China in Intl Institutions -- RFP FINAL APPROVED 07Feb2010.doc

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

February 9th, 2010

PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS:

5:30 PM, March 2nd, 2010

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (hereafter “the Commission”) invites submission of proposals to provide a one-time unclassified report on the issues surrounding the increasing presence and influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in regional and international institutions.

ABOUT THE COMMISSION. The Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report to Congress on the economic and national security dimensions of the United States’ trade and economic ties with the PRC. 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 22 U.S.C. 7002), which states that “The Commission… shall investigate and report exclusively on… REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND SECURITY IMPACTS—The triangular economic and security relationship among the United States, Taipei and the People's Republic of China (including the military modernization and force deployments of the People's Republic of China aimed at Taipei), the national budget of the People's Republic of China, and the fiscal strength of the People's Republic of China…”.

ABOUT PROPOSALS. The Commission solicits proposals from contractors capable of providing a one-time unclassified report on the issues surrounding the increasing presence and influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in regional and international institutions.

Key issues and questions to be addressed by the report are:

1. Over the past decade, what have been the major trends and developments regarding the PRC’s involvement in regional and international institutions? What is the likely course of such trends over the next 5-10 years? The report shall examine both international and regional institutions, with specific analysis as to China’s role, differing approaches and strategies and goals being pursued by China in each such institution. Specific institutions to be examined could include – but would not necessarily be limited to – the United Nations, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bank for International Settlements, the Asian Development Bank, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization (APEC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN+3, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China’s role in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its attendant fora (Doha Round, etc.) is not intended to be a subject matter for this report.

2. What is the status – and assessed likely future status – of the PRC seeking increased representation & staff positions in these international organizations? What have been China’s financial contributions to each institution and what changes are expected in the future, if any? What has been the measurable effect, if any, of China’s increasing influence on the policy of such organizations? Identify and explicate relevant examples and case studies of such developments in recent years, and assess the implications for the United States in the areas of economic, foreign and security policy.

3. What evidence is there to indicate whether there might be a de facto free trade bloc forming through ASEAN + 3, with China at the center, and from which the United States might be excluded? If this were to prove true, how would this impact the U.S. economy and U.S. relationships in the Pacific region?

4. Within the IMF and the World Bank, does China support conditionality for loans to developing nations, particularly those in Africa? What role has China taken in establishing institutional policies on good governance and transparency in lending and investments in Africa? What evidence exists to support the view that China has provided funding for development projects in return for access to minerals or raw materials?

5. How does China’s membership at the IMF affect the Fund’s policy decisions and commentary on China’s management of its exchange rate?

6. The report should provide an overview of the timing and circumstances of PRC commitments to and participation in UN peacekeeping operations. What evidence exists of significant PRC economic investments or financial interests in the countries in which the PRC has committed to UN operations? What impact, if any, does a country's relationship with Taiwan have on how the PRC handles UN peacekeeping policies in response to crises affecting that nation or region? What affect does a country’s diplomatic or other relationships with Taiwan (or lack thereof) have on the way that the PRC responds to UN requests?

7. Assess the extent to which PRC engagement with international institutions may be reflective of broader strategic, diplomatic, and economic goals, and what the implications may be for the United States and other major actors in the international system. Specific topics to be examined might include – but would not necessarily be limited to – the question of whether or not PRC-sponsored foreign aid and/or security assistance programs offered through international institutions might or might not be intended to promote specific PRC economic, foreign policy or security policy goals.

Additional Requirements of the Commission:

1. Prior to the award of any contract, the contractor must be registered in the federal Central Contractor Registry (CCR).

2. Once a contractor has been selected for this project by the Commission and a contract signed, public notice of this will 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 a contractor has been selected by the Commission and a contract signed, a draft of the report must be submitted to the Commission for review no later than 120 days from the date of contract confirmation. The Commission will then endeavor to provide comments and requests for adjustments within 30 days; subsequently, the final report must be submitted within 30 days of formal receipt of the Commission’s comments. The Commission recognizes that, 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 initial submission, should stipulate the time frame for submissions of the initial review draft. 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 a representative of the Commission in monitoring the progress, quality, and responsiveness of the report to the major issues of concern identified in the 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 draft in progress.

5. 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 Request for Proposal may be posted on the Commission’s website.

7. Each organization or individual responding to this request must warrant that it/he/she will perform this work solely for the Commission, and that 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 not be any delegation of responsibilities to other parties without prior written approval of the Commission.

9. After completion of the report, the Commission staff, in consultation with the Contractor, will prepare a short summary of the research for posting on the Commission’s web site and other media. The Commission staff shall consult with the contractor in preparing said document.

10. A contractor will be expected to participate, as appropriate, in activities relating to the dissemination of a final report, at the discretion of the Commission. Briefing requests will be reasonable and will be 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.

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 issues and questions to be addressed by the report”).

3. The cost and amount of time necessary to complete the report will also be considered as criteria in the selection process.

Proposal submissions should include:

1. A statement of the applicant’s relevant qualifications to satisfy the terms of this request for proposals (RFP), to include curricula vitae for personnel intended for work on the project;

2. 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;

3. An estimate of the time the applicant will need to complete the required work;

4. The price the applicant will charge to the Commission to complete the work set forth in this RFP.

Firms and individuals wishing to submit a proposal in response to this Request for Proposal must ensure that the response arrives at the following location by 5:30 PM on March 2nd, 2010 or it will not be accepted or considered.

Electronic submissions are acceptable.

Proposals, as well as any other correspondence related to this matter, should be directed to:

John Dotson

Research Coordinator

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission

Hall of the States, Suite 602

444 North Capitol Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001 phone: 202-624-1482 e-mail: jdotson@uscc.gov

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