Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

At present, HIDS will only cover the key staple ingredients in Singapore residents’ diets – cooking oil and wholegrain staples, as well as sauces, desserts, sweet spreads and table salts. These make up a majority of Singapore residents poor dietary quality (i.e. daily saturated fat, sugar and sodium intake). With the increased pervasiveness of healthier ingredient options through this scheme, consumers would have easier access to better quality meals when eating out. This will help to lower their risk of developing chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, HPB still regularly reviews the scheme and new ingredient categories may be included, or existing ingredient categories removed.

As more ingredient suppliers come on board HIDS and start offering and supplying healthier ingredients to F&B/retail outlets, consumers will have access to healthier food options and enjoy foods prepared with better quality ingredients when they eat at home or dine out.

Find out more about the conditions to be fulfilled in order to become an applicant of HDS.

Quarterly Progress reports must be submitted up till the final full quarter for the Project Outcome KPI to be considered as being fully achieved. Quarterly Progress reports should detail the project progress of activities conducted, the status of KPI achievement and any new capabilities developed. Scheme participants must submit a softcopy of the Quarterly Progress report to HPB 1 month after the end of each quarter of the calendar year (i.e. submit progress reports of sales and activities that were conducted from 1 Jan – 31 Mar, by 30 Apr).

Disbursements will be made on a 6-monthly reimbursement basis upon application by the scheme participant. The last claim will have to be submitted latest by 2 months after the end of the 2-year qualifying period. Scheme participants have to engage an external auditor at their own cost to audit the claims before submission to HPB.

The total Grant will be disbursed as follows:

• 80% of Actual Qualifying Investments if the Outcome KPI is met; OR

• 64% of the Actual Qualifying Investments, if the Outcome KPI has not been met.

The following documents will need to be submitted (in softcopy) within 2 months after the end of the Claim Period*:

• All Quarterly Progress reports, up till the latest full quarter before Outcome KPI is achieved;

• HCS License Agreement as proof of Outcome KPI achievement;

• Images of newly developed HCS product or packaging design artwork;

• Special Purpose Audit report by External Auditor;

• HPB’s prescribed claim form;

• Statement of claims showing a summary of all the cost items that the scheme participant is claiming for; AND

• Any other documents required by HPB

HPB will disburse the claim within 3 months upon receipt of a full and error-free set of claim documents. Successful applicants should refer to the Grant Letter received for more information and submission requirements.

*’Claim period’ refers to the period that the applicant is claiming. For example, it could be a 6-month period or 12-month period (applicant can submit claims every 6 months).

Find out more about the conditions to be fulfilled in order to become an applicant of GTMS.

Scheme participants must submit a Quarterly Sales and Progress Report (in softcopy) to HPB 1 month after the end of each quarter for the Project Outcome KPI to be considered as fully achieved (i.e. Scheme participants have to submit reports of sales and activities conducted from 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2020 by 30 Apr 2020).

1. Quarterly Sales Progress Report

   • Scheme participants must use the excel spreadsheet template provided by HPB. Kindly adhere to the business type categorisations in the drop-down list. The definition of business types is also included in the excel spreadsheet.

   • Sales Progress Report must reflect monthly sales to direct customers (distributors/wholesalers) and their downstream F&B/retail outlets (ultimate recipients of the healthier ingredient products).

   • Scheme participant’s first-tier downstream distributor(s)/wholesaler(s) may separately send HPB the list of F&B/retail outlets to which they have supplied the healthier ingredient product(s) to. Do note that this list must reach HPB by the stipulated deadline. Downstream distributor(s)/wholesaler(s) have to inform HPB of the scheme participant which it is purchasing the healthier ingredient product(s) from.

   • Compliance by the first-tier downstream distributor(s)/wholesaler(s) will be the sole responsibility of the scheme participant.

2. Quarterly Progress Report of Project Progress

   • The Progress Report should detail the project progress of activities conducted, the status of KPI achievement and any new capabilities developed.

The approved Grant will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis, upon achievement of the key performance indicators (KPIs) as submitted in the relevant proposal(s) and approved by HPB. Scheme participants are allowed to submit for reimbursement on a 6-monthly basis (mid year and final year claims). Scheme participants have to engage an external auditor at their own cost to audit the claims before submission to HPB.

The Applicant is required to indicate two types of KPIs in each proposal:

1. Activity KPI(s); AND

2. Outcome KPI(s).

For milestones completed in the first 6 months of the qualifying period, scheme participants will be able to claim up to 64% of the cost of each approved activity under the Activity KPI(s). The remaining 16% of the cost of each approved activity under the Activity KPI(s) will be disbursed at the end of the 1-year qualifying period upon satisfactory fulfilment of the Outcome KPI(s). Costs incurred under the Ingredient Thematic Promotion category should also be included in the submission of claims every 6 months.

The following documents will need to be submitted (in softcopy) within 2 months from the end of the claim cycle*:

1. All Quarterly Sales and Progress Reports, including Distributor Reports

2. Special Purpose Audit report by External Auditor - The special purpose audit shall be conducted by an independent certified public accountant, registered with ACRA, in a public accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting LLPs. The external auditor shall express their independence and compliance with ethical requirements for the special purpose audit on the face of the report to be submitted to HPB. External auditors will be engaged by scheme participants at the scheme participants’ own costs.

3. HPB’s prescribed grant claim form

4. Statement of claims showing a summary of all the cost items that scheme participants are claiming for

5. Any other documents required by HPB

HPB will disburse the claim within 3 months of receiving the full and error-free set of claim documents.Successful applicants should refer to the Grant Letter received for more information and submission requirements.

*The term “claim cycle” refers to every 6-month period.