China National Science Programs--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 national-level science programs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the implications of such programs for future U.S. technological and economic competitiveness.

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… ECONOMIC TRANSFERS—The qualitative and quantitative nature of the transfer of United States production activities to the People's Republic of China, including the relocation of high technology, manufacturing, and research and development facilities, the impact of such transfers on United States national security, the adequacy of United States export control laws, and the effect of such transfers on United States economic security and employment…”

UNITED STATES-CHINA BILATERAL PROGRAMS—Science and technology programs, the degree of non-compliance by the People's Republic of China with agreements between the United States and the People's Republic of China on prison labor imports and intellectual property rights, and United States enforcement policies with respect to such agreements…”

ABOUT PROPOSALS. The Commission solicits proposals from contractors capable of providing a one-time unclassified report on the national-level science programs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the implications of such programs for future U.S. technological and economic competitiveness.

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

1. Provide an overview, examination & assessment of China’s national-level programs to encourage scientific modernization, from the 1980s to the present. Such programs would include: the “863” Program, the “973” Program, the “Climbing” Program, the “100 Talents” Program, the 15-20 Year Science & Technology Program, et al. Such an overview would also include an examination of the relationships of these programs with China’s 5-year state economic plans.

2. Explicate and analyze the identifiable policy linkages, if any, between these national-level programs and China’s industrial policy (as detailed in the Commission’s 2009 Annual Report to Congress). If such connections exist, what might the implications be for U.S. economic competitiveness in fields of emerging technology?

3. Assess the budgetary commitment and resources made available to further these programs by the Chinese government. In preparing this assessment, the report should examine not only direct contributions, but other forms of support including such areas as below-market financing from banks, tax rebates and free or reduced-price land.

4. Explicate and analyze the identifiable policy linkages, if any, between these national-level programs and the increasing capacities of China’s military-industrial complex. Are there identifiable ways in which China’s capacity to produce more advanced indigenous weapons systems has been improved by the Chinese government’s investments in scientific education and research over the past two decades? If so, does this reveal any likely trends for the future?

5. Explicate and assess the methods commonly employed by the PRC for obtaining advanced technologies from other countries. This would include both an assessment of legal means used to pursue such technology transfers – such as establishing joint ventures with Western firms or other forms of participation by Western firms in Chinese scientific modernization efforts, and purchasing stakes in foreign firms possessing desired technology – as well as illicit means such as industrial espionage and illegal technology export. The report should evaluate the use of incentives by the Chinese government to encourage U.S. and other foreign firms to relocate research and development capacities to China. The report should also include, where available, specific examples of U.S. and other foreign entities participating or providing support to achieve China’s military or civilian sector goals.

6. Identify cooperative scientific and research development programs between Chinese and U.S. universities, colleges and other educational institutions and associations that are engaged in efforts covered by China’s “scientific modernization” programs.

7. Assess the identifiable relationships, if any, between the priority technologies identified in China’s national science programs and the sectors of U.S. technology most frequently targeted by China for acquisition, whether by means legal or illegal.

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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