framework, and implementation roadmap.
6. f. Prepare a stakeholder engagement and communications strategy that embeds government–employer–worker dialogue and broader consultation with business, academia, and development partners.
7. g. Recommend performance indicators, reporting mechanisms, and a monitoring and evaluation framework for the commission’s start-up and early years.
8. h. Conduct consultations, workshops, and dissemination activities, including capacity-building and knowledge transfer for designated counterparts.
9. i. Submit all agreed draft and final deliverables, including a final consolidated report and presentation materials, by the deadline agreed with the APO Secretariat.

Proposals should include the following information:

1. a. Technical proposal describing the methodology, analytical approach, work plan, country engagement plan, risk-management approach, and indicative timeline.
2. b. Cover letter of interest confirming availability, proposed team, and understanding of the assignment (Annex 1).
3. c. Organizational details (maximum one A4 page) or curriculum vitae of the lead expert and supporting team members, clearly indicating roles and relevant experience (Annex 2).
4. d. Evidence of experience in similar projects, including brief descriptions of at least two comparable assignments and client references where available (Annex 3).
5. e. Financial proposal showing the total cost and detailed cost breakdown in US dollars only, inclusive of all applicable taxes, levies, professional fees, travel, and incidental costs (Annex 4).
6. f. All rates and amounts in the financial proposal should be written in both numeric and alphabetic forms, for example: USD 2,500 (two thousand five hundred US dollars).
7. g. Any assumptions, exclusions, potential conflicts of interest, and proposed value-adding features should be clearly stated.

Download: Annexes.

Proposals with all required information specified should only be sent via email signed by authorized representatives no later than 17:00 (Japan Standard Time), 11 May 2026 to ssetiawati@apo-tokyo.org and mkabe@apo-tokyo.org.

The subject line of the email message should be: Proposal for the Development of an Institutional Blueprint for the Establishment of the Productivity Commission of Fiji by <Institution name>.

The selected institution will be awarded a consultancy/research contract with the APO based on the following criteria:

1. 1. Relevant experience: expertise in institutional development projects and institutional experience (20%)
2. 2. Team qualifications (20%)
3. 3. Proposed methodology and approach (25%)
4. 4. Project management and execution plan (15%)
5. 5. Financial proposal and cost efficiency (10%)
6. 6. Potential impact and sustainability (10%)

Only the selected institution will be notified by email, normally within one month after the submission deadline, unless otherwise advised by the APO.

1. 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. 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. 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. 1. The APO will not bear any costs related to research, planning, design, meetings, or any other activity undertaken by an institution in preparing and submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.
2. 2. The APO may, at its sole discretion, extend the submission deadline by notifying prospective bidders in writing. Any proposal received after the deadline may be rejected.
3. 3. All materials developed under the contract, unless otherwise agreed, shall be treated as confidential during implementation and submitted to the APO in editable and final electronic formats.
4. 4. The selected institution/consultant is expected to maintain professional independence, uphold applicable ethical standards, and avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest throughout the assignment.

A prospective institution requiring any clarification of this document, or the process itself, should submit its queries in writing only to the following email address by the deadline of 11 May 2026.

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