PEP-SBF Awards 2016

S/N

Agency

Name/Title

Contacts

1

MPA

Ms Fouziah Rahim/ Manager, Corporate Communications

Fouziah_RAHIM@mpa.gov.sg
63751852

2

SLA

Ms Esther Chew/ Assistant Manager

Esther_CHEW@sla.gov.sg
6478 3864

3

IRAS

Ms Clara Ng/Principal Corporate Communications Officer

Clara_NG@iras.gov.sg
63512069

4

SCDF

LTC Leslie Williams/ Assistant Director Corporate Communications

Leslie_WILLIAMS@scdf.gov.sg
6848 1502

5

IES

Mr Lim Kien Hwee/ Divisional Director

LIM_Kien_Hwee@iesingapore.gov.sg
6433 4423

6

CAAS

Ms Cheryl Ng/ Manager

Cheryl_Ng@caas.gov.sg
6595 4079

7

Customs

Ms Toh Shi Ting/ Senior Corporate CommunicationsOfficer

TOH_Shi_Ting@customs.gov.sg
6355 2165

8

IMDA

Mr Adrian Chan/ Manager
Mr Eugene Neubronner/ Manager

Adrian_KM_CHAN@imda.gov.sg
6211 1510
Eugene_Neubronner@imda.gov.sg
6211 1182

9

CPFB

Ms Daphne Lye/ Assistant Director

Daphne_Lye@cpf.gov.sg
3

10

STB

Ms Lin Shuli/ Manager
Ms Valerie Tham/ Asst Manager

Lin_shuli@stb.gov.sg
68313644
Valerie_tham@stb.gov.sg
68313933

11

ICA

Ms Joanna Wong/ Senior Public & Internal Communications Executive

Joanna_WONG@ica.gov.sg
6391 6190

B) PEP-SBF Most Improved Agency Award 2016

Agency

Singapore Tourism Board (STB)

Up from 23rd position in 2015 to 9th position in 2016.

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)
Up from 15th position in 2015 to 5thposition in 2016.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA)
Up from 24thposition in 2015 to 15th position in 2016.

Suggestion:Sale Of Over-The-Counter (OTC) Products Via Vending Machines

Suggestor:
Guardian Health & Beauty (Guardian)

Supporting Agency:
Health Sciences Authority (HSA)

To provide more convenience to consumers and reduce reliance on manpower, Guardian provided feedback to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to consider allowing the sales and supply of certain over-the-counter or General Sale List (GSL) medicines/products via vending machines. GSL items currently can be bought over the counter without the need for a doctor’s prescription or the supervision of a pharmacist. Some examples include paracetamol, antacid and charcoal tablets.

HSA consulted with relevant stakeholders in reviewing regulations to facilitate the sales and supply of GSL medicines via vending machines.

With this change, businesses will stand to benefit from another option of selling GSL medicines, and consumers will benefit from the convenience of being able to purchase such medicines anytime. To ensure that the safety and quality of these medicines supplied via vending machines are not compromised, HAS has also put in place appropriate safeguards. The relevant legislation has been revised and has taken effect from 1 November 2016.

Suggestion: Motorised personal mobility devices–self-balancing vehicles

Suggestor:

EMARCO Enterprise Pte Ltd(EMARCO)

Supporting Agency:
Land Transport Authority (LTA)

Previously, there was a lack of clear guidelines and legislation for the use of motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as one or two wheeled selfbalancing vehicles. Businesses which sold such devices in Singapore facedchallenges in securing contracts with corporate users who wanted to beassured that such devices were authorised by LTA for use outside building premises. EMARCO, which is a distributor of a wide range of eco-friendly products, such as motorized PMDs, suggested that LTA provide clarity on the rules and regulations for the use of PMDs

The Active Mobility Advisory Panel, which was set up by LTA to develop rules and norms for active mobility, has studied the rules for the use of PMDs. In March 2016, the panel submitted its recommendations for the proposed rules and code of conduct to facilitate the safe and harmonious use of footpaths, cyclingpaths and shared paths. This included rules and guidelines on the use of PMDs.

Suggestion:Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS)

Suggestor:

Mr Benjamin Tay

Wan Tai & Co (Pte) Ltd

Supporting Agency:

Public UtilitiesBoard (PUB)

InSeptember 2015, PUB announced that it would be introducing a validity period of 3 years for Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) to ensure that WELS products comply with the latest PUB-stipulated standards.

Mr Tay from Wan Tai & Co, which is an importer and retailer of sanitary fittings, expressed concern that with this new regulation, his company would face difficulties selling its existing merchandise within the 3-year WELS validity period. He therefore suggested that the new requirement apply only to newly built houses, while allowing products with outdated WELS to be used for replacements and renovations

PUB clarified that the proposed introduction of the 3-year validity period was to ensure that WELS products met the latest standards, not cause water contamination and wastage, and were durable.Nonetheless, in response to the industry’sfeedback, PUB has decided not to impose any validity period for the WELS label.

D) Public Sector Pro-Enterprise Initiative Award

Award

Agency & Initiative

Gold

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) - Enhanced

iShop@ACRAiShop@ACRA is a 24x7 business information service portal which provides services to both local and overseas businesses.
ACRA enhanced iShop@ACRA to expand the services offered and enable more transactions to be carried out online, e.g. instantaneous delivery of electronic products, electronic certification and product authentication. The removal of manual processes and faster processing will help businesses save approximately 36,401 man-days, which translates to $7.72 million in annual cost savings.

Gold

Housing and Development Board (HDB)–VendCafé

The food services industry, faced with manpower shortage and rising rentals, needs to innovate to serve customers in a more resource efficient manner. HDB and SPRING worked together to support the Vendcafé, a fully automated cafe that provides hot meals to residents. The VendCafé is a manpower-lean dining format which requires 70% to 90% less manpower than a typical coffee shop stall. Food preparation is done off -site, thereby doing away with the need for a kitchen and minimising the need for on-site manpower. It can also be built within weeks to provide quick meals in locations where dining options are limited.

Silver

Building and Construction Authority (BCA) - Use of Automatic Identification System (AIS) to verify origin of imported construction materials

BCA regulates importers of essential construction materials through theImporters’Licensing Scheme, to ensure there is a secure and reliable supply of construction materials that is of acceptable quality, and from diversified sources. Previously, BCA conducted manual on-site checks under the scheme. Going forward, the agency will leverage the AIS to automate checks. With this initiative, businesses do not need to dock their vessels for checks by BCA. This saves businesses $120/hr worth of docking costs for each vessel.

Silver

Energy Market Authority (EMA) - Facilitating the deployment of solar by reducing compliance cost through innovative pro-business solution

EMA previously required solar energy companies to install physical meters to measure their energy production. These physical meters are relatively costly to install and increases the cost of solar deployment. The industry had provided feedback that having such requirements would discourage wider adoption of solar as an energy source. As the output from solar installations is dependent on weather conditions, going forward, EMA will use solar irradiance data to determine solaroutput and the corresponding market-related charges. With the removal of the need to install physical meters, solar energy companies will reduce their costs (estimated to be about 3% - 4% of the cost of a typical solar installation for such customers).

Bronze

Building and Construction Authority (BCA) - To improve the incident reporting workflow and management system (Incident Mobile App)

Since the implementation of the Amusement Rides Safety Act (ARSA) in July 2011, ride operators are required to report adverse incidents to BCA. Depending on the seriousness of the incident, operators are required to notify BCA as soon as practicable and/or suspend the ride until BCA has checked and given the clearance for safe operation.

n response to feedback from businesses, BCA developed a mobile app which enabled the submission of incident reports anytime and anywhere, including“live”reporting. The quicker incident reporting process reduced the downtime of rides being shut for non-safety critical issues, thereby reducing monetary losses for businesses.

Bronze

Energy Market Authority (EMA) - Creating vibrancy in the electricity retail market through the futures market

To keep electricity prices competitive, Singapore launched its wholesale electricity market in 2003. In most liberalised markets around the world, an electricity futures market typically complements the wholesale market.

EMA, in partnership with SGX and the electricity industry, launched the electricity futures market in 2015. Electricity stakeholders now have a new avenue to trade future electricity products at a fixed price, to mitigate risks. Additionally, the futures market provides pro-enterprise solutions such as market making services to create liquidity and encourage the entry of new players and new business models. This futures market is expected to lead to a 2% reduction in retail prices for electricity consumers (e.g. commercial and industrial players).

Bronze

Health Sciences Authority (HSA) - Medical Device Risk Classification Tool

HSA adopts a risk-based approach to the regulation of medical devices. The risk classification guideline was adopted from the International Medical Device Regulators Forum. Previously, businesses occasionally required assistance in the interpretation and application of the rules in determining the risk classification of their products. In response tobusinesses’feedback, HAS developed an online self-help Medical Device Risk Classification Tool for businesses to easily determine the risk classification of their medical devices. This initiative has resulted in time savings of 1.5 weeks for each query, compared to the response time needed for HSA to provide the information. This has facilitated faster and earlier entry of medical products in Singapore.

Bronze

Health Sciences Authority (HSA) - Simplification of system and product codes to be declared for health products in TradeNet

HSA reviewed the setup, license information and product codes that need to be provided for import permit applications for health products. Following the review, the following changes have been implemented:

a) The declarations for all categories of health products subject to import
license, and/or product approval requirements were streamlined to be processed by a single Competent Authority (CA) under HSA instead of four CAs;

b) Cosmetic products and health products that are not subject to import license or product approval requirements need not be declared to HSA for verification; and

c) Simplification of product codes from 7 to 5 standard codes for declaration of all categories of imported health products.

The changes have increased efficiency by enabling faster goods clearance turnaround time for importers. Based on estimates by declaring agents, the changes will result in the time savings of about 30%–90%, depending on the product.

Bronze

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) - Collective approval for Temporary Change of Use Permit (TP) for shopping malls
Previously, shopping mall operators needed to obtain a Temporary Change of Use Permit (TP) from SCDF to temporarily change the use of part of the building so as to hold an indoor event.

In response to requests from businesses for faster TP clearance, SCDF reviewed the approval process and introduced the TP collective approval for temporary change of use in shopping malls, i.e. a single TP approval can now cover various events that take place in a mall within the approved 2-month period. By streamlining applications, this initiative has saved businesses approximately $3,360 annually in application fees per mall.

Bronze

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) - Enhanced workflow for Petroleum and Flammable Materials (P&FM) Licence applications

Previously, SCDF required a P&FM storage licence to be included in an application for the P&FM import licence. This was to ensure that the imported P&FM were stored in approved licensed premises which complied with fire safety requirements. In response to industry feedback, SCDF streamlined its licence application process by delinking the import and storage licences. Importers no longer have todeclare their storage licence details when applying for import licence and can update their import licence only when there are changes to their storage licence. This initiative enables importers to obtain their Cargo Clearance

Permits (CCP) 1.5 days earlier and lowers the risk of importers incurring additional storage fees for their cargo due to late clearance of permits.

Guardian Health & Beauty (Guardian)

Guardian contributed suggestions relating to the medical industry and to relevant agencies such as the Health Sciences Authority, the Ministry of Health and the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The joint efforts of Guardian, agencies and relevant stakeholders have led to these pro-enterprise initiatives:

Amendment of the relevant legislation to allow the sale and supply of general sale list (GSL) medicines via vending machines. Businesses benefit from another option of selling GSL medicines, and consumers benefit from the convenience of being able to purchase such medicines anytime. The changes took effect from 1 November 2016.

The development of new guidelines for the supply and delivery of medication to customers, which covers different modes of distribution for prescription medication.

Singapore Hotel Association (SHA)

SHA contributed suggestions on the hotel industry and worked closely with the Hotels Licensing Board (HLB) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on the changes. Some of the suggestions which have led to changes include:

HLB’s removal of the requirement for 1-for-1 exchange for the Hotel Keeper's Licence from December 2016.

HSA’s streamlining of the tobacco licence renewal process by giving renewal prompts. Hardcopy renewal notices are already sent to all licensees. HSA is considering further streamlining the process by sending licensees renewal notices by email.

Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA)

SFMA contributed suggestions on the food industry and worked closely with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on the changes. Some of the suggestions which have led to changes include:

The reduction of the SCDF requirement on setback distance of diesel tanks. In response to the feedback, SCDF would consider reducing the setback distance on a case-by-case basis, such as when there is a full fi re-rated wallor wherefire modelling studies conducted show that a reduced setback distance will not compromise fire safety.

SFMA and SMF proposed to remove the SCDF requirement for a brick wall to be built around cold stores. SCDF reviewed the Fire Code and going forward, cold store owners have the option of not building a brick wall if the insulation material in the cold room panel meets fire-safety requirements. The amendments to the Fire Code took effect in September 2016.

Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF)

SMF contributed suggestions on the food industry and worked closely with the SCDF, AVA and NEA on the changes and clarifications. Some of the suggestions which have led to changes and clarifications include:

The streamlining and harmonisation of regulations for businesses at Jurong Food Hub. NEA and AVA are working on harmonizing and streamlining the licensing conditions and regulations for food establishments.

SFMA and SMF proposed to remove the SCDF requirement for a brick wall to be built around cold stores. SCDF reviewed the Fire Code and going forward, cold store owners have the option of not building a brick wall if the insulation material in the cold room panel meets fire-safety requirements. The amendments to the Fire Code took effect in September 2016.