Circular No. 20/2009/TT-BTTTT on statistical reporting and survey of universal postal service

CIRCULAR

Regulations on Statistical Reporting and Survey of Universal Postal Service

_____________________

MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

Pursuant to the Telecommunications Law dated May 25, 2002;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 157/2004/NĐ-CP dated August 18, 2004 detailing certain provisions of the Telecommunications Law;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 187/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 65/2008/QĐ-TTg dated May 22, 2008 on the provision of universal postal services,

c) Enterprises may be granted permission for no more than one block out of the total three dual-frequency blocks (FDD) B

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

These Circulars guide the statistical reporting and survey of universal postal services to determine volume, average tariff, and the degree of discrepancy in statistical reports.

Article 2. Applicability

These Circulars apply to Vietnam Post Corporation (Vietnam Post) and organizations and individuals related to statistical reporting and survey of universal postal services.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Statistical reports is a form of information collection based on reports prepared at specified intervals.

2. Statistical Survey is a form of information collection based on surveys conducted according to plans, contents, and methods prescribed for each survey.

3. Overseas Mail Office is the location where customs procedures are carried out for exported and imported mail items and where international mail bags and parcels are exchanged.

Article 4. Principles for Determining Volume and Average Tariff of Universal Postal Services.

1. The volume of domestic and international basic letter service (measured in pieces) is determined based on calculations from annual statistical reports and survey results.

2. The volume of newspaper distribution through the public postal network (measured in copies) is determined according to Decision No. 65/2008/QĐ-TTg dated May 22, 2008 of

3. The average tariff for a piece of domestic basic letter service is determined based on the consolidation and calculation of data from survey results.

4. The average tariff for a piece of international basic letter service is determined based on the consolidation and calculation of data from survey results and the payment tariffs between Vietnam and other countries as stipulated by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for each kilogram (kg) of letters.

5. The degree of discrepancy in statistical reports on universal postal services (measured in percent) is determined based on the comparison of data from consolidated reports with detailed records and supporting documents (hereinafter referred to as documents) at selected survey units.

6. The average number of letters per kilogram of letters is a positive integer. If the calculated average number of letters per kilogram is a decimal, it shall be rounded to the nearest whole number according to the rounding rule: if the result after the decimal point is five or greater, the figure is rounded up; if less than five, it is rounded down.

Chapter II
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Section 1 STATISTICAL REPORTS ON UNIVERSAL POSTAL SERVICES

Article 5. Objectives and Requirements for Statistical Reports

1. Objectives of Statistical Reports:

a) To determine the weight index (measured in kilograms) for:

- Domestic basic letter service up to 2 kg;

- International basic letter service from Vietnam to other countries up to 2 kg;

- International basic letter service from other countries to Vietnam up to 2 kg.

b) To determine the volume index for newspaper distribution for:

- People's Army Newspaper;

- People's Daily Newspaper;

- Newspapers published by provincial Party Committees;

- Other types of newspapers designated by the Prime Minister as universal postal services in Decision No. 65/2008/QĐ-TTg.

2. Requirements for Statistical Reports

a) Statistical reports must ensure accuracy, truthfulness, and completeness;

b) Recording and consolidating statistical report data must not involve duplication or omission;

c) Statistical reports on domestic basic letter service and international basic letter service from Vietnam to other countries must reflect the entire volume accepted at service points;

d) Statistical reports on international basic letter service from other countries to Vietnam must reflect the actual total volume from other countries to Vietnam;

e) Statistical reports on newspaper distribution must reflect the entire volume of newspapers delivered to readers;

f) Statistical reports and related documents must be stored according to accounting record retention regulations.

Article 6. Methods for Implementing Statistical Reports

1. Vietnam Post shall conduct statistics on the entire volume of basic mail service products within the country and newspaper distribution services at all service points, and on the entire volume of international basic mail service products at foreign exchange post offices.

2. The statistical report compiled by Vietnam Post shall be based on the statistical reports of subordinate units.

Article 7. Reporting Periods and Reporting Dates

1. The statistical report on universal postal services according to Model CI-1 attached to this Circular shall be submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communications twice a year: before August 15 for the mid-year report and before February 28 of the following year for the annual report.

2. Vietnam Post shall be responsible under the law for the accuracy and truthfulness of the data in the statistical reports submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Section 2 SURVEY AND STATISTICAL REPORTING OF UNIVERSAL POSTAL SERVICES

Article 8. Objectives, Requirements, and Methods of Survey and Statistical Reporting

1. Objectives of Survey and Statistical Reporting

a) To determine the average number of letters per kilogram of mail (unit of measurement: pieces) and the average postage rate per letter (unit of measurement: Vietnamese dong), for:

- Domestic basic letter service up to 2 kg;

- International basic letter service from Vietnam to other countries up to 2 kg;

- International basic letter service from other countries to Vietnam up to 2 kg.

b) To determine the discrepancy ratio in volume according to the statistical report (hereinafter referred to as the discrepancy ratio), for:

- Domestic basic letter service up to 2 kg;

- International basic letter service from Vietnam to other countries up to 2 kg;

- International basic mail service from other countries to Vietnam up to 2 kilograms;

- Newspaper distribution service.

c) To determine other indicators as required by the State for each survey period.

2. Requirements for Survey and Statistical Reporting

a) All survey and statistical indicators must be accurately and fully reflected on the forms;

b) Recording, collecting, and summarizing survey and statistical data must ensure accuracy and avoid duplication or omission;

c) Sample selection for surveys must be objective and meet the required sample size.

3. Methods for Survey and Statistical Reporting

Survey and statistical reporting shall be conducted using sampling methods.

Article 9. Determination of Survey Samples

1. The survey samples to determine the indicators specified in point a, Clause 1, Article 8 are as follows:

a) Survey locations:

- For domestic basic mail service: Conduct surveys at least seven (07) provincial exploitation centers of Vietnam Post, including three (03) compulsory provincial exploitation centers being Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City; other provincial exploitation centers are decided annually by the Ministry of Information and Communications based on criteria ensuring even distribution across the country and representation of various regions.

- For international basic mail service: Conduct surveys at all foreign exchange post offices of Vietnam Post.

b) Volume of mail for survey:

- For domestic basic mail service: Each day during the survey period, conduct a survey of 10 kilograms of mail at each selected survey location.

- For international basic mail service: Each day during the survey period, conduct a survey of 20 kilograms of mail for each type of survey indicator.

- In cases where the surveyed mail volume does not meet the above requirements, conduct a full survey of the actual daily mail volume.

2. The survey samples to determine the indicators specified in point b, Clause 1, Article 8 are as follows:

a) Survey locations:

- For domestic basic mail service and newspaper distribution service: Conduct surveys at least seven (07) provinces/cities. At each province/city, conduct surveys at 100% of central transaction post offices, 10% of district-level transaction post offices, 5% of other transaction post offices, and 10% of district-level statistical units. Provinces/cities selected for survey shall be chosen based on criteria ensuring even distribution across the country and representation of various regions.

- For international basic mail service: Conduct surveys at all foreign exchange post offices of Vietnam Post.

b) Survey Documentation: The Ministry of Information and Communications decides to select the statistical report of any month (prior to the survey period) to conduct the survey.

Article 10. Survey Period

The survey shall be conducted at least once a year during the second or third quarter. Each survey period shall last for at least five (05) working days, continuously from Monday to Friday.

Article 11. Organization of the Survey

1. Annually, the Ministry of Information and Communications decides on the survey plan and establishes the survey team.

2. Contents of the survey plan:

a) Purpose of the survey;

b) Survey subjects, units, and scope;

c) Survey content;

d) Survey time;

đ) Survey form;

e) Survey budget.

3. Composition of the survey team:

a) Representative of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

b) Representative of the Provincial Department of Information and Communications selected for the survey;

c) Representative of Vietnam Post.

Article 12. Method of Conducting the Survey

During the survey period, each day, at each selected survey location, the survey participants shall perform the following main tasks:

1. For statistical indicators specified in point a, Clause 1, Article 8:

a) Randomly weigh the volume of letters to be surveyed according to the provisions in point b, Clause 1, Article 9 of this Circular;

b) Count the total number of letters in the selected volume;

c) Record detailed information in forms CI-2 and CI-3 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

2. For statistical indicators specified in point b, Clause 1, Article 8:

a) At post offices:

- Compare data from the consolidated report with data on documents and vouchers at that post office.

- Record the survey results in form CI-7 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

b) At district-level statistical units:

- Compare data from the district-level consolidated report with data from consolidated reports from service points sent back.

- Record the survey results in form CI-8 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

c) At foreign exchange post offices:

- Compare data from the consolidated report with data on documents and vouchers at that foreign exchange post office.

- Record the survey results in form CI-9 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

Article 13. Compilation of Survey Results

1. For statistical indicators specified in point a, Clause 1, Article 8:

From the daily survey results of all selected provinces and cities, the survey team will compile, calculate, and record in forms CI-4, CI-5, and CI-6 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

2. For statistical indicators specified in point b, Clause 1, Article 8:

From the daily survey results of all selected provinces and cities, the survey team will compile, calculate, and record in forms CI-10, CI-11, and CI-12 attached as an appendix to this Circular.

Article 14. Determination of Survey Indicators in One Survey Period

1. Average number of letters per kilogram of mail is calculated separately for each service specified in point a, Clause 1, Article 8.

Average number of letters per kilogram of mail (=) Total number of letters counted (:) Total weight of mail selected for survey.

2. Average domestic basic letter postage rate per piece

Where:

: Is the average postage rate per piece of letter.

: Is the postage rate of letter at the i-th tariff level (i = 1, n); n is the number of tariff levels of letters counted.

: Is the number of letters counted at the i-th tariff level.

3. Average international basic letter postage rate from Vietnam to other countries

Average international basic letter postage rate from Vietnam to other countries (=) Average postage rate per piece of letter counted (-) Average postage rate per piece of letter used for settlement between Vietnam and other countries according to current UPU regulations.

Where:

Average postage rate per piece of letter counted: Apply the formula as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article.

Average postage rate per piece of letter used for settlement between Vietnam and other countries according to current UPU regulations (=) Settlement postage rate between Vietnam and other countries for one kilogram of mail according to current UPU regulations (:) Number of letters per kilogram of mail determined in the survey period.

4. Average international basic letter postage rate from other countries to Vietnam (=) Settlement postage rate between Vietnam and other countries for one kilogram of mail according to current UPU regulations (:) Number of letters per kilogram of mail determined in the survey period.

5. Discrepancy ratio in production volume according to statistical reports

a) For international basic letter service:

National discrepancy ratio (=) Total data on all foreign exchange post office consolidated reports (:) Total data on documents and vouchers at those foreign exchange post offices.

b) For domestic basic letter service and newspaper distribution service:

National discrepancy ratio (=) Weighted average of provincial discrepancy ratios of selected survey provinces based on production volume.

Where:

Provincial discrepancy ratio (=) [(Total production volume on district-level consolidated report (:) Total production volume on documents and vouchers at district level) x (Total production volume on selected transaction post office consolidated reports (:) Total production volume on documents and vouchers at those post offices)].

Section 3 DETERMINATION OF AVERAGE POSTAGE RATES, DEVIATION LEVELS AND VOLUMES

Article 15. Determination of the average postage rate for a basic domestic and international letter

The average postage rate for a basic domestic and international letter (=) The arithmetic mean of the average postage rates for a basic domestic and international letter determined in each statistical survey period.

Article 16. Deviation level of the statistical report

1. The deviation level in a year of the statistical report (=) the absolute value of [1 (-) national discrepancy ratio].

In cases where multiple statistical survey periods are conducted in a year, the national discrepancy ratio (=) the arithmetic mean of the discrepancy ratios determined in each statistical survey period.

2. The deviation level in a year of the statistical report is determined separately for each service specified in point a, Clause 1, Article 8 of this Circular.

Article 17. Determination of the volume of domestic and international basic postal services

1. The volume of domestic and international basic postal services (unit of measurement: piece) (=) the average number of pieces of mail per kilogram of mail (x) the weight of the corresponding mail service (unit of measurement: kg).

2. If the deviation level of the statistical report (≤) 03 %, then the weight of the mail referred to in the above Clause 1 (=) the weight according to the annual statistical report of Vietnam Post.

3. If the deviation level of the statistical report (>) 03 %, then the weight of the mail referred to in the above Clause 1 (=) the weight according to the annual statistical report of Vietnam Post (: national discrepancy ratio).

Article 18. Determination of the volume of newspaper distribution services

1. The volume of newspaper distribution services (=) the volume according to the annual statistical report of Vietnam Post established when the deviation level of the statistical report (≤) 03 %.

2. The volume of newspaper distribution services (=) the volume according to the annual statistical report of Vietnam Post established (: national discrepancy ratio) when the deviation level of the statistical report (>) 03 %.

Chapter III IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

Article 19. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from July 10, 2009.

Article 20. Responsibility for implementation organization

1. Provincial Departments of Information and Communications have the responsibility to participate in statistical surveys according to the decision of the Ministry of Information and Communications in each survey period.

2. Vietnam Post has the responsibility:

a) To direct, guide, and urge units to implement reporting on statistics;

b) To participate in statistical surveys according to the decision of the Ministry of Information and Communications.