Terms and Conditions

1. All registered businesses with NTN and on the Active Tax Payers list are eligible to apply for the grant program.
   
2. Only those SMEs are eligible for grants that fall within the SME definition as delineated in the National SME Policy 2021 (Annual Sales Turnover up to PKR 800 million).
   
3. Applicant SMEs must not be a beneficiary of any government grant for certification in the same financial year (2024-25).
   
4. Grant applications will be processed on a First Come First Served basis in 07 (seven regions of Pakistan, i.e. Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
5. 70% Matching Grant (30% will be picked up by the SME) to cover certification cost up to PKR 800,000 and related consultancy costs up to PKR 200,000.
6. The applicant should have an ownership stake in the business.
7. The Applicant must have an active Business Bank Account.
8. The Applicant must be a formal SME with a valid NTN and Registration Number.
9. Applicants who have already obtained certification against a specific standard on or after July 01, 2024, are eligible, provided that the availed certification remains valid for at least six (06) months from the date of application submission.
   
10. Certification grant will only be given on a reimbursement basis through the business account of the grantee. No advance payment shall be made.
11. For a consultancy grant, payment made to the consultant in cash or through any other informal channels will not be accepted.
12. Consultancy grant will not be applicable if the consultants/ Service Providers are employees of the Grant applicant, Management Firm, SMEDA staff and their blood relatives or spouses.
13. Grantees may be requested to provide SMEDA with access to relevant data to assess and demonstrate the measurable benefits and impact of the certification on their business operations and export outcomes. All data will be protected and treated as confidential.
14. An SME or business is eligible to apply for only one (1) Certification Grant and one (1) Consultancy Grant at a time within a single fiscal year (2024-25). Multiple applications or Multiple businesses of one owner or more than one (1) certification/ consultancy request within the same year will not be entertained.
15. Certification Bodies operating in Pakistan should be accredited by Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC).
16. Certification Bodies (CB) accredited by a recognized foreign Accreditation Body (AB), preferably a National Accreditation Body, will be considered for qualification of the grantee provided that the accreditation scheme is not yet launched by PNAC or is outside the scope of PNAC.
17. In cases where certificates other than PNAC accredited CBs are issued, the CBs operating in Pakistan but accredited directly by foreign Accreditation Bodies should provide credible evidence that:
    1. The branch office of CB is accredited for the Pakistani location.
    2. Its Accreditation Body holds membership of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and is a signatory to Multilateral Recognition Arrangements (MLA) / enjoys member status for the Pakistani location.
    3. Credible evidence to the requirements narrated above at “(17) a” & “(17) b” is provided.
18. Individuals/organizations acting as a representative of a foreign CB under a legal agreement and not using the name of the CB will not be considered for this incentive programme /scheme.
19. SMEDA reserves the right to apply selection criteria based on sectoral focus, gender inclusion, and regional balance, aligned with the Government of Pakistan’s SME development priorities.
20. Applicants cannot be beneficiaries of the grant for the same certification more than once in the same financial year.

Note: New applicants must create an SME registration account at https://smerp.smeda.org (by clicking the "Create Account" link) and then apply for the Grant through the "Grant Application Form" link. Registered users can click on the "Grant Application Form" link after logging into the SME Registration Portal (SMERP).

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