Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home
Affairs, recently
announced the launch the Security Industry Digital Plan (IDP) at the
Security Officers’ Day Award Ceremony organised
by the Security Association of Singapore (SAS). Over 100 security officers
received awards to recognise their
excellent work performance over the past year.
The programme was jointly developed by the
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority
(IMDA), in consultation with industry associations, security agencies, and the labour
movement.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority
(IMDA) is at the helm of Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. IMDA maintains its drive for
innovation and tech by developing a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive
digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm
media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business
capabilities, and enhancing Singapore’s ICM infrastructure.
IMDA also regulates the telecommunications
and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a
pro-business environment and enhances
Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection
Commission.
As part of this commitment to fostering a
pro-business environment, IMDA has teamed up with MHA and Enterprise Singapore
to develop the Security IDP, an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide designed to help
small and medium enterprise (SME) security agencies adopt digital technologies
at each stage of their growth.
It is a key initiative under the Security
Industry Transformation Map and SMEs Go Digital programme to support technology
and innovation in the industry. The Security IDP identifies a roadmap of
technology solutions for security agencies at each stage of their development.
The first stage of this roadmap, “Getting
Digital Economy Ready”, lists the elementary technology that every security
agency needs to stay competitive in the future, by automating routine and
manpower-intensive tasks. These include automated visitor management systems,
mobile-enabled patrol and incident management systems, and surveillance cameras
with analytics. The next two stages of the roadmap identify technology for more
advanced security agencies, such as cluster guarding or robotics.
At least S$9.54 million will be set aside
by Enterprise Singapore over the next few years to help local SME security
agencies kick-start the adoption of pre-approved digital solutions identified
in the digital roadmap. This support will be provided through the Productivity
Solutions Grant (PSG). IMDA and MHA will evaluate and pre-approve proven
technology vendors and solutions which will be listed on the SME Portal.
The PSG will help local SME security
agencies adopt these preapproved solutions by supporting 50% of qualifying
costs, capped at roughly S$40,800 per security agency per year.
The Security IDP also includes a Digital
Roadmap on training to prepare the security industry’s workforce with the
necessary mindset and skills to adopt and
benefit from technology. This training guide was developed with SkillsFuture
Singapore and the Security Industry Institute
and is aligned with the Skills Framework for Security.
IMDA and Enterprise Singapore will form two
industry-led Working Groups to develop a Technical Reference for Video
Analytics Systems. The Technical Reference, expected to be ready by the end of 2019,
will provide requirements and specifications for the selection, installation,
operation, maintenance and data interoperability of video analytics systems.
This will give service buyers assurance of the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of video analytics systems.
For security agencies to innovate, service
buyers must also be open to choosing solutions that integrate technology.
Adopting contracts based on outcomes, as opposed to a fixed headcount, is a
necessary first step. To support this effort, MHA has developed a Guide for
Outcome-Based Security Contracts, in consultation with the labour movement and industry.
This guide provides principles and templates for service buyers to adopt
outcome-based contracts at every stage of the tender process. A training
programme based on this Guide will also be available for procurement
specialists by end 2018.
