PASS homepage PASS Main Programme FAQs

FAQs

Eligibility

1. Who are eligible beneficiaries under PASS?
2. Can students and the general public be included as target beneficiaries of PASS projects?
3. Who are eligible to apply for funding under PASS?
4. What is the definition of a “non-profit-distributing organisation”?
5. Is a charitable institution or a trust of a public character under Section 88 of Inland Revenue Ordinance, Cap. 112 considered a non-profit-distributing organisation? Is a non-profit-making organisation eligible?
6. Is a newly-established organisation, a to-be-registered organisation, a limited company which does not distribute profits, or an individual professional eligible for funding under PASS?
7. May Government-subvented organisations (e.g. local universities) apply? Are they subjected to any special requirements?
8. Must collaborating organisations and implementation agents be non-profit-distributing in nature? Are there any restrictions on the number of collaborating organisations and implementation agents under each project?
9. What types of projects may be funded by PASS?
10. What kind of capacity-building programmes may be funded?
11. Will PASS grant be provided for projects similar to those carried out by the Applicant or other organisations in the past or regularly, but on a different scale?
12. Will PASS grant be provided to projects which are or will be funded by other government sources?
13. Will PASS grant be provided to projects which have already commenced?
14. Will PASS support cross-market and cross-sectoral projects?

Funding Support

Application

Project Implementation

Eligibility

1.Who are eligible beneficiaries under PASS?
Eligible beneficiaries under PASS refer to Hong Kong professionals from eligible professional services sectors listed at Annex I of the Guide to Application for PASS.
2.
Can students and the general public be included as target beneficiaries of PASS projects?
Students and the general public are generally not considered eligible beneficiaries under PASS. All costs arising from their participation, if any, in the project deliverables should be excluded from the budget of the proposed project under PASS.
3.Who are eligible to apply for funding under PASS?
Non-profit-distributing organisations operating as trade and industrial organisations, professional bodies, research institutes, etc., which must either be statutory organisations or organisations formed or registered under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, are eligible to apply for funding under PASS. Government departments are not eligible for funding under PASS, but they may act as collaborating organisations or supporting bodies.
4.What is the definition of a “non-profit-distributing organisation”?
A non-profit-distributing organisation is defined as an organisation which does not distribute profits to its directors, members, shareholders, employees or any other persons.

An Applicant is required to declare in the application form that it has not distributed any profits generated by the Applicant to any of its directors, members, shareholders, employees or any other persons in the past and will not do so in future. To illustrate that the Applicant is non-profit-distributing in nature, it should provide supplementary information, such as copy of its Constitution and Memorandum and Articles of Association, which makes explicit statements on the objects for which the organisation was established, how profits and assets of the organisation are handled by the organisation when it is in operation and in case of its dissolution.
5.Is a charitable institution or a trust of a public character under Section 88 of Inland Revenue Ordinance, Cap. 112 considered a non-profit-distributing organisation? Is a non-profit-making organisation eligible?
It depends on whether the Applicant organisation has provided sufficient information to illustrate its non-profit-distributing nature. All Applicants are subject to such requirement.
6.Is a newly-established organisation, a to-be-registered organisation, a limited company which does not distribute profits, or an individual professional eligible for funding under PASS?
It depends on whether the Applicant organisation is a statutory organisation or an organisation formed or registered under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and whether it is non-profit-distributing in nature.
7.
May Government-subvented organisations (e.g. local universities) apply? Are they subjected to any special requirements?
A Government-subvented organisation, i.e. an organisation in receipt of direct government subvention, may submit an application under PASS. However, to ensure that a project has practical benefits to a professional services sector and is supported by it, a Government-subvented organisation must secure cash sponsorship from non-subvented professional, trade and industrial organisation(s), or company(ies) in the private sector. The amount of sponsorship must not be less than 5% of the project cost.
To avoid double subvention, PASS grant cannot be used to pay any emolument to a person who is already on the payroll of a Government-subvented organisation, but the salary of existing staff who have been deployed to take part in the project may be included in the project cost and considered contribution in-kind by the Government-subvented organisation.
8.Must collaborating organisations and implementation agents be non-profit-distributing in nature? Are there any restrictions on the number of collaborating organisations and implementation agents under each project?
There are no restrictions on the nature and number of collaborating organisations and implementation agents. However, there should be only one Applicant for each application and the Applicant must be non-profit-distributing in nature.
An Applicant may propose to implement the proposed project in collaboration with other organisation(s). However, costs and expenses incurred by collaborating organisation(s) must not be included in the project cost.
A Grantee may engage implementation agent(s) to conduct the proposed project. However, the Grantee must go through proper tendering/quotation exercise(s) before appointing the implementation agent(s), regardless of whether the implementation agent(s) were mentioned in the application(s). The tendering/quotation exercise(s) must be conducted after securing PASS funding support.
9.
What types of projects may be funded by PASS?
PASS projects must be non-profit-making. There are no particular restrictions on the types of projects. Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to:
1. (i) outreach and promotional activities, e.g. exhibitions, promotional seminars and sectoral networking/business-matching events;
2. (ii) exchange activities, e.g. international conferences/forums, visits and exchange meetings;
3. (iii) capacity-building programmes, e.g. post-professional training courses/workshops, study tours and expert briefings; and
4. (iv) researches and studies, e.g. market researches, studies on framework/best practice guidelines for professional standards and additional accreditations for professionals.
10.What kind of capacity-building programmes may be funded?
Similar to other types of proposed deliverables under PASS projects, proposed capacity-building programmes aimed at enhancing the standards of respective professional services sectors (e.g. training courses and workshops) should bring practical benefits to the target sectors. The application should include sufficient information to demonstrate that the proposed programmes are determined or designed by the target sectors, as opposed to organisations such as training service operators. Moreover, the proposed programmes should not be overly similar to existing courses offered by organisations such as training service operators in their normal business activities.
11.Will PASS grant be provided for projects similar to those carried out by the Applicant or other organisations in the past or regularly, but on a different scale?
In considering applications, the Vetting Committee may take into account whether there is or will be any duplication of work between the proposed project and projects carried out by the Applicant or other organisations. The proposed training programme(s) should not be overly similar to existing courses or programmes offered by the Applicant or other organisations (including training service operators) in their normal business activities.
The Applicant should explain how the proposed project may bring added value to the target professional services sector notwithstanding similar projects. Information on why the proposed project cannot be delivered by the Applicant as part of its normal business activities without funding support from PASS should also be provided.
12.Will PASS grant be provided to projects which are or will be funded by other government sources?
Projects which are or will be funded by other government sources will not be considered. An Applicant is required to indicate in the application form whether the Applicant has applied for or received or will receive funding support for this or similar project(s) from other government funding sources.
13.Will PASS grant be provided to projects which have already commenced?
A project commencing before the application was approved would not be supported. All project costs must be incurred between the commencement and completion dates of the project as stated in the Project Agreement.

14.Will PASS support cross-market and cross-sectoral projects?
PASS welcomes applications for cross-market and cross-sectoral projects. There are no geographical restrictions for PASS projects, but target beneficiaries should be Hong Kong professionals from eligible professional services sectors listed at Annex I of the Guide to Application for PASS.

Funding Support

15.What is the maximum amount of PASS grant for an approved project?
The maximum amount of grant for an approved project is 90% of the total eligible project cost, or HK$3 million, whichever is lower. The Grantee should meet the remaining balance of the project cost through self-financing, third party sponsorship, income derived from the project or other means, all of which must be free of placement of commercial advertisements in the project venue or materials, but logos of third party sponsoring organisations may be considered to display in the project venue or materials. The Grantee’s contribution to the project cost may be in cash or in-kind. Besides, the in-kind sponsorship(s) can be sourced by phases to facilitate project implementation.
16.May the Grantee charge fees to wholly or partly recoup the cost of Project Deliverables? May fees be charged after the project period for the use of Project Deliverables?
While only non-profit-making projects may apply for PASS, a Grantee may charge fees for the use of Project Deliverables so as to wholly or partly recoup the cost of the Project Deliverables. However, the fee level must not be higher than the cost.
The basis or assumptions on which the project income figures are calculated, such as the expected number of users/participants and the estimated fees must be realistic and set out in the application. In case the actual project income is lower than expected, the Grantee must cover the shortfall required for implementing the project. PASS will not provide any additional funds. Nevertheless, in case the actual project income is higher than expected, the Grantee must return the surplus project income, but up to the amount of the PASS grant plus the interest generated from the Project Account, to the Government within one month after the Final Audited Accounts of the project have been accepted by the Government in writing.
Where appropriate, the Grantee will be required to widely disseminate its Project Deliverables within the professional services sector and allow the Project Deliverables be used for non-commercial purposes. The Grantee shall, at its own cost and expense, grant for the benefit of the Government, its authorised users, assigns and successors-in-title an unconditional, irrevocable, non-exclusive, sub-licensable, perpetual, royalty-free and worldwide licence to use the Project Deliverables (and in relation to any Project Deliverables to which the Grantee is not empowered to grant sub-licence(s) the Grantee will be required to undertake to procure at its sole cost and expense the grant of such rights for the benefits of the Government, its authorised users, assigns and successors-in-title by the relevant third parties in respect of such Project Deliverables).
17.
What expenditure items may be considered eligible project cost?
Only direct costs incurred for the delivery of the project are funded under PASS. Costs not directly related to the delivery of PASS projects would not be funded under PASS. Please refer to the examples of typical allowable and unallowable costs.
18.Is the salary of staff outside Hong Kong fundable?
The salary (including employer’s contributions to the Mandatory Provident Fund) of additional manpower directly incurred for a PASS project may be funded by the PASS grant, irrespective of their work location.
19.
Are expenses for entertainment, meals, travel and accommodation fundable?
Entertainment expenses and cost of meals are typically not funded under PASS.
Basic travel and accommodation costs may be funded for the following groups under PASS:
1. (i) project team members travelling outside Hong Kong for PASS projects;
2. (ii) non-local guest speakers travelling to/from Hong Kong for PASS projects;
3. (iii) participants with active roles (e.g. speakers and panellists) in events outside Hong Kong under PASS projects; and
4. (iv) participants of relatively longer professional internship/attachment programmes outside Hong Kong under PASS projects (say six weeks or above).
For flight charges, normally only cost of economy class fare is covered. Grantees should provide justifications and seek exceptional approval from the Government if they plan to top up the travel and accommodation arrangements at their own expenses.
20.May equipment be purchased under a PASS project?
In the interest of using public money prudently, Applicants are encouraged to use their existing equipment or lease additional equipment as far as possible, instead of purchasing new equipment. When preparing for project budget, Applicants are required to provide reason(s) for purchasing additional equipment.
Upon the completion of the project or the expiry or termination of the Project Agreement, whichever is earlier, the PASS Secretariat may require the Grantee to dispose of the equipment at market price or make other arrangements for disposal. The Grantee must comply with such requirement and credit the sale proceeds to the Project Account. The Grantee must, within one month after the Final Audited Accounts of the project have been accepted by the Vetting Committee and/or the PASS Secretariat in writing, return to the Government the residual funds (including all unspent PASS funding, surplus income, interest income and sale proceeds from any equipment disposed of) up to the amount of the PASS grant paid by the Government plus the interest generated from the Project Account.
21.How will PASS grant be disbursed?
PASS grant for approved projects will primarily be disbursed upfront on an instalment basis subject to the fulfilment of project milestones.
For projects with PASS grant not exceeding HK$300,000 and project duration not exceeding 18 months, the PASS funding will normally be disbursed upfront in one lump sum. For projects with project duration not exceeding two years, the PASS grant will be disbursed in two instalments while that for project duration exceeding two years will be disbursed in three instalments.
For details, please refer to paragraphs 5.1 to 5.3 of the Guide to Application for PASS.
22.Will the Government provide additional grant if the actual project cost is higher than estimated?
As a rule, the Government will not provide additional grant for an approved project after a Project Agreement is signed. In case the actual eligible project expenditure exceeds the approved project cost, the Grantee is required to cover the shortfall. For the avoidance of doubt, the Government will not provide any additional grant even if the approved grant for the project is lesser than 90% of the actual eligible project expenditure, or HK$3 million, whichever is lower.

Application

23.When is PASS open for application?
Applications are received all year round and processed on a quarterly basis under PASS. Urgent applications, simple and straightforward projects and smaller-scale projects of shorter duration may be considered by the Vetting Committee outside the normal quarterly cycle, subject to justifications from the Applicants.
24.How many applications may each Applicant submit?
There are no restrictions on the number of applications submitted by an Applicant. Before submitting multiple applications, the Applicant should consider whether it has sufficient project management capabilities in taking forward all the proposed projects concurrently.
25.Is there any application fee?
No application fee is charged, but the Applicant is required to submit application at its own costs and expenses. The Government will not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by the Applicant in connection with the preparation and submission of its application.
26.What supporting documents are required when submitting an application?
A checklist of supporting documents required is provided in the Application Form under “Notes for Applicant”, as well as paragraph 2.1.3 of the Guide to Application for PASS.
27.When will the Applicant be notified of the application result? Will reasons be given for rejected applications?
Normally, the Vetting Committee will conduct meeting(s) to assess the applications in about six to eight weeks after the end of an application period. Applicants will be informed of the result in about two to three weeks after the Vetting Committee has formulated the recommendations.

The actual processing time will be subject to the amount of applications received, complexity of the application, comprehensiveness and clarity of the information provided, etc. Where necessary, Applicants may be required to revise the original project proposal to fulfil the conditions for approval.

If an application is rejected, the PASS Secretariat will inform the Applicant of the reasons for the decision.

Project Implementation

28.May Grantees modify the project after signing of Project Agreement?
An approved project should be carried out in accordance with the Approved Project Proposal. Any modifications to the project (including but not limited to change of the Project Co-ordinator/Deputy Project Co-ordinator/key Project Team members, Project Duration, project scope, cashflow projection, etc.) will require written approval by the Government. As a rule, the Grantee should bear any additional cost incurred as a result of the modifications.
29.What are the reporting requirements during and after project implementation?
To facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of approved projects, a Grantee should submit to the PASS Secretariat a Project Final Report together with Final Audited Accounts (including Account of Residual Funds) within three months upon completion of the project (or the expiry or termination of the Project Agreement, whichever is earlier). For longer projects, Project Progress Report(s) together with Audited Accounts should be submitted.

For details, please refer to paragraphs 5.1.1, 5.2.1 and 5.4.1 of the Guide to Application for PASS.
30.What should the Grantee do if the actual number of participants is significantly lower than the committed target?
The Grantee should make up for shortfall during the remainder of the project, or consider re-running the activities at its own cost to meet the target.
31.Are there any restrictions on procurement of goods and services?
The Grantee must exercise the utmost prudence in the procurement of goods or services for the project. The Grantee must designate an officer to approve the issue of invitations and/or selection of suppliers or service providers or lessors for inviting quotations to ensure that the process is fair and there are no actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest situations.

For every purchase or lease with aggregate value of which does not exceed HK$2,000 and the Project Co-ordinator confirms that the prices obtained are reasonable in the Project Final Report, a quotation exercise is not required for that item. If the aggregate value exceeds HK$2,000, please refer to Annex V of the Guide to Application for PASS regarding the number of written quotations required.

Full justifications must be given if the required number of suppliers or service providers or lessors could not be identified from the market. If the lowest conforming quotation is not selected, prior written consent must be obtained from the Government and full justifications must be given.