Request for Proposal (RFP): Indo-Pacific Business Survey: Perceptions of Canada’s Competitiveness and Asia’s Willingness to Engage

Request for Proposal (RFP):

Indo-Pacific Business Survey: Perceptions of Canada’s Competitiveness and Asia’s Willingness to Engage

Asia Regional Office – Singapore (Remote)

Introduction

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) invites proposals from qualified consultants or research firms to design and implement a multi-country survey examining how stakeholders across the Indo-Pacific perceive Canada as a trade, investment, and commercial partner, and the extent to which these perceptions influence trade relationships,  investment decisions, business engagement, and supplier selection.

About APF Canada

APF Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization focused on strengthening ties between Canada and Asia through research, education, and convening activities. The Foundation produces a range of research outputs, including reports and policy briefs, insights and explainers, surveys, and digital media, and provides Asia competency training for Canadian organizations, students, and young professionals.

Project Description and Objectives

Canada has heightened its efforts to deepen engagement with the economies of the Indo-Pacific under its 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy. While Canada is generally perceived positively in the region, there is limited structured evidence on how these perceptions translate into commercial outcomes, including trade relationships, investment decisions, and long-term partnerships.

Existing regional surveys, including those conducted by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, provide insights into regional perceptions of major partners. However, these surveys do not assess how such perceptions influence business decision-making and commercial engagement.

This project aims to address this gap by developing a survey that captures how Canada is evaluated in real-world business and trade contexts and identifies factors influencing its competitiveness relative to other partners.

The project will pursue the following objectives:

• Establish a baseline understanding of how Canada is perceived as a commercial and trade partner in key Indo-Pacific markets;
• Examine the extent to which positive or negative perceptions of Canada translate into business engagement and commercial outcomes;
• Identify factors influencing supplier and partner selection, including how Canada compares to competitors such as Australia, the United States, and Japan;
• Assess key barriers and frictions affecting engagement with Canada, including structural and regulatory considerations;
• Explore observed asymmetries in trade relationships, including factors shaping Canada’s role as a supplier in regional markets;
• Develop a framework for tracking changes over time, including indicators that reflect improvements in Canada’s engagement and competitiveness.

Project Scope

Geographic Scope

The survey will focus on selected Indo-Pacific markets, including:

• Singapore
• Vietnam
• Taiwan
• Japan
• South Korea
• Philippines
• Indonesia

Target Respondents

The survey should focus on senior stakeholders with experience or involvement in Canadian:

• Trade, procurement, or supply chain decisions;
• Investment and business expansion decisions;
• Regional business operations;
• Policy, advisory, or research roles related to trade and economic engagement.

Survey respondents must be screened for suitability. Bidders are encouraged to propose an appropriate respondent segmentation strategy.

Research Approach

APF Canada is seeking proposals on the most appropriate research design to achieve the stated objectives.

Proponents are expected to:

• Propose a research-driven survey methodology (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods);
• Recommend sample size, structure, and recruitment strategy, taking into consideration Canada’s major export industries and the potential desire to cross-tabulate survey data by sector);
• Consider the use of an initial exploratory phase (e.g. expert interviews) to inform survey design;
• Develop an approach that captures business decision-making processes, including partner and supplier selection;
• Propose a framework for longitudinal tracking, including indicators that can be monitored over multiple survey iterations.
• Recommend how changes in Canada’s engagement can be measured over time, and what indicators would demonstrate progress.

Key Research Questions

The survey should aim to address the following questions:

• To what extent do positive perceptions of Canada translate into actual business engagement and trade relationships, greenfield investments, and/or acquisitions?
• What factors influence the selection of international partners and suppliers?
• In which contexts are Canada considered a viable partner, and where is it not?
• How does Canada compare to other countries (e.g. Australia, United States, Japan) in commercial decision-making?
• What barriers or challenges affect engagement with Canada?

The successful bidder will be expected to deliver a comprehensive set of survey questions that addresses the core questions above, but will also generate considerable public and media interest in the overall outcomes/findings of the project.

Deliverables & Milestones

The consultant/firm will be responsible for delivering:

• Survey design and methodology, including proposed question sets;
• Survey instrument and/or qualitative discussion guides;
• Data collection and analysis;
• Final research report (5 – 10 thousand words), including an executive summary of key findings and policy-relevant insights for public consumption, as well as any associated raw research data;
• Recommendations for improving Canada’s commercial engagement;
• Proposed framework for ongoing tracking and future iterations of the study;
• Presentation materials (slide deck and speaker notes) for senior stakeholders.

Project Timeline & Milestones

Milestone

Target Date

Project Kick-off

As soon as possible

Research Design Finalized

Four weeks post kick-off

Data Collection Completed

TBD in consultation

Draft Report Completed

TBD in consultation

Final Report Submitted

TBD in consultation

Qualifications & Requirements

Interested consultants or firms should demonstrate:

• Proven expertise in market research, survey design, or market research (including survey design) and competitor analysis in Asia;
• Experience conducting multi-country studies in the Indo-Pacific region;
• Experience engaging with private sector stakeholders;
• Ability to design research that captures commercial behaviour and decision-making;
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, actionable insights.

Budget

Proponents are encouraged to propose the most cost-effective approach within a suitable range based on market value and to clearly articulate any scope trade-offs or alternative design options.

Proposal Submission

Submission Deadline: August 14, 2026 (12 p.m. SGT)

Qualified proponents should submit a proposal in one merged file, including:

1. Technical Proposal

• Proposed approach and methodology
• Work plan and timeline
• Team composition and qualifications

1. Financial Proposal

• Budget breakdown, including professional fees and any additional costs

1. Relevant Experience

• Examples of similar projects
• Writing sample

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance and quality of the proposed methodology (25%);
• Experience and qualifications of the consultant/firm (30%);
• Feasibility of the work plan and timeline (25%);
• Cost-effectiveness and value for money (20%).

Contact Information

For any inquiries regarding this RFP, please contact:

Jahafar Abdullah
Marketing and Communications Manager
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
singapore@asiapacific.ca

APF Canada looks forward to receiving proposals and working with partners to generate evidence-based insights on Canada’s commercial engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.