Decision No. 1294/QD-BNV Approves the Project "Determining the Administrative Reform Index for Ministries, Equivalent Ministries, and Provincial People's Committees"

Pursuant to …;

Approving the project "Determining the Administrative Reform Index for Ministries, Agencies Equivalent to Ministries, People's Committees of Provinces and Central-Supervised Cities" Resolution No. 30c/NQ-CP dated November 8, 2011 of the Government

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THE MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

Pursuant to Decree No. 61/2012/ND-CP dated August 10, 2012 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs;

Pursuant to ResolutionNo. Comprehensive Program on Administrative Reform of State Agencies for the 2011-2020 Period issues Considering the proposal of the Director of the Public Administration Reform Department,1 - 2020;

Approves the Project "Determining the Administrative Reform Index for Ministries, Agencies Equivalent to Ministries, People's Committees of Provinces and Central-Supervised Cities" (referred to as the Administrative Reform Index, abbreviated in English as PAR INDEX), with the following main contents:

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. I. OBJECTIVES, REQUIREMENTS, SCOPE AND TARGETS

a) General Objective:

1. Objectives

Determining the Administrative Reform Index to monitor and evaluate in a substantive, objective, and fair manner the annual implementation results of administrative reform of ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries (referred to as ministries), and people's committees of provinces and central-supervised cities (referred to as provinces) during the implementation of the Comprehensive Program on Administrative Reform of State Agencies for the 2011-2020 period.

- Identifying the fields, criteria, and sub-criteria of the Administrative Reform Index at the ministry and provincial levels according to the characteristics and nature of state management of ministries and provinces;

b) Specific Objectives:

- Establishing the scale of points and evaluation methods for each criterion and sub-criterion, thereby determining the Administrative Reform Index for each ministry and province;

- Developing a set of survey questions for social science research according to different groups of respondents and survey subjects;

- Annually publishing the Administrative Reform Index of ministries and provinces;

- The Administrative Reform Index closely aligns with the content of the Comprehensive Program on Administrative Reform of State Agencies for the 2011-2020 period issued by Resolution No. 30c/NQ-CP dated November 8, 2011 of the Government (referred to as Resolution No. 30c/NQ-CP);

2. Requirements

- Ensuring feasibility and suitability with the actual conditions of ministries and provinces, and objectively evaluating the implementation results of administrative reform annually in ministries and provinces;

- Enhancing individual and organizational participation in the evaluation process of administrative reform implementation in ministries and provinces;

- Forming a synchronized, unified, and gradually stable monitoring and evaluation system within the administrative apparatus from central to local levels.

3. Scope and Targets

- The scope of application is: Monitoring and evaluating the annual implementation results of administrative reform of ministries and provinces.

- The targets of application are: Ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries (excluding the Office of the Government), and people's committees of provinces and central-supervised cities.

II. FIELDS, CRITERIA, SUB-CRITERIA, SCALE OF POINTS, AND EVALUATION METHODS FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM INDEX

1. Administrative Reform Index at the Ministry Level

a) Fields, Criteria, and Sub-Criteria:

The Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level is determined based on 7 fields, 31 criteria, and 89 sub-criteria, specifically:

- Management and Implementation of Administrative Reform: 6 criteria and 18 sub-criteria;

- Establishment and Implementation of Legal Instruments within the Scope of State Management of Ministries: 6 criteria and 17 sub-criteria;

- Administrative Procedure Reform: 3 criteria and 11 sub-criteria;

- Reform of the Organizational Structure of the State Administrative Apparatus: 5 criteria and 8 sub-criteria;

- Building and Improving the Quality of Civil Servants and Public Officials: 5 criteria and 17 sub-criteria;

- Financial Mechanism Innovation for Administrative Agencies and Public Service Units: 3 criteria and 6 sub-criteria;

- Administrative Modernization: 3 criteria and 12 sub-criteria. The fields, criteria, and sub-criteria of the Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level are specified in Table 1 (annexed).

b) Scale of Points for Evaluation:

- The scale of points for evaluation is 100;

- The points from social science surveys account for 40 out of 100. The scale of points for evaluation is detailed for each criterion and sub-criterion in Table 1.

c) Methods of Evaluation:

- Self-evaluation by ministries: ministries self-monitor and evaluate their own administrative reform implementation results and those of subordinate agencies and units according to the criteria and sub-criteria stipulated in the Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level and guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The self-evaluation scores of ministries are reflected in the "Self-Evaluation" column of Table 1;

- Evaluation through social science surveys: 24 criteria and sub-criteria are evaluated through social science surveys, reflected in the "Notes" column and rows marked with "DTXHH" in Table 1. Social science surveys are conducted to gather opinions from different respondent groups;

The survey questionnaire for social science surveys is developed with the number and content of questions corresponding to the criteria and sub-criteria of the Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level.

- The self-evaluation scores of ministries will be reviewed, recognized, or adjusted if necessary by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The scores from social science surveys are provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The total score from social science surveys and the Ministry of Home Affairs' evaluation score constitute the "Achieved Score" shown in the corresponding columns of Table 1, serving as the basis for calculating the Administrative Reform Index for each ministry. The Administrative Reform Index is determined as the ratio between the "Total Achieved Score" and the "Maximum Total Score" (100 points). In addition to the Administrative Reform Index of the ministry shown in the last row of Table 1, there are also indices by field and criterion.

2. Administrative Reform Index at the Provincial Level

The Administrative Reform Index at the provincial level is determined based on 8 fields, 34 criteria, and 104 sub-criteria, specifically:

The Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level is determined based on 7 fields, 31 criteria, and 89 sub-criteria, specifically:

- Management and Implementation of Administrative Reform: 6 criteria and 19 sub-criteria;

- Establishment and Implementation of Legal Instruments at the Provincial Level: 3 criteria and 12 sub-criteria;

- Administrative Procedure Reform: 2 criteria and 8 sub-criteria;

- Building and Improving the Quality of Cadres, Civil Servants, and Public Officials: 6 criteria and 20 sub-criteria;

- Building and Improving the Quality of Civil Servants and Public Officials: 5 criteria and 17 sub-criteria;

- Financial Mechanism Innovation for Administrative Agencies and Public Service Units: 5 criteria and 13 sub-criteria;

- Administrative Modernization: 3 criteria and 13 sub-criteria;

- Implementation of One-Stop Shops and Interconnected One-Stop Shops: 4 criteria and 11 sub-criteria. The fields, criteria, and sub-criteria of the Administrative Reform Index at the provincial level are specified in Table 2 (annexed).

- The points from social science surveys account for 38 out of 100.

- The scale of points for evaluation is 100;

- The points from social science surveys account for 40 out of 100. The scale of points for evaluation is detailed for each criterion and sub-criterion in Table 1.

The social survey assessment score is 38/100;

The scoring scale is determined specifically for each criterion and sub-criterion set out in Table 2.

- Self-evaluation by ministries: ministries self-monitor and evaluate their own administrative reform implementation results and those of subordinate agencies and units according to the criteria and sub-criteria stipulated in the Administrative Reform Index at the ministry level and guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The self-evaluation scores of ministries are reflected in the "Self-Evaluation" column of Table 1;

- Self-assessment by provinces: provinces monitor, assess, and score their administrative reform tasks and those of subordinate agencies and units according to the criteria and sub-criteria stipulated in the Provincial Administrative Reform Index and the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The self-assessment scores of the provinces are reflected in the "Self-Assessment" column of Table 2;

- Assessment through sociological surveys: the number of criteria and sub-criteria assessed through sociological surveys is 33, shown in the "Notes" column and rows marked with the abbreviation "DTXHH" in Table 2. Sociological surveys are conducted to gather opinions from different groups of respondents;

The questionnaire for sociological surveys is developed with the corresponding number and content of questions matching the criteria and sub-criteria of the Provincial Administrative Reform Index.

- The self-assessment scores of the provinces will be reviewed, recognized, or adjusted by the Ministry of Home Affairs if necessary. The assessment scores through sociological surveys are those conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The combined scores from sociological surveys and the Ministry of Home Affairs' assessment are the "Achieved Scores" reflected in the corresponding columns of Table 2, serving as the basis for calculating the Administrative Reform Index for each province. The Administrative Reform Index is determined by the ratio between the "Total Achieved Scores" and the "Maximum Total Scores" (100 points). In addition to the Administrative Reform Index of the province shown at the bottom line of Table 2, there are indices by sector and criterion.

III. SOLUTIONS

1. Enhancing responsibility and effectiveness in directing and managing administrative reforms at all levels and sectors.

- Directing the implementation of administrative reform contents strictly and effectively according to the annual administrative reform plan.

- Directing the continuous and regular monitoring and evaluation of administrative reforms to ensure honesty and objectivity in the compilation, statistics, assessment, and reporting of administrative reform results.

2. Strengthening publicity and dissemination about the Administrative Reform Index.

Publicity and dissemination of the objectives and contents of the Administrative Reform Index aim to enhance the sense of responsibility among civil servants and increase the participation and coordination of agencies, organizations, and individuals in the annual monitoring and evaluation of administrative reforms. Forms of publicity include:

- Organizing conferences to disseminate and train cadres, civil servants, and public officials on the objectives, significance, contents, and responsibilities related to the Administrative Reform Index;

- Disseminating through mass media to raise public awareness about the objectives and significance of the Administrative Reform Index;

- Other forms of publicity: through seminars; annual Administrative Reform Index announcement conferences.

3. Assigning civil servants to regularly perform monitoring and evaluation tasks of administrative reforms in administrative agencies and units.

- Ministries: assigning specialized civil servants in administrative reform to carry out monitoring and evaluation tasks of the ministry. Units under ministries allocate civil servants to monitor and compile the situation of implementing administrative reform tasks in specific fields according to the functions of their units.

- Ministries responsible for administrative reform contents assigned by the Government in Resolution No. 30c/NQ-CP shall compile the situation and results of administrative reforms in their areas of responsibility annually to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs and relevant ministries and sectors in assessing the implementation of administrative reforms by ministries and provinces.

- Provinces: assigning tasks to specialized civil servants in the Department of Home Affairs and the Home Affairs Office to carry out monitoring and evaluation tasks of provincial and district administrative reforms. For departments, bureaus, and other specialized offices at the district level, they are responsible for assigning civil servants to monitor and compile the results of administrative reforms. At the commune level, tasks are assigned to civil servants to monitor and compile the situation of administrative reforms in communes to report to the district according to regulations.

4. Ensuring material and financial resources.

- Increasing investment in material infrastructure and equipment, especially information technology, in implementing the Administrative Reform Index to ensure systematic monitoring and evaluation work by administrative agencies.

- Building software and databases for the Administrative Reform Index.

- Allocating sufficient funds for the implementation of the Administrative Reform Index.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. Responsibilities for Implementation.

a) Ministry of Home Affairs

+ Determining the Administrative Reform Index of ministries and provinces and preparing consolidated reports;

+ Submitting to the Minister for approval the results of the determination of the Administrative Reform Index for 2012 of ministries and provinces;

+ Annually developing plans along with budget estimates for implementing the Administrative Reform Index; organizing implementation after approval of the plan;

+ Taking the lead and coordinating with relevant agencies to organize the announcement of the Administrative Reform Index for 2012.

+ Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies to organize publicity about the Administrative Reform Index in the annual administrative reform publicity plan;

Coordinating with the Department of Administrative Reform to prepare the budget for implementing the determination of the Administrative Reform Index to be included in the annual budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs and sent to the Ministry of Finance as prescribed.

+ Determining the target group and sample size for sociological surveys;

+ Developing the questionnaire for sociological surveys and leading the organization of sociological surveys;

+ Compiling and processing data to determine the Administrative Reform Index and preparing a comprehensive report on the Administrative Reform Index results;

+ Submitting to the Minister of Home Affairs for decision on establishing the Council for Reviewing the Annual Administrative Reform Index of ministries and provinces;

+ Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies to organize the publication of the Annual Administrative Reform Index;

+ Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies to review the content of the Administrative Reform Index to submit to the Minister of Home Affairs for decision on adjustments and supplements to suit actual conditions.

Preparing necessary conditions according to the functions of the unit, coordinating with the Department of Administrative Reform to implement tasks in the plan to determine the Administrative Reform Index and announce the Administrative Reform Index for 2012.

- Information Center and State Organization Journal:

- Other units under the Ministry:

Cooperate with the Administrative Reform Department to implement tasks in the annual implementation of the Administrative Reform Index according to their functions.

b) Ministries and provinces

+ Implementing the work of determining the Administrative Reform Index within their scope of responsibility according to the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

+ Compiling data and preparing reports on the determination of the Administrative Reform Index of ministries and provinces according to the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

+ Cooperating with the Ministry of Home Affairs in organizing sociological surveys to determine the Administrative Reform Index of ministries and provinces.

+ Ministries of Justice; Information and Communications; Science and Technology; Finance; Planning and Investment shall cooperate with the Ministry of Home Affairs in monitoring and evaluating administrative reforms in specific reform areas according to the division of labor by the Government.

Each ministry and each province shall base on the Administrative Reform Index to establish and implement the Administrative Reform Index applicable within their ministries and provinces for monitoring and evaluating administrative reform in subordinate agencies and organizations in accordance with actual conditions to ensure consistency and uniformity in monitoring and evaluating administrative reform.

2. Implementation Schedule

a) Period 2013 - 2015:

- Implement annual determination of the Administrative Reform Index;

- In 2015, conduct a mid-term review of the implementation of the Administrative Reform Index determination to adjust and supplement;

||| b) Stage 2016 - 2020:

- Continue to implement the annual determination of the Administrative Reform Index;

- Study solutions to effectively apply in the determination of the Administrative Reform Index;

- Summarize the implementation of the Administrative Reform Index determination to propose improvements.

3. Funding for Implementation

a) The funding for determining the Administrative Reform Index is guaranteed from the state budget and other legitimate sources (if any).

b) The preparation of budgets, management, utilization, and settlement of funds for the annual determination of the Administrative Reform Index shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

Article 2. Utilize the Administrative Reform Index of ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, People's Committees of centrally governed cities to monitor and evaluate the results of annual administrative reform of ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, and centrally governed cities during the period 2011 - 2020. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Article 3. U: