MRA FAQs

How can companies apply for the MRA Grant?

Companies have to request for a cost quotation from the third-party consultant/vendor before logging on to the Business Grants Portal (BGP) with CorpPass.

What is Business Grants Portal?

The Business Grants Portal (BGP) is a one-stop portal for businesses to apply for government grants. This paperless system allows entities to find the grants they need with ease, enjoy a convenient form completion process, and reduce the time spent on the application.

If the company has yet to register for a CorpPass Administrator account, please visit www.corppass.gov.sg. After successful registration, users need to be assigned the e-Service access to the BGP in order to submit their grant application.

Who should I contact for technical enquiries about the Business Grant Portal?

You may contact the Business Grant Portal helpdesk at +65 6708 7288 or submit an enquiry form at go.gov.sg/bgphelpdesk.

Operating hours are from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm (Mondays to Fridays)

Who should I contact if I have questions on CorpPass Registration?

You may call the CorpPass Helpdesk at +65 6643 0577 or email them at support@corppass.gov.sg.

Operating hours are from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Mondays to Fridays) and from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm (Saturdays). Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.

My company is exempted from having our accounts audited. What documents should we upload under the BGP’s Company Profile?

You may choose to upload unaudited financial statements or management accounts, if audited statements are unavailable.

If the company is newly registered and a full year’s financial statements are not available, you may provide unaudited financial statements or management accounts for the year-to-date.

Where can applicants check the status of their grant application?

An email will be sent to the company’s contact person with the status of the submitted grant application.

Alternatively, applicants may log in to the BGP. Under the “My Grants” section, they can view the status of their grant application by toggling between the tabs (Drafts/Processing/Actions Required/ Completed).

Reminder emails will also be sent when the application is returned for further clarifications. Applicants may make the necessary clarifications via BGP. Inactive applications may be withdrawn by Enterprise Singapore.

Can I revise my application after I have submitted it?

Once you have submitted your application, there can be no further amendments. We may route the application back to the applicant should there be a need for clarification.

What happens if the personnel handling the company’s grant application leaves the company? Can another staff submit the application on his/her behalf?

Any personnel assigned as a BGP user in the company and given a Preparer or Acceptor role by the company’s CorpPass Administrator can edit and submit the grant application. Contact details of the new user should be updated in the Business Grants Portal.

What happens if the CEO/MD who is authorised to accept the Letter of Offer leaves the company? How does the applicant update the BGP and CorpPass?

Under the e-Service section of the BGP, the company’s CorpPass Administrator should assign an Acceptor role to the new CEO/MD. This will enable the new management personnel to accept a Letter of Offer.

If the grant has not been approved, the CorpPass Administrator can update the Letter of Offer addressee in the grant application form.

If the grant has been approved and a Letter of Offer has been issued, no amendment to the addressee can be made. However, the new CEO/MD can still accept the Letter of Offer if he/she has been granted rights to do so. Do also update ACRA and the grant processing agency of the change in management details.

How can applicants change their CorpPass roles to accept the Letter of Offer?

The applicant company’s Corppass Admin would need to add in the “MTI – Business Grant Portal (BGP)” digital service:

1. Login at www.corppass.gov.sg
2. Go to ‘e-Services’ > ‘Select Entity e-Services’
3. Type “bgp” in the search bar to the right (next to ‘filter’)
4. Tick the box on the left of “BGP”, then press ‘Next'
   • If there is no checkbox to tick, you may skip ahead to Step 7 below.
5. Press ‘Next’ and ‘Submit’
6. Press ‘Return to Homepage’
   • After adding BGP for the company, the Admin would then need to assign it to the relevant staff.
7. Go to ‘e-Services’ > ‘Assign selected e-Services’
8. Tick the box next to the relevant staff’s name and press ‘Next’.
9. Type “bgp” in the search bar to the right (next to ‘filter’)
10. Tick the box on the left of “BGP”, then press ‘Next'
    • Select the “Acceptor” role.
    • “Authorization Effective Date” can be today
    • “Authorization Expiry Date” can be left blank
11. Press ‘Next’ and ‘Submit’
    • If you are unsure of who your Admin is, you may use your SingPass to check on the identities of your entity’s CorpPass Admins and Sub-Admins:
12. Go to www.corppass.gov.sg
13. Click on ‘Services’ > ‘Find Your CorpPass Admin’
14. Login to SingPass
15. Enter the company’s UEN
16. Press ‘Search’ (the respective admins’ names will be displayed)

For further enquiries regarding CorpPass roles, please refer to the CorpPass User Guide.

What is the information required in the proposal from the third-party consultant/vendor?

The information required includes but is not limited to:

• Testimonials/credentials of the project team (with the exception of Enterprise Singapore’s list^* of Free Trade Agreement [FTA] and Trade Compliance consultants
• Track records of past completed projects (with the exception of Enterprise Singapore’s list^* of FTA and Trade Compliance consultants)
• Detailed scope of services
• Cost breakdown by scope of services
• Expected deliverables for the project

^* Annex 1 of MRA Grant’s Eligible Activities

What is the maximum support period for an approved activity under the MRA Grant?

12 months.

When can a company commence with the project?

Companies can proceed to sign the contract with the third-party consultant/vendor after submitting the application via Business Grants Portal. Project commencement and completion dates must be in accordance to the project support period stipulated in the Business Grants Portal.

Is it mandatory for a company to appoint the consultants on Enterprise Singapore’s reference list?

No. With the exception of Enterprise Singapore’s list^* of FTA and Trade Compliance consultants, companies can tap on the reference list or approach their preferred consultants to seek quotations. Companies are strongly encouraged to exercise due diligence prior to appointing any consultant.

^* Annex 1 of MRA Grant’s Eligible Activities

Can companies engage a related associate as the third-party consultant/vendor?

The Applicant shall ensure that the suppliers and service providers engaged in this project do not have any relationship, connection, association or dealings with the Applicant or its related companies or their directors and common shareholders.

What is the timeline for a company to submit their MRA Grant application to Enterprise Singapore?

Applications must be made 6 months before the start of the project/activity at the earliest.

Would support be granted for costs incurred on incorporation of foreign entity under the individuals’ names?

No. To qualify for MRA support, the foreign entity should be registered with the applicant company as the corporate shareholder.

When applying for MRA support on “Participation in non-LEAD supported tradeshow”, why can a company only apply 6 months before event start date at the earliest?

The 6-month period will allow for greater certainty and clarity that the activity will proceed as planned. For participation in overseas tradeshows, companies are allowed to book the booth space and confirm booth design and construction cost at an earlier date. However, the MRA grant support is not guaranteed until companies’ applications are approved by Enterprise Singapore.

If my company has overseas manufacturing bases producing foreign-origin goods, can I get support for in-depth FTA consultancy services on FTAs which Singapore is not a member of?

Yes, as long as there are legitimate business relationships between your company and the manufacturing base - including but not limited to:

1. Manufacturing base as a wholly-owned entity under Singapore company, or;
2. Manufacturing base as a joint venture with overseas partner, or;
3. Manufacturing base operating as a contract manufacturer.

Can a company apply for the MRA grant for LEAD supported tradeshows under any of the following circumstances?

1. There is unavailable booth space under the Singapore National Pavilion supported under LEAD
2. It can secure a better booth location compared to the Singapore National Pavilion
3. It prefers not to be part of the Singapore National Pavilion for various reasons
4. It prefers to exhibit at a different specialty hall within the same LEAD supported tradeshow

None of the above will be supported. We strongly encourage Singapore companies to tap onto LEAD supported tradeshows to reach global customers, get feedback on products and services and learn more about overseas markets. Please refer here for LEAD supported tradeshows.

Why is there a cap on the grant support for the booth space at 36 sqm?

The MRA grant support will be capped at 36 sqm per company. The support is for up to a standard booth size based on majority of the applications, beyond which the grant is not able to cover. Based on overall trends, a booth space of 36 sqm is reasonable for companies across different industries (e.g. for display of their machines, furniture, etc.)

Does a company need to follow any standard design for its company booth at an overseas tradeshow?

No, but the applicant company’s name should be reflected clearly on either the booth or exhibitor listing.

How can Trade Credit Insurance (TCI) be used for overseas markets?

Trade Credit Insurance (TCI) is supported under the Overseas Market Set-up category of MRA from 1 April 2021. The continued support for TCI is aimed at encouraging Singapore SMEs to take up TCI cover to protect themselves against buyer defaults in new overseas markets. Companies can approach a Singapore-registered TCI broker/insurer to structure and purchase the TCI policy.

How can a company apply for multiple IP support across different overseas markets?

MRA support companies in IP search and registration expenses under the Overseas Market Set-up category of MRA. For international application, companies can submit one single MRA application for multiple new markets under the Madrid System, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System, Hague System, etc. Companies are required to indicate the key target market in the MRA application.

For direct national applications, companies should continue to submit one MRA application for each new market. For more information, please refer to IPOS’ website.

What is the supportable scope under Overseas Marketing and PR activity?

The intent of the support is to help companies create brand visibility and raise awareness to potential overseas clients. Products and services to be promoted must belong to/represented by the Singapore applicant and/or its subsidiaries. Individual marketing/PR activities would not be supported unless it is part of a holistic marketing/PR campaign executed by a professional marketing/PR agency/vendor with relevant expertise in the overseas market.

What is the supportable scope under Overseas Business Development pillar?

The typical internationalisation process involves identifying a target market and potential partners or leads through business matching, before investing resources to further assess leads for potential business. To effectively do this, companies can immerse themselves in the target market through in-market business development staff to understand the operating requirements. For companies that are new to market or new to internationalisation, this necessary and critical phase requires access to suitable third-party sources. Overseas Business Development projects support companies in conducting early-phase market exploration and in-market business development activities. The supported activities are:

1. Identification of Potential Overseas Partners
2. Overseas Marketing Presence
3. In-market Business Development

What are the supporting documents needed for Salary cost that is supported only under Overseas Marketing Presence projects?

1. Employment or Appointment letters of staff who must be a paid employee of the firm
2. Staff’s NRIC or Passport number
3. If the staff is not identified yet, please provide the job description and designation
4. CPF Statement (latest month within the project period) or employment pass/work permit for foreign employees
5. Proof of permanent residency for SG/PR, such as long stay agreement, passport etc.

Are there any other expenses supported that are not stated in the scope?

Please note that only eligible expenses stated in the scope of the MRA Grant are supported. The following expenses are not supported under the MRA Grant (please note that the list below is not exhaustive):

For all scopes:

• Out of pocket expenses (Singapore GST, exchange rate losses, etc.)
• Logistics for overseas physical trade fairs, airfare, accommodation, in-house manpower, maintenance, security deposit, sales commission and success fees
• Costs charged by other Singapore Government Agencies
• Out of pocket costs (e.g. Airfare and hotel accommodation)

Overseas Market Promotion

• Prototyping
• Production of corporate brochures
• Costs incurred for the purpose of fulfilling contractual obligation with clients
• Costs incurred for in-house manpower, maintenance, security deposit, sales commission and success fees. .
• Sponsorship Fees (Prize money).
• Standalone costs such as F&B, photography, emcee costs, email marketing, placement of ad-hoc print advertisements unless it is part of a holistic marketing/PR campaign.

Overseas Business Development

• Commission (Success fee)
• Subscription to generic directories or databases
• Costs related to sourcing for suppliers, investors, capital raising, selling of company’s shares

Overseas Market Set-up

• Assistance with Customs Authorities post-audit FTA checks
• Application for Advanced Ruling with Singapore customs
• Costs required to operationalise the business
• Costs related to appointment of Power of Attorney
• Corporate secretariat services
• Paid up capital
• Annual registered office address/Lease contract
• Custodial director service
• Individual director tax registration
• Costs related to manpower issues such as employee recruitment/work permit/visa
• Product certification/testing costs (Note: Product registration costs e.g. FDA registration that are required as part of obtaining import/export licenses can be supported, with proof of import/export licenses as the project deliverable)
• Trademark/Patent filings for Singapore

Can a company request for an extension if they cannot complete the approved activity within six months or submit the claims within the stipulated deadline?

The maximum support period for an approved activity is 12 months and companies can take up to a maximum of 3 months to submit its claims upon completion of the activity. Companies with valid reasons may request for an extension from Enterprise Singapore via the BGP before the project end date. The request will be subjected to approval.

Do the expenses of the approved activity need to be audited? Would there be any support for audit fees?

For all claims, the companies must appoint an Enterprise Singapore auditor to verify the eligibility, authenticity and accuracy of the items listed in the Statement of Claim. Companies can be eligible for an audit fee grant, capped at S$500 or the prevailing support level of the audit fee as stated in Annex 1 of the Letter of Offer in the Business Grants Portal, whichever is lower.

Why is there a need to engage an auditor?

The Auditor’s Report allows for a smoother review of claims. The responsibility of the auditor is to verify and confirm the amounts shown on the Statement of Claim are in accordance with the provisions of the Letter of Offer. The auditor would then issue the Auditor’s Report.

What is the Auditor’s Report?

The Auditor’s Report is mandatory and serves as a confirmation statement by an independent auditor that certifies the amounts shown on the Statement of Claim are in accordance with the provisions of the Letter of Offer.

What are the contact details of Enterprise Singapore-appointed auditors?

Upon approval of the MRA grant, please refer to Annex 6 of the Letter of Offer in the Business Grants Portal.

Is inter-billing and/or cost sharing between related companies of the applicant company allowed?

We are only able to defray costs that are incurred as a result of third-party engagements. The applicant would have to make payment to the third-party consultant/vendor directly.

Can a company claim for additional expenses which would only be billed by the third-party consultant/vendor after the activity is completed?

No. MRA grant support is approved based on the quotation submitted by companies during the application stage. The approved quantum is final, and additional claims are not allowed.

Can the grant be provided on a cash advancement basis?

The grant is administered on a reimbursement basis to ensure that the grants are strictly utilized for the approved project.

What are the documents required as proof of completion of project?

Companies may be required to submit additional claim documents at the request of the processing officer to substantiate the validity of the approved activities. Please be informed that the list below is non-exhaustive.

Project Scopes

• Deliverables to be provided during claims

Overseas Market and PR Activities

• Event write-up attached with corresponding materials, e.g. publicity materials and photographs/screenshots of the launch of holistic marketing and PR campaign/activities. The write-up should include the number of attendees for the event/campaign and profile of target audience
• Overall roadmap/communications plan of activities that have been completed

Participation in Overseas Physical and Virtual Trade Fairs

Overseas Physical Trade Fairs
• Photographs and exhibitors’ listing which reflects applicant company’s name at the booth
• Event write-up using word document to include 3-4 paragraphs on the environment of the booth, experience as well as how the participation has benefited applicant company

Virtual Trade Fairs
• Screenshots of exhibitor listing, publicity materials, virtual booths, virtual business meetings/matching sessions, post event analytics report product samples for virtual fairs (where available and/or applicable)

Business Matching

• Detailed report on the profile of potential customers/partners for the company in the selected market and business matching outcomes
• Pictures of meetings
• Photocopy of potential customers’ or partners’ name cards

Overseas Marketing Presence

• Proof of completion of setting up of overseas marketing presence in the market
• Documentation to show proof that the marketing activities have been conducted in market
• Posting of the applicant's staff (Singaporean/SPR/foreigner)
• Proof of rebilling of the invoices to accrue expenses back to the Singapore applicant if its overseas subsidiaries are involved in executing and paying for the expenses incurred. 

In-market Business Development

• Detailed report on updates of local in-market BD personnel’s progress, documentation and outcome of business meetings
• Report on market updates, including advice on set-up of entity in the market or future strategy plans etc

Market Entry

• Proof of Intellectual Property (IP) or trademarks that have been filed which includes relevant filing documents submitted to authorities
• Incorporation Certificate
• Copy of certificate/permit/licenses/franchise agreement
• Final assessment reports

FTA and Trade Compliance consultancy

• Detailed report on assessment of current situation, trade compliance review/assessment, potential benefits from specific FTA(s), if any, and the related FTA information
• Plans/strategy to leverage on FTAs
• Relevant filing documents submitted to authorities
• Copies of certificates, permits and licenses obtained
• Written ruling / opinion for classification of goods, origin determination of goods and/or Customs valuation
• Standard Operating Procedure manuals
• Copies of certificate/permit/license/official submissions transacted with Customs authorities

How will I be notified of the claims disbursement?

An email will be sent to the email address stated in the Business Grants Portal to confirm the transaction.

Step 1/4

• Acceptor login to BGP > Click on 'Updates Required' tab
• Click on grant's Project Title

Step 2/4

• Click on 'Withdraw Application'

Step 3/4

• Enter details in 'Remarks' section
• Click on 'Withdraw Application'

Step 4/4

• Grant application has been withdrawn