EDGE Standards Grant Singapore

What types of standards are supported?

The current EDGE catalogue covers several broad families.

General standards

These are management or organisational standards that can apply across several industries.

For example, ISO 55001 Asset Management System supports companies establishing a structured system to manage assets throughout their lifecycle while balancing performance, cost and risk.

General standards can be relevant where recognised management practices improve the company's operational maturity or competitiveness.

Digitalisation and cybersecurity standards

EDGE also supports standards relating to digital trust, information technology and cybersecurity.

For example, Common Criteria / ISO 15408 provides an internationally recognised framework for independent security evaluation of IT products and systems.

Other supported digital-security standards can help companies demonstrate that their technology, systems or services satisfy recognised cybersecurity requirements.

This can be particularly important for:

• technology vendors;
• cloud providers;
• cybersecurity companies;
• companies selling into customers with formal security requirements;
• businesses operating in regulated or security-sensitive environments.

Sector-specific standards

Enterprise Singapore maintains a substantial portfolio of standards linked to individual industries.

The current sector-specific catalogue alone contains more than 50 activities across areas such as:

• healthcare;
• manufacturing and engineering;
• construction;
• IT;
• transport;
• logistics;
• food and beverage;
• environmental services;
• maritime;
• professional services.

Examples include standards covering:

• medical electrical equipment;
• photovoltaic modules;
• industrial control-system security;
• lighting products;
• manufacturing equipment;
• cloud computing security.

For these projects, the standard is often closely connected to a specific product, customer requirement or market-access objective.

Sustainability standards

Selected sustainability-related standards benefit from the enhanced sustainability support rate of up to 70% for SMEs and 50% for non-SMEs.

For example, ISO 14064-1 supports organisations establishing structured greenhouse-gas quantification and reporting at organisational level.

This category can be relevant where certification or recognised standards form part of the company's:

• decarbonisation programme;
• environmental-management capability;
• customer sustainability requirements;
• green-market positioning;
• carbon accounting or reporting capability.

The key point is that the funding rate is activity-specific. Companies should not assume every EDGE Standards project receives the enhanced sustainability rate.

What expenditure can qualify?

The current Standards activities commonly support two principal cost categories.

Professional services

Consulting support may be eligible where required to help the company:

• assess current practices;
• identify gaps;
• implement the relevant management system or technical requirements;
• prepare for certification or conformity assessment.

Where a management consultant is involved, current activity pages require the vendor's proposal, quotation and SS 680 certification.

Certification and testing

Eligible certification and testing costs may also be supported.

Where conformity assessment is required, the assessment body generally needs to be accredited by:

• the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC); or
• an internationally recognised accreditation body participating in the relevant ILAC, IAF or APAC mutual-recognition arrangements.

This should be checked before appointing the certification or testing body.

What is generally not supported?

Current Standards activities commonly exclude:

• GST;
• software costs;
• surveillance certification costs;
• certification or testing relating to renewal after the first year.

EDGE Standards is therefore primarily intended to support the initial capability-building and adoption process, rather than the recurring cost of maintaining an existing certification indefinitely.

Key conditions

The standard needs to be an EDGE-supported activity

Not every standard or certification available in the market should be assumed to qualify.

Enterprise Singapore maintains a broader standards catalogue, but the relevant test for funding is whether the proposed standard appears within the supported EDGE Standards activities.

Previous support for the same standard matters

Current EDGE activity pages prohibit repeat grant applications for the same standard, including a different version of that standard.

The certification body must be appropriately accredited

Where certification or testing forms part of the project, the conformity-assessment body must satisfy the applicable accreditation requirements.

The consultant may need SS 680 certification

Where professional management consultancy forms part of the adoption project, SS 680 requirements currently apply.

Apply before starting

The application must be submitted before project commencement or payment/deposit.

Projects are generally completed within 12 months

Current Standards activities typically specify a 12-month project period from approval.

When should you apply?

EDGE Standards is currently available on a rolling basis.

The appropriate time to assess funding is when:

• the business requirement for the standard has been identified;
• the correct standard has been selected;
• potential consultants or certification bodies are being assessed;
• the implementation scope and quotations are being developed;

but before the relevant vendor or certification engagement is committed.

Current activity pages state that qualifying costs incurred from the application date can be supported if the application is subsequently approved. Submission itself does not guarantee support.

What will Enterprise Singapore expect?

The application needs to establish more than the company's desire to obtain a certificate.

Current standards activities typically require:

• consultant proposal and quotation;
• SS 680 certification where applicable;
• conformity-assessment body's quotation;
• evidence of the assessment body's accreditation;
• projected revenue growth resulting from the project;
• projected new jobs following project completion.

The commercial case should therefore explain:

What deliverables are required?

Current standards activities generally require two categories of evidence.

Capability-building evidence

A report demonstrating:

• work undertaken;
• capability developed;
• employee training where applicable;
• business benefits realised through standards adoption.

Certification or conformity evidence

Where relevant:

• accredited certificate;
• testing report;
• compliance report;
• other conformity-assessment evidence issued by the appropriate accredited body.

This means the project should be structured from the beginning around both implementation and proof of successful adoption.

Is EDGE Standards relevant to your project?

EDGE Standards is particularly relevant where adoption of a recognised standard is linked to a specific commercial or capability objective.

A strong project may look like:

technology vendor needs recognised cybersecurity certification implementation and independent assessment required

manufacturer needs product testing against an international standard certification supports commercialisation or export

company needs a recognised sustainability standard new measurement and management capability must be built

The weakest cases are generally where the business is simply renewing an existing certificate or treating certification as an administrative requirement.

The strongest question is therefore not:

“Can EDGE pay for our ISO certificate?”

It is:

“What business capability or market opportunity will this standard enable, and what work is required to achieve it?”

How Reeve | R&D supports EDGE Standards

Reeve | R&D can manage the grant workstream around the standards-adoption project while the specialist implementation consultant and accredited conformity-assessment body deliver the underlying technical work.

Standards screening

Identify whether the proposed standard is currently supported under EDGE and determine the applicable funding rate and conditions.

Eligibility assessment

Confirm company ownership, project timing, previous support and activity-specific restrictions.

Provider review

Check whether the proposed consultant and conformity-assessment providers meet the relevant SS 680 and accreditation requirements.

Project structuring

Connect the standards-adoption work, certification process and expected commercial or capability outcome.

Application preparation

Coordinate quotations, provider credentials, business projections and supporting information.

Award and Post-Award Management

Manage the Letter of Offer requirements, deliverables, expenditure evidence and claim process through project closure.

The company remains the formal applicant and submits through its own Business Grants Portal account.

Assess your standards project