Mission and functions of Agency
Open ↗6.—(1) The Agency is to harness and exploit science and technology, and provide technological and engineering support, to meet the defence and national security needs of Singapore.
(2) The functions of the Agency are —(a)
to advise the Ministry of Defence on all matters relating to defence science and technology;
(b)
to provide defence science and technology services and facilities to the Ministry of Defence;
(c)
to promote and facilitate the development of the defence science and technological capability in Singapore;
(d)
to manage the acquisition of defence systems, provide engineering support for such systems, provide quality assurance and systems engineering services, and forecast and assess future defence systems, for the Ministry of Defence;
(e)
to manage the acquisition of command, control, communications, computer and simulation systems, develop software and provide engineering support for such systems, and forecast and assess such future systems, for the Ministry of Defence;
(f)
to manage the design and development of defence buildings and infrastructure, and manage the maintenance of such buildings, infrastructure, and defence estates, for the Ministry of Defence;
(g)
to manage the acquisition of management information systems and information technology infrastructure, and develop, maintain and support such systems and infrastructure, and forecast and assess future developments in information technology and formulate standards, for the Ministry of Defence;
(h)
to conduct research on military medicine and perform human factors engineering studies, for the Ministry of Defence;
(i)
to manage contracts for the purchase of defence systems, spares and services, maintain a catalogue of stocked items, and manage the disposal of old stocks and equipment, for the Ministry of Defence;
(j)
to manage technological cooperation with other persons, and conduct and manage research and development programmes, for the Ministry of Defence;
(k)
to undertake any other activity considered necessary or desirable to achieve a cost-effective defence science and technological capability in Singapore; and
(l)
to perform other functions that are conferred on the Agency by any other written law.
(3) The Agency may undertake other functions that the Minister may assign to the Agency and in so doing, the Agency is deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act and the provisions of this Act apply to the Agency in respect of those functions.
(4) Nothing in this section is to be construed as imposing on the Agency, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court.
Powers of Agency
Open ↗7.—(1) The Agency has power to do anything for the purpose of discharging its functions under this Act or under any other written law, or which it may consider advantageous, necessary or convenient to the discharge of those functions and, in particular, may —(a)
enter into contracts for itself or the Government for defence systems, facilities, technology, equipment, materials or services or for the execution of works or any other contract as may be necessary for the discharge of its duties and functions;
(b)
engage alone or in conjunction with other persons in the design and development of defence systems and the provision of systems design services;
(c)
form or participate in the formation of any company or enter into any joint venture or partnership for the purposes of this Act;
(d)
provide technical advice, training and assistance to any Government body or statutory board and to defence authorities of other countries;
(e)
levy such charges and fees as may be reasonable for services and facilities provided by the Agency;
(f)
provide financial loans, advances, grants, aid or assistance to any person for all or any of the purposes of this Act;
(g)
collect, compile, analyse and disseminate by any convenient means information of a statistical nature or otherwise concerning matters relating to its functions;
(h)
provide scholarships and training grants in the fields of defence science and technology;
(i)
receive donations, grants, gifts, subsidies and contributions from any source and raise funds by all lawful means;
(j)
make provision for gratuities, pensions, allowances or other benefits for employees or former employees of the Agency;
(k)
grant or guarantee loans to officers or employees of the Agency for any purpose specifically approved by the Agency;
(l)
provide recreational facilities and promote recreational activities for, and activities conducive to, the welfare of officers and employees of the Agency and members of their families; and
(m)
do such other acts as are incidental to any of its functions or powers.
(2) The Agency may, in addition to the powers vested in it by subsection (1), exercise such other powers as the Minister may in writing authorise the Agency to exercise.
(3) This section is not to be construed as limiting any power of the Agency conferred by or under any other written law.
Directions by Minister
Open ↗8.—(1) The Minister may give to the Agency any direction under section 5 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.[5/2018]
(2) The Agency must furnish the Minister with such information in respect of its property and activities in such manner and at such times as the Minister may require.
Appointment of committees and delegation of powers
Open ↗9.—(1) The board may appoint from among its own directors or from among other persons any number of committees that it thinks fit for purposes which, in the opinion of the board, would be better regulated and managed by means of those committees.
(2) The board may, subject to such conditions or restrictions as it thinks fit, delegate to any committee appointed under subsection (1) or to the Chairperson or any director, or to any officer or employee of the Agency or to any other person as the board thinks fit, any of the functions or powers of the Agency administered by the board under this Act or any other written law.
(3) Any function or power delegated under subsection (2) to any committee or person may be performed or exercised by the committee or the person to whom it has been delegated (as the case may be) in the name and on behalf of the Agency.
