Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BKHCN on the selection and direct assignment to organizations and individuals to implement national science and technology tasks funded by the state budget.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the selection and direct assignment of organizations and individuals to perform national science and technology tasks
using state budget funds
funded by state budget

Pursuant to the Law on Science and Technology dated June 18, 2013;

Pursuant to Decree No. 08/2014/NĐ-CP dated January 27, 2014 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Science and Technology;

Technology;

At the request of the Director of the High Technology Department and the Director of the Legal Department;

The Minister of Science and Technology issues this Circular regulating the selection and direct assignment of organizations and individuals to perform national science and technology tasks using state budget funds.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

a) This Circular regulates the selection and direct assignment of organizations and individuals to perform national science and technology tasks using state budget funds (hereinafter referred to as tasks) in the forms of scientific and technological research topics (hereinafter referred to as topics), experimental production projects (hereinafter referred to as projects), and scientific plans (hereinafter referred to as plans). b) Tasks funded or supported by funds in the field of science and technology are not within the scope of regulation of this Circular.

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals engaged in science and technology activities, state agencies, and other organizations and individuals related to such activities.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

The National Science and Technology Task Management System

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

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

1. is an information system established, managed, and operated by the Ministry of Science and Technology for managing the implementation of science and technology tasks using state budget funds. Documents, files, and materials are exchanged through online means via the National Science and Technology Task Management System. In cases where the National Science and Technology Task Management System. is not ready or encounters technical issues that have not been promptly resolved, documents, files, and materials will be exchanged directly. is an entity assigned by the Ministry of Science and Technology to organize the implementation of specialized contents to carry out science and technology tasks and programs according to approved objectives, contents, products, requirements for science and technology products, and evaluation criteria.

2. Tasks under the High-Tech Development Program include: The financial management unit

3. is an entity assigned by the Ministry of Science and Technology to manage the use of state budget funds and conduct activities serving state management to implement science and technology tasks and programs according to approved objectives, contents, products, requirements for science and technology products, and evaluation criteria. is a data message document created or digitized from paper documents and presented in accordance with the format, techniques, and standards prescribed in Clause 4, Article 3 of Decree No. 30/2020/NĐ-CP dated March 5, 2020 of the Government on archival work.

4. Electronic document Online meeting method

5. for advisory boards on selection and direct assignment of is a method of holding meetings through technological solutions that allow members of the advisory board and representatives attending from different locations to perform their duties. User account

6. is the login name and password used to access the National Science and Technology Task Management System. REGULATIONS ON THE SELECTION OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO PERFORM TASKS

Chapter II
Principles and conditions for selecting organizations and individuals

Section 1
to perform tasks

Article 3. Principles for selecting organizations and individuals to perform tasks

and announcement of the selection of organizations and individuals to perform tasks a) Selection must ensure fairness, transparency, democracy, and objectivity; the results of the selection must be publicly announced on the National Science and Technology Task Management System and the Ministry of Science and Technology's electronic portal or other mass media;

1. General principles:

b) Application files for participation in the selection are evaluated by the Advisory Board for Selection (hereinafter referred to as the Advisory Board) established by the Minister of Science and Technology.

Evaluation is conducted through scoring based on specific criteria groups stipulated in Article 12 of this Circular;

c) Based on the advice of the Advisory Board and the recommendations of the specialized management unit, the Minister of Science and Technology decides to select organizations and individuals to perform tasks. In necessary cases, the Minister of Science and Technology seeks the opinion of independent experts before making a decision.

2. Announcement of the selection of organizations and individuals to perform tasks:

A list of tasks, conditions, and procedures for participating in the selection is publicly announced on the Ministry of Science and Technology's electronic portal or other mass media for a period of 30 days to allow organizations and individuals to prepare application files for participation in the selection.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology announces the second round of selection within a period not exceeding six months from the start date of the first round of selection in the following cases:

a) When the announcement period has ended without any application files being submitted;

b) Application files are found to be invalid when opening and checking the files;

c) Application files are disqualified from the selection process according to points a, b, d, and e of Clause 1 and points a, b, and d of Clause 2 of Article 17 of this Circular;

d) Other cases decided by the Minister of Science and Technology.

d) In other cases, the decision shall be made by the Minister of Science and Technology.

Article 4. Conditions for participation in the selection to undertake tasks

1. An organization with legal personality and engaged in activities consistent with the requirements of the task has the right to register to participate in the selection to undertake the task.

2. Organizations falling under any of the following circumstances do not meet the conditions to register to participate in the selection to lead the task:

a) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they have not completed the registration, submission, and retention of the results of implementing national-level tasks as stipulated by current regulations;

b) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they have not implemented the report on applying the results of implementing other national-level tasks as stipulated by current regulations;

c) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they have not submitted the application dossier for evaluation and acceptance of other national-level tasks led by themselves within thirty days from the end date of the implementation period according to the Contract, including any extended time (if applicable);

d) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they have not fully returned the recovered funds according to the contracts for tasks already signed;

đ) If there is misconduct leading to suspension of another task, they shall not be eligible to register to participate in the selection for one year from the date of the suspension decision by the competent authority.

3. Individuals registering to participate in the selection to lead the task must satisfy the following requirements simultaneously:

a) Having a bachelor’s degree or higher;

b) Having expertise in the field of science and technology relevant to the content of the task and having been active in this field for at least five years up to the deadline for submitting the dossier;

c) Having the capability and ensuring the time to organize the implementation of the task;

d) Other cases not covered by points a, b, and c of this clause shall be decided by the Minister of Science and Technology.

4. Individuals falling under any of the following circumstances do not meet the conditions to register to participate in the selection to lead the task:

a) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they are leading another national-level task;

b) At the deadline for submitting registration dossier to participate in the selection, they have not submitted the application dossier for evaluation and acceptance of other national-level tasks led by themselves within thirty days from the end date of the implementation period according to the Contract, including any extended time (if applicable);

c) If there is misconduct leading to suspension of the task they are leading for three years from the date of the suspension decision by the competent authority.

Section 2
REGISTRATION DOSSIER FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE SELECTION TO UNDERTAKE TASKS

Article 5. Registration dossier for participation in the selection to undertake tasks

Organizations and individuals prepare the registration dossier for participation in the selection in accordance with the guidelines and Forms in Appendix I issued together with this Circular, including:

1. Documents proving the legal status of the organization in accordance with the law (Decision on establishment or Business Registration Certificate of the leading organization, Charter of the leading organization, or other documents proving legal status).

2. Application form to lead the task (Form B1-1-APPL).

3. Project description (Form B1-2a-PROJ or Form B1-2b-PROJ); project proposal (Form B1-2c-PROP); project plan (Form B1-2d-PLAN).

4. Summary of scientific and technological activities of the organization leading the task (Form B1-3-SUM).

5. Scientific curriculum vitae of the individual leading the task, confirmed by the personnel management organization (Form B1-4-CV).

6. Scientific curriculum vitae of key members and scientific secretaries (Form B1-4-CV). This document must be confirmed by the personnel management organization if the Advisory Board recommends the successful candidate and submits it in accordance with Clause 12, Article 11 of this Circular.

7. Scientific curriculum vitae of domestic and foreign experts (in case of expert participation).

8. Summary of scientific and technological activities and confirmation documents about the agreement of participating organizations (in case of organizational cooperation) (Form B1-5-COOP and Form B1-6-SUMCOOP).

9. Financial reports in accordance with accounting standards and current accounting regulations for the two most recent years of the organization contributing capital.

10. For tasks requiring counterpart funding, corresponding plans for mobilizing counterpart funding must be provided as follows:

a) In the case of using own capital: Dossier proving the source of capital and commitment to use the capital for counterpart funding;

b) In the case of mobilizing capital from individuals/organizations or contributions from owners: Commitment documents and confirmation papers regarding the contribution of capital by individuals/organizations/owners to the leading organization for the task;

c) In the case of borrowing from financial institutions: Commitment to lend capital from financial institutions for the task.

11. Valid quotations for major equipment, raw materials needed to purchase, and services required to lease for the task (the quotation period does not exceed ninety days from the submission deadline). This document will only be submitted if the Advisory Board recommends the successful candidate in accordance with Clause 12, Article 11 of this Circular.

12. Other related documents in cases where the organization or individual participating in the selection, direct assignment finds it necessary to supplement to enhance the persuasiveness of the dossier or the managing unit needs to clarify information during the selection and direct assignment process.

13. The documents and texts specified in Clauses 9 and 10 of this Article only apply to tasks requiring counterpart funding outside the state budget.

14. The documents specified in this Article must be original or certified copies in accordance with current regulations. In cases where the dossiers are available on the National Science and Technology Task Management System, the organizations and individuals participating in the selection and direct assignment of tasks are responsible for updating the information on the system and providing the dossier number to the specialized managing unit.

Article 6. Submission of Registration Documents for Participation in Selection to Undertake Tasks

1. Submission of Registration Documents for Participation in Selection

a) For documents submitted directly or via postal service: the documents consist of one set, using Times New Roman font in Vietnamese, with Unicode character encoding according to Vietnam Standard TCVN 6909:2001, in black color, and one electronic copy of the documents (in PDF format, without password protection) recorded on a USB drive. The entire set of documents must be packaged, sealed, and clearly marked on the outside with:

- The name of the task and the name, code number (if applicable) of the scientific and technological program being registered for selection and direct assignment;

- The name and address of the organization registering as the main entity for the task; the name, address, and phone number of the task leader;

- A list of documents included in the submission;

b) For online submissions: one set of electronic documents comprising the electronic versions of the documents specified in Article 5 of this Circular, certified electronically in accordance with current regulations.

The deadline and address for submitting documents shall be announced on the Ministry of Science and Technology's official website or other mass media, and in writing (for tasks containing state secrets).

2. Date of Receipt of Documents

a) For cases where documents are submitted directly or via postal service: the date indicated on the postal stamp at the sending location (for postal submissions) or the receipt stamp of the ministry, department, or local government (for direct submissions).

b) For cases where documents are submitted online: the submission date is determined based on the actual timestamp recorded in the National Scientific and Technological Task Management System.

3. Within the prescribed submission period, organizations and individuals registering for participation in the selection have the right to withdraw their submitted documents to replace them with new ones or supplement the previously submitted documents.

Any replacement or supplementation of documents must be completed before the deadline for submission as prescribed. Additional documents submitted after the prescribed deadline will not be considered part of the submission, except for those specified in Clause 6 and Clause 11 of Article 5 of this Circular.

Article 7. Opening, Inspection, and Confirmation of the Validity of Registration Documents for Participation in Selection to Undertake Tasks

1. Upon completion of the registration document submission period, within seven working days, the specialized management unit is responsible for coordinating with the financial management unit to open and inspect the status of the documents; review and inspect information related to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

2. The results of opening the documents are recorded in a protocol according to Form B2-1-BBHS attached as Appendix II to this Circular.

3. Based on the review of the registration documents, the specialized management unit completes the opening document protocol.

4. In cases where registration documents are submitted online, upon completion of the submission period, the opening document protocol will be extracted according to Form B2-1-BBHS attached as Appendix II to this Circular.

5. Valid documents are eligible for consideration and evaluation if they comply with the provisions of Article 4 and Article 5 of this Circular and related regulations. For invalid documents, the Ministry of Science and Technology instructs the specialized management unit to notify the organizations registering as the main entities for the tasks in writing.

Section 3
ADVISORY BOARD AND EXPENSE REVIEW COMMITTEE

TO IMPLEMENT TASKS

Article 8. Advisory Council, Budget Verification Team for Task Implementation, and Expert Group

1. The Advisory Council shall be established by the Minister of Science and Technology:

a) The Advisory Council shall consist of from seven to nine members, including the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, scientific secretary member, two members serving as review members, and other members;

b) The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and members of the Advisory Council shall be scientists from the database of science and technology experts approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, representatives of agencies and organizations proposing to commission tasks (ministries, sectors, localities proposing to commission tasks), managers, and capable businesspeople with expertise relevant to advisory tasks.

2. Individuals in the following cases shall not participate in the Advisory Council:

a) Individuals who have registered to undertake the task;

b) Individuals belonging to organizations that have registered to lead the task;

c) Individuals belonging to organizations that have registered to collaborate on implementing the task;

d) Individuals with clear evidence of lack of impartiality when participating in the selection council or directly assigning the task;

đ) Spouses, fathers, mothers, children, brothers, sisters, or full-blooded siblings of the principal investigator, scientific secretary, and main participants undertaking the task;

e) Individuals who have not yet completed administrative penalty decisions regarding science and technology activities or are currently under criminal investigation or have been convicted but not yet rehabilitated;

3. Members who have participated in the Advisory Council to determine priority tasks shall be invited to participate in the Advisory Council for corresponding tasks.

4. The budget verification team for the task (hereinafter referred to as the Verification Team) shall be established by the Minister of Science and Technology.

The Verification Team shall consist of five members, including: the head of the Verification Team being a leader of a specialized management unit under the Ministry of Science and Technology; the deputy head of the Verification Team being a representative of a planning and finance management unit under the Ministry of Science and Technology; one member representing the budget management unit under the Ministry of Science and Technology; one member being the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or review member of the Advisory Council; one representative of the planning and finance management unit serving as the Secretary of the Verification Team.

5. The Advisory Council and the Verification Team shall operate according to the principles, procedures, and contents stipulated in Articles 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of this Circular. Representatives of specialized management units and budget management units shall serve as administrative secretaries assisting the Advisory Council and the Verification Team.

6. For projects, the Minister of Science and Technology shall decide to establish an expert group to inspect the actual material and technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of organizations and individuals registering to lead the task and organizations registering to collaborate on implementing the task (hereinafter referred to as the Expert Group). The composition of the Expert Group includes: a representative of the specialized management unit as the head; a representative of the planning and finance management unit; a representative of the budget management unit; a representative of the Advisory Council; the Project Principal Investigator (if any). Inspection results shall be recorded in minutes according to Form B2-9-BBKQKT in Appendix II issued together with this Circular and provided to members during the Advisory Council and Verification Team meeting sessions.

7. For topics, if necessary, the specialized management unit shall report to the Minister of Science and Technology to decide to establish an expert group to inspect the actual material and technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of organizations and individuals registering to lead the task and organizations registering to collaborate on implementing the task according to the provisions of Clause 6 of this Article. Inspection results shall be recorded in minutes according to Form B2-9-BBKQKT in Appendix II issued together with this Circular and provided to members during the Advisory Council and Verification Team meeting sessions.

8. If necessary, based on the opinions of the specialized management unit, the Minister of Science and Technology may decide the number of members and composition of the Advisory Council, Verification Team, and other Expert Groups different from the provisions of Clauses 1, 4, 6, and 7 of this Article.

Article 9. Preparing for Meetings of the Advisory Board and the Appraisal Team VIETNAMESE VALUATION STANDARDS

1. The administrative secretary shall be responsible for:

Preparing and sending materials to all members of the Advisory Board and members of the Appraisal Team or experts (if any) at least seven working days before the meeting to assess the application for selection, direct assignment, and three working days before the meeting to appraise the budget when the meeting is held online or a combination of face-to-face and online; providing user accounts to members of the Advisory Board and members of the Appraisal Team or experts (if any) at least seven working days before the meeting to assess the application for selection, direct assignment, and three working days before the meeting to appraise the budget in case the meeting is held online or a combination of face-to-face and online.

2. Materials serving the meeting to assess the application for selection include:

a) Decision on establishing the Advisory Board;

b) Extracts from the list of tasks approved;

c) A copy of the original application form or the electronic version of the application form for participation in the selection;

d) Evaluation forms for tasks according to the Model Forms in Appendix II issued together with this Circular (research topic: Model B2-2a-NXDTTCN or Model B2-2b-NXDTXH/NXDTA; project: Model B2-2c-NXDA; program: Model B2-2b-NXDTXH/NXDTA);

đ) Explanatory opinions of the organization registering as the main task holder regarding questions raised by members of the Advisory Board (if any);

e) Minutes recording the results of on-site inspections of material and technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of the organizations and individuals registering as the main task holders and organizations registering to cooperate in implementing the tasks (if any) as stipulated in Clause 6 and Clause 7 of Article 8 of this Circular.

3. Materials serving the meeting to appraise the budget for tasks include:

a) Decision on establishing the Appraisal Team;

b) Detailed description of the task revised according to the conclusions of the Advisory Board;

c) Explanation from the main organization about the contents revised according to the conclusions of the Advisory Board in accordance with Model B2-8-GTHD in Appendix II issued together with this Circular and supplementary documents (if any);

d) Minutes of the Advisory Board meetings;

đ) Minutes recording the results of on-site inspections of material and technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of the organizations and individuals registering as the main task holders and organizations registering to cooperate in implementing the tasks (if any);

e) Scientific curriculum vitae of the main implementers and scientific secretaries implementing the task, confirmed by the personnel management organization (Model B1-4-LLCN);

g) Quotations for major equipment, raw materials needed to purchase, and services required to rent for implementing the task still valid (the quotation period does not exceed ninety days from the date of submission of the application);

h) Other related documents.

4. For cases where the meeting is held online or a combination of face-to-face and online, the materials mentioned in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of this Article shall be posted on the National Science and Technology Task Management System.

Article 10. Working Methods of the Advisory Board

1. The Advisory Board shall convene in one of the following methods:

a) Face-to-face meeting method;

b) Online meeting method;

c) Combined face-to-face and online meeting method.

2. Principles of operation of the Advisory Board

a) At least two-thirds of the members of the Advisory Board must participate, including the Chairman or Deputy Chairman authorized and two opposing members;

b) The Chairman of the Advisory Board shall chair the Advisory Board meetings. In the absence of the Chairman of the Advisory Board, the authorized Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Board shall chair the meeting (the Chairman's authorization letter of the Advisory Board according to Model B2-7-GUQ in Appendix II issued together with this Circular).

3. Responsibilities of members of the Advisory Board

a) To evaluate honestly, objectively, and fairly; bear individual responsibility for their evaluation results and collective responsibility for the Advisory Board's final conclusion. Members of the Advisory Board, representatives participating, and the administrative secretary have the responsibility to keep confidential information related during the process of evaluating the selection application and direct assignment;

b) Study and analyze each content and information declared in the application; comment and evaluate each application according to the requirements specified and explain the comments and evaluations;

c) Send questions regarding the application for selection of tasks (if any) to the specialized management unit at least five working days before the meeting to assess the application for selection if the meeting is held face-to-face according to Model B2-10-CHHDTV in Appendix II issued together with this Circular or send to the address provided through the user account given to members of the Advisory Board if the meeting is held online or a combination of online and face-to-face.

Article 11. Procedure and Content of the Advisory Board's Work

1. The administrative secretary announces the decision to establish the Advisory Board, introduces the members of the Advisory Board and the representatives present, and records the opening of the file.

2. The representative of the specialized management unit states the requirements and main contents regarding the selection of tasks.

3. The Advisory Board exchanges and unifies the working principles and elects the scientific secretary of the Advisory Board.

4. The representative of the Expert Group announces the Minutes recording the results of the actual inspection of the material-technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of the individual or organization registering as the principal and the organization registering for cooperation in implementing the task (if applicable).

5. The Advisory Board proceeds to evaluate the application files for participation in the selection process, directly:

a) Members of the board present their comments and evaluations on each file according to the prescribed form; comments on the suitability between the total budget and the products of the task; propose modifications and supplements to the contents in the task description; compare the application files within the same task;

b) The scientific secretary reads the Comment Sheet of absent members (if any);

c) The Advisory Board discusses and evaluates each file according to the evaluation criteria groups and scoring scale specified in Article 12 of this Circular;

d) Members of the Advisory Board vote to score each file through a ballot method. Evaluation sheets with scores differing more than 20% from the average score of all members are invalid ballots. The evaluation scoring sheet at Appendix II issued together with this Circular (for research topics: Form B2-3a-ĐGĐTCN or Form B2-3b-ĐGĐTXH/ĐGĐA; for projects: Form B2-3c-ĐGDA; for plans: Form B2-3b-ĐGĐTXH/ĐGĐA);

đ) The Advisory Board elects a ballot verification committee consisting of three members of the Advisory Board, including the Head of the Committee and two members.

6. The administrative secretary of the Advisory Board assists the ballot verification committee in compiling the voting results of the Advisory Board members according to Form B2-4-KPĐG at Appendix II issued together with this Circular and ranks the evaluated files with valid average scores from highest to lowest according to Form 2-5-THKP at Appendix II issued together with this Circular.

7. The ballot verification committee announces the scoring evaluation results after reviewing and excluding invalid ballots. In cases where the application file of the principal organization that proposed the task has an average score of 70/100 points or higher, the total score of the file will be increased by 10% (ten percent) of its average score.

8. The Advisory Board recommends organizations and individuals selected to undertake the task when they meet the following conditions simultaneously:

a) Having a file evaluated with the highest total average score and must reach 70/100 points or higher, in which no criterion receives zero points (0 points) from more than 1/4 of the Advisory Board members present;

b) For files with equal total average scores, priority is given in the following order:

- Prioritize files proposing less state budget funding;

- Prioritize the principal of the task or the principal organization that has been rated as excellent in national-level tasks within the last five years up to the registration date;

- For files with equal priority points above, prioritize the file with a higher average score on the content and implementation plan of the principal organization and the principal of the task. 9. The Advisory Board concludes on the application file of the organization recommended for selection:

a) Contents requiring modification and supplementation in the task description to meet the ordering requirements;

b) The number of domestic and foreign experts needed to participate;

c) The method of cost allocation to the final product or partial cost allocation.

10. The scientific secretary prepares and completes the Minutes of the Advisory Board meeting according to Form B2-6-BBHĐ at Appendix II issued together with this Circular.

11. The Advisory Board approves the Minutes of the meeting.

12. Within twenty days from the date the Advisory Board approves the Minutes of the meeting, the principal organization and the principal of the selected task are responsible for completing and resubmitting the task description according to the Advisory Board's conclusions, the Explanation of the principal organization on the modified contents according to the Advisory Board's conclusions according to Form B2-8-GTHĐ at Appendix II issued together with this Circular, the documents stipulated in Clause 6 and Clause 11 of Article 5 of this Circular, and other related documents.

12. Within twenty days from the date the Advisory Board approves the Minutes of the meeting, the leading organization and the head of the selected task shall be responsible for completing and resubmitting the task description according to the Advisory Board's conclusions, an explanation from the leading organization regarding the revised contents based on the Advisory Board's conclusions as per Form B2-8-GTHĐ in Appendix II issued together with this Circular, the documents specified in Clause 6 and Clause 11 of Article 5 of this Circular, and any other related documents.

Article 12. Groups of criteria and scoring scale for evaluating applications to select organizations and individuals to perform tasks

Applications to select organizations and individuals to perform tasks shall be evaluated and scored up to a maximum of 100 points according to the following groups of criteria and scoring scales:

1. Research topics on applied studies and technological development:

a) Overview of research situation (maximum 12 points);

b) Content, human resources implementing the contents, research methods and techniques used (maximum 24 points);

c) Scientific and technological products (maximum 16 points);

d) Ability to apply or utilize the results created in production and daily life (maximum 16 points);

đ) Feasibility regarding implementation plan and budget (maximum 16 points);

e) Competence of the organization and individual performing the task (maximum 16 points).

2. Research topics on social sciences and humanities and scientific projects:

a) Overview of research situation (maximum 12 points);

b) Content and support activities for research (maximum 12 points);

c) Approach and research methods (maximum 12 points);

d) Feasibility regarding implementation plan and budget (maximum 20 points);

đ) Scientific products, benefits of the research topic/project and transfer plans for products/results (maximum 24 points);

e) Competence of the organization and individual performing the task (maximum 20 points).

3. Research topics in other fields of science and technology activities, depending on the research content, shall apply the criteria and scoring scale specified in Clause 1 or Clause 2 of this Article.

4. Projects:

a) Overview of technical issues and market conditions of the project (maximum 8 points);

b) Content and implementation plan (maximum 20 points);

c) Novelty and feasibility of the technology (maximum 12 points);

d) Potential for development and expected socio-economic effectiveness of the project (maximum 12 points);

đ) Scientific and technological products (maximum 16 points);

e) Financial plan (maximum 16 points);

g) Competence of the organization and individual performing the task (maximum 16 points).

5. In case of necessity, the Minister of Science and Technology may adjust the criteria and scoring scale for evaluation based on the specific characteristics of different types of tasks.

Article 13. Principles of work, duties, and responsibilities of the Evaluation Team

1. Principles of work of the Evaluation Team

a) The Ministry of Science and Technology shall organize a meeting of the Evaluation Team within ten days from the date of receipt of the application as stipulated in Clause 12, Article 11 of this Circular.

b) At least four-fifths of the members of the Evaluation Team must be present, including at least one member who is the Chairman or Vice-Chairman or a reviewing expert of the Advisory Board.

c) The Head of the Evaluation Team shall chair the meeting. In the absence of the Head of the Evaluation Team, the Deputy Head of the Evaluation Team shall chair the meeting.

d) A collective conclusion on the content of the review shall be made. Any opinions of the members of the Evaluation Team that are not in agreement with the general conclusion of the Evaluation Team shall be retained and recorded in the Minutes.

2. Duties of the Evaluation Team

a) Review the revised and supplemented content according to the Advisory Board's conclusions and other revisions (if any).

b) Evaluate the appropriateness of the budget estimate compared to:

- Research contents according to the Advisory Board's conclusions and other revisions (if any);

- The necessary time to implement;

- Current economic and technical norms, cost standards;

- Detailed explanations about the contents of work without economic and technical norms, cost standards.

c) Evaluate the ability to match non-state budget capital and the mobilization plan of the leading organization to perform the task (if any); additional documents and materials required before signing the contract to perform the task (if necessary).

d) Recommend the total amount of funding for implementing the task including state budget support and other sources (if any), the implementation period, and the cost allocation method to the final product or partial cost allocation.

3. Responsibilities of the Evaluation Team

a) Members of the Evaluation Team shall bear individual and collective responsibility for the general conclusion of the Evaluation Team. Members of the Evaluation Team, representatives (if any), and administrative secretaries have the responsibility to keep confidential information related to the budget review process.

b) The Evaluation Team shall report in writing to the Minister of Science and Technology and propose solutions for issues exceeding their authority that arise during the review of the task application for consideration and decision.

Article 14. Procedure and Content of the Verification Team's Work

1. The administrative secretary announces the decision to establish the Verification Team, introduces the members of the Verification Team and the representatives attending, and reads the conclusion of the Advisory Board at the meeting to evaluate the dossier.

2. The chairperson of the verification meeting states the principles, tasks, and responsibilities of the Verification Team, the requirements and content of the financial verification for the task.

3. The representative of the organization in charge presents the contents that have been supplemented and revised according to the Advisory Board's conclusion and other modified and supplemented contents (if any); answers questions from Verification Team members (if any) and does not continue to participate in the Verification Team's meeting.

4. Members of the Verification Team provide comments on the task's contents compared to the Advisory Board's conclusion.

5. The Verification Team members state their verification opinions in accordance with Clause 2, Article 13 of this Circular; discuss the proposed conclusion of the Verification Team.

6. Before the Verification Team issues its conclusion, the representative of the organization in charge may be invited to continue participating in the Verification Team's meeting to hear the proposed conclusion of the Verification Team. The representative of the organization in charge has the right to present clarifying explanations before the Verification Team makes its formal conclusion.

7. The secretary of the Verification Team assists the Verification Team in completing the Verification Record according to the forms in Appendix III issued together with this Circular (for projects/proposals: Form B3-1a-BBTDDT/DA, Form B3-2a-PLBBTD/DA; for projects: Form B3-1b-BBTDDA, Form B3-2b-PLBBTD/DA).

Section 4
Approving, retaining, and canceling the results of selecting organizations and individuals to perform tasks

Article 15. Approval of the Results of Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Perform Tasks

1. Within fifteen days from the date of completing the financial verification or receiving the opinion of the independent consultant (if any), the organization in charge and the task leader are responsible for perfecting the task dossier according to the Verification Team's conclusion, providing detailed explanations of the Verification Team's conclusion (Form B3-3-GTTDKP) and resubmitting it to the specialized management unit after confirming the adoption of the Verification Team's meeting chairperson's opinions.

2. Documents for submission for approval include:

a) Minutes of opening the registration dossier for selecting organizations and individuals in charge of the task; evaluation sheets of Advisory Board members;

b) Minutes of the Advisory Board meeting, Minutes of the Verification Team meeting, opinions of the independent consultant (if any);

c) Report of the organization in charge explaining the Advisory Board's and Verification Team's opinions;

d) The task dossier revised according to the Verification Team's conclusion; Decision on establishing the Advisory Board, Verification Team, Expert Group (if any);

đ) Draft Decision approving the organization in charge, task leader, budget, cost allocation method, and implementation period of the task according to Form B3-4-QDPDKP in Appendix III issued together with this Circular.

3. Approving the selection results

a) Within fifteen days from the date of receiving the completed explanation according to the Verification Team's conclusion, the specialized management unit is responsible for submitting to the Minister of Science and Technology for consideration and signing the Decision approving the organization in charge, task leader, budget, cost allocation method, and implementation period of the task. The implementation period includes the research deployment period and the completion period of the dossier for final acceptance (not exceeding three months).

b) The Ministry of Science and Technology delegates the budget management unit to approve the task explanation.

c) In case of necessity, the Minister of Science and Technology may seek the opinion of the independent consultant in accordance with Articles 18 and 20 of this Circular.

Article 16. Retention, management of original files and public disclosure of information

1. After the selection process has ended, the administrative secretary of the sessions shall be responsible for compiling the documents (including non-selected files) for retention and management in accordance with current regulations. 2. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall be responsible for publicly disclosing information on the results of the selection of tasks (excluding tasks containing state secrets as defined by authorized agencies) as follows:

a) Content to be disclosed: Decision approving the list of commissioned tasks; Decision approving the organization in charge and the head of the task, funding, cost-sharing methods, and implementation period;

b) Method of disclosure: Within fifteen days from the date of signing the approval decision, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall be responsible for publicly announcing the selection results and posting them for at least sixty days on the National Task Management System for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Science and Technology's electronic portal or other mass media.

Article 17. Revocation of Selection Results for Organizations and Individuals Implementing Tasks

1. During the selection process, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall revoke the selection results for organizations and individuals implementing tasks in the following cases:

a) The organization in charge and the head of the task engage in fraudulent behavior, deceit, or make dishonest declarations or commitments in the registration documents for participating in the selection process;

b) Violation of conditions stipulated in Clause 4 of this Circular;

c) Overlapping funding for the task from other sources of the state budget;

d) The organization in charge and the head of the task fail to comply with Clause 12, Article 11 of this Circular;

e) The organization in charge and the head of the task fail to comply with Clause 1, Article 15 of this Circular.

2. From the effective date of the Decision approving the organization in charge and the head of the task, funding, cost-sharing methods, and implementation period until the date of signing the contract to implement the task, the Minister of Science and Technology may revoke the decision in the following cases:

a) The organization in charge and the head of the task engage in fraudulent behavior, deceit, or make dishonest declarations or commitments in the registration documents for participating in the selection process;

d) The organization in charge requests not to implement the task or proposes to change the head of the task.

c) Overlapping funding for the task from other sources of the state budget;

d) The organization in charge and the head of the task fail to comply with Clause 12, Article 11 of this Circular;

3. Within seven days, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall notify the organization in charge:

a) Revocation of participation in the selection process for cases specified in point a, b, c of Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Revocation of the advisory council meeting results for cases specified in point d of Clause 1 of this Article;

c) Revocation of the funding review results for cases specified in point e of Clause 1 of this Article;

d) Revocation of the Decision approving the task funding for cases specified in Clause 2 of this Article.

4. Organizations and individuals whose selection results have been revoked must bear the consequences according to current laws.

5. In other necessary cases, the Minister of Science and Technology shall consider and decide.

INDEPENDENT EXPERT ADVISORS

Chapter III
INDEPENDENT ADVISORS

Article 18. Independent Consultant Experts

1. Independent consultant experts reviewing the mission dossier must meet the following conditions:

a) Not being a member of the Advisory Board; not belonging to the main organization; not participating in implementing the mission; not being the spouse, father, mother, child, brother, sister, or half-sibling of the mission leader, scientific secretary, or key participants in implementing the mission; not having been administratively punished for violations in scientific and technological activities and the punishment period has not yet expired, or currently being pursued for criminal responsibility, or serving a sentence, or prohibited from holding positions, practicing professions, or performing specific tasks related to scientific and technological activities without having their criminal record expunged; there must be clear evidence that they cannot be impartial when providing advisory opinions.

b) Being a person with a bachelor's degree or higher, having the ability and at least five years of experience in research or working in a field relevant to the mission's requirements. Independent consultant experts must be part of the database of science and technology experts managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

2. The Minister of Science and Technology shall consider and decide on the selection of independent consultant experts who do not fall under the provisions of Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 19. Responsibilities of Independent Consultant Experts

1. Analyze, evaluate, and provide critical opinions on application dossiers for direct assignment regarding the content, research objectives, results to be achieved, and the number of personnel and time required to complete each task within the mission, and assess the capacity of the main organization and the mission leader.

2. Complete the advisory report within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the request; keep confidential all evaluation information and directly send the advisory report to the Ministry of Science and Technology in a sealed envelope.

3. During the period of being invited for independent consultation, commit not to contact or exchange information about the assigned mission with the main organization, collaborating organizations, or individuals involved in the direct assignment of the mission. Violation will result in the cancellation of the advisory outcome and handling according to the law. with the main organization, collaborating organizations, or individuals involved in the direct assignment of the mission. In case of violation, the advisory outcome will be canceled and handled according to the law.

Article 20. Procedures for Soliciting Opinions from Independent Consultant Experts

1. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall organize the solicitation of opinions from at least three independent consultant experts when necessary.

2. Within five working days from the date the Minister of Science and Technology issues instructions, the specialized management unit shall be responsible for sending the following to the independent consultant experts:

a) A letter from the Ministry of Science and Technology inviting independent consultant experts to review the application dossier for direct assignment;

b) Documents as stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 9 of this Circular.

3. Based on the opinions of the independent consultant experts, the specialized management unit shall advise the Minister of Science and Technology to consider and decide.

Chapter IV

REGULATIONS ON ASSIGNING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO IMPLEMENT MISSIONS

DIRECT ASSIGNMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO IMPLEMENT MISSIONS

Article 21. Direct Assignment of Organizations and Individuals to Implement Missions

1. Principles and Conditions for Participation in Direct Assignment to Implement Missions

a) Principles for assigning organizations and individuals to implement missions as stipulated in Clause 1 of Article 3 of this Circular;

b) Announcements for assigning organizations and individuals to implement missions as stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 3 of this Circular;

c) Organizations and individuals participating in registering for direct assignment must meet the conditions specified in Article 4 of this Circular.

2. Application Dossier for Participating in Direct Assignment to Implement Missions

a) The application dossier for participating in direct assignment to implement missions shall comply with the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular;

b) Submission of the dossier shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of this Circular;

c) Opening, checking, and confirming the validity of the dossier shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of this Circular.

3. Advisory Board for Direct Assignment and Task Review Team

a) Formation of the Advisory Board for Direct Assignment and the Task Review Team, including the Expert Group, shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of this Circular;

b) Preparation for organizing meetings of the Advisory Board for Direct Assignment and the Task Review Team shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of this Circular;

c) Working methods, procedures, and contents of work of the Advisory Board for Direct Assignment shall be implemented in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of this Circular. Criteria groups and scoring scales for evaluating the dossier for direct assignment of organizations and individuals to implement missions shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 12 of this Circular;

d) The Task Review Team shall operate in accordance with the provisions of Articles 13 and 14 of this Circular.

4. Approval of Results of Direct Assignment of Organizations and Individuals to Implement Missions shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Article 15 of this Circular.

5. Preservation, Management of Original Dossiers, Publicizing Information, and Revocation of Results of Direct Assignment of Organizations and Individuals to Implement Missions shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Articles 16 and 17 of this Circular.

Article 22. Direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks involving state secrets

1. Conditions and documents for participation in direct assignment for implementation of tasks:

a) Organizations participating in the examination for direct assignment must meet the conditions stipulated in Article 4 of this Circular and the following requirements:

- Commitment to protect state secrets according to Form B1-9-CKTCCT attached as Appendix I to this Circular;

- Prepare documents in accordance with Article 5 of this Circular and copies serving meetings of the Advisory Board and the Appraisal Team upon request of the management agency.

b) Individuals assigned as principal of tasks involving state secrets must meet the conditions stipulated in Article 4 of this Circular and the following requirements:

- Must be a person having only Vietnamese nationality;

- Commitment to protect state secrets according to Form B1-7-CKCN attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

c) Individuals participating in the implementation of tasks involving state secrets must meet the following requirements:

- For Vietnamese individuals, they must commit to protect state secrets according to Form B1-8-CKTVNV attached as Appendix I to this Circular;

- For foreign individuals, in addition to committing to protect state secrets according to Form B1-7-CKCN attached as Appendix I to this Circular, the organizing organization must report and obtain approval from the managing authority of the organizing organization. The report must clearly indicate the professional content and duration of the individual's participation.

d) The Ministry of Science and Technology shall notify in writing the organization assigned to implement the task within thirty days to prepare registration documents.

đ) Documents for examination of direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks involving state secrets must be prepared in accordance with Article 5 of this Circular and include complete commitments to protect state secrets as stipulated in Clause 1, 2, and 3 of this Article.

2. Submission and opening of task documents

a) Documents are submitted directly in accordance with point a of Clause 1, point a of Clause 2, and Clause 3 of Article 6 of this Circular.

b) Opening, checking, and confirming the validity of documents are carried out in accordance with Clauses 1, 2, 3, and Clause 5 of Article 7 of this Circular.

3. Regulations on protecting state secrets for activities of the Advisory Board, the Appraisal Team, the Expert Group, independent consulting experts, and the Program Management Board for national science and technology programs directly managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology

a) Experts participating in various types of Advisory Boards, Appraisal Teams, Expert Groups, and independent consulting experts must fully meet the criteria under current regulations and comply with the following requirements:

- Commitment to protect state secrets according to Form B1-7-CKCN attached as Appendix I to this Circular;

- Sign and receive documents serving related meetings and self-manage documents in accordance with laws on protecting state secrets and provisions of this Circular. Upon completion of advisory or appraisal tasks, they have the responsibility to return documents in accordance with current regulations.

b) Members of the Program Management Board when accessing documents related to tasks involving state secrets must commit to protect state secrets, self-manage documents, and return them in accordance with current regulations.

4. Advisory Board and Appraisal Team for tasks

a) Procedures for establishing the Advisory Board and Appraisal Team for tasks are carried out in accordance with Article 8 of this Circular.

b) Preparing for meetings of the Advisory Board and Appraisal Team are carried out in accordance with Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 9 of this Circular.

c) The Advisory Board operates through face-to-face meetings and in accordance with regulations on protecting state secrets. Working principles, responsibilities, procedures, and contents of work of the Advisory Board are implemented in accordance with Clause 2 and Clause 3 of Article 10 and Article 11 of this Circular. Criteria and scoring scales for evaluating direct assignment of organizations and individuals to implement tasks are implemented in accordance with Article 12 of this Circular. Sending, storing review forms, evaluation forms, and documents serving Advisory Board meetings are carried out in accordance with regulations on protecting state secrets.

d) The Appraisal Team operates through face-to-face meetings and in accordance with current regulations on protecting state secrets. Working principles, tasks, responsibilities, procedures, and contents of work of the Appraisal Team are implemented in accordance with Article 13 and Article 14 of this Circular. Sending, storing documents serving Appraisal Team meetings are carried out in accordance with regulations on protecting state secrets.

5. Approval of results of direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks

Procedures for approving results of direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks involving state secrets are carried out in accordance with Article 15 of this Circular.

6. Retention, management of original documents, and cancellation of results of direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks

a) Retention and management of original documents are carried out in accordance with laws on protecting state secrets.

b) Cancellation of results of direct assignment to organizations and individuals for tasks is carried out in accordance with Article 17 of this Circular.

Chapter V
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 23. Application of laws

In cases where national science and technology tasks have specific provisions on selection and direct assignment to organizations and individuals for task implementation in normative legal documents, such provisions shall be followed. For matters referred to in the Circular regulating the selection and direct assignment to organizations and individuals for national science and technology tasks funded by the state budget, the provisions of this Circular shall apply.

Article 24. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from November 27, 2023, and replaces Circular No. 08/2017/TT-BKHCN dated June 26, 2017, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology on the selection and direct assignment to organizations and individuals for task implementation.

2. In cases where the referenced documents in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be implemented according to the amended, supplemented, or replacement documents.

Article 25. Transitional Provisions

Tasks that have announced public notices for selection or have sent letters to organizations and individuals designated to prepare task implementation documents through direct assignment before the effective date of this Circular shall continue to be implemented in accordance with Circular No. 08/2017/TT-BKHCN dated June 26, 2017, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology on the selection and direct assignment to organizations and individuals for task implementation.

Article 26. Implementation

1. Ministries, central agencies, and local authorities assigned to manage national-level science and technology tasks shall apply the guidelines of this Circular to organize the selection and direct assignment of science and technology tasks within their assigned scope and authority.

2. Ministries, central agencies, and local authorities may apply the guidelines of this Circular to issue regulations on the selection and direct assignment of organizations and individuals responsible for implementing departmental and provincial-level tasks within their management scope.

3. For tasks that require urgent implementation to meet defense, security, economic-social, disaster response, or epidemic control needs, the Minister of Science and Technology shall decide to shorten the time for each step according to the procedures prescribed in this Circular to meet practical requirements for task implementation.

4. In case issues arise during implementation, agencies, organizations, and individuals are requested to promptly report them to the Ministry of Science and Technology for study, amendment, and supplementation.

Appendix I
MODEL FORMS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPLICATION FILES
SELECTION/DIRECT ASSIGNMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
RESPONSIBLE FOR NATIONAL-LEVEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TASKS

(Annexed to Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BKHCN
dated October 12, 2023 issued by the Minister of Science and Technology)

1. B1-1-ĐON: Application form for registering as the principal implementer of national-level science and technology tasks.
2. B1-2a-TMĐTCN: Detailed description of research topics and national-level technology development projects.
3. B1-2b-TMĐTXH: Detailed description of national-level social science and humanities research topics.
4. B1-2c-TMDA: Detailed description of national-level pilot production project.
5. B1-2d-TMĐA: Detailed description of national-level scientific project proposal.
6. B1-3-LLTC: Summary of the scientific and technological activities of the organization applying to be the principal implementer of national-level science and technology tasks.
7. B1-4-LLCN: Scientific curriculum vitae of the individual applying to be the principal implementer and participating in the implementation of national-level science and technology tasks.
8. B1-5-PHNC: Confirmation letter for cooperation in implementing national-level science and technology tasks.
9. B1-6-LLTCPHNC: Summary of the scientific and technological activities/pilot production of the organization applying to cooperate in implementing national-level science and technology tasks.
10. B1-7-CKCN: Commitment to protect state secrets of the principal implementer, foreign individuals participating in the task, and experts participating in the Council, review team, and expert group.
11. Form B1-8-CKTVNV: Commitment to protect state secrets of members participating in the implementation of the task.
12. Form B1-9-CKTCCT: Commitment to protect state secrets of the organization responsible for implementing the task.
13. Form B1-10-CKTCPH: Commitment to protect state secrets of the organization cooperating in implementing the task.

Seal Registration Certificate
MODEL FORMS FOR THE EVALUATION OF APPLICATION FILES
SELECTION/DIRECT ASSIGNMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
RESPONSIBLE FOR NATIONAL-LEVEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TASKS

(Annexed to Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BKHCN
dated October 12, 2023 issued by the Minister of Science and Technology)

1. B2-1-BBHS: Minutes of opening the application file for the selection/direct assignment of organizations and individuals responsible for national-level science and technology tasks.
2. B2-2a-NXĐTCN: Review sheet of the application file for national-level applied research and technology development topics.
3. B2-2b-NXĐTXH/NXĐA: Review sheet of the application file for national-level social science and humanities research topics or national-level scientific project proposals.
4. B2-2c-NXDA: Review sheet of the application file for national-level pilot production project.
5. B2-3a-ĐGĐTCN: Evaluation sheet of the application file for national-level applied research and technology development topics.
6. B2-3b-ĐGĐTXH/ĐGĐA: Evaluation sheet of the application file for national-level social science and humanities research topics or national-level scientific project proposals.
7. B2-3c-ĐGDA: Evaluation sheet of the application file for national-level pilot production project.
8. B2-4-KPĐG: Minutes of counting evaluation sheets of the application file for the selection/direct assignment of organizations and individuals responsible for national-level science and technology tasks.
9. B2-5-THKP: Summary table of counting evaluation sheets of the application file for the selection/direct assignment of organizations and individuals responsible for national-level science and technology tasks.
10. B2-6-BBHĐ: Minutes of the evaluation council meeting for the selection/direct assignment of organizations and individuals responsible for national-level science and technology tasks.
11. B2-7-GUQ: Power of attorney.
12. B2-8-GTHĐ: Explanation of the advisory council's opinion on the selection/direct assignment.
13. B2-9-BBKQKT: Minutes of recording the results of the actual inspection of material and technical facilities, human resources, and financial capacity of the organization and individual applying to be the principal implementer and the organization applying to cooperate in implementing the task (if applicable).
14. B2-10-CHHĐTV: Questionnaire of advisory council members.

ANNEX III
MODEL FORMS FOR THE REVIEW OF EXPENSES

(Annexed to Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BKHCN
dated October 12, 2023 issued by the Minister of Science and Technology)

1. B3-1a-BBTĐĐT/ĐA: Minutes of the expense review meeting for national-level scientific topic/project proposals.
2. B3-1b-BBTĐDA: Minutes of the expense review meeting for national-level project proposals.
3. B3-2a-PLBBTĐĐT/ĐA: Expense review appendix for national-level scientific topic/project proposals.
4. B3-2b-PLBBTĐDA: Expense review appendix for national-level project proposals.
5. B3-3-GTTĐKP: Report explaining the expense review committee's opinion of the organization responsible for implementing the task.
6. B3-4-QĐPDKP: Decision approving the principal implementer, principal leader of the task, budget, cost-sharing method, and implementation period of the task.