IMDA Accreditation

Overview

The IMDA Accreditation programme allows Singapore-based companies that have developed or own innovative and high-growth infocomm media (ICM) products to gain accreditation from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). This expedites the procurement of products and services from accredited companies by government and large enterprise buyers. A “streamlined procurement” process was also established where government buyers must consider these accredited companies listed in the Panel of Accredited Companies (AC Panel) first if they offer solutions that they are seeking.

The programme was launched in July 2014 by IMDA to grow and nurture the local Infocomm Media (ICM) ecosystem. Through IMDA Accreditation, Singapore-based ICM companies can establish credentials, build business traction, grow, and compete in the global market as more opportunities are created for their products to be showcased and bought. For buyers from the government and large enterprises, the accreditation process provides an independent third-party evaluation of these ICM companies’ product core functionalities and ability to deliver.

IMDA Accreditation contributes to Singapore’s ICM sector by promoting the next generation of digital expertise and business. This is aligned with Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative and is a key contributor to Singapore’s Digital Economy Strategy.

Since March 2019, the SecureTech track has also been launched in partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) to improve the quality of local cybersecurity technologies. This is part of the efforts to grow the cybersecurity ecosystem in Singapore and support the IMDA Accreditation programme with international expansion opportunities. With the SecureTech Track, companies are required to obtain Common Criteria certification or other security certifications as directed by CSA, for the product to be accredited.

Objective

IMDA Accreditation helps with:

• Accrediting promising and innovative high-growth ICM companies to establish their credentials and position them as qualified contenders
• Providing potential end-users with an assurance of the accredited companies’ competency and ability to deliver
• Building an innovative technopreneur ecosystem that inspires the younger generation. Leading to the development of more innovative products and tech product companies that can enter overseas markets
• The strategic outreach of companies to more than 250 key decision makers in over 100 government agencies and leading enterprises. This creates constant market access platforms for companies
• The co-creation of strategic projects between companies and the government to generate breakthrough market opportunities
• Accelerated expansion of companies into international markets through strategic partners’ worldwide footprint
• Increasing the investment value and appeal of companies

Scope

IMDA Accreditation covers government procurement for all ICM products from accredited companies.

Target Audience and Adoption Criteria

IMDA Accreditation is targeted at Singapore-based companies that develop and own innovative high-growth info communications products for the enterprise market.

To participate in the programme, companies must fulfill the following criteria:

1. The company must be registered in Singapore with a substantial degree of value-added economic activities conducted locally. This includes R&D activities, test bedding, IP management and technical support etc.

2. The company’s annual sales turnover must not exceed $100M at a group level

3. The company must possess an innovative enterprise product, with a focus on software:

   i. The company must be the product owner, and owns a substantial portion of the intellectual property for the innovative enterprise product

   ii. The company is not a reseller/distributor of the product; and

   iii. The product to be accredited must demonstrate strong and unique value proposition, and competitive advantage to competitors/alternative substitutes in the market

To access the list of accredited companies, click here.

Standards, Guidelines and Assessment Criteria

Fig 1 provides a summary of the accreditation process, which begins with an application from companies. Thereafter, companies are shortlisted and evaluated based on financial, operational, and technical criteria, which can be viewed in detail in Fig 2. Once accreditation has been awarded, it will be valid for 12 to 18 months, and companies will be subjected to routine reviews. Renewal of the accreditation will be done through evaluation of the company’s financial, operational, and technical aspects without the need to go through the application and shortlisting process again. If companies fail to qualify for renewal they will graduate from the programme.

Guidelines on the accreditation process can be found here and the Terms and Conditions can be accessed through this link. For cybersecurity companies interested in the SecureTech track, more details of the application process can be found here.

Resources and Templates

View the resources below for more information on IMDA Accreditation:

• Guidelines on the SecureTech track process
• IMDA Accreditation process guidelines
• Terms and Conditions of the IMDA Accreditation process

Case Studies

As of March 2022, accredited companies have gained over $814 million worth of earnings across more than 2,000 projects with the government. Over $450 million in new growth investments have also been funneled to companies during and after their accreditation. This is due to the increased credibility associated to the IMDA Accreditation programme.

For details on companies’ use cases, click here.

What’s Next?

The Tech Acceleration Lab (TAL) for government buyers was launched in Jan 2021 as a new value-added tool for AC Panel Suppliers. It aims to accelerate the transition from the Proof-of-Concept (PoC) phase to a production environment through the initiatives shown below. This allows AC Panel Suppliers to better understand government procurement and digital transformation needs, putting them in a better position to secure and execute government ICT projects.

1. Provision of a controlled test sandbox on the Government on Commercial Cloud (GCC)

   a) For short-term government PoCs, IMDA provides a sandbox hosted on a GCC.

   b) The sandbox enables replication of successfully deployed products for demonstration to other potential government buyers.

2. Provision of government security advisory workshops

   a) Workshops to educate AC Panel Suppliers on government security and deployment requirements.

   b) Product architecture review as per relevant rules from the Instruction Manual for Infocomm Technology and Smart Systems (ICT&SS) Management (previously known as IM8) policies, standards and guidelines on setup and configurations for deployment on GCC.

Contact Information

For more information on IMDA Accreditation, contact the team through this form.

Last updated 19 August 2022

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