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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: December 13, 2021 PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS: January 13, 2022 ABOUT PROPOSALS. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (hereafter “the Commission”) invit... REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: December 13, 2021 PERIOD OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ENDS: January 13, 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 13, 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