An external adviser can help your company organise a project, but the applicant should retain control of what is submitted. Define who prepares the information, who approves its accuracy and which authorised employee submits it.
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Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE FAQ says applications and claims must be submitted through the Business Grants Portal by the applicant’s authorised employees or staff, not by vendors, corporate secretaries or other third parties on its behalf.
Separate three responsibilities
Preparation involves assembling the project description, costs and supporting records. Review involves checking that they describe the company’s actual plans and satisfy the relevant requirements. Submission involves making the declarations and sending the application through authorised company access.
Do not merge those responsibilities into a vague instruction to “let the consultant handle everything”. The director should understand both the project and the company’s commitments.
Agree the adviser’s scope in writing
- What documents the adviser will help prepare.
- What information the company must supply.
- Who checks quotations and project facts.
- Who reviews the application declarations.
- What the company’s authorised staff must do in the portal.
- What happens if clarification is requested or funding is refused.
Distinguish an advisory fee from the supported project expenditure. Do not assume that every cost of obtaining advice is eligible under the grant.
Example: the adviser writes the project description
A consultant produces a polished description of a proposed system. Before submission, the company should check the actual workflow, implementation responsibilities, staffing and quotation. A good description still needs to be true. Remove claims about capabilities or expenditure that the business cannot support.
Keep account access under company control
Identify the authorised preparer and acceptor roles and ensure the responsible staff can carry out the required actions. Do not share a personal authentication credential with an adviser to avoid a proper authorisation step.
If the employee managing the application leaves, arrange a documented handover and review the authorised portal contacts. Preserve the submitted material and agency correspondence so the new responsible person does not have to reconstruct the project from a supplier’s inbox.
Review declarations before the authorised person submits
Give the reviewer the actual supporting documents, not just the final application screen. Confirm the applicant identity, ownership information, supplier details, related-party matters, expenditure and existing support where relevant.
Record questions and how they were resolved. If a material uncertainty remains, seek official clarification rather than asking the employee to accept a declaration they do not understand.
Plan for the work after submission
Assign responsibility for queries, acceptance of an offer, record keeping, project monitoring and claim preparation. A signed advisory engagement does not ensure that these later tasks will happen. Keep a company-owned project folder and an accessible chronology.
Raffles Corporate Services can assist with organising company records, accounting review and appropriate advisory coordination. The company’s authorised staff remain responsible for the prescribed submission process.
Can a vendor submit because it knows its own solution?
The vendor can provide accurate product information. That does not make it the applicant’s authorised staff or transfer the submission role.
Does adviser involvement guarantee approval?
No. The agency assesses the application against its requirements. Clear preparation helps the company present its actual project accurately.
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.