A quick and cheap dispute resolution service was announced on 2 May 2012 by the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC). The SMC is a non-profit organisation that provides mediation and other ADR services. Under the new arrangements, parties who are unable to settle disputes but are unwilling to foot the significant legal costs of court/arbitration proceedings can opt for Neutral Evaluation. An impartial third party will deliver a legally binding decision based on the merits of the case in a confidential process. The procedure is quick - a decision can be reached in a month or less. The parties will be required to pay the neutral's professional fees and an administrative fee ranging from SD$700 to SD$2,000. In comparison, SMC's current mediation fee starts at SD$900 per party per day, with fees varying depending on the size of the claim.
The SMC's current panel of neutrals includes Senior Counsel, former Supreme Court judges, and a former judicial commissioner.
Compared to litigation or arbitration, early evaluation offers parties greater flexibility and autonomy, much like mediation. However, unlike mediation and most forms of early neutral evaluation, the SMC's neutral evaluation service results in a binding decision, and this renders if relatively unusual.