Technology Voucher Programme (TVP)

No. Applicants should ensure that all procurement for goods and services (including technology consultancy and project auditing) are carried out in an open, fair and competitive manner and the appointment of reasonable qualified suppliers or service providers. In general, applicants should adhere to the following procurement procedures –

1. for every procurement of equipment or other goods or services for the purposes of or in relation to the Project, the aggregate value of which does not exceed HK$50,000, the applicant itself (versus its agents or sub-contractor) shall obtain written price quotations from at least two suppliers or service providers.
2. for every procurement of the equipment or other goods or services for the purposes of or in relation to the Project, the aggregate value of which exceeds HK$50,000 but does not exceed HK$300,000, the applicant itself (versus its agents or subcontractors) shall obtain written price quotations from at least three suppliers or service providers;
3. for every procurement of the equipment or other goods or services for the purposes of or in relation to the Project, the aggregate value of which exceeds HK$300,000 but does not exceed HK$1,360,000, the applicant itself (versus its agents or sub-contractors) shall obtain written price quotations from at least five suppliers or service providers; and
4. for every procurement of the equipment or other goods or services for the purposes of or in relation to the Project, the aggregate value of which is more than HK$1,360,000, the applicant shall follow an open procurement process. Channels which are easily accessible by the general public shall be used to publicise the tender notices.

For (a)-(c) above, full justifications must be given if the minimum number of quotations was not obtained from the market. If the lowest bid is not selected for (a)-(c), prior written consent must be obtained from the Secretariat and full justifications must be given.

The applicant must provide full justifications of shortlisted or selected supplier(s) or service provider(s), including but not limited to company profile, year founded, number of staff, etc., upon the request of the Secretariat. The Secretariat reserves the right to eliminate any supplier(s) or service provider(s) and request the applicant to conduct the procurement exercise again should there be any doubts regarding their technical capability and/or track record in similar projects or if the Secretariat considers that the procurement for any goods or services are not carried out in an open, fair and competitive manner.

Applicant should also ensure that each bidder/tenderer has signed the Probity and Non-Collusive Quotation/Tendering Certificate as part of their tender or quotation submission to the applicant. Please click here for the model clauses in probity and non-collusive quotation/tendering certificate.

Though applicants can engage consultants, service providers and suppliers of its choice, to avoid conflict of interests, applicants must not engage a consultant/service provider/supplier, the owners, shareholders, management of which are the owners, shareholders, management of the applicant or their relatives. Applicants or any person/staff authorised by the applicants to handle or in any way involved in the quotation or tender exercise should have no actual or potential conflict of interest, and should not participate in the procurement process if otherwise.

Applicants are required to report cases of conflict of interest, including actions taken, to the Secretariat in writing.

The procurement of equipment/hardware/software/other assets or consultancy services is subject to the following rules:

1. The title and interest in new equipment /hardware/software and other assets purchased with funds under the TVP shall vest with the applicant;
2. Unless prior written approval from the Secretariat is obtained, the applicant is required to keep all equipment/hardware/software/other assets funded under the TVP for at least one year after project completion or termination of the project, and shall make such equipment/ hardware/software/other assets available for inspection by the Secretariat or representatives of the Government / Government’s authorised agencies upon request. The applicant shall not transfer, sell or dispose of the equipment/hardware/software/other assets within the period as specified above without prior approval;
3. All items purchased, procured or leased with funds under the TVP should be licensed products and would not infringe any third party intellectual property rights; and
4. The risk in using the equipment/hardware/software/other assets or consultancy services will be borne by and remain with the applicant.

Purchases, maintenance, warranty and insurance of existing and newly purchased equipment for normal business operation of the applicant will not be funded under TVP. Besides, TVP funding will not be provided for expenditures prior to project approval or incurred outside the project period.

The applicant shall purchase, procure or lease the equipment, other goods or services for the project through non-cash methods such as credit card, cheque, bank transfer. The applicant may procure equipment, other goods or services for the project in cash to meet immediate needs, provided that the total value of any single transaction of the equipment, goods or services or all of the above for the purposes of or in relation to the project shall not exceed HK$5,000 each and the transaction shall be reasonably necessary for the discharge of the obligations and duties owed by the applicant under the funding agreement, and the procurement price is reasonable. The applicant has to certify in writing all these requirements. Any single transaction by the applicant of a total value exceeding HK$5,000 shall not be made in cash without the prior written approval of the Secretariat.

To avoid potential conflict of interest, technology consultants/ service providers/ suppliers may not provide loans to entities for carrying out TVP projects.