With the rise of authoritarian regimes globally scholars have increasingly paid attention to how formal institutions such as elections, parties, and legislatures contribute to authoritarian rule. However, what has received less attention so far are consultative institutions that exist in different shapes and their function for authoritarian regimes. Drawing on data from two People’s Provincial Consultative Conferences (PPCC) in China this paper develops a theory of delegates’ participation inside these assemblies. The results show that consultative institutions can serve as an effective channel for local and professional knowledge transmission that are useful for rational policy-making. Specifically, local government officials are particularly active to transmit local knowledge and appeal to the provincial government. Academics as well as professionals are also significantly more active than other delegates. With these alternative knowledge resources, consultative institutions can potentially contribute to a rationalization of policy-making.