Request for Proposals on the Demographics of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Personnel Challenges Associated with PLA Recruitment and Retention
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: January 20, 2022
PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS: February 10, 2022
ABOUT PROPOSALS. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (hereafter “the Commission”) invites submission of proposals to provide a concise, one-time unclassified report on the demographics of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and personnel challenges associated with PLA recruitment and retention.
ABOUT THE COMMISSION. The Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Further details about the Commission are available on its website at: www.uscc.gov.
The Commission solicits this research pursuant to its Congressional mandate (contained in P.L. 113-291, Section 1259B), which states, “The Commission … shall investigate and report … on…”
(E) The military plans, strategy and doctrine of the People’s Republic of China, the structure and organization of the People’s Republic of China military, the decision-making process of the People’s Republic of China military, the interaction between the civilian and military leadership in the People’s Republic of China, the development and promotion process for leaders in the People’s Republic of China military, deployments of the People’s Republic of China military, resources available to the People’s Republic of China military (including the development and execution of budgets and the allocation of funds), force modernization objectives and trends for the People’s Republic of China military, and the implications of such objectives and trends for the national security of the United States.
This report’s key research requirements are:
1. What do Chinese leaders assess to be the most significant shortfalls in PLA personnel quality? How serious do they believe these shortfalls are, and how do they impact Chinese leaders’ confidence in the PLA services’ ability to execute their missions? Do Chinese leaders perceive variation in personnel quality between the PLA Army, PLA Navy, PLA Air Force, and other services?
2. What initiatives has the PLA undertaken to address its personnel challenges, particularly since the 2015 military reorganization? What are the key demographic challenges the PLA’s initiatives have sought to address? Where have the PLA’s recruitment and retention efforts fallen short? Assess the extent to which the different PLA services have met their goals for recruiting college graduates.
3. What types of education or expertise does the PLA most prize in its recruits, and how successfully is it recruiting Chinese citizens with that background? Describe how officer accession in the PLA occurs via military academies compared with military programs at civilian universities and other non-military institutions. Are certain academic or industrial institutions key pipelines for the PLA’s recruitment of high-quality personnel? What factors make PLA personnel with prized experience and expertise most likely to leave the force?
4. Describe the hybrid conscription-volunteer system the PLA services use to recruit enlisted personnel. What portion of PLA servicemembers are conscripted into compulsory service, as opposed to voluntarily recruited? How well are the PLA services able to retain their recruits? Are retention rates higher or lower for servicemembers with backgrounds in targeted areas of expertise?
5. How do personnel issues affect the PLA services’ recruitment, retention, morale, and combat readiness? Please address issues such as compensation, housing availability, and marriage restrictions. What is the effect of China’s urban-rural divide on the PLA services’ recruitment efforts? What is known about the socioeconomic background of the PLA services’ officer corps and enlisted personnel?
6. What is the structure and impact of the PLA’s political commissar system on personnel issues? What is the role of political work in the PLA, and how do political commissars identify and address personnel challenges? How do the requirements of political work affect the PLA’s development of warfighting capabilities, and how do these requirements influence officer promotion in the PLA?
The report should include an executive summary of the report’s key findings; a list of recommendations for Congress; a brief overview of the sources and analytic methodology used for the report; and a brief explanation of the scope and limitations of the report.
Additional Requirements:
1. Prior to the award of any contract, the contractor must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM).
2. Once the Commission selects a contractor for this project, and a contract is signed, public notice of this may be made on the Commission’s website.
3. The Commission’s goal is to have a report prepared for review in a timely fashion. In ordinary circumstances, once the Commission selects a contractor and a contract is signed, a draft report—not to exceed 50 pages of text—must be submitted to the Commission for review no later than 60 calendar days from the date the contract is signed. The Commission will then endeavor to provide comments and requests for adjustments within 20 days; subsequently, the final report must be submitted within 20 days of formal receipt of the Commission’s comments. The Commission recognizes, under certain circumstances, a contractor may wish to have more time to prepare the first draft of the report under the contract. The contractor, in their contract proposal, should stipulate the time frame for submission of the draft report. It is to be understood; however, that time is of the essence in completing research contracts for the Commission.
4. As work on the report progresses, the Commission’s Research Director shall act as the Commission’s representative in monitoring the progress, quality, and responsiveness of the report to the major issues of concern identified in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The Research Director shall, on request to the contractor, be entitled to informal briefings on the status of the research work and to readings of the outline and draft in progress.
5. The report shall be free of typographical errors and conform to the Chicago Manual of Style. Upon receipt of all drafts, the Commission will inspect the document for typographical errors and deviations from the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. At the discretion of the Commission, if a draft contains excessive deficiencies, the Commission will return the draft to the contractor and request the contractor cure the draft of deficiencies within five (5) working days (not counting weekends and Federal holidays). Upon resubmission of the draft by the contractor to the Commission, should deficiencies remain, the Commission, at its discretion, will submit the draft to its copyeditor for correction, the cost of which ($45.00 per hour) will be deducted from the final cost of the contract. The contract shall be subject to termination if the Commission deems that the work is of unsatisfactory quality.
6. At the Commission’s discretion, the report procured via this RFP may be posted on the Commission’s website.
7. Each organization or individual responding to this request must warrant they will perform this work solely for the Commission, and the resulting report will not be shared with other parties without the prior written consent of the Commission.
8. The Commission expects contractors to identify all personnel working on the contract, and that there will not be any delegation of responsibilities to other parties without prior written approval of the Commission.
9. At the discretion and request of the Commission, the contractor shall, within a year after publication of the report, agree to participate in up to two (2) separate briefings, and up to one (1) public hearing, held by the Commission, of up to two (2) hours each in the Washington, DC area, supported by at least one (1) individual affiliated with the contractor identified as “key personnel.” This could include, but not necessarily be limited to, briefing the content of the research to Commissioners and Commission staff, appearing as witnesses at a public hearing held by the Commission, and briefing the content of the research to Members of Congress and/or their staff. No additional remuneration will be provided to the contractor for these briefings or a hearing. The Commission will make a good faith effort to schedule briefings and a hearing at times that are subject to mutual agreement.
Primary Selection Criteria:
1. The Commission will determine which organization or individual responding to this request will be awarded the contract based on a comprehensive “best value” analysis of the proposals received, to include costs, technical value, and ability to complete the work satisfactorily and on time, and past performance with the Commission, if applicable.
2. The primary weighting criterion in selection shall be the assessed qualifications and ability of an organization or individual to address the fundamental research points enunciated above (“key research requirements”).
3. The cost and amount of time necessary to complete the report will also be considered as criteria in the selection process.
4. The Commission is a legislative advisory committee not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Proposal submissions should include:
1. A statement of the applicant’s relevant qualifications to satisfy the terms of this RFP. Curricula vitae for personnel intended to work on the project may be included in a separate attachment.
2. Identification of the principal researchers who will be responsible for the preparation of the report. It is understood that the designation of the researchers is a critical element of the proposal, and any changes regarding which individuals will be involved in the report’s preparation must be approved by the Commission in advance and in writing.
3. A description of the research methodology the applicant proposes to employ. In describing methodology, the submission should provide detailed descriptions of the sources and methods that will be used to research the report’s topic and the extent to which Chinese language sources, if any, and other primary materials will be used.
4. A list of any entities for whom you have conducted research or provided consulting services in the past. The Commission understands you may be limited in providing such information by confidentiality agreements.
5. The applicant’s responses to FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (October 2020) available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-24#FAR_52_204_24 and to FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation (October 2020) available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-26#FAR_52_204_26.
6. An estimate of the time the applicant will need to complete the required work.
7. The price the applicant will charge to the Commission to complete the work set forth in this RFP.
8. The proposal shall not exceed eight (8) pages and may be shorter.
Organizations and individuals wishing to submit a proposal in response to this RFP must ensure that the response arrives at the location noted below by 5:30 p.m. (ET) on February 10, 2022, or it will not be accepted or considered.
Electronic submissions are acceptable. Email attachments should not exceed 5 MB.
Proposals, as well as inquiries or any other correspondence related to this matter, should be directed to:
Anastasya Lloyd-Damnjanovic
Contracting Officer’s Representative
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Hall of the States, Suite 602
444 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
phone: 202-624-1486
email: alloyd@uscc.gov
USCC-22-002 None 1/20/22, 8:31 AM Security Assessment survey
This solicitation seeks quotes for a security assessment survey for the Roseburg VA Health Care System in Oregon. The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 20 is procuring these services to enhance campus security. Quotes are due no later than January 16, 2024 and must include pricing, details on past performance conducting similar assessments within the last five years, and acceptance of the solicitation's terms. Award will be made based on a comparative evaluation of price, technical acceptability, and performance history most advantageous to the government.
This opportunity is set aside for verified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. The NAICS code is 541690 for investigation and security services with a size standard of $19 million. Vendors must be certified through SBA's VetCert program at time of offer and award. One security assessment survey is required, with period of performance to complete the assessment by Summer 2024 at the Roseburg VA HealthCare System location. No budget or value is specified, but the small business size standard suggests the contract would be below $19 million.
36C26024Q0296 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 20
2/8/24, 2:29 PM Request for Proposals on China's Industrial Overcapacity
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: March 5, 2021
PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS: March 26, 2021
ABOUT PROPOSALS. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (hereafter “the Commission”) invites submission of proposals to provide a concise, one-time unclassified report on China’s industrial overcapacity.
ABOUT THE COMMISSION. The Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Further details about the Commission are available on its website at: www.uscc.gov.
The Commission solicits this research pursuant to its Congressional mandate (contained in P.L. 113-291, Section 1259B), which states, “The Commission … shall investigate and report … on…”
(B) The qualitative and quantitative nature of the transfer of United States production activities to the People’s Republic of China, including the relocation of manufacturing, advanced technology and intellectual property, and research and development facilities, the impact of such transfers on the national security of the United States (including the dependence of the national security industrial base of the United States on imports from China), the economic security of the United States, and employment in the United States, and the adequacy of United States export control laws in relation to the People’s Republic of China.
“(I) The compliance of the People’s Republic of China with its commitments to the World Trade Organization, other multilateral commitments, bilateral agreements signed with the United States, commitments made to bilateral science and technology programs, and any other commitments and agreements strategic to the United States….”
This report’s key research requirements are:
1. Outline China’s industrial overcapacity on a sectoral basis. Clearly define overcapacity, excluding instances where market fluctuations result in short-term excess supply. Defend this definition as comprehensive in the Chinese case and briefly describe its limitations. Then provide an analysis of current industrial overcapacity in key sectors beyond coal and building materials such as cement, steel, aluminum, and plate glass. Address the evolution of overcapacity in these sectors since 2000, or, where relevant, from when production capacity reached a sufficient volume to determine market and policy trends. The analysis should provide comparable quantitative information for each sector, including graphics and trend lines.
The proposal should include a list of sectors the offeror will cover and an explanation of their significance, as well as the data sources the offeror intends to use to evaluate overcapacity in each sector, and indicators of overcapacity the offeror proposes to include in the report. Additionally, the offeror should indicate the starting date from which they propose to examine overcapacity in each sector. As noted, this project should not address building materials or coal, which have been covered extensively.
2. Evaluate how current and recent economic policies, including incentives, are contributing to overcapacity. Identify key Chinese government policies that are contributing to China’s overcapacity and describe how their implementation has fueled overcapacity in specific sectors. Do these policies impact sectors other than the ones targeted? To clarify the difference from policy-induced chronic versus temporary overcapacity arising from market fluctuations, provide a concise example of the latter in a Chinese context. What policies has China’s government released to combat overcapacity, and how effective have they been? How do other political considerations, such as maintaining economic growth and stable employ, undermine their efficacy? Detail their limitations in scope and implementation.
The proposal should identify major Chinese government policies the offeror proposes to cover in response to this research requirement.
3. Describe China’s structural overcapacity. What features of China’s economy promote long-term overcapacity, including residual effects from older policies (e.g., prior to 2017)? Do these features have impacts across sectors, including spilling over from one sector to another? Include in the description related impacts, such as oversupply and deflation. To what extent is chronic overcapacity self-perpetuating? Through a case study, examine how overcapacity has perpetuated distortions that affect other aspects of China’s economy.
The proposal should briefly outline features of China’s economy that promote overcapacity. It should also include recommendations for the case study, with an explanation of its importance. A case study might demonstrate how excess supply distorts prices in other segments of a production chain or how under-utilized capacity exacerbates deflationary pressures, just as examples.
4. Assess the global impact of China’s industrial overcapacity. In what sectors are Chinese firms exporting overcapacity, and what business, policy, and other factors are driving this? Distinguish external versus internal factors driving overcapacity. Where has China’s government provided support for Chinese firms to export overcapacity, and what policy tools does the Chinese government use to do this? Compare China’s export of overcapacity in finished goods versus intermediary products and raw materials. How do other economies absorb and possibly reexport China’s overcapacity, particularly East Asian neighbors closely integrated with Chinese supply chains? The proposal should indicate which sectors the offeror proposes to cover in response to this research requirement.
5. Assess the impact of China’s industrial overcapacity on U.S. producers. In what sectors has China’s overcapacity most harmed U.S. producers, and what sectors should U.S. producers be most concerned about going forward? What indicators could help U.S. policymakers in providing an early warning signal of developing overcapacity within a new sector in China’s economy or otherwise responding to threats to U.S. producers? In addressing the question, consider not only the U.S. domestic market, but also competition with Chinese exporters in third country markets. Provide a case study demonstrating the ultimate impact to U.S. producers, using one of the sectors detailed in Key Research Requirement 1.
The proposal should indicate which sectors the offeror proposes to cover in response to this research requirement. It should also include recommendations for the case study, with an explanation of its importance.
The report should include an executive summary of key findings that identifies trends and important drivers of overcapacity, as well as potential “hotspots” of interest to U.S. policymakers. The report should also include a list of recommendations for Congress; a brief overview of the sources and analytic methodology used for the report; and a brief explanation of the limitations of the report, if any.
Additional Requirements:
1. Prior to the award of any contract, the contractor must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM).
2. Once the Commission selects a contractor for this project, and a contract is signed, public notice of this may be made on the Commission’s website.
3. The Commission’s goal is to have a report prepared for review in a timely fashion. In ordinary circumstances, once the Commission selects a contractor and a contract is signed, a draft report —not to exceed 60 pages of text— must be submitted to the Commission for review no later than 60 calendar days from the date the contract is signed. The Commission will then endeavor to provide comments and requests for adjustments within 20 days; subsequently, the final report must be submitted within 20 days of formal receipt of the Commission’s comments. The Commission recognizes, under certain circumstances, a contractor may wish to have more time to prepare the first draft of the report under the contract. The contractor, in their contract proposal, should stipulate the time frame for submission of the draft report. It is to be understood; however, that time is of the essence in completing research contracts for the Commission.
4. As work on the report progresses, the Commission’s Research Coordinator shall act as the Commission’s representative in monitoring the progress, quality, and responsiveness of the report to the major issues of concern identified in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The Research Coordinator shall, on request to the contractor, be entitled to informal briefings on the status of the research work and to readings of the outline and draft in progress.
5.The report shall be free of typographical errors and conform to the Chicago Manual of Style. Upon receipt of all drafts, the Commission will inspect the document for typographical errors and deviations from the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. At the discretion of the Commission, if a draft contains excessive deficiencies, the Commission will return the draft to the contractor and request the contractor cure the draft of deficiencies within five (5) working days (not counting weekends and Federal holidays). Upon resubmission of the draft by the contractor to the Commission, should deficiencies remain, the Commission, at its discretion, will submit the draft to its copyeditor for correction, the cost of which ($41.00 per hour) will be deducted from the final cost of the contract. The contract shall be subject to termination if the Commission deems that the work is of unsatisfactory quality.
6. At the Commission’s discretion, the report procured via this RFP may be posted on the Commission’s website.
7. Each organization or individual responding to this request must warrant they will perform this work solely for the Commission, and the resulting report will not be shared with other parties without the prior written consent of the Commission.
8. The Commission expects contractors to identify all personnel working on the contract, and that there will not be any delegation of responsibilities to other parties without prior written approval of the Commission.
9. At the discretion and request of the Commission, the contractor shall, within a year after publication of the report, agree to participate in up for two (2) separate briefings, and up to one (1) public hearing, held by the Commission, of up to two (2) hours each in the Washington, DC area, supported by at least one (1) individual affiliated with the contractor identified as “key personnel.” This could include, but not necessarily be limited to, briefing the content of the research to Commissioners and Commission staff, appearing as witnesses at a public hearing held by the Commission, and briefing the content of the research to Members of Congress and/or their staff. No additional remuneration will be provided to the contractor for these briefings or a hearing. The Commission will make a good faith effort to schedule briefings and a hearing at times that are subject to mutual agreement.
Primary Selection Criteria:
1. The Commission will determine which organization or individual responding to this request will be awarded the contract based on a comprehensive “best value” analysis of the proposals received, to include costs, technical value, and ability to complete the work satisfactorily and on time, and past performance with the Commission, if applicable.
2. The primary weighting criterion in selection shall be the assessed qualifications and ability of an organization or individual to address the fundamental research points enunciated above (“key research requirements”).
3. The cost and amount of time necessary to complete the report will also be considered as criteria in the selection process.
4.The Commission is a Legislative Branch agency not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Proposal submissions should include:
1. A statement of the applicant’s relevant qualifications to satisfy the terms of this RFP, to include curricula vitae for personnel intended for work on the project.
2. Identification of the principal researchers who will be responsible for the preparation of the report. It is understood that the designation of the researchers is a critical element of the proposal, and any changes regarding which individuals will be involved in the report’s preparation must be approved by the Commission in advance and in writing.
3. A description of the research methodology the applicant proposes to employ. In describing methodology, the submission should provide detailed descriptions of the sources and methods that will be used to research the report’s topic and the extent to which Chinese language sources, if any, and other primary materials will be used.
4. A list of any entities for whom you have conducted research or provided consulting services in the past. The Commission understands you may be limited in providing such information by confidentiality agreements.
5. The applicant’s responses to FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (October 2020) available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-24#FAR_52_204_24 and to FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation (October 2020) available at : https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-26#FAR_52_204_26.
6. An estimate of the time the applicant will need to complete the required work.
7. The price the applicant will charge to the Commission to complete the work set forth in this RFP.
8. The proposal shall not exceed seven (7) pages and may be shorter.
Organizations and individuals wishing to submit a proposal in response to this RFP must ensure that the response arrives at the location noted below by 5:30 p.m. (ET) on March 26, 2021, or it will not be accepted or considered.
Electronic submissions are acceptable. Email attachments should not exceed 5 MB.
Proposals, as well as inquiries or any other correspondence related to this matter, should be directed to:
Charles Horne
Contracting Officer’s Representative
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Hall of the States, Suite 602
444 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
phone: 202-624-1447
email: chorne@uscc.gov
USCC-21-001 U.S. China Economic and Security Commission
3/5/21, 11:29 AM Armed Conflict Location & Events Data Project (ACLED)
NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE AWARD
Project Title: Global Conflicts Events Data
Announcement No.: ACLED
The Department of State (DoS) is issuing this notice to inform of its intent to award a sole source, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to ACLED Analysis Incorporated for the continuation of data collection services, maintaining uniformity with the $6,430,605.32 data inventory established under grant SLMAQM17CA2014, and a license to maintain State Department access to the full data inventory (which includes investment from other entities). The period of performance for this effort will be a one (1) year base period with four, one (1) year option periods. The total estimated value, including the base and all options, will not exceed $14,000,000.00.
DoS, Conflict and Stabilization Office (CSO), requires reliable, systematic, and timely data on conflict to meet its bureau strategic goal of harnessing data analytics. ACLED Analysis Inc owns the intellectual property for an inventory of data containing more than one million incidents of political violence and protest covering 194 countries and is updated on a weekly basis using a proprietary methodology. CSO currently uses ACLED’s data in more than 90 percent of its data analytics products. CSO partially funded the establishment of ACLED’s data inventory under grant SLMAQM17CA2014 but requires access to the complete repository. CSO currently maintains access to the full repository through a license granted by ACLED Analysis Inc. While this repository is publicly accessible, there are legal terms and conditions to its use and limitations to how it can be used. To maintain uniformity, functionality, and integrity of CSO’s data analytics products, CSO requires access to ACLED’s full data inventory updated on a weekly basis.
The sole source award is pursuant to the following statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition: FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. ACLED Analysis Inc owns the intellectual property rights to a unique inventory of conflict data that meets CSO’s data requirements. CSO and USG invested $7,990,094 from July 2017 – June 2021 to create an inventory of conflict data collected and owned by ACLED Analysis Inc, and internal support tools to access and analyze the data. While the data collected under the State Department grant was available to the public, there are restrictions on how it can be used, and users are required to accept in order to access the data. ACLED Analysis Inc maintained the intellectual property rights to the data collected. Award to any other source would result in the substantial duplication of the $7,990,094 of Government investment that could not be recovered through competition. It would also result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling CSO’s requirement.
The determination not to compete this proposed contract action is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.
This is NOT a request for quotes or proposals.
Questions or comments regarding this Notice of Intent should be directed to Contracting Officer, Felicia Goudy, at GoudyFD@state.gov via e-mail only (no phone calls/voice mail messages regarding questions will not be accepted and will not receive a response). Please indicate in the subject of your email: Notice of Intent Question Submission – Global Conflicts Events Data.
PR10023965 Department of State Office of Acquisition Management
8/19/21, 7:56 PM Request for Proposals on China’s National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics (LOGINK) and Other Chinese Logistics Technologies and Services
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: December 13, 2021
PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS: January 3, 2022
ABOUT PROPOSALS. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (hereafter “the Commission”) invites submission of proposals to provide a concise, one-time unclassified report on China’s National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics (LOGINK) and other Chinese logistics technologies and services.
ABOUT THE COMMISSION. The Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Further details about the Commission are available on its website at: www.uscc.gov.
The Commission solicits this research pursuant to its Congressional mandate (contained in P.L. 113-291, Section 1259B), which states, “The Commission … shall investigate and report … on…”
(B) The qualitative and quantitative nature of the transfer of United States production activities to the People’s Republic of China, including the relocation of manufacturing, advanced technology and intellectual property, and research and development facilities, the impact of such transfers on the national security of the United States (including the dependence of the national security industrial base of the United States on imports from China), the economic security of the United States, and employment in the United States, and the adequacy of United States export control laws in relation to the People’s Republic of China.
(F) The strategic economic and security implications of the cyber capabilities and operations of the People’s Republic of China.
(H) The drivers, nature, and implications of the growing economic, technological, political, cultural, people-to-people, and security relations of the People’s Republic of China’s with other countries, regions, and international and regional entities (including multilateral organizations), including the relationship among the United States, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China.
This report’s key research requirements are:
1. How is China gaining influence and control over global shipping and logistics hubs? What are the shipping and logistics services, hardware, and platforms China is exporting, and what demands are these filling? What government and party policies, programs, initiatives, and goals guide Chinese activity in this space? To what extent does China’s National Public Information Platform for Transportation and Logistics (LOGINK) contribute to these efforts? What other initiatives has the People’s Republic of China identified to support global shipping and logistics hubs?
2. Identify the types of information that are collected by LOGINK and associated platforms and the uses to which that information might be applied. Logistics platforms have differing capabilities. For example, they could be used to enhance trade facilitation, including customs clearance procedures. Do LOGINK or competing platforms collect information on specific shipments, including cost, destination, and other commercial information? How might the collection of this information be used to advance the economic goals of the People’s Republic of China?
3. Who are LOGINK’s international competitors and how do their capabilities differ from those of LOGINK? Briefly describe existing means to coordinate logistics information. Assess the capabilities LOGINK has demonstrated in China’s domestic transportation hubs and its potential to provide the same services for other countries. How are LOGINK and other Chinese logistics technologies and services supervised or regulated both in China and internationally, including within the United States?
4. Where have Chinese services such as LOGINK and other key logistics technologies been most widely utilized? Where are Chinese logistics services and technologies currently being utilized outside of the People’s Republic of China? Are there additional locations that have been publicly identified as likely to use these technologies and services? What economic and political factors make a logistics hub outside of China most likely to use Chinese services and technologies such as LOGINK? How has this occurred in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, for example, and to what extent is China relying on lending from banks (both domestic and international) to support logistics expansion? What sorts of political or commercial agreements, including subsidies or other incentives, does China use to secure additional foreign participation? How does China leverage different instruments of national power to further foreign use of LOGINK?
5. How does the integration of LOGINK and other Chinese logistics technologies and services within global logistics hubs support China’s commercial competitiveness and geopolitical ambitions? How is China using LOGINK and other logistics automation technologies to influence international standard setting? To what extent do Chinese-led standards in logistics align or conflict with the interests of the United States and its allies and partners?
6. Describe additional objectives of the People’s Republic of China regarding logistics, ports, distribution facilities, and transportation hubs. What other activities have the People’s Republic of China or its companies engaged in with regard to the provision of services, technologies, or equipment at logistics facilities, ports, distribution facilities or transportation hubs in China and around the globe?
The report should include an executive summary of the report’s key findings; a list of recommendations for Congress; a brief overview of the sources and analytic methodology used for the report; and a brief explanation of the scope and limitations of the report.
Additional Requirements:
1. Prior to the award of any contract, the contractor must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM).
2. Once the Commission selects a contractor for this project, and a contract is signed, public notice of this may be made on the Commission’s website.
3. The Commission’s goal is to have a report prepared for review in a timely fashion. In ordinary circumstances, once the Commission selects a contractor and a contract is signed, a draft report—not to exceed 50 pages of text—must be submitted to the Commission for review no later than 60 calendar days from the date the contract is signed. The Commission will then endeavor to provide comments and requests for adjustments within 20 days; subsequently, the final report must be submitted within 20 days of formal receipt of the Commission’s comments. The Commission recognizes, under certain circumstances, a contractor may wish to have more time to prepare the first draft of the report under the contract. The contractor, in their contract proposal, should stipulate the time frame for submission of the draft report. It is to be understood; however, that time is of the essence in completing research contracts for the Commission.
4. As work on the report progresses, the Commission’s Research Director shall act as the Commission’s representative in monitoring the progress, quality, and responsiveness of the report to the major issues of concern identified in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The Research Director shall, on request to the contractor, be entitled to informal briefings on the status of the research work and to readings of the outline and draft in progress.
5. The report shall be free of typographical errors and conform to the Chicago Manual of Style. Upon receipt of all drafts, the Commission will inspect the document for typographical errors and deviations from the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. At the discretion of the Commission, if a draft contains excessive deficiencies, the Commission will return the draft to the contractor and request the contractor cure the draft of deficiencies within five (5) working days (not counting weekends and Federal holidays). Upon resubmission of the draft by the contractor to the Commission, should deficiencies remain, the Commission, at its discretion, will submit the draft to its copyeditor for correction, the cost of which ($45.00 per hour) will be deducted from the final cost of the contract. The contract shall be subject to termination if the Commission deems that the work is of unsatisfactory quality.
6. At the Commission’s discretion, the report procured via this RFP may be posted on the Commission’s website.
7. Each organization or individual responding to this request must warrant they will perform this work solely for the Commission, and the resulting report will not be shared with other parties without the prior written consent of the Commission.
8. The Commission expects contractors to identify all personnel working on the contract, and that there will not be any delegation of responsibilities to other parties without prior written approval of the Commission.
9. At the discretion and request of the Commission, the contractor shall, within a year after publication of the report, agree to participate in up to two (2) separate briefings, and up to one (1) public hearing, held by the Commission, of up to two (2) hours each in the Washington, DC area, supported by at least one (1) individual affiliated with the contractor identified as “key personnel.” This could include, but not necessarily be limited to, briefing the content of the research to Commissioners and Commission staff, appearing as witnesses at a public hearing held by the Commission, and briefing the content of the research to Members of Congress and/or their staff. No additional remuneration will be provided to the contractor for these briefings or a hearing. The Commission will make a good faith effort to schedule briefings and a hearing at times that are subject to mutual agreement.
Primary Selection Criteria:
1. The Commission will determine which organization or individual responding to this request will be awarded the contract based on a comprehensive “best value” analysis of the proposals received, to include costs, technical value, and ability to complete the work satisfactorily and on time, and past performance with the Commission, if applicable.
2. The primary weighting criterion in selection shall be the assessed qualifications and ability of an organization or individual to address the fundamental research points enunciated above (“key research requirements”).
3. The cost and amount of time necessary to complete the report will also be considered as criteria in the selection process.
4. The Commission is a legislative advisory committee not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Proposal submissions should include:
1. A statement of the applicant’s relevant qualifications to satisfy the terms of this RFP, to include curricula vitae for personnel intended for work on the project.
2. Identification of the principal researchers who will be responsible for the preparation of the report. It is understood that the designation of the researchers is a critical element of the proposal, and any changes regarding which individuals will be involved in the report’s preparation must be approved by the Commission in advance and in writing.
3. A description of the research methodology the applicant proposes to employ. In describing methodology, the submission should provide detailed descriptions of the sources and methods that will be used to research the report’s topic and the extent to which Chinese language sources, if any, and other primary materials will be used.
4. A list of any entities for whom you have conducted research or provided consulting services in the past. The Commission understands you may be limited in providing such information by confidentiality agreements.
5. The applicant’s responses to FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (October 2020) available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-24#FAR_52_204_24 and to FAR 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation (October 2020) available at: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-26#FAR_52_204_26.
6. An estimate of the time the applicant will need to complete the required work.
7. The price the applicant will charge to the Commission to complete the work set forth in this RFP.
8. The proposal shall not exceed eight (8) pages and may be shorter.
Organizations and individuals wishing to submit a proposal in response to this RFP must ensure that the response arrives at the location noted below by 5:30 p.m. (ET) on January 3, 2022, or it will not be accepted or considered.
Electronic submissions are acceptable. Email attachments should not exceed 5 MB.
Proposals, as well as inquiries or any other correspondence related to this matter, should be directed to:
Anastasya Lloyd-Damnjanovic
Contracting Officer’s Representative
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Hall of the States, Suite 602
444 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
phone: 202-624-1486
email: alloyd@uscc.gov
USCC-22-001 None 12/13/21, 10:39 AM