Original Title: Several Policies to Further Support Scientific and Technological Innovation and Accelerate the Construction of a Highly Influential Science and Technology Innovation Center in the Chengdu-Chongqing Region

To implement the spirit of the Fifth and Sixth Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the Ninth Plenary Session of the 11th Provincial Party Committee, the 13th Plenary Session of the 7th Municipal Party Committee, and the 8th Municipal Party Congress; to build a first-class innovation ecosystem; to unleash the potential for social innovation and creation; to deepen the promotion of innovation-driven high-quality development; to accelerate the construction of a highly influential science and technology innovation center in the Chengdu-Chongqing region and a demonstration zone for the integrated development of industry, academia, research, and innovation; and to comprehensively build a modern socialist Suining, the following policies are hereby formulated.

I. Building and Enhancing High-Quality Innovation Platforms

1. Newly approved national laboratories (bases) and Tianfu Laboratories will receive retroactive subsidies of 10 million yuan and 5 million yuan, respectively. Tianfu Laboratories and major science and technology infrastructure projects designated by the municipal government will be included in the list of key municipal projects to be promoted. A “green channel” will be established for land use procedures to ensure land allocation quotas.

2. Newly approved national-level and provincial-level industrial (technology) innovation centers will receive incentive grants of 2 million yuan and 1 million yuan, respectively.

3. Newly approved national, provincial, and municipal-level new R&D institutions will receive incentive grants of 1 million yuan, 500,000 yuan, and 300,000 yuan, respectively. Those rated “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive additional incentive grants of 500,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan, and 50,000 yuan, respectively.

4. Newly approved national, provincial, and municipal key laboratories (engineering technology research centers) will receive incentive grants of 1 million yuan, 500,000 yuan, and 100,000 yuan, respectively. Those rated “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive additional grants of 500,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan, and 50,000 yuan, respectively.

5. Newly approved national-level and provincial-level engineering laboratories (engineering research centers) will receive incentive grants of 1 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively. Those rated as “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive incentive grants of 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan, respectively.

6. National-level enterprise technology centers rated as “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive a reward of 500,000 yuan.

7. Newly designated provincial industrial technology research institutes will receive a grant of 200,000 yuan. Provincial industrial technology research institutes rated as “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive a grant of 200,000 yuan.

8. For newly established platforms for the industrialization of research outcomes, such as proof-of-concept and pilot-scale testing platforms, financial support of up to 5 million yuan will be provided, equivalent to 30% of the platform’s total investment.

9. Newly approved national-level and provincial-level international science and technology cooperation bases will receive 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan in financial support, respectively. National-level and provincial-level international science and technology cooperation bases rated as “excellent” in performance evaluations will receive 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan in financial support, respectively.

10. Newly approved national-level and provincial-level science popularization bases will receive 300,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan in reward support, respectively. National-level and provincial-level science popularization bases rated as “excellent” in evaluations will receive 200,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan in reward support, respectively.

11. Key enterprises in our city’s competitive and distinctive industries are encouraged to establish off-site R&D bases within the Chengdu-Chongqing Dual-City Economic Circle. Newly established off-site R&D bases that meet the eligibility criteria will receive subsidies ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 yuan.

II. Accelerating the Cultivation of High-Growth Innovation Entities

12. Newly recognized unicorn enterprises and provincial gazelle enterprises newly registered in the database will receive incentive grants of 5 million yuan and 500,000 yuan, respectively.

13. National high-tech enterprises (including technology-intensive service enterprises) that are newly recognized or re-recognized will receive 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan in rewards, respectively. Newly recognized municipal-level high-tech enterprises will receive 50,000 yuan in rewards.

14. Newly recognized national-level and provincial-level science and technology enterprise incubators (maker spaces, Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Demonstration Bases) will receive 500,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan in rewards, respectively. National-level and provincial-level science and technology enterprise incubators (maker spaces, Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Demonstration Bases) that receive an “excellent” rating in performance evaluations will receive 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan in rewards, respectively.

15. For national and provincial Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Demonstration Bases that meet the criteria following evaluation, support will be provided for the development of innovation capacity projects. For projects implemented and utilized locally in Suining, matching funds equivalent to 50% of the provincial funding support standard will be provided.

16. Support enterprises in participating in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. Enterprises newly awarded an “Excellent” prize or higher in the China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition or the China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Sichuan Division) will receive 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan in rewards, respectively.

III. Implementation and Commercialization of High-Impact Innovative Technologies

17. The municipal government will allocate no less than 8 million yuan annually for science and technology projects to promote the implementation of a series of basic research, applied basic research, key technology R&D, and technology commercialization projects.

18. In fields such as lithium batteries, energy and chemical engineering, and electronics and information technology, implement a “challenge-based” system for tackling key core technologies, providing up to 5 million yuan in funding support for successful projects.

19. For scientific and technological achievements submitted by enterprises and institutions as the primary research entity that win national or provincial science and technology awards, the municipal government will provide matching funding support at a 1:1 ratio to the national and provincial award funds.

20. For technology transaction contracts newly executed in Suining, the municipal government will provide enterprises with a subsidy equivalent to 5‰ of the transaction value registered in the “National Technology Contract Certification and Registration System.” The subsidy for a single technology contract shall not exceed 50,000 yuan, and the annual subsidy for a single enterprise shall not exceed 200,000 yuan.

IV. Cultivating and Attracting High-Quality Innovative Talent

21. The “Berkshire Award” for attracting high-end talent is established. Enterprises and institutions in Suining will receive a reward of 5 million yuan for each newly recruited full-time member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering, and 2 million yuan for each newly recruited national-level leading scientific and technological talent.

22. Newly established national-level and provincial-level postdoctoral research stations (postdoctoral innovation practice bases) will receive financial support of 500,000 yuan and 200,000 yuan, respectively, for the host institutions. Postdoctoral research stations (postdoctoral innovation practice bases) that recruit postdoctoral researchers will receive 200,000 yuan in project funding and continuous financial support of 100,000 yuan per person per year during the research period (for up to three years).

23. Eligible outstanding talents may be issued a “Suizhou Talent Card,” which provides a “green channel” for household registration, spousal employment, children’s education, and healthcare.

24. The “Suining Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award” will be established. Every three years, no more than 10 outstanding innovation and entrepreneurship talents who have made significant contributions to Suining’s development will be selected, each receiving a 200,000 yuan award.

V. Integration to Foster High-Quality Innovative Business Models

25. Establish the Suining Science and Technology Innovation Seed Fund with joint participation from the municipal government, counties (cities, districts), and municipal-level industrial parks. Leverage the catalytic role of government investment guidance funds to encourage increased investment in innovative enterprises.

26. Support the Suining Science and Technology Innovation Loan program to accelerate its implementation. Enterprises that obtain Suining Science and Technology Innovation Loan products will receive a subsidy equivalent to 20% of the actual bank interest paid.

27.Support eligible commercial banks in establishing technology-focused branches. For technology-focused branches that meet the “3-50%” criteria (i.e., high-tech enterprises and research institutions account for more than 50% of total clients; technology-related loans account for more than 50% of total loan volume; and the technology-related loan-to-deposit ratio exceeds 50%), an annual incentive will be provided for one year starting from the date of certification. The incentive will be calculated as 5‰ of the total amount of new loans issued to technology-based enterprises by the branch, with a maximum of 500,000 yuan per loan.

VI. Promoting and Applying High-Efficiency Innovation Models

28. Deepen the mixed-ownership reform of ownership rights for scientific and technological achievements generated in the course of employment. Support central and provincial universities and research institutes in Suining, as well as public institutions conducting scientific research activities in Suining, in piloting non-asset-based management of such achievements prior to their commercialization. During the pilot phase, these achievements shall not be included in state-owned asset management. This initiative aims to facilitate the removal or partial removal of such achievements from the state-owned asset management inventory and to explore the establishment of a new model for the management of state-owned scientific and technological achievements.

29. Support research personnel on public institution staff rosters in retaining their personnel relationships for up to five years to participate in the construction of various innovation platforms; upon expiration of this period, they may independently choose whether to remain or leave. Explore incorporating the performance of technology brokers in the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements as a key criterion for professional title (position) evaluation and appointment, as well as for post appointments. Allow management personnel and researchers in scientific research public institutions to hold equity in the form of “technology shares + cash shares.”

In the first quarter of each year, the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and the Municipal Finance Bureau shall take the lead, with the cooperation of relevant departments (units) such as the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and the Municipal Financial Work Bureau, to organize the disbursement of rewards for the previous year. Award and subsidy funds shall be allocated from special funds such as the Municipal Science and Technology Development Fund, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Guidance Fund, and talent development special funds at various levels. No enterprise or matter shall receive overlapping or duplicate financial support. The Municipal Government shall be responsible for interpreting the provisions of the above policies.

These policies shall take effect on December 31, 2021, and remain valid for three years. In the event of any inconsistency between these policies and the city’s existing policies, this notice shall prevail. During implementation, if laws, regulations, or higher-level policies stipulate otherwise, such provisions shall prevail.