Original Title: Notice of the Shandong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology on Issuing the "Implementation Rules for the Graded Cultivation and Management of High-Quality Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Shandong Province"
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 These Detailed Rules are formulated to enhance the innovation capacity and specialization level of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the province, promote the high-quality development of SMEs, and contribute to the advancement of the industrial foundation and the modernization of industrial chains, in accordance with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s “Interim Measures for the Graded Cultivation and Management of High-Quality SMEs” (hereinafter referred to as the “Measures”) and the “Shandong Province Cultivation Plan for ‘Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative’ SMEs,” among other relevant documents.
Article 2 High-quality SMEs refer to small and medium-sized enterprises with strong innovation capabilities in products, technology, management, and business models, that focus on niche markets and demonstrate strong growth potential. They are categorized into three tiers: innovative SMEs, "Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New" (SRUN) SMEs, and SRUN "Little Giant" enterprises.Innovative SMEs possess a high level of specialization, strong innovation capabilities, and significant development potential, serving as the foundational force of high-quality SMEs; Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative SMEs achieve specialized, refined, and distinctive development, with strong innovation capabilities and high-quality performance, serving as the backbone of high-quality SMEs; Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative “Little Giant” enterprises are situated in core sectors of the industrial foundation and critical links of industrial chains, featuring outstanding innovation capabilities, mastery of core technologies, high market share in niche markets, and high-quality performance, serving as the core force of high-quality SMEs.
Article 3: Enterprises applying for the High-Quality SME designation must be legally registered within Shandong Province, possess independent legal person status, and comply with the “Regulations on the Classification Standards for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.” The enterprise must not be listed on the List of Business Entities with Abnormal Operations or the List of Seriously Unreliable Entities; the products (or services) it provides must not fall under categories prohibited, restricted, or phased out by the state; and it must not have experienced any major safety incidents (including cybersecurity and data security incidents), quality incidents, environmental pollution incidents, or illegal activities such as tax evasion or tax fraud in the past three years.
Article 4: The tiered cultivation of high-quality SMEs in Shandong Province shall adhere to the following principles: fully, accurately, and comprehensively implementing the new development philosophy; pursuing a development path characterized by specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation; prioritizing innovation as the primary driving force; advancing in-depth tiered cultivation; highlighting industrial characteristics; and maintaining dynamic management and targeted services. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to foster 70,000 innovative SMEs, 10,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, and 1,000 specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises across the province.
Article 5 The Shandong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology (hereinafter referred to as “the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology”) is responsible for the management of the tiered cultivation of high-quality SMEs across the province. It shall promote the introduction of relevant support policies and be responsible for the recommendation of “Little Giant” enterprises, the certification of “Specialized, Refined, Distinctive, and Innovative” SMEs, and the evaluation of innovative SMEs.The competent authorities for SMEs in each city shall be responsible for the tiered cultivation and management of high-quality SMEs within their respective jurisdictions, organizing self-assessments of innovative SMEs within their jurisdictions, as well as the recommendation of SPEC-T-N SMEs and SPEC-T-N “Little Giant” enterprises. The Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Private Economy Development, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and these Detailed Rules, and under the guidance of the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, shall intensify support and guidance, strengthen liaison and services, and meticulously organize the tiered cultivation and management of high-quality SMEs within the city.and shall promptly report relevant cultivation, evaluation, recognition, and recommendation information to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology as required. Innovative SMEs announced, SRUI-certified SMEs, and SRUI “Little Giant” enterprises recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shall collectively constitute the high-quality SMEs of Shandong Province. No other institutions may conduct evaluation, recognition, or certification activities related to innovative SMEs, SRUI-certified SMEs, or SRUI “Little Giant” enterprises.
Article 6: A platform for the application and review of the evaluation and recognition of Shandong’s high-quality SMEs shall be established on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s High-Quality SME Tiered Cultivation Platform (https://zjtx.miit.gov.cn/, hereinafter referred to as the “Cultivation Platform”). Participating enterprises may log in to the Cultivation Platform to submit relevant enterprise information and supporting materials.The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall establish the Shandong Provincial High-Quality SME Graded Cultivation and Growth Support System (http://tdpy.smesd.com.cn/), create working accounts for cities, counties (districts, and municipalities), and open corresponding functions. It shall strengthen integration with the Cultivation Platform,to ensure effective data collection and monitoring analysis. Regular and ad hoc tracking will be conducted regarding enterprise operations, development trends, feedback and requests, as well as support policies and cultivation outcomes, to formulate targeted policies and provide precise services.
Chapter II Evaluation and Recognition
Article 7: The evaluation and recognition of high-quality SMEs in Shandong Province adhere to the principles of policy guidance, enterprise voluntariness, cultivation promotion, and openness and transparency. The work is coordinated and advanced in an orderly manner according to the principle of “who recommends, who oversees; who reviews, who manages.”
Article 8: The evaluation criteria for innovative SMEs, the recognition criteria for specialized, refined, distinctive, and new (SRDN) SMEs, and the recognition criteria for SRDN “Little Giant” enterprises are issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in its “Measures,” which this province shall follow. Taking into account Shandong Province’s industrial characteristics and the actual development of SMEs, the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall issue and update as appropriate the “specialized indicators” within the SRDN SME recognition criteria.
Article 9: For the evaluation of innovative SMEs, enterprises shall voluntarily log in to the cultivation platform to conduct self-evaluations in accordance with the principle of territorial jurisdiction. The competent authorities for SMEs in each city shall, based on the evaluation criteria, review the enterprises’ self-evaluation information and relevant supporting materials, conduct on-site spot checks, and make public announcements. If no objections are raised during the public announcement period, the enterprises shall be recommended to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology. After consolidation by the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the enterprises shall be officially announced as innovative SMEs.
Article 10: For the recognition of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, innovative SMEs shall voluntarily log in to the cultivation platform to submit applications in accordance with the principle of territorial jurisdiction. The competent authorities for SMEs in each city shall, based on the recognition criteria, conduct preliminary reviews and on-site spot checks of the enterprises’ application materials and relevant supporting documents. Those passing the preliminary review shall be recommended to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology.The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall review the recommended enterprises and their supporting materials, conduct on-site spot checks, and publish the results for public notice. If no objections are raised during the public notice period, the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall recognize them as Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs.
Article 11: For the recognition of "Little Giant" enterprises under the SRUI initiative, SRUI SMEs shall voluntarily submit applications through the cultivation platform in accordance with the principle of territorial jurisdiction. The competent authorities for SMEs in each city shall conduct preliminary reviews and on-site spot checks of the enterprises’ application materials and supporting documentation based on the recognition criteria. Those passing the preliminary review shall be reported to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology.The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall organize the review of the enterprises’ application materials and relevant supporting documents, as well as on-site spot checks, and shall recommend those that pass to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Article 12: In principle, the recognition process for Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs is organized annually during the second quarter; applications for Innovative SMEs are accepted year-round, with announcements made in two batches during the second and fourth quarters. The recommendation process for Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative “Little Giant” enterprises shall be carried out in accordance with the notices issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Chapter III Dynamic Management
Article 13: Strengthen the dynamic management of high-quality SMEs and establish a robust “entry and exit” dynamic management mechanism. The validity period for announced innovative SMEs is three years. Upon expiration, enterprises must log back into the cultivation platform to conduct a self-assessment. After passing the review (including on-site spot checks) by the municipal SME authorities and filing a report with the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology as required, the validity period will be extended by three years.The validity period for recognized Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs is three years. Upon expiration, the municipal SME authorities shall conduct a preliminary review and make a recommendation; following approval by the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology (including on-site spot checks), the validity period shall be extended by three years. The validity period and re-examination requirements for Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative “Little Giant” enterprises shall be implemented in accordance with the notice issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Article 14 Innovative SMEs, Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New SMEs, and Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New “Little Giant” enterprises within their validity period shall update their enterprise information through the cultivation platform by April 30 of each year. Enterprises that fail to update their information in a timely manner shall have their eligibility for re-evaluation revoked.
Article 15: Innovative SMEs, Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New SMEs, and Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New “Little Giant” enterprises within their validity period that experience major changes related to the evaluation and recognition criteria—such as a change of name, merger, reorganization, relocation across provincial borders, or the establishment of overseas branches—shall log in to the cultivation platform within three months of the change and complete the Report Form for Major Changes.Innovative SMEs and Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New SMEs that no longer meet the evaluation or recognition criteria shall have their announcements or recognitions revoked after verification by the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New “Little Giant” enterprises that no longer meet the recognition criteria shall be reported to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology by the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology after verification, and their recognition shall be revoked by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Enterprises that fail to report major changes within three months shall have their eligibility for re-evaluation revoked or their recognition directly revoked.
Article 16: Innovative SMEs, Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New SMEs, and Specialized, Refined, Unique, and New “Little Giant” enterprises currently within their validity period shall have their public announcement or certification revoked immediately if they experience major safety incidents (including cybersecurity and data security incidents), quality incidents, or environmental pollution incidents; engage in serious acts of bad faith, tax evasion, or other illegal or non-compliant activities; or are found to have fabricated data. Furthermore, they shall be prohibited from reapplying for at least three years.
Article 17: Any organization or individual may file a real-name report with the relevant competent authority for small and medium-sized enterprises regarding issues related to the authenticity or accuracy of information concerning innovative SMEs, specialized, refined, distinctive, and new SMEs, and specialized, refined, distinctive, and new “Little Giant” enterprises, and shall provide supporting materials and contact information.Upon receiving a report, the relevant competent authority for small and medium-sized enterprises shall promptly verify the allegations with the reported enterprise. If the reported enterprise fails to respond as required or if verification confirms that the enterprise has engaged in fraudulent activities, the authority shall, depending on the severity of the circumstances, require the enterprise to rectify the issues or directly revoke the announcement or designation.
Chapter IV: Cultivation and Support
Article 18: Fully leverage the role of the Provincial (Municipal) Leading Group for Promoting the Development of the Non-public Sector Economy (SMEs) to coordinate relevant provincial departments and municipal, county (city, district) authorities in formulating tiered and categorized special support policies. Strengthen the provision of essential resources—including fiscal and tax, financial, technological, industrial, talent, land, and energy—to enhance the precision and effectiveness of policies, thereby fostering a powerful synergy to support the high-quality development of high-quality SMEs.
Article 19: The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with relevant provincial departments and the SME authorities of cities, counties (cities, and districts), shall establish a tiered cultivation system for high-quality SMEs tailored to the characteristics and needs of SMEs at different development stages and of different types. It shall improve growth support measures, intensify targeted cultivation efforts, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, continuously optimize the development environment for SMEs, and stimulate the emergence of a large number of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises.
Article 20: We will vigorously advance the implementation of the “Shandong Province Plan for Cultivating Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs.” We will vigorously implement eight major initiatives: national key project leadership, seedling cultivation and support, innovation capacity enhancement, industrial chain collaboration, digital transformation, capital empowerment, integration into the dual circulation, and talent aggregation. We will leverage the policy effects of provincial documents such as the “Several Measures on Supporting Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative ‘Little Giant’ Enterprises to Better Attract Talent” and the “Notice on the Implementation of the Financial Support Plan for Cultivating Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs (2022–2025), and actively build a service system where government public services, market-oriented services, and public welfare services work in concert to promote development. We will pool service resources, innovate service methods, and provide full-cycle, comprehensive, and multi-level services to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Article 21: Intensify efforts to publicize and interpret “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” policies, firmly establish development priorities, foster a strong supportive environment, promptly summarize and promote the development experiences and practices of “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” enterprises, highlight exemplary models, strengthen replication and promotion, and drive more SMEs toward “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” development.
Chapter V Supplementary Provisions
Article 22 The Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province shall be responsible for interpreting these Detailed Rules.
Article 23 These Detailed Rules shall take effect on November 1, 2022, and remain valid until October 31, 2025. Upon the effective date of these Detailed Rules, the “Shandong Province Measures for the Recognition and Management of ‘Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative’ SMEs” (Lu Gongxin Fa [2020] No. 7) shall be repealed.Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs recognized by the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology prior to the implementation of these Detailed Rules, as well as Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative “Little Giant” enterprises recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, shall remain valid; upon expiration of their validity period (not exceeding three years), such recognition shall automatically lapse, and re-evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with these Detailed Rules.
Attachment:
1. Evaluation Criteria for Innovative SMEs
2. Recognition Criteria for Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative SMEs
3. Recognition Standards for Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative “Little Giant” Enterprises
4. Explanation of Selected Indicators and Requirements
