All participants must read and understanding each eligibility requirements and, adhere to these terms and conditions that applies to this Awards. In accordance with the principles of fair competition, failure to adhere to these terms may result in disqualification or determination that your entry is ineligible.

All entries must be submitted by or before the 15th of September, 2025 via the specific online form, and anything you included your entry must be true and correct to be eligible.

Definitions

❖ Awards Committee – refers to the organizers of the Awards program.

❖ Eligible Entrants - businesses or individuals (both formal and informal) that meet the general eligibility requirements to enter the Award and have been nominated for the Awards.

❖ Finalists - successful nominees who have won an award category and are into the final round of selection for Highest National Award.

❖ Gateway Score (Benchmark) - means the minimum score required for an entry to move forward or be considered for an award.

❖ Nominees - businesses or individuals who have met all the requirements through the final round of screening and interview process. They are contenders for the category awards.

❖ Runner Up(s) - successful finalists that make either 2nd or 3rd place in each individual category and or the Final Top 3 National Rankings.

❖ Nano Enterprises or informal businesses - are small-scale- unregistered minimally regulated ventures operated by individuals or families with limited capital and few employees.

❖ Micro Enterprises - formally registered, wholly citizen-owned business with fewer than five employees and annual turnover under K200,000.

❖ Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - generally defined, SMEs are businesses with 5 to 100 employees, an asset net worth between K20,000 and K10 million, and an annual income ranging from K200,000 up to K10 million, operating formally and contributing to broader

economic development.

❖ The Young Entrepreneur - entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 who own formally registered businesses (with the Investment Promotion Authority) that have been actively operating for a minimum of three years, counted from the date of this award's publication.

Entry Criteria: Who Can Apply and What You Need to Submit

❖ Entrants can self-nominate or be nominated via the PNG SME Awards website or official social media links.

❖ A maximum of three category nominations is allowed per entrant.

❖ After email confirmation, entrants must complete the online form and upload required documents (IPA registration number, IPA Certificate, TIN).

❖ Submit a 3-minute video highlighting your business journey, growth, innovation, and community impact.

❖ Financial proof (e.g. bank or cash flow statements) may be required, especially for nano, micro, startup, or youth-led enterprises.

❖ Those who pass final screening and interviews will become official nominees in their selected category.

1. Operational Tenure

All nominees must have been fully operational for a minimum of 3 years dating back from the 4th of August, 2025.

2. Ownership Structure

❖ Local Ownership: Businesses must be registered with IPA, be fully operational, and majority-owned by Indigenous Papua New Guineans, including those from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

❖ Partnerships and Joint Venture: In cases of joint ventures involving foreign nationals or foreign-owned entities, nominees must PROOF OF OWNERSHIP from IPA stating that the Indigenous Papua New Guinean partner holds a minimum of 50% ownership and is actively involved in co-management of the business.

❖ Refugees, Permissible Residents & Naturalized: Citizens Businesses owned by refugees, permissible residents, or naturalized citizens must be registered with IPA, be fully operational within PNG, and owners must be able to present valid and applicable identification confirming their legal status.

3. Eligibility for Community Leadership Honours

This year, the 2025 Honorary Award warmly welcomes nominations from entrepreneurs of West Papuan and Bougainvillian heritage, courageous and resilient contributors who drive transformation through economic and social cohesion as SMEs within Papua New Guinea and its extended - resident regional communities. They are:

❖Indigenous Papua Community Business Award

West Papuan entrepreneurs who hold Refugees, Permissible Residents, Naturalized Citizens status and entrepreneurs of West Papuan Descent, are eligible for this award, in accordance with Papua New Guinea’s commitment to inclusive national development, humanitarian principles, and its obligations under United Nations charters and regional bilateral cooperation frameworks that promote social cohesion, economic empowerment, and cultural recognition.

❖ Autonomous Region of Bougainville Community Business Award

This category is open to Bougainvillians entrepreneurs with homegrown businesses based in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) are also eligible, reflecting the award’s commitment to celebrating locally rooted enterprise and regional development. To maintain the integrity of this regional focus, Bougainvillians-owned businesses operating outside of ARoB are not eligible for this category. The emphasis on Bougainville-based operations is essential to the spirit and intent of this year’s Honorary Award.

4. Eligibility for Highest Honours

Indigenous Papua New Guineans and naturalized citizens of Papua New Guinea, regardless of ethnic background, are eligible for the Highest Honours, in recognition of their commitment to national development and inclusive economic growth.

5. Cooperatives Awards Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, the entity must be a registered cooperative under the Office of Cooperative Societies (Department of Commerce) and actively involved in agriculture-related cooperative activities. Proof of registration is required, and the cooperative must have been operational for at least three years as of August 4. Formal IPA registration is an added advantage.

6. Individual Award Eligibility

Any individual person entering for Mama Bank Janet Sape individual category must have operated the business for a minimum of 10 Years to be eligible. This Award celebrates the individual's accomplishments. Any business or establishment founded by the individual collectively reflects their influence and serves as a testament to their merit for selection.

7. Eligibility for Corporate Institutional Recognitions

The bank must be a fully accredited signatory to the Credit Guarantee Scheme. Evaluation will be based on the number of guarantees disbursed between January and November of the 2025 financial year. The assessment for this Award will be conducted independently in collaboration with the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC).

8. Digital Submissions Only

All nominations must be submitted online via the official PNG SME Awards website. No physical or email submissions will be accepted. Once entries have been received nominees are free to update any information that they submit until the nomination period is closed, thereafter information cannot be changed or added by the entrant.

9. Entry Exclusions

The following businesses are excluded from entry:

❖ Entities serving as commercial suppliers to the Awards are generally ineligible. However, exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the Directors in special cases. Please refer to the Judging Process for details.

❖ Businesses that have declared bankruptcy within the last five years.

❖ Businesses or their owners/founders who have been involved in court proceedings within the twelve months leading up to the entry deadline.

10. Interview & Screening Process

❖ The Awards Committee may contact entrants via telephone or video interviews, or email verification for clarification. It does not guarantee selection as a winner.

❖ The Awards Committee during screening and interview process reserve the right to reassign entries to more appropriate categories without prior notification or consultation, only under special circumstances where it is anonymously agreed that an entrant would be more appropriately assessed in a specific category.

❖ In the event a category receives no nominations, it will be excluded from the Awards for that cycle.

❖ The Awards Committee reserves the right to declare any entry ineligible, if at any time during or after the term of the award process your entry form is found to be incomplete, deficient, false, or misleading in any way.

11. Overall Nominee and Finalist Consideration

❖ Invitation is Non-Guarantee: An invitation to attend the SME Awards ceremony does not constitute confirmation of winning. Final award decisions will be announced during the event.

❖ Award Contention: The category nominees that meet all the criteria for the award will contend for the category award. The top-scoring nominees are announced as finalists for the individual awards. The runner up will receive recognition as a nominee, but the highest scorer will be awarded with that honour.

❖ Award Progression: The recipients of individual awards will be considered for advancement to the highest honour awards. All except for the Informal Sector Awards, Micro Business Awards and the Honorary Janet Sape Award, which follow distinct recognition pathways.

❖ Ranking of Finalists: The finalists considered for the Final Top 3 Award will be ranked according to the judges standardized rubric developed by the judging committee to ensure fairness, transparency, and merit-based recognition.

❖ Single Entry Protocol: In cases where only one entry is received in a category, the entry may be acknowledged as a Finalist. However, it will only be declared a winner in that category if it meets the minimum gateway score or benchmark score established by the judging criteria.

Terms & Conditions

1. Confidentiality & Data Use

❖ All entries are treated with the utmost confidentially.

❖ Non-confidential information, as determined by the committee, may be used for promotional purposes.

❖ Upon each submission pursuant to these Terms and Conditions, all intellectual property - data or information provided in each entries become the property of Awards and our sponsors.

❖ Our sponsors have the right to access respective nominee and finalist data for outreach and engagement.

❖ If you are selected as a finalist in the PNG SME Awards, information provided in your entry (excluding financial information) may be used for the purpose of promoting the PNG SME Awards and your business.

2. Public Conduct & Communications

❖ By entering, nominees grant permission for their name, business profile, and video content to be used in media coverage, social media, and event promotions, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

❖ Any nominee who publicly announces or implies their nomination status on social media or other platforms prior to official confirmation by the PNG SME Awards Committee will be subject to automatic forfeiture of their nomination. This includes posts that suggest finalist status, category placement, or award outcomes before the official release. Such actions compromise the integrity of the judging process and may result in disqualification without appeal.

3. Professionalism & Ethical Conduct

Nominees and winners must uphold professionalism and ethical conduct throughout the SME Awards process, including interviews, judging, and the gala dinner. Misconduct—such as betelnut chewing, disrespectful behavior, or criminal charges—may result in disqualification or revocation of titles at any time, at the sole discretion of the Proprietor, to protect the integrity of the Awards.

4. Prize Terms & Conditions

❖ Each winner may receive only one prize, except for the Highest Honour Award, which requires winning a category first.

❖ Not all categories include a prize; non-sponsored awards offer recognition only.

❖ Cash-value awards are subject to specific terms and conditions per category.

❖ In-kind prizes are determined by the sponsor and cannot be exchanged for cash.

❖ No cash will be handed directly to recipients.

❖ Winners must submit a follow-up impact report within 3 or 6 months of receiving their prize.

❖ Cash prizes must not be used for personal or customary expenses. Misuse may result in loss of recognition and full repayment.

❖ Prizes are non-transferable, non-exchangeable, and non-redeemable for cash. Any additional costs are the winner’s responsibility.

❖ Prizes may be withdrawn if no eligible recipient is found.

❖ Winners agree to participate in reasonable marketing activities, including interviews and photos. The Awards may use names, images, and comments for publicity without compensation.

❖ The Awards is not liable for lost, stolen, or damaged prizes after distribution.

❖ Prize values may vary, and the Awards is not responsible for discrepancies.

❖ If a prize cannot be provided, a substitute of equal or greater value may be offered.

❖ Unclaimed prizes after 3 months may be reallocated at the Awards’ discretion.

❖ If the promotion is disrupted by fraud, technical issues, or other factors, the Awards may take necessary action.

❖ The Awards does not guarantee prize quality or suitability. Liability is limited to replacement costs where required by law.

❖ The Awards is not responsible for any loss, injury, or tax liability related to the prize or promotion.

5. Liability & Exemptions

❖ The Awards Committee and its sponsors and stakeholders accept no liability regarding any loss of patent rights or missed business opportunities that might happen because of taking part in the Awards.

❖ The Awards Committee and those directly associated with the awards either as an employee, staff member, presiding judges, adjudicator or any of its related or controlled entities including’s sponsors or stakeholders are exempted from entering the awards.

❖ The Awards Committee will not be responsible for any flight or accommodation for the Award winners. Please ensure to plan if you have been invited to attend in person.

❖ The Awards Committee shall not be held liable for delays, cancellations, or changes to the awards process due to natural disasters, political unrest, technical failures, or other events beyond its control.

6. Indemnity

The Awards Committee cannot be held liable for any loss, damage, or personal injury related to the Awards, as allowed by law. The winner agrees to indemnify us and our representatives for any claims from breaches of these terms or use of provided materials. The winner fully consents to actions that may otherwise infringe on their Moral Rights.