A vendor’s statement that “EDGE requires three quotations” should trigger a check of the selected activity, not an automatic purchase. Obtain the current official requirements and distinguish grant conditions from the vendor’s sales process and your company’s own purchasing policy.
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Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE FAQ explains that quotation requirements depend on the activity. There is no universal three-quotation rule for every EDGE application. Some activities have specific vendor or solution requirements.
Ask which activity the quotation is meant to support
Request the activity name, the proposed deliverables and the official requirement on which the vendor relies. “An EDGE project” is too broad to establish what documents or supplier conditions apply. The quotation should describe the actual work your company is buying.
If the supplier proposes several packages, check each package against the intended business outcome. A more expensive package should not be selected merely because it is described as grant-friendly.
Separate eligibility from value for money
A quotation can satisfy an application requirement and still be commercially poor. Compare implementation responsibilities, data migration, training, support, renewal charges and termination terms. An apparently cheaper package may leave important work outside the quoted scope.
Example: the software price excludes migration
Two vendors quote the same subscription duration. One includes migrating existing customer records; the other leaves migration to the company. Put that difference in the comparison table. Do not compare only the headline subscription price or assume that an omitted service can be added to the grant later.
Create a comparison the director can understand
- The business problem and required result.
- The activity-specific supplier requirements checked.
- Each vendor’s included and excluded work.
- Costs during implementation and after the supported period.
- Company staff time and technical responsibilities.
- Contract terms, dependencies and material uncertainties.
Keep the quotations as received, together with clarifications. If the company revises its requirements, obtain comparable updated quotations rather than marking up old documents to suggest that all suppliers offered the same scope.
Be careful with “approval guaranteed”
A supplier cannot make an official grant decision for Enterprise Singapore. Treat claims about guaranteed funding as a reason to ask for evidence and review the contract. Check whether the company remains liable for the full price if the grant is rejected.
Before signing or paying, identify the timing conditions that apply to the selected activity. A quotation comparison does not itself establish that expenditure is eligible. The grant application and the purchase contract are related but separate decisions.
Keep responsibility with the applicant company
The company should understand and approve the proposal it submits. Vendor assistance with information does not remove the applicant’s responsibility for accuracy, disclosure and compliance. Review any connections between the supplier and the applicant, and address the relevant declarations.
Should we get competing quotes even if the grant does not require three?
The company may decide that a comparison is sensible commercial governance. Describe it as the company’s decision rather than attributing an unsupported requirement to the grant.
Can we rely on a screenshot supplied by the vendor?
Use it as a starting point, then check the current official activity requirements and the actual package proposed.
Related guidance
Read our guides to grant record keeping and accounting for government grants, or explore our business grant resources.
Help with the company’s grant records and contracts
Raffles Corporate Services can help organise supporting records and review the accounting implications of a proposed project. For advice about contractual obligations, we can arrange assistance through our associated law firms. Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133. Applications and claims must be submitted by the applicant company’s own authorised staff through the prescribed process; our support does not guarantee grant approval.