Circular No. 129/2009/TT-BTC on the preparation of budget estimates, management, and utilization of funds for implementing the Simplification of Administrative Procedures Program in various fields of state administration during the period from 2007 to 2010.

Article 1. Objectives and Scope of Implementation

1. Objectives:

a) Ministries, agencies at the level of ministries, government agencies, People's Committees at all levels;

b) Specialized working groups under the Prime Minister on administrative reform;

c) Advisory Council on Administrative Reform;

d) Working groups implementing Program 30 of ministries, sectors, and localities.

2. Scope:

The provisions of this Circular shall apply to activities implementing Decision No. 07/QĐ-TTg dated January 4, 2008 of the Prime Minister approving the Implementation Plan for the Simplification of Administrative Procedures Program in various fields of state management for the period 2007-2010 at ministries, sectors, localities, and specialized working groups according to programs and plans approved by competent authorities.

Article 2. Sources of Funds

1. Funding for the implementation of Program 30 at ministries, agencies at the level of ministries, and government agencies shall be guaranteed from the central budget.

2. Funding for the implementation of Program 30 at provincial-level cities directly under the central government shall be guaranteed from the local budget.

Article 3. Contents and Levels of Expenditure for Activities Carried Out in Three Phases of Program 30

1. Expenditures for activities carried out in Program 30 shall be implemented according to current financial expenditure standards and norms applicable to state management agencies.

2. This Circular guides certain specific expenditure levels with special characteristics as provided in the attached Appendix.

Article 4. Contents and Levels of Expenditure for Regular Activities of Specialized Working Groups and Working Groups of Ministries, Sectors, and Localities

1. Expenditures for the implementation of activities in the statistical and review phase shall be carried out according to Circular No. 120/2007/TT-BTC dated October 15, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the management, use, and settlement of funds for conducting surveys from the state budget; Joint Circular No. 158/2007/TTLT-BTC-BTP dated December 28, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice guiding the management and use of funds to support legal document inspection work.

2. Expenditures for drafting normative legal documents submitted to competent authorities shall be carried out according to Circular No. 100/2006/TT-BTC dated October 23, 2006 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the management and use of state budget funds to ensure the construction of normative legal documents.

3. Travel expenses allowance: fixed rate of 400,000 VND/person/month, applicable to members of working groups who must travel an average of more than 20 days/month. Other cases shall be implemented according to the Circular of the Ministry of Finance on travel expense allowances and regulations on organizing meetings for state agencies and public institutions.

4. Telephone expense allowance: fixed rate of 200,000 VND/person/month, applicable to dedicated members of working groups during the statistical and review phases of Program 30.

For part-time members of working groups, the Ministers of ministries, heads of government agencies, and Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees (or their authorized representatives) shall consider and decide accordingly.

5. Meeting organization expenses:

For thematic meetings, specialized group meetings, and meetings to resolve issues arising during the implementation of the program (excluding regular meetings), the organizing unit may apply the following expenditure levels:

- Host of the meeting: 150,000 VND per person per session;

- Participants: 70,000 VND/person/session.

6. Expenses for organizing professional conferences, mid-term reviews, final summaries; expenses for supervising and urging ministries, sectors, and localities: shall be implemented according to the Circulars of the Ministry of Finance on travel expense allowances and regulations on organizing meetings for state agencies and public institutions.

7. Hiring experts:

Based on the necessity of implementing activities and funding capacity, the Ministers of ministries, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees (or their authorized representatives) shall decide on hiring experts with a maximum monthly fee not exceeding 4,800,000 VND/person. The number of experts and duration of hiring shall comply with Decision No. 07/QĐ-TTg dated January 4, 2008 of the Prime Minister approving the Implementation Plan for the Simplification of Administrative Procedures Program in various fields of state management for the period 2007-2010.

8. Overtime and annual leave expenses:

Shall be implemented according to Joint Circular No. 08/2005/TTLT-BNV-BTC dated January 5, 2005 of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance guiding the implementation of night shift and overtime wage payment for civil servants and employees.

In cases where work requirements prevent members of working groups from taking annual leave, the number of leave days shall be compensated as actual working days.

9. Expenses for the operation of the working group's electronic information website (content creation, data entry, writing articles, news, reviewing, entering news, photographing, collecting images, managing the website...): shall be implemented according to Circular No. 137/2007/TT-BTC dated November 28, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the level of expenditure for creating electronic information; Joint Circular No. 43/2008/TTLT-BTC-BTTTT dated May 26, 2008 of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Information and Communications guiding the management and use of funds for the application of information technology in the operations of state agencies.

10. Translation expenses:

Pursuant to the provisions on the level of expenditure for translation as stipulated in the Circular of the Ministry of Finance regarding the expenditure system for welcoming foreign guests to work in Vietnam, the expenditure system for organizing international conferences and seminars in Vietnam, and domestic hospitality expenses.

11. Expenditure for purchasing goods and services such as graphic design, advertising, printing, equipment procurement, information technology application services... shall be organized according to the provisions of Circular No. 63/2007/TT-BTC dated June 15, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance; Circular No. 131/2007/TT-BTC dated November 5, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding amendments and supplements to Circular No. 63/2007/TT-BTC dated June 15, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the implementation of bidding for asset procurement to maintain the regular operation of state agencies with state funds.

12. Expenditure for organizing contests shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Circular No. 52/2007/TT-BTC dated May 21, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding financial regulations for technical innovation contest activities.

Article 5. Authority to decide on expenditure levels

The expenditure levels prescribed in this Circular are the maximum levels. Based on actual circumstances, the complexity of each specific task, and budget capacity, the Ministers of Ministries, equivalent Ministries, Heads of Government Agencies; Chairmen of People's Committees at all levels shall specify appropriate expenditure levels that ensure they do not exceed the levels prescribed in this Circular.

Article 6. Preparation, Implementation, and Settlement of Budget Estimates

The preparation, execution of budget estimates, and settlement of accounts for funds shall be carried out according to current regulations, this Circular provides detailed guidance as follows:

1. Establishment of budget projections:

a) Annually, during the time of preparing the state budget as stipulated by the State Budget Law; based on plans of activities and assigned tasks; agencies and units entrusted with implementing activities under Project 30 have the responsibility to prepare necessary budget estimates for implementing their tasks for the planned year, consolidated within their annual state budget estimates, and submit them to the competent authority for approval.

b) The Project 30 Implementation Teams of central ministries and localities have the responsibility to assist agency and unit heads in preparing necessary budget estimates to ensure the implementation of Project 30 by their agencies and units; consolidate these into their regular budget estimates; send them to the finance authorities at the same level for consolidation into the annual state budget estimates for submission to the competent authority for approval.

c) The dedicated team of the Prime Minister, the Advisory Council for Administrative Reform shall prepare necessary budget estimates to ensure the implementation of assigned tasks, send them to the Office of the Government (Level I budget unit) for consolidation into the regular budget estimates of the Office of the Government, which will then be sent to the finance authorities at the same level for consolidation into the annual state budget estimates for submission to the competent authority for approval.

2. Allocation and assignment of budget estimates: Based on the state budget estimates allocated by the competent authority; agency and unit heads have the responsibility to allocate and assign budget estimates to subordinate units (including the budget for implementing Project 30) after receiving the audit opinion of the finance authority at the same level.

3. Utilization and settlement of funds:

a) The budget for implementing Project 30 shall be allocated and settled according to current regulations; any unspent amount at the end of the year may be carried over to the next year for continued use in Project 30 activities.

b) The budget for implementing Project 30 spent on any particular content shall be recorded in the corresponding expenditure item of the state budget ledger according to current regulations.

c) At the end of the year, the settlement of the budget for implementing Project 30 shall be consolidated into the annual settlement of the agency or unit's state budget according to regulations.

Article 7. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular shall take effect 45 days from the date of signature.

2. In 2009, central ministries and localities shall allocate budget funds in their already approved state budget estimates to implement Project 30, ensuring progress as required by the Prime Minister.

3. For workloads initiated by ministries, sectors, and localities before the effective date of this Circular, ministries, sectors, and localities shall base their settlement of budget funds on the provisions of this Circular and valid expenditure vouchers, in accordance with the State Budget Law.

4. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, please report to the Ministry of Finance for study and resolution. /./