FEHD and HA invite service providers to indicate interest under subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in public markets

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (September 29) invited service providers of contactless payment to indicate interest and submit service package information for promotion purposes under the subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in markets under the FEHD/HA.
      
     Having regard to the very nature of market operation, the use of contactless payment is desirable from the public hygiene perspective and conducive to reducing the transmission risk of COVID-19 in markets.
      
     The Government will provide a one-off subsidy to stall tenants of markets (including cooked food stalls) under the FEHD/HA at a flat rate of $5,000 per stall. The subsidy may be used to meet the initial set-up costs as well as service and other fees in relation to the provision of at least one contactless payment means, which is processed through a licensed bank or a stored value facility licensee being regulated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, or a debit/credit card scheme, for market patrons. Details of the subsidy scheme are set out in the Annex.
      
     To provide stall tenants with more information on the service packages offered by service providers, interested companies may indicate their interest in joining the promotion activities in relation to provision of contactless payment in FEHD/HA markets by returning the reply form by 5pm on October 5, 2020 (Monday) and providing their service package information by completing and submitting the Service Package Proforma by 5pm on October 9, 2020 (Friday) to the FEHD by post (address: 45/F, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong) or by email (email address: contactlesspayment_market@fehd.gov.hk). The service package information received will be compiled as an information pack for stall tenants in FEHD/HA markets. 
      
     The FEHD and the HA expect that the subsidy scheme will be open for application from mid-October 2020. Details will be announced later, and stall tenants in FEHD and HA markets will be notified of the arrangements for processing of their applications by the FEHD and the HA respectively.