Amid the increased emphasis on cleaning public spaces following the coronavirus outbreak, an existing grant that improves productivity in the environmental services sector has been enhanced and extended, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor said yesterday.

The extension of the $30 million Productivity Solutions Grant, which was due to end on Jan 31, will help more companies make jobs easier and safer for cleaners and other workers in the sector, she said.

Firms will now have up till Feb 28 next year to apply for the grant, which helps them buy proven environmental services technology.

From next month, the monetary support for successful applicants will be increased to up to 70 per cent of the qualifying cost, capped at $350,000, up from 50 per cent and a cap of $250,000.

Pest management firms can also now tap the grant.

Dr Khor, who announced this during a visit to Jewel Changi Airport, said: "In times like these, when we are battling the Covid-19 outbreak, it becomes even more evident that the environmental services sector plays an important role."

She said the cleaning sector, in particular, plays a critical role in helping to ensure high standards of sanitation and hygiene, and "we have been working and looking at how to make the work of workers in the sector easier, smarter and safer".

She said the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been working with firms to review and redesign work processes and encouraging them to adopt technology.

Since the grant was launched in September 2018, the NEA has approved 473 applications and committed $7.2 million through it.

It has also received another 300 applications with a potential grant commitment of $6.1 million.

Dr Khor said that while the total sum committed represents less than half the full sum of the grant, the number of applications received is still sizeable and reflects demand for the grant.

More companies are expected to come on board with the enhanced grant and its extension to the pest management sector, she added.

Companies can tap the grant for 38 types of supportable equipment and solutions, up from just 10 when the grant started.

Jewel, one of the successful grant applicants, yesterday showcased one such machine - an Ecobot autonomous scrubber by Gaussian Robotics. It bought six of the machines with support from the grant.

Mr Kelvin Tan, Jewel's head of user experience, said the scrubber allows cleaners to take on more work, such as hourly disinfection, which is needed in these times.

Dr Khor also said yesterday that all government service buyers will now be required to adopt outcome-based contracting when procuring cleaning services from May. This is in line with the Government's commitment to taking the lead to promote the use of the contracting model for cleaning services.

The NEA said outcome-based contracting focuses on prescribing the desired performance outcomes instead of headcount. In addition, it allows service providers to propose the use of technology and innovative solutions. Dr Khor also said the Government will emphasise quality by giving equal or greater weighting to the quality component, compared with the price component, in evaluating tender proposals.