18-Mar-2025
Webinar - Unlocking Opportunities: Government Funding Schemes for the Logistics Industry
Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (TPLSP)
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Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (TPLSP)
Future Innovative Logistics Acceleration Scheme (FILAS)
Background
With a view to maintaining competitiveness of Hong Kong's logistics sector, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Government) launched the “Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers” (the Pilot Scheme) on 12 October 2020 to encourage the adoption of technology by the logistics sector for enhancing efficiency and productivity. The Pilot Scheme also covers the purchase of screening equipment including X-ray machines and Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) equipment under the Regulated Air Cargo Screening Facilities (RACSFs) Scheme accepted by the Civil Aviation Department.
The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) has engaged the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) as the Implementation Partner to serve as the Secretariat for the Pilot Scheme. A Management Committee (MC) comprising members from the trade, industrial and professional sectors has been set up to assess and approve applications. Please click here for the membership of the MC.
For more information regarding RACSF Scheme and the latest version of screening equipment approved by the Civil Aviation Department, please refer to their website here.
Eligibility for Application
All non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) with substantive business operations in Hong Kong, which also meet the following conditions, are eligible to apply:
- Providing third-party logistics services, i.e. value-added services in supply chain and distribution;
- Being related to either inbound or outbound goods; and
- Maintaining eligibility throughout the period of project implementation.
Subsidy Amount
- The total cumulative subsidy ceiling per applicant enterprise under the Pilot Scheme (including FILAS) is HK$2,000,000 (including project audit fee).
- The Government will cover a maximum of two-thirds of the total approved project cost (except the project audit fee) while the applicant enterprise has to contribute the remaining portion.
- Project auditing is required for every project. The maximum audit fee to be provided is HK$10,000, which will be counted towards the cumulative funding per applicant enterprise.
- Funding support will be granted to each applicant enterprise for a maximum of 4 approved projects (including TPLSP and FILAS), with each approved project to be completed within 24 months.
- The actual subsidy will be determined on the basis of the actual costs incurred by the successful applicant enterprise for the approved project(s) or the cumulative subsidy ceiling, whichever is the lower.
- Any approved projects cannot be subsidised under any other funding schemes of the Government at the same time.
Application Time
- The Pilot Scheme is open for application all year round.
- The processing time will depend on the submission of the required supporting documents.
Assessment Criteria
- Applications should be for implementation of project for applying technology and/or information systems to enhance the productivity and efficiency of value-added logistics processes.
- Applications will be assessed based on individual merits and considered on a case-by-case basis.
- The assessment criteria of the proposed projects include:
- Relevance of the proposed projects to the applicant enterprise’s business, i.e. whether the productivity and operational efficiency of the applicant enterprise’s business could be enhanced as a result of the proposed project
- Reasonableness of the budget
- Reasonableness of the implementation details
- Capability of Service Providers
- Past record of Service Providers (if available)
- Please refer to the Guide to Application for the Pilot Scheme for details.
Project Monitoring
- To facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of approved projects, the successful applicant enterprise will be required to submit project progress summary and/or reports to the Secretariat for review. Successful applicant enterprises will have to submit final report to the Secretariat for the MC’s approval.
|
PROJECT DURATION |
SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROGRESS SUMMARY |
SUBMISSION OF FINAL REPORT AND FINAL AUDITED ACCOUNTS |
|
6 months or below |
Not required |
Within two months upon project completion |
|
More than 6 months and up to 24 months |
Submission of a payment disbursement form with project progress summary and financial position for the first 6th month period within two weeks after the end of the 6th month |
Within two months upon project completion |
- The Secretariat will review the project progress and evaluate the project results by comparing the project progress and deliverables contained in the final report against its implementation plan and deliverables as set out in the project proposal appended to the funding agreement.
- The Secretariat may conduct on-site checking to verify the progress and results of approved projects, if needed.
Disbursement of Funds
- Funding approved under the Pilot Scheme will be disbursed in three instalments:
|
PAYMENT |
PERCENTAGE OF APPROVED FUNDING |
CONDITION FOR DISBURSEMENT |
|
Initial payment |
30% |
Upon approval of the application and signing of the funding agreement |
|
Interim payment |
20% |
Upon submission of the project progress summary for the first six months, subject to endorsement by the Management Committee of TPLSP (MC) |
|
Final payment |
50% |
Upon completion of the project and submission of the final and audited reports, subject to endorsement by the MC |
Suspension or Termination of Funding Support
- The Government reserves the right to suspend or terminate funding support for an approved project. Once a project is suspended or terminated, the applicant enterprise will not be entitled to the receipt of funding under the Pilot Scheme. Any cost incurred in the project should be solely borne by the applicant enterprise. The applicant enterprise should return all/part of the funding disbursed in respect of the approved project(s) (regardless of whether the applicant enterprise has already spent the funds or not) together with all administrative, legal and other related costs and payments to the Government via the Secretariat.
Application Submission
- Applicant enterprises shall complete and submit the application form along with copies of supporting documents as stipulated in the Guide to Application for the Pilot Scheme to the Secretariat via email (tplsp_sec@hkpc.org).
Introductory Video
Latest News & Events
Background
To develop Hong Kong into an international smart logistics hub, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Government) launched the “Future Innovative Logistics Acceleration Scheme” (FILAS) on 1 June 2026 under the “Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers” (the Pilot Scheme) to subsidise third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) for subscribing to or using IT onboarding solutions compatible with logistics data platforms operated by the Government or public organisations, including the Port Community System (PCS) and HKIA Cargo Data Platform (HKIA Cargo).
FILAS supports the one-off purchase and/or subscription of pre-approved IT onboarding solutions on the white list by 3PLs. Eligible 3PLs may now apply for a subsidy under FILAS for subscribing to or using the listed solutions.
Funding Scope
Important Documents
Eligibility for Application
All non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) with substantive business operations in Hong Kong, which also meet the following conditions, are eligible to apply:
- Providing third-party logistics services, i.e. value-added services in supply chain and distribution;
- Being related to either inbound or outbound goods; and
- Maintaining eligibility throughout the period of project implementation.
Subsidy Amount
- The total cumulative subsidy ceiling per applicant enterprise under the Pilot Scheme (including FILAS) is HK$2,000,000 (including project audit fee).
- The Government will cover a maximum of two-thirds of the total approved project cost (except the project audit fee) while the applicant enterprise has to contribute the remaining portion.
- Project auditing is required for every project. The maximum audit fee to be provided is HK$10,000, which will be counted towards the cumulative funding per applicant enterprise.
- Funding support will be granted to each applicant enterprise for a maximum of 4 approved projects (including TPLSP and FILAS), with each approved project to be completed within 24 months.
- The actual subsidy will be determined on the basis of the actual costs incurred by the successful applicant enterprise for the approved project(s) or the cumulative subsidy ceiling, whichever is the lower.
- Any approved projects cannot be subsidised under any other funding schemes of the Government at the same time.
- The funding facility of FILAS is $30 million. Applications are processed on a first-come-first-served basis. However, funding allocation in respect of applications depends on whether a given application is complete, i.e. whether all documents as required by the Secretariat are received and to the satisfaction of the Secretariat. In case of near depletion of funding under FILAS, the last tranche of funding will be awarded to whichever application under processing that meets the above completion condition first, irrespective of the sequence in which those applications still under processing were received.
Application Time
- FILAS under the Pilot Scheme is open for application all year round.
- The processing time will depend on the submission of the required supporting documents.
Assessment Criteria
- Applications should be for implementation of project for applying technology and/or information systems to enhance the productivity and efficiency of value-added logistics processes.
- Applications will be assessed based on individual merits and considered on a case-by-case basis.
- The assessment criteria of the proposed projects include:
- Relevance of the proposed projects to the applicant enterprise’s business, i.e. whether the productivity and operational efficiency of the applicant enterprise’s business could be enhanced as a result of the proposed project
- Reasonableness of the budget
- Reasonableness of the implementation details
- Please refer to the Guide to Application for the Pilot Scheme and FILAS - Guidance Note for 3PLs for details.
Project Monitoring
- To facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of approved projects, the successful applicant enterprise will be required to submit project progress summary and/or reports to the Secretariat for review. Successful applicant enterprises will have to submit final report to the Secretariat for the MC’s approval.
|
PROJECT DURATION |
SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROGRESS SUMMARY |
SUBMISSION OF FINAL REPORT AND FINAL AUDITED ACCOUNTS |
|
6 months or below |
Not required |
Within two months upon project completion |
|
More than 6 months and up to 24 months |
Submission of a payment disbursement form with project progress summary and financial position for the first 6th month period within two weeks after the end of the 6th month |
Within two months upon project completion |
- The Secretariat will review the project progress and evaluate the project results by comparing the project progress and deliverables contained in the final report against its implementation plan and deliverables as set out in the project proposal appended to the funding agreement.
- The Secretariat may conduct on-site checking to verify the progress and results of approved projects, if needed.
Disbursement of Funds
- Funding approved under FILAS will be disbursed in three instalments:
|
PAYMENT |
PERCENTAGE OF APPROVED FUNDING |
CONDITION FOR DISBURSEMENT |
|
Initial payment |
30% |
Upon approval of the application and signing of the funding agreement |
|
Interim payment |
20% |
Upon submission of the project progress summary for the first six months, subject to endorsement by the Management Committee of TPLSP (MC) |
|
Final payment |
50% |
Upon completion of the project and submission of the final and audited reports, subject to endorsement by the MC |
Procurement Procedure
- For FILAS projects, applicant enterprises are not required to comply with the procurement requirement under paragraph 5.6 of the Guide to Application for the TPLSP.
- Applicant enterprises must, however, obtain one written quotation from the solution provider of the selected pre-approved solution, irrespective of the aggregate procurement value.
- The solution provider of a pre-approved solution on the white list is also not required to meet the solution provider eligibility requirement under paragraph 2.2 of the Guide to Application for the TPLSP.
Suspension or Termination of Funding Support
- The Government reserves the right to suspend or terminate funding support for an approved project. Once a project is suspended or terminated, the applicant enterprise will not be entitled to the receipt of funding under the FILAS. Any cost incurred in the project should be solely borne by the applicant enterprise. The applicant enterprise should return all/part of the funding disbursed in respect of the approved project(s) (regardless of whether the applicant enterprise has already spent the funds or not) together with all administrative, legal and other related costs and payments to the Government via the Secretariat.
Application Submission
- Applicant enterprises shall complete and submit the FILAS application form along with copies of supporting documents as stipulated in the Guide to Application for the Pilot Scheme as well as FILAS - Guidance Note for 3PLs to the Secretariat via email (tplsp_sec@hkpc.org).
White List of Pre-approved Solutions
- To expedite the procurement of the onboarding solution for the specified logistics data platform(s), a white list mechanism was introduced under FILAS to select pre-approved solutions that are considered compliant with all the specifications set by the operators of the specified platform(s) and are capable of supporting digitalisation of the end-to-end operations of 3PLs for the use of logistics enterprises.
- Solution Providers will be invited to submit proposals for the inclusion of their IT onboarding solutions in the white list once every six months. The first round of white list applications closed on 30 June 2026. Details of subsequent rounds will be announced on this webpage where appropriate.
- Interested Solution Providers may refer to the “FILAS - Invitation for Proposal for Onboarding IT Solutions (English only)” and “FILAS – Application Form for Solution Providers (English only)” for details of the application requirements and procedures.
Latest News & Events
Management Committee of the
Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers
Membership List
2025-2026 Term
(1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026)
Chairman:
Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics
Members
Mr Kelvin KO Kai-wai
Ir Dr Kelvin LEUNG Kai-yuen
Mr Reggie WONG Chi-keung
Mr Gary YEUNG Man-yui, M.H.
Mr Frankie YICK Chi-ming, G.B.S., J.P.
Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
(Represented by Professor CHEUNG Wai-man)
GS1 Hong Kong
(Represented by Ms Anna LIN Kit-yee, M.H., J.P.)
Hong Kong Logistics Association
(Represented by Mr Vince LEUNG Ting-cheung)
Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Limited
(Represented by Mr Simon WONG Kwong-yeung, M.H.)
Secretary
Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport and Logistics
Success Cases
Events
18-Mar-2025
Webinar - Unlocking Opportunities: Government Funding Schemes for the Logistics Industry
16-Jan-2025
Webinar - Unlocking Opportunities: Government Funding Schemes for the Logistics Industry
15-Nov-2024
Webinar - Unlocking Opportunities: Government Funding Schemes for the Logistics Industry
News
FAQs
Related enterprises, i.e. enterprises registered as different businesses under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) but having common shareholders (up to the ultimate level of natural persons if the enterprises are held by companies) whose equity interest is 30% or more in each of the enterprises and having the same business nature, would be treated as one single Applicant Enterprise for the purpose of calculating the cumulative funding amount (i.e. subject to the cumulative funding ceiling of HK$2 million). Other relevant factors (such as business nature, shareholding structure and evidence of separation of business etc.) will also be taken into account as appropriate in determining whether Applicant Enterprises would be treated as one single Applicant Enterprise and be subject to the cumulative funding ceiling of HK$2 million. The Management Committee and the Secretariat would assess applications based on individual circumstances of each application (such as business operation, office information, etc.) and project implementation details. The Management Committee and the Secretariat reserves the rights to request additional documentary evidence from the Applicant Enterprise for assessing its eligibility and to determine whether the Applicant Enterprise is eligible to apply for subsidy under the Pilot Scheme.
Applicant Enterprises may provide commercial contracts, invoices, receipts, quotation documents, freight forwarding documents, bank records, etc. as proof. Please refer to Guide to Application and Application Form for details.
Projects which have received/would receive other sources of funding support provided by the Government would not be eligible for subsidy under the Pilot Scheme. Applicant Enterprises have to declare in their applications that the proposed project have not received such other sources of funding support and are not applying for such funding support at the time of application under the Pilot Scheme.
Applicant Enterprises should provide purchase agreement, invoices/receipts, proof of deposit (if any) to prove that such ETD equipment was ordered during the qualifying period. The model of such ETD equipment and the licensing for RACSFs must have the acceptance of the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) at the time when full funding is sought. The Applicant Enterprises would also need to demonstrate that the licensing for RACSFs would be obtained and the RACSFs would be in operation on or before 30 June 2021, subject to the subsequent successful submission of notification of change of RACSF Security Programme to the CAD.
Projects on system development or upgrading would be eligible for funding support under the Pilot Scheme if they are stand-alone projects with separate and well-defined deliverables, the commencement and completion dates of the remaining part of the project can be clearly identified, and the budget for the remaining part can be separately provided and justified. The Management Committee and the Secretariat would assess applications based on individual merits of each application.
Applicant Enterprises should ensure that all procurement for goods and services (including project auditing) are carried out in an open, fair and competitive manner and the appointment of reasonable qualified Service Providers. In general, for every procurement of equipment or other goods or services for the purposes of or in relation to the project, applicant Enterprises should obtain written price quotations with detailed description including breakdown of cost items, project duration, scope of work and deliverables from at least two Service Providers. The procurement contract should be awarded to the Service Provider submitting the lowest conforming price quotation. Notwithstanding to the above, the Applicant Enterprise may award the procurement contract to higher bidder or highest overall scorer based on technical or other project specific considerations. Justifications must be provided to the satisfaction of the Management Committee and the Secretariat under such circumstances.
Notwithstanding the above, Applicant Enterprises may first provide a reasonable estimated budget for project auditing at the time of application and submit the quotations afterwards. Please note that the actual amount of subsidy for project auditing will be determined based on the actual costs incurred by the Applicant Enterprises or the maximum audit fee (HK$10,000) to be counted towards the total project cost, whichever is the lower.
The actual processing time will depend on the number of applications received at the time, completeness and clarity of the information provided, etc. The Secretariat will complete the processing of a valid application and notify the Applicant Enterprise after receipt of a complete application accompanied by all necessary documentation proof and clarification as requested by the Secretariat. Applicant Enterprises are reminded to submit the required documents as detailed in the Guide in a complete manner to the Secretariat. Failure to do so may cause delay in the processing of their applications.
An initial payment of 50% of the approved funding amount is payable to a designated bank account of the Applicant Enterprise after signing of the funding agreement. The final payment will be made to the Applicant Enterprise upon satisfactory project completion and acceptance of the final report by the Management Committee and the Secretariat.
Service providers should be companies registered in Hong Kong under normal circumstances. If the equipment or solution must be sourced directly from overseas service providers under exceptional circumstances (i.e. such equipment or solution not available from service providers in Hong Kong), justifications must be provided to the satisfaction of the Management Committee and the Secretariat and prior approval must be sought.
Only projects with duration over 18 months require the submission of progress report until project completion or the expiry or termination of the relevant funding agreements to the Secretariat. Each progress report should cover the first 12 months and should be submitted within one month after the relevant 12-month period. Progress reports could be exempted for projects for purchased X-ray Machines and ETD equipment, yet submission of final reports and final audited accounts would still be required. Templates of progress and final reports could be downloaded from the website of the Pilot Scheme
An approved project has to be carried out strictly in accordance with the funding agreement. Any modification, amendment or addition to the project or the funding agreement, including but not limited to change of project duration, project scope, budget, implementation plan, deliverables or replacement of the project coordinator, shall require prior written approval by the Secretariat and the Management Committee. Reasons with supporting documents for the changes must be provided by sending an email of change request to the Secretariat (tplsp_sec@hkpc.org). The Secretariat will follow up with the requests accordingly.
Contact details
Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (TPLSP)
Fill out the form below to contact the Secretariat of the Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers (TPLSP)
Telephone
(852) 2788 6077
Email
tplsp_sec@hkpc.org
The personal data you provide (including name, contact number and email address) will be used to process, evaluate and manage your suggestions or enquiries. Should you have any concerns, please email to bee-enquiry@hkpc.org.
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