To foster a strong societal atmosphere of support for the growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), assist SMEs in overcoming the impacts of the pandemic, implement the comprehensive package of business-support policies at the provincial and municipal levels, further enhance the innovation capabilities and professional standards of SMEs, guide SMEs toward a development path characterized by specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation, and promote the high-quality development of SMEs throughout the city, this plan has been formulated in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s *Interim Measures for the Graded Cultivation and Management of High-Quality SMEs* and the Provincial Government’s *Measures to Support the High-Quality Development of Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs*, while taking into account the actual conditions of our city.

I. Guiding Principles

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and fully, accurately, and comprehensively carry out the New Development Philosophy. In accordance with the series of work arrangements at the national, provincial, and municipal levels regarding support for the development of small, medium, and micro enterprises, we will adhere to the development path of specialization, refinement, distinctiveness, and innovation. Through exemplary leadership, policy support, and targeted services, we will improve the cultivation system, implement innovation-driven development, optimize the development environment, and advance talent cultivation and recruitment. We will encourage SMEs to focus on innovation,and cultivate a group of high-quality SMEs with strong innovation capabilities in products, technologies, management, and business models, a focus on niche markets, and strong growth potential.

II. Overall Objectives

By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we aim to cultivate and evaluate more than 600 innovative SMEs, cultivate and certify more than 100 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, and strive to create more than 10 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises, thereby providing strong support for the high-quality development of our city’s industrial economy.

III. Key Tasks

(1) Improve the Cultivation System

1. Establish a Pool for Cultivating High-Quality SMEs. In accordance with national and provincial evaluation indicators for high-quality SMEs, and following the principle of “reserving a group, cultivating a group, and upgrading a group,” the municipal and county (district) levels shall uniformly establish a pool for cultivating high-quality SMEs, ensuring that all eligible enterprises are “fully reported” and “fully included.” Enterprises in the pool shall receive focused and ongoing cultivation; each enterprise shall be assessed based on industry characteristics and specific features, and targeted measures shall be implemented to address weaknesses and shortcomings, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of cultivation efforts.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

2. Establish a tiered cultivation system. Establish a tiered cultivation system comprising “Innovative SMEs—Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and New SMEs—Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and New ‘Little Giant’ Enterprises.” Strengthen categorized guidance and tiered cultivation to lead the city’s SMEs toward specialized, refined, distinctive, and new development, achieving more pronounced specialized advantages, more efficient refined management, more distinctive specialized products, and more unique innovative models.Newly recognized national SPEC-NEW “Little Giant” enterprises, provincial SPEC-NEW SMEs, and innovative SMEs will receive one-time rewards of 1 million yuan, 100,000 yuan, and 20,000 yuan, respectively. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau, People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

3. Promote Integrated Development. Integrate the cultivation of high-quality SMEs with the strengthening of industries. Focusing on the nine major industrial clusters, foster a group of distinctive SME industrial clusters characterized by clear industrial positioning, comprehensive supporting facilities, and standardized operational management. Support enterprises across the upstream and downstream of industrial and supply chains in building a sound industrial ecosystem featuring collaborative innovation, shared production capacity, and interconnected supply chains. Encourage “chain-leading” enterprises to open their supply chains to locally cultivated enterprises at various levels along the industrial chain by participating in or establishing digital supply chain platforms, thereby fostering a favorable ecosystem for the integrated development of large, medium, and small enterprises.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau, People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

(2) Implementing Innovation-Driven Development

1. Support Enterprise Innovation and Development. Optimize the innovation ecosystem for SMEs, strengthen their role as the primary drivers of innovation, enhance their independent R&D capabilities, and promote comprehensive coverage of R&D activities among high-quality SMEs. Support and guide SMEs to increase investment in technological innovation and R&D, and strengthen product innovation, quality innovation, brand innovation, and business model innovation among industrial enterprises.Support enterprises in independently establishing or jointly building R&D institutions—such as technology innovation centers, manufacturing innovation centers, industrial design centers, engineering (technology) research centers, and enterprise technology centers—in collaboration with universities and research institutes possessing technological advantages. Award 5 million yuan and 3 million yuan, respectively, to newly approved national-level and provincial-level technology innovation centers and manufacturing innovation centers; award 3 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively, to newly recognized national-level and provincial-level industrial design centers;Newly approved national and provincial engineering (technology) research centers, enterprise technology centers, and engineering laboratories will receive rewards of 1 million yuan and 200,000 yuan, respectively; newly recognized national and provincial technology innovation demonstration enterprises will receive rewards of 1 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau, and the people’s governments and administrative committees of all counties and districts)

2. Intensify efforts to promote new products. Promote the first-time purchase and use of major scientific and technological innovation products in Zhumadian City. For the first purchase and use of major scientific and technological innovation products that have been filed with the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and are within their validity period, a subsidy of 10% of the contract amount for the first purchase (as evidenced by tax-printed invoices) will be provided, with a maximum total subsidy of 2 million yuan per entity.For the first unit (set) of major technological equipment, key core components, the first batch of new materials, and the first version of software products, a 10% reward based on the actual total sales of the product within a specified period will be granted to the development entity, with a maximum reward of 1 million yuan. (Responsible Units: Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau, and the People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

3. Encourage enterprise digital transformation. Select a group of intelligent digital empowerment service platforms or institutions to provide support for the intelligent digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises in our city.Encourage enterprises to apply digital solutions in areas such as production processes, quality management, operational management, brand development, digital cloud design, personalized customization, and supply chain management. Support SMEs in implementing digital upgrades, building smart factories and smart workshops, enhancing internal production control and lean manufacturing capabilities, and elevating smart manufacturing standards. Newly certified provincial-level smart factories and smart workshops will receive rewards of 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan, respectively. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau, People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

4. Implement the Quality Improvement and Excellence Promotion Initiative. Vigorously support high-quality SMEs in pursuing a new industrialization path characterized by high-end, intelligent, green, and service-oriented development. Guide enterprises to conduct quality improvement and transformation in R&D and design, production and manufacturing, enterprise management, and after-sales service based on industry characteristics and their own actual conditions. Accelerate the application of new technologies, new processes, new equipment, and new materials to enhance the technology, safety, and quality of SME products.Encourage and guide SMEs to increase investment in technological upgrades related to core basic components, core basic parts, critical software, advanced basic processes, critical basic materials, and industrial technology foundations. For eligible enterprises implementing technological upgrade projects with equipment investments of 5 million yuan or more, a subsidy of no more than 10% of the eligible costs (based on invoices) will be provided in the form of a post-grant subsidy (projects already receiving provincial special fund support will not be eligible for this subsidy), with a maximum subsidy of 10 million yuan.(Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau; People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

(3) Optimizing the Development Environment

1. Strengthen Targeted Services. Enhance the SME service system by guiding the Zhumadian Enterprise Service “Hub,” the SME Public Service Demonstration Platform, and the Small and Micro Enterprise Entrepreneurship and Innovation Demonstration Bases to broaden their service scope and improve service quality. Customize exclusive service packages for high-quality SMEs, providing personalized service offerings in policy support, innovative technologies, digital empowerment, industrial design, financing connections, management consulting, market expansion, corporate training, and legal rights protection to promote the high-quality development of high-quality SMEs.Newly designated national-level and provincial-level demonstration bases for entrepreneurship and innovation among small and micro enterprises, as well as public service demonstration platforms for SMEs, will be awarded 1 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau, People’s Governments of all counties and districts, and Administrative Committees)

2. Facilitate market-based financing channels. Encourage banking institutions to tailor financial service plans and develop dedicated credit products based on the needs of high-quality SMEs, thereby increasing credit support. Support high-quality SMEs in accessing direct financing in the capital market by organizing investment matchmaking events and project roadshows involving financial institutions and equity investment firms. Fully leverage the provincial “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative Loan” platform to connect our city’s specialized, refined, unique, and innovative enterprises with partner banking institutions, ensuring effective access to financing.Encourage banking institutions to apply big data technologies, comprehensively utilize industry transaction settlement data as well as external credit, tax, and market supervision information to enhance credit evaluation and risk management capabilities, and increase the issuance of unsecured loans to SPEC-type SMEs. Effectively implement the “green channel” system for enterprise listings and listings on over-the-counter markets, strengthen “one-company-one-policy” targeted services, and promote the listing of our city’s SPEC-type SMEs on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) or the Beijing Stock Exchange.(Responsible Units: Municipal Financial Work Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau; Zhumadian Branch of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission; Zhumadian Central Branch of the People’s Bank of China; People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

3. Safeguard the Rights and Interests of SMEs. Implement the "Regulations on the Payment of Debts Owed to SMEs," ensure unimpeded channels for SMEs to voice their concerns, optimize the procedures for accepting and handling complaints, and establish a sound long-term mechanism for preventing and resolving payment arrears owed to SMEs.Conduct regular annual inspections, strengthen source-level management, and strictly prevent new instances of payment arrears. Strictly implement the "Measures for Promoting the Development of SMEs through Government Procurement," and implement measures such as reserving procurement quotas, offering price evaluation preferences, and prioritizing procurement to continuously increase the share of SMEs in government procurement. (Responsible Units: Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Finance Bureau, and relevant municipal departments; People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

(IV) Promoting Talent Cultivation and Recruitment

1. Strengthen the development of high-level talent teams in enterprises. Leveraging talent recruitment and cultivation initiatives such as Henan Province’s “Zhongyuan Talents” Program, assist enterprises in precisely recruiting and cultivating high-level leading talents, and establish channels for supplying high-level talent to specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs. Intensify training for enterprise management personnel to cultivate leading talents in specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs. Organize management teams from such enterprises to undergo specialized intensive training at renowned domestic universities or well-known enterprises at least once a year, with a minimum of 50 participants.(Responsible Units: Municipal Talent Office, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Education Bureau, Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau; People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

2. Support the cultivation of skilled talent in enterprises. High-quality implementation of the “Certification for All, Skilled Henan” initiative to comprehensively enhance employees’ vocational skills. Guide enterprises to independently conduct grading and promotion evaluations for skilled positions, provide evaluation subsidies to registered institutions in accordance with regulations, and gradually achieve universal certification. Continue to implement technician training programs, accelerate the cultivation of urgently needed technicians and senior technicians for high-quality SMEs, and promote the new enterprise apprenticeship system in eligible SMEs.Support enterprise employees in participating in various vocational skills competitions to foster the emergence of outstanding high-skilled talent. Support high-quality small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in establishing school-enterprise partnerships with local institutions such as Huanghuai University and Zhumadian Vocational and Technical College to cultivate more and better high-quality technical and skilled talent for these enterprises. (Responsible Units: Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Municipal Education Bureau, and the People’s Governments and Administrative Committees of all counties and districts)

IV. Support Measures

(1) Strengthen Coordination and Planning. Fully leverage the coordinating role of the Zhumadian Municipal Leading Group for Promoting the Development of the Private Economy and SMEs. Intensify policy coordination, guidance, and supervision; regularly convene meetings of the Leading Group or its Office to study and advance major matters in the tiered cultivation of high-quality SMEs. All counties and districts shall establish working mechanisms for cultivating high-quality SMEs, clarify objectives, and mobilize government departments, service agencies, and relevant enterprises to collaborate in implementing the action plan.

(2) Strengthen Support for Enterprises in Difficulty. Deepen the implementation of the “10,000 People Assisting 10,000 Enterprises” initiative. Assign dedicated officials to high-quality SMEs, including “Little Giant” enterprises, specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, and innovative SMEs. Conduct on-site visits to these enterprises to listen to their opinions and suggestions, promptly convene “face-to-face” communication and coordination meetings, and strengthen the coordination and resolution of their difficulties and appeals to efficiently and effectively address their practical challenges.

(3) Emphasize Publicity and Guidance. Vigorously publicize and promote the advanced experiences and practices of the city’s tiered cultivation of high-quality SMEs. Showcase case studies of transformation and upgrading among specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, and establish a group of exemplary models for their development. This will foster a strong societal atmosphere of concern and support for the tiered cultivation of high-quality SMEs and create a favorable ecosystem for promoting the high-quality development of SMEs.

All the aforementioned incentive and subsidy funds shall be disbursed by the relevant fiscal authorities from their respective budgets. If a single enterprise qualifies for both municipal-level and provincial-level funds of the same type, it may choose one based on the “higher-value-takes-precedence” principle and shall not receive duplicate rewards or subsidies.