Circular No. 26/2014/TT-BKHCN detailing the implementation of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg dated March 5, 2014, of the Government Chairman on the application of Quality Management Systems according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in the operations of administrative state agencies.

CIRCULAR

Article 24DETAILING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DECISION NO. 19/2014/QD-TTg dated March 5, 2014 of the Prime Minister on the application of the Quality Management System according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in the activities of agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus Pursuant to Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg dated March 5, 2014 of the Prime Minister on the application of the Quality Management System according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in the activities of agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus The Minister of Science and Technology issues this Circular detailing the implementation of Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg dated March 5, 2014 of the Prime Minister on the application of the Quality Management System according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in the activities of agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus (hereinafter referred to as Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg), including the following contents: 1. Establishing and applying the Quality Management System according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 (hereinafter referred to as the Quality Management System) for agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus (hereinafter referred to as agencies).

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2. Consulting and evaluating the Quality Management System activities., amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CP a) Safety equipment and labor protection equipment ensuring safe use of chemicals for conducting experiments and scientific research;

3. Training activities for consulting and evaluating the Quality Management System for consulting and evaluation experts. 4. Activities to inspect the establishment, application, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System.

At the proposal of the General Director of the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control Department;

5. Tasks of agencies establishing and applying the Quality Management System, leading units, and the General Department of Standards, Metrology, and Quality Control.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

1. Agencies establishing and applying the Quality Management System.

2. Consulting organizations and independent consulting experts implementing consulting activities to establish the Quality Management System for agencies.

3. Certification organizations hired by ministries, ministerial-level agencies, the Vietnam Social Security (hereinafter referred to as ministries, sectors), provincial People's Committees to cooperate in inspecting the establishment, application, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System at agencies under ministries, sectors, and localities.

4. Training institutions providing training for consulting and evaluation experts to conduct consulting and evaluation activities of the Quality Management System at agencies.

5. Leading units of ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees.

6. Encouraging agencies and units specified in Clause 2 Article 2 of Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg to establish and apply the Quality Management System in accordance with this Circular.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to:

7. Managing agencies and related organizations and individuals.

Administrative procedures included in the establishment and application of the Quality Management System

are administrative procedures related to organizations and individuals and published in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Consulting activities

are guidance and assistance activities provided by consulting organizations or independent consulting experts to agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus in establishing and applying the Quality Management System.

Evaluation activities

are activities carried out by certification organizations during the process of cooperating to inspect the establishment, application, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System at agencies and organizations under the administrative state apparatus (in cases where they are hired by ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to cooperate in inspections), aimed at systematically and objectively examining and assessing compliance with requirements stipulated in National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008, adherence to the provisions of Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg, and other relevant regulations.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

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

1. Leading unit is a unit assisting ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees in implementing Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg, specifically defined in Clauses 3 and 4 of Article 12 of Decision No. 19/2014/QD-TTg.

2. Inspection unit is the leading unit of ministries, sectors, and Provincial Standard, Metrology, and Quality Control Branches.

3. Inspected agency is the agency establishing and applying the Quality Management System.

4. Leading unit ESTABLISHING AND APPLYING THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

5. Inspection unit is the leading unit of the ministries, sectors, and Provincial and Municipal Standard Measurement Quality Control Bureaus.

6. Inspected entity are entities that establish and implement a quality management system.

Chapter II

ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Article 4. Responsibility for determining administrative procedures to be included in the construction and application of the Quality Management System

1. Ministries and sectors shall determine and classify administrative procedures carried out at each subordinate agency and unit according to Model 1. DMTTHCBN, Appendix I issued together with this Circular and publish on their respective electronic information websites.

2. Provincial People's Committees shall determine and classify administrative procedures carried out at each agency and unit within their jurisdiction (excluding agencies organized under vertical systems of ministries and sectors) according to Model 2. DMTTHCTTP, Appendix I issued together with this Circular and publish on their respective provincial electronic information websites.

3. When new, amended, supplemented, replaced, abolished, or revoked administrative procedures are promulgated, ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees must update them on their respective electronic information websites of ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees no later than five (05) working days from the date of signing the Decision announcing the administrative procedures.

4. Ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees are responsible for the accuracy of the contents published on their respective electronic information websites as stipulated in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of this Article.

Article 5. Construction and Application of the Quality Management System at Ministries and Sectors

Based on the provisions of Article 3 of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg and Article 4 of this Circular, the construction and application of the Quality Management System shall be implemented as follows:

1. For the agencies of ministries and sectors (including Ministry Offices, Departments, and equivalent units): construct and apply one Quality Management System.

2. For General Departments, Bureaus, and equivalent units under ministries and sectors; Bureaus and equivalent units under General Departments; District Bureaus and equivalent units under Bureaus: construct and apply one Quality Management System.

3. For agencies organized under vertical systems directly under ministries and sectors: construct and apply the Quality Management System based on the framework model of the Quality Management System established and announced by ministries and sectors.

4. Encourage diplomatic representative agencies, consular representative agencies of Vietnam abroad, the Vietnam Policy Social Bank, the Vietnam Development Bank, and public service units under ministries and sectors to construct and apply the Quality Management System. Based on actual conditions and the provisions of Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of this Article, ministries, sectors, the Vietnam Policy Social Bank, and the Vietnam Development Bank shall consider and decide on the construction and application of the Quality Management System for these agencies and units.

Article 6. Construction and Application of the Quality Management System at People's Committees at all levels, specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees, and specialized agencies under district, county, town, and provincial city People's Committees

Based on the provisions of Article 3 of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg, Article 4 of this Circular, and the framework model of the Quality Management System announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the construction and application of the Quality Management System shall be implemented as follows:

1. For provincial People's Committees and their respective People's Committee Offices: construct and apply one common Quality Management System.

2. For specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees (excluding People's Committee Offices):

a) Specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees (excluding District Bureaus and equivalent units directly under them): construct and apply one Quality Management System;

b) District Bureaus and equivalent units under specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees: construct and apply one Quality Management System.

3. For district, county, town, and provincial city People's Committees (hereinafter referred to as district-level People's Committees) and specialized agencies under district-level People's Committees:

The Department of Science and Technology shall take the lead and coordinate with the Department of Home Affairs and relevant agencies and units to advise the provincial People's Committee to decide on the form of construction and application of the Quality Management System for district-level People's Committees and specialized agencies under district-level People's Committees within their jurisdictions, ensuring economy, avoiding wasteful spending of state budget funds, and being suitable to local actual conditions, as follows:

a) Construct and apply one common Quality Management System for district-level People's Committees and all specialized agencies under district-level People's Committees;

b) Construct and apply independent Quality Management Systems for a maximum of up to three (3) specialized agencies under district-level People's Committees that have separate headquarters, seals, and accounts and handle many delegated administrative procedures. The remaining specialized agencies under district-level People's Committees shall construct and apply one common Quality Management System with the district-level People's Committee.

4. Encourage district-level People's Committees to construct and apply the Quality Management System. If constructed and applied, it shall follow the framework model of the Quality Management System announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

5. Encourage public service units within provinces and centrally-administered cities to construct and apply the Quality Management System. Based on actual conditions, provincial People's Committees shall consider and decide on the construction and application of the Quality Management System for these units.

Article 7. Contents of consultancy work and contents of work carried out independently by the agency during the process of building and applying the Quality Management System

1. The head of the agency may consider and decide to hire a consulting organization or independent consultant based on actual needs to perform part or all of the following tasks:

a) Assessing the current situation of quality management within the agency;

b) Developing a plan for building and applying the Quality Management System, including time frame, number of working days, and workload;

c) Training knowledge, including training on the Quality Management System; methods for building documentation and procedures for handling tasks; training internal auditors and conducting internal audits;

d) Guiding the establishment of the Steering Committee for Building the Quality Management System (referred to as the ISO Steering Committee);

đ) Providing practical guidance on building documentation and procedures for handling tasks; guiding the expansion of the Quality Management System to meet regulatory requirements;

e) Guiding the application of documentation and procedures for handling tasks to all officials and civil servants within the scope of building and applying the Quality Management System;

g) Guiding the implementation of internal audits, corrective actions, and improvements to the Quality Management System for non-conformities identified during internal audits;

h) Guiding leadership reviews and completing the Quality Management System.

2. The agency shall carry out the following tasks:

a) Approving the implementation plan for building and applying the Quality Management System;

b) Establishing the ISO Steering Committee;

c) Organizing training on knowledge, including training on the Quality Management System; methods for building documentation and procedures for handling tasks; training internal auditors;

d) Building, issuing, and controlling documentation and procedures for handling tasks;

đ) Disseminating and guiding the application of documentation and procedures for handling tasks to all officials and civil servants within the scope of building and applying the Quality Management System;

e) Applying the approved documentation and procedures for handling tasks in practice; conducting internal audits, implementing corrective actions; conducting leadership reviews, improving the Quality Management System to ensure compliance with the requirements of the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008, legal regulations, and the actual conditions at the agency;

g) The head of the agency confirms the effectiveness of the Quality Management System;

h) Announcing the Quality Management System compliant with the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 according to the model prescribed in Appendix I issued together with Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg and notifying in writing to the main unit for monitoring and summarizing; posting at the agency's headquarters and publishing on the agency's electronic information website (if available);

i) Updating changes in relevant legal regulations related to task processing activities into the Quality Management System for application no later than three months from the date the legal regulation takes effect;

k) Conducting internal audits and leadership reviews at least once a year to ensure that the Quality Management System complies with the requirements of the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008, legal regulations, and actual operational conditions at the agency;

l) Re-announcing in accordance with Point h of this Clause when there are adjustments, expansions, or reductions in the scope of application of the Quality Management System.

Chapter III

CONSULTANCY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Consulting organizations may only provide consulting services when meeting the following requirements:

1. Established in accordance with the provisions of the law and having the function to operate in the field of consulting on the establishment of quality management systems;

2. Possessing a valid certificate of quality management system in compliance with the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 for the scope of consulting, issued by a certification organization registered for its field of activity in accordance with Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN dated April 8, 2009 of the Minister of Science and Technology guiding the requirements, procedures, and formalities for registering fields of conformity assessment activities (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN) and Circular No. 10/2011/TT-BKHCN dated June 30, 2011 of the Minister of Science and Technology amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 10/2011/TT-BKHCN);

3. Having experience in the field of consulting on the establishment of quality management systems (having consulted for at least ten organizations or enterprises in establishing quality management systems and certified by a certification organization registered for its field of activity in accordance with Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 10/2011/TT-BKHCN);

4. Regularly having at least five full-time consultants (civil servants or employees under indefinite-term contracts) who meet the requirements stipulated in Article 9 of this Circular.

Individuals will be issued consultant cards when meeting the following requirements:

1. Graduated from university;

2. Possessing a training certificate in administrative state management equivalent to or higher than the rank of specialist or a program prescribed by the Ministry of Science and Technology;

In case of individuals who have graduated from a university majoring in administration at the National Academy of Public Administration, this requirement shall be waived;

3. Possessing a training certificate in consulting on the establishment of quality management systems in accordance with Chapter IV of this Circular;

In case of individuals who have been issued consultant cards in accordance with Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN dated February 25, 2010 of the Minister of Science and Technology on consulting, evaluation, and certification activities of quality management systems in accordance with the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 for administrative state agencies (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN) and Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN dated June 30, 2011 of the Minister of Science and Technology amending, supplementing, and abolishing certain provisions of Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN), this requirement may be waived;

4. Having at least three years of work experience (from the date of graduation from university) and experience in consulting on the establishment of quality management systems (having participated in consulting for at least five organizations or enterprises in establishing quality management systems and certified by a certification organization registered for its field of activity in accordance with Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 10/2011/TT-BKHCN);

5. Having good morals and full capacity for civil acts.

Except for independent consultants, individuals can only be considered and issued consultant cards when they are full-time staff (civil servants or employees under indefinite-term contracts) of one consulting organization.

1. An independent consulting expert is a consultant who does not belong to any consulting organization or certification organization when conducting consultancy on establishing a Quality Management System for agencies, provided that they meet the requirements stipulated in Article 9 of this Circular.

2. Civil servants who wish to register as independent consulting experts and meet the requirements stipulated in Article 9 of this Circular must obtain written approval from their agency's leadership (in cases where they are agency leaders, they must obtain written approval from the higher-level managing agency) and must comply with general legal regulations governing civil servant management.

Certification organizations may only conduct assessments if they meet the following requirements:

1. Established in accordance with the law and have the function of operating in the certification field;

2. Have registered their field of operation in accordance with Circular No. 08/2009/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 10/2011/TT-BKHCN;

3. Have experience in the field of quality management system certification assessment (having conducted certification assessments for at least 20 organizations or enterprises);

4. Regularly have at least five full-time assessors (civil servants or indefinite-term contract employees) meeting the requirements stipulated in Article 12 of this Circular.

Individuals will be issued an assessor card if they meet the following requirements:

1. Graduated from university;

2. Possessing a training certificate in administrative state management equivalent to or higher than the rank of specialist or a program prescribed by the Ministry of Science and Technology;

In case of individuals who have graduated from a university majoring in administration at the National Academy of Public Administration, this requirement shall be waived;

3. Hold a training certificate in quality management system assessment as prescribed in Chapter IV of this Circular;

In cases where individuals have already been issued an assessor card under Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN, they will be exempted from this requirement;

4. Have at least five years of work experience (from the date of graduation from university) and experience in quality management system assessment (having conducted quality management system assessments as the head of an assessment team for at least ten organizations or enterprises);

5. Having good morals and full capacity for civil acts.

Individuals can only be considered and issued an assessor card if they are full-time staff (civil servants or indefinite-term contract employees) of the corresponding certification organization.

Article 13. Application dossier for issuance of confirmation certificates and assessor cards for consulting organizations

Consulting organizations wishing to participate in quality management system consultancy activities for state administrative agencies and organizations shall prepare one application dossier and submit it directly or send it via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control. The application dossier includes:

1. A registration form for participation in quality management system consultancy activities according to Form 3. GĐKTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular;

2. A copy of the establishment decision or business registration certificate or activity registration certificate;

3. A copy of the quality management system certificate as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 8 of this Circular;

4. A list of consulting experts according to Form 4. DSCGTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and the following certificates and related documents for each expert:

a) A copy of the employment decision or labor contract accompanied by proof of insurance contributions as required by law;

b) Copies of diplomas and certificates as stipulated in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 9 of this Circular;

c) A summary of work history and experience in quality management system consultancy according to Form 5. TTKNTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and evidence proving the consultancy experience of the expert;

d) Two color photographs (2x3 cm);

5. A report on the consultancy activities of the organization according to Form 6. BCQTTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and evidence proving the consultancy experience of the organization.

In cases where the application dossier is submitted directly, copies of certificates and documents that have not been certified must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In cases where the application dossier is sent via postal service, the consulting organization must submit certified copies.

Article 14. Documents for registering to obtain the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card for independent consulting experts

Individuals who wish to participate in independent consulting activities under the Quality Management System for state administrative agencies and organizations shall prepare one set of registration documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control. The registration documents include:

1. A registration form for participation in quality management system consultancy activities according to Form 3. GĐKTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular;

2. Copies of diplomas and certificates as stipulated in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 9 of this Circular;

3. A summary of work experience and quality management system consulting experience according to Model 5. TTKNTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, and evidence proving the consulting experience of the expert;

4. Two color photographs (size 2x3 cm);

5. A document as prescribed in Clause 2 of Article 10 of this Circular.

In case of direct submission, copies of certificates and documents that have not been certified must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In case of submission via postal service, individuals must submit certified copies.

Article 15. Documents for registering to obtain the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card for certification organizations

Certification organizations wishing to participate in evaluation activities under the Quality Management System for state administrative agencies and organizations shall prepare one set of registration documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control. The registration documents include:

1. Application for participation in Quality Management System evaluation activities according to Model 3. GĐKTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular;

2. Copies of the Decision on Establishment or Business Registration Certificate or Operation Registration Certificate;

3. Copies of the certificate of business operation field registration as prescribed in Clause 2 of Article 11 of this Circular;

4. List of evaluators according to Model 4. DSCGTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, and the following certificates and related documents for each evaluator:

a) A copy of the employment decision or labor contract accompanied by proof of insurance contributions as required by law;

b) Copies of diplomas and certificates as stipulated in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 12 of this Circular;

c) A summary of work experience and quality management system evaluation experience according to Model 5. TTKNTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, and evidence proving the evaluation experience of the evaluator;

d) Two color photographs (2x3 cm);

5. Report on the organization's quality management system evaluation activities according to Model 6. BCQTTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, and evidence proving the evaluation experience of the organization.

In case of direct submission, copies of certificates and documents that have not been certified must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In case of submission via postal service, certification organizations must submit certified copies.

1. Within five (5) working days from the date of receipt of the registration documents, if the documents are incomplete as required, the registering organization or individual will be notified to supplement the documents. If the registration documents are not supplemented fully within fifteen (15) working days from the date of notification, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control has the right to cancel the processing of these documents.

2. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents, except in cases provided for in Clause 3 of this Article, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control will review the documents, issue the Confirmation Certificate for consulting organizations, independent consulting experts, and certification organizations according to Model 7. GXNTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, and issue cards for consulting and evaluation experts according to Model 8. TCGTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular if the organization or individual meets the requirements. The Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card are valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance.

3. In cases where a practical assessment is necessary, within thirty (30) working days from the date of receipt of complete documents, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control will review the documents, appoint experts or form an assessment team to conduct a practical assessment according to the following contents:

a) Compliance with legal regulations by organizations and individuals in the consulting, evaluation, and certification fields;

b) Authenticity of the registration documents;

c) Other activities related to the registered field.

Costs for the practical assessment activities of experts or assessment teams shall be borne by the registering organization or individual.

Based on the registration documents and the Practical Assessment Report, issue the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card for consulting and evaluation experts if the organization or individual meets the requirements. The Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card are valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance.

4. In cases where the requirements are not met, within the timeframes specified in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article, the organization or individual will be notified in writing of the reasons.

Article 17. Request for Reissue of the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card

Organizations and experts who have been issued the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card, if they wish to continue participating in advisory and evaluation activities of Quality Management Systems for state administrative agencies, must meet the following requirements:

1. For consulting organizations:

a) Maintain the Quality Management System in accordance with Clause 2, Article 8 of this Circular and maintain consulting capacity as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 8 of this Circular;

b) Have provided consulting services to at least five agencies, organizations, or enterprises during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate; consulting experts must have provided consulting services to at least three agencies, organizations, or enterprises during the validity period of the Expert Card.

2. For independent consulting experts: have provided consulting services to at least three agencies, organizations, or enterprises during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate.

3. For certification organizations:

a) Maintain the capacity to evaluate Quality Management Systems as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 11 of this Circular;

b) Have conducted evaluations for at least ten agencies, organizations, or enterprises during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate; evaluating experts must have conducted evaluations for at least five agencies, organizations, or enterprises during the validity period of the Expert Card.

Article 18. Application Documents for Reissuing the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card

Two (2) months before the expiration date of the Confirmation Certificate, if there is a need to continue participating in advisory and evaluation activities of Quality Management Systems for state administrative agencies, consulting organizations, independent consulting experts, and certification organizations must prepare one set of application documents for reissuing the Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card, and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control.

1. Application documents for reissuing for consulting organizations:

a) The Application Form for Reissuing the Confirmation Certificate according to Model 9. GĐKCLTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular;

b) A report on the organization's consulting activities and efforts to maintain and enhance consulting capacity during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate, accompanied by evidence proving consulting experience;

c) A copy of the Quality Management System certificate as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 8 of this Circular;

d) A list of consulting experts, including copies of the issued Expert Cards, two color photographs (2x3 cm), and evidence proving consulting experience for experts who have been issued cards, and relevant certificates and documents as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 13 of this Circular for experts who have not yet been issued cards.

In cases where the application dossier is submitted directly, copies of certificates and documents that have not been certified must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In cases where the application dossier is sent via postal service, the consulting organization must submit certified copies.

2. Application documents for reissuing for independent consulting experts:

a) The Application Form for Reissuing the Confirmation Certificate according to Model 9. GĐKCLTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular;

b) A report on the consulting activities during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate, accompanied by evidence proving consulting experience;

c) Two color photographs (2x3 cm);

d) A copy of the issued Expert Card.

3. Application documents for reissuing for certification organizations:

a) The Application Form for Reissuing the Confirmation Certificate according to Model 9. GĐKCLTV/ĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular;

b) A report on the organization's evaluation activities and efforts to maintain and enhance evaluation capacity during the validity period of the Confirmation Certificate, accompanied by evidence proving evaluation experience;

c) A list of evaluation experts, including copies of the issued Expert Cards, two color photographs (2x3 cm), and evidence proving evaluation experience for experts who have been issued cards, and relevant certificates and documents as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 15 of this Circular for experts who have not yet been issued cards.

In case of direct submission, copies of certificates and documents that have not been certified must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In case of submission via postal service, certification organizations must submit certified copies.

Article 19. Processing Applications for Reissuing the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card

1. Within five (5) working days from the date of receipt of the registration documents, if the documents are incomplete as required, the registering organization or individual will be notified to supplement the documents. If the registration documents are not supplemented fully within fifteen (15) working days from the date of notification, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control has the right to cancel the processing of these documents.

2. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid application, except in cases requiring on-site assessment, the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department shall examine the application and reissue the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card if the organization or expert meets the requirements. The Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card shall be valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance.

3. In cases where an on-site assessment is necessary, within thirty (30) working days, the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department shall examine the application, appoint experts or establish an assessment team to conduct the on-site assessment. The content of the assessment, costs for the assessment activities, and the reissuance of the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3, Article 16 of this Circular.

4. In cases where the requirements are not met, within the timeframes specified in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article, the organization or individual will be notified in writing of the reasons.

Article 20. Issuance of Additional Expert Cards

1. During the validity period of the Expert Confirmation Certificate, consulting organizations and certification organizations that need to apply for additional cards for experts shall prepare one set of application documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department. The application includes:

a) An application form for issuing additional expert cards according to Form 10. GĐKBSCGTV/ĐG, Appendix I issued together with this Circular;

b) A list of experts applying for cards along with relevant certificates and documents as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 13 of this Circular for consulting experts or Clause 4, Article 15 of this Circular for evaluation experts.

If the application is submitted directly, unauthenticated copies of certificates and documents must have original counterparts for verification. If the application is sent via postal service, the consulting or certification organization must submit authenticated copies.

2. Within five (5) working days from the date of receipt of the application, if the application is incomplete, the applicant will be notified to supplement the application. If the application is not supplemented fully within fifteen (15) working days from the date of notification to supplement, the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department has the right to cancel the processing of the application.

3. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid application, the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department shall review and issue cards to experts who meet the requirements, with the validity period according to the Expert Confirmation Certificate of the corresponding consulting or certification organization; in case of non-compliance, the organization or individual will be notified in writing of the reasons.

Article 21. Reissuing the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card in Case of Loss, Damage, or Change of Name or Contact Address

1. During the validity period of the Expert Confirmation Certificate, consulting organizations, independent consulting experts, and certification organizations that need to apply for reissuing the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card due to loss, damage, or change of name or contact address shall prepare one set of application documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department. The application includes:

a) A letter requesting reissuance, clearly stating the reason for the request;

b) A copy of the previously issued Expert Confirmation Certificate (if available);

c) A list of experts along with a copy of the previously issued Expert Card (if available), two color photographs (2x3 cm).

2. Within five (5) working days from the date of receipt of a complete and valid application, the Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control General Department shall review and reissue the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Expert Card if the organization or expert meets the requirements, with the validity period according to the previously issued Expert Confirmation Certificate; in case of non-compliance, the organization or individual will be notified in writing of the reasons.

Article 22. Rights and Obligations of Organizations and Experts Issued with Confirmation Certificates, Consultant Expert Cards

1. Rights and Obligations of Independent Consulting Organizations and Independent Consultant Experts:

a) Have the right to provide consulting services for the establishment of Quality Management Systems for agencies upon request;

b) Be entitled to charge consulting activity fees according to agreements and general regulations of the Ministry of Finance;

c) Consulting organizations may only assign consultants who have been issued consultant expert cards to provide consulting services for the establishment of Quality Management Systems for agencies;

d) Consultant experts must present their consultant expert card when providing consulting services for the establishment of Quality Management Systems at agencies;

đ) Fully implement consulting activities for the establishment of Quality Management Systems for agencies based on:

- Provisions in Article 3 of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg and Article 4 of this Circular; - The framework model of Quality Management Systems published by the Ministry of Science and Technology for each type of agency in localities and the framework model of Quality Management Systems published by ministries and sectors for agencies organized under vertical systems;

e) The consulting process at agencies must be carried out strictly in accordance with the agreed time frame and progress schedule set forth in the consulting plan signed by both parties;

After each consultation session, consultant experts must prepare a working record of the work performed, confirmed by both sides;

In cases where agencies do not follow the consulting plan without valid reasons, independent consulting organizations and consultant experts must submit a written report to the main unit for handling;

g) Comply with regulations applicable to consulting organizations issued with confirmation certificates; maintain and enhance consulting capacity during the validity period of the confirmation certificate;

h) If a consultant expert has been issued a consultant expert card but no longer works within the consulting organization, the organization must retrieve the card within one month, submit it, and notify the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control in writing to revoke the issued card;

i) Be subject to supervision by the main unit when providing consulting services for the establishment of Quality Management Systems at agencies under ministries, sectors, and localities if necessary;

k) Annually, by November, report on the status of consulting activities to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control according to Form 11. BCTV, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and submit ad hoc reports when required;

2. Rights and Obligations of Certification Organizations:

a) Be hired by ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to cooperate in inspecting the establishment, application, maintenance, and improvement of Quality Management Systems at agencies under ministries, sectors, and localities (if deemed necessary by ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees);

b) Be entitled to charge fees when hired by ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to cooperate in inspections according to agreements and general regulations of the Ministry of Finance;

c) May only assign assessors who have been issued assessor expert cards to conduct assessments of Quality Management Systems for agencies;

d) Assessor experts must present their assessor expert card when conducting assessments of Quality Management Systems at agencies;

đ) Comply with regulations applicable to certification organizations issued with confirmation certificates; maintain and enhance assessment capacity during the validity period of the confirmation certificate;

e) If an assessor expert has been issued an assessor expert card but no longer works within the certification organization, the organization must retrieve the card within one month, submit it, and notify the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control in writing to revoke the issued card;

g) Annually, by November, report on the status of assessment activities to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control according to Form 12. BCĐG, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and submit ad hoc reports when required.

1. The effectiveness of the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Card shall be suspended when the organization or expert violates any of the following cases:

a) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Circular and other regulatory legal documents, as well as related guidance from the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control;

b) Failure to comply with the prescribed advisory and assessment procedures;

c) Failure to maintain the organizational structure and capacity registered according to the requirements of the corresponding standard.

2. The Expert Confirmation Certificate and Card shall be revoked when the organization or expert violates any of the following cases:

a) Being dissolved, bankrupted, or seriously violating current laws;

b) Repeatedly violating regulations stipulated in this Circular, relevant legal documents, and requirements for advisory and assessment organizations and procedures, causing significant impact on compliance;

c) Using false or inaccurate documents to register advisory and assessment activities;

d) Falsifying advisory and assessment documents;

đ) Having their Expert Confirmation Certificate suspended but failing to complete corrective actions within the suspension period specified in the suspension notice;

e) Failure to comply with inspection and supervision requirements set by competent state management agencies.

3. Depending on the severity of the violation, the organization or expert whose Expert Confirmation Certificate and Card has been revoked may reapply for issuance of the Expert Confirmation Certificate and Card only after two years from the date of the revocation notice and completion of corrective measures.

Chapter IV

TRAINING ACTIVITIES ON ADVISORY AND ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Training institutions providing advisory and assessment training for quality management systems for experts who provide advisory and assessment services at administrative state agencies must meet the following requirements:

1. Established in accordance with the law and have training functions;

2. Have a training plan; the training curriculum must be approved by the head of the training institution and comply with the provisions of Articles 29 and 30 of this Circular;

3. Apply the Quality Management System according to National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 for the scope of training;

4. Have sufficient instructors according to the approved training plan, meeting the following requirements:

a) Hold a bachelor's degree;

b) Possess a certificate in public administration management equivalent to or higher than the specialist level or a program specified by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Instructors who have graduated from a bachelor's degree in public administration at the National Academy of Public Administration are exempt from this requirement;

c) Have good morals and full civil capacity;

d) In addition to the requirements stipulated in points a, b, and c of this Clause, instructors teaching advisory on quality management systems must have at least five years of work experience (from the time of graduation) and advisory experience in building quality management systems (having advised at least ten agencies, organizations, or enterprises in establishing quality management systems and received certification); instructors teaching assessment of quality management systems must have at least seven years of work experience and assessment experience in quality management systems (having conducted assessments of quality management systems as the team leader for at least twenty agencies, organizations, or enterprises).

Article 25. Documents for Registration to Obtain the Certificate of Eligibility for Training

A training institution that wishes to train consultants and assessors on Quality Management System shall prepare one set of registration documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control. The registration documents include:

1. Application for Participation in Training Activities on Consulting and Assessing Quality Management Systems according to Form 13. GĐKĐT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular;

2. Copy of the Decision on Establishment or Copy of the Business Registration Certificate or Operation Registration Certificate;

3. Documentation proving the implementation of the Quality Management System based on National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 within the scope of training;

4. Training plan and one set of training manuals compiled in accordance with Article 29 or Article 30 of this Circular, which have been approved by the Head of the Training Institution;

5. List of lecturers according to Form 14. DSGV, Appendix I issued together with this Circular, accompanied by the following documents: copies of certificates and qualifications as stipulated at points a and b Clause 4 Article 24 of this Circular; lecturer's curriculum vitae according to Form 15. LLGV, Appendix I issued together with this Circular and evidence proving their experience in consulting and assessing Quality Management Systems.

In case of direct submission, unauthenticated copies of certificates and documents must be accompanied by original documents for verification. In case of submission via postal service, the training institution must submit authenticated copies.

Article 26. Documents for Re-registration to Obtain the Certificate of Eligibility for Training

Two (2) months before the expiry date of the Certificate, if there is a need to continue training consultants and assessors on Quality Management Systems, the training institution shall prepare one set of re-registration documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control. The re-registration documents include:

1. Application for Re-registration to Obtain the Certificate of Eligibility for Training Activities according to Form 17. GĐKCLĐT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular;

2. Report on the status of training activities during the validity period of the Certificate;

3. Documentation proving the implementation and maintenance of the Quality Management System based on National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 within the scope of training.

1. Within five (5) working days from the date of receipt of the registration documents, if the documents are incomplete as required, the registering entity will be notified to supplement the documents. If the registration documents are not supplemented fully within fifteen (15) working days from the date of notification, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control has the right to cancel the processing of these documents.

2. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents, except in cases specified in Clause 3 of this Article, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control will review the documents and issue or reissue the Certificate of Eligibility for Training according to Form 16. GXNĐT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular if the institution meets the requirements. The Certificate is valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance.

3. In cases where a practical assessment is necessary, within thirty (30) working days from the date of receipt of complete documents, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control will review the documents, appoint experts or form an assessment team to conduct a practical assessment according to the following contents:

- Compliance with legal regulations by the training institution in the field of training;

- Authenticity of the registration documents;

- Other related activities in the registered field. Costs for evaluation activities by experts or assessment teams are guaranteed by the training institution applying for the Certificate. Based on the registration documents and the actual assessment report, the Certificate will be issued or reissued if the training institution meets the requirements. The Certificate is valid for three (3) years from the date of issuance.

4. In case of non-compliance with the requirements, the training institution will be notified in writing within the timeframes specified in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article.

Article 28. Reissuing the Certificate of Qualification for Training in Case of Loss, Damage, or Change of Name and Contact Information

1. Within the validity period of the Certificate of Qualification, if a training institution needs to reissue the Certificate due to loss, damage, or change of name and contact information, it shall prepare one set of application documents and submit them directly or send them via postal service to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control. The application includes:

a) A letter requesting reissuance, clearly stating the reason for the request;

b) A copy of the previously issued Certificate of Qualification (if available).

2. Within five working days from the date of receiving complete and valid application documents, the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control will review and reissue the Certificate of Qualification if the training institution meets the requirements within the validity period of the previously issued Certificate; in case the requirements are not met, the institution will be notified in writing of the reasons.

Article 29. Curriculum for Training on Consulting for Quality Management System

1. Teaching Method:

The teaching method centers on the learner, combining theoretical lectures with discussions, case analysis, and practical exercises to deepen understanding. The number of participants shall not exceed twenty-five people per course.

2. Content Requirements:

The curriculum includes a minimum of four topics with a total duration of thirty-six hours, comprising both theoretical training time and discussion, case analysis, and practical exercise time within each topic:

a) Topic 1: Overview of the role of consulting for quality management systems;

b) Topic 2: Concepts of quality management and requirements in the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008;

c) Topic 3: Application of the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in the operations of administrative state agencies;

d) Topic 4: Practical consulting for implementing quality management systems in the operations of administrative state agencies.

The duration and main contents of the four topics are specified in Appendix II attached to this Circular.

In addition to the above four topics, the training institution may supplement Topic 5 with other relevant content if necessary. The content and duration of this topic are determined by the training institution.

3. Mid-term and Final Examinations and Issuance of Training Certificates:

a) Mid-term Examination:

The mid-term examination lasts for one hour and can be conducted through short tests, multiple-choice questions, or group discussions to assess the participants.

b) Final Examination:

The final examination consists of a written test lasting three hours, including essay and multiple-choice sections or a combination thereof. The final examination is graded out of one hundred points, with a score of seventy points or higher being considered satisfactory.

c) Issuance of Training Certificates:

At the end of the training course, based on participation in the training, mid-term examination results, and final examination results, the training institution issues a certificate of training in consulting for quality management systems to those who meet the requirements.

Article 30. Curriculum for Training on Evaluating Quality Management Systems

1. Teaching Method:

The teaching method centers on the learner, combining theoretical lectures with discussions, case analysis, and practical exercises to deepen understanding. The number of participants shall not exceed twenty-five people per course.

2. Content Requirements:

The curriculum includes a minimum of four topics with a total duration of thirty-six hours, comprising both theoretical training time and discussion, case analysis, and practical exercise time within each topic:

a) Topic 1: Concepts of quality management and requirements in the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008;

b) Topic 2: Overview of evaluation activities;

c) Topic 3: Evaluation skills and responsibilities and authorities of evaluation experts;

d) Topic 4: Practical evaluation.

The duration and main contents of the four topics are specified in Appendix III attached to this Circular.

In addition to the above four topics, the training institution may supplement Topic 5 with other relevant content if necessary. The content and duration of this topic are determined by the training institution.

3. Mid-term and Final Examinations and Issuance of Training Certificates:

a) Mid-term Examination:

The mid-term examination lasts for one hour and can be conducted through short tests, multiple-choice questions, or group discussions to assess the participants.

b) Final Examination:

The final examination consists of a written test lasting three hours, including essay and multiple-choice sections or a combination thereof. The final examination is graded out of one hundred points, with a score of seventy points or higher being considered satisfactory.

c) Issuance of Training Certificates:

At the end of the training course, based on participation in the training, mid-term examination results, and final examination results, the training institution issues a certificate of training in evaluating quality management systems to those who meet the requirements.

1. Organize training courses on consulting, evaluating Quality Management Systems, issuing training certificates based on the Certificate of Eligibility for Training issued by the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control;

2. Collect training fees;

3. Adhere to the registered training program, content, and relevant regulations stipulated in this Circular and other applicable laws;

4. Properly utilize the teaching staff as registered in the application dossier;

5. Maintain complete training records in accordance with legal provisions;

6. Report the results of each training course to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control using Form 18. BCĐT, Appendix I attached to this Circular. In case of organizational structure or teaching staff changes, immediately report to the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control for monitoring and management.

1. Suspend the effect of the Certificate when the training institution violates any of the following cases:

a) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Circular and other regulatory legal documents, as well as related guidance from the General Department of Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control;

b) Failure to comply with the prescribed training procedures;

c) Failure to maintain the organizational structure and capacity registered according to the requirements of the corresponding standard.

2. Revoke the Certificate when the training institution violates any of the following cases:

a) Being dissolved, bankrupted, or seriously violating current laws;

b) Repeated violations that significantly affect compliance with the provisions of this Circular, related regulatory documents, requirements for training institutions, and prescribed training procedures;

c) Using false or misleading documents to register training activities;

d) Falsifying training documents;

đ) Issuing training certificates without conducting training activities;

e) Being suspended but failing to rectify within the suspension period specified in the suspension notice;

g) Failure to comply with inspection and supervision requirements of competent state management agencies.

3. Depending on the severity of the violation, training institutions whose Certificate is revoked will have their training outcomes nullified and may only reapply for the Certificate two (02) years after receiving the revocation notice and having corrected all violations. In cases where training outcomes are nullified, the training institution shall be responsible for compensating organizations and individuals who paid training fees.

Chapter V

ACTIVITIES OF MONITORING THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, MAINTENANCE, AND IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Article 33. Principles for Conducting Monitoring Activities

1. Comply with the provisions of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg and relevant laws, ensuring accuracy, objectivity, honesty, transparency, and fairness.

2. Monitoring activities must be conducted at least once a year at agencies according to annual plans approved by ministries, sectors, or provincial People's Committees, or on an ad hoc basis when required, ensuring the following requirements:

a) At least agencies subject to the development and implementation of Quality Management Systems must be reviewed through documentation and reports;

b) At least one-third of the agencies mentioned in Point a Clause 2 must be inspected on-site.

Article 34. Inspection Plan

1. Construction and Approval of Inspection Plans:

a) The leading units of ministries and sectors develop annual inspection plans for subordinate agencies (including those organized vertically) using Form 19. KHKT, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and submit them for approval by ministries and sectors;

b) Provincial and municipal Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control Inspection Agencies develop annual inspection plans for agencies within their jurisdictions using Form 19. KHKT, Appendix I attached to this Circular, and report to the Science and Technology Departments for approval by provincial People's Committees;

c) For ad hoc inspections, the inspections are carried out according to the requirements of ministries, sectors, or provincial People's Committees.

2. Main Content of the Inspection Plan:

a) Name of the agency to be inspected;

b) Inspecting unit, cooperating unit (if any);

c) Anticipated inspection date;

d) Inspection method;

đ) Inspection budget.

Article 35. Inspection Decision

1. Based on the approved inspection plan, the leading unit of the Ministries and sectors shall issue a written request or submit to the competent authority for issuance of a written request to subordinate agencies under the Ministries and sectors to report on the implementation of building, applying, maintaining, and improving the Quality Management System in accordance with the contents stipulated in Article 36 of this Circular, along with relevant documents and evidence (if any).

In cases where inspections are conducted at the agency's headquarters, the leading unit of the Ministries and sectors shall issue or submit to the competent authority for issuance of an inspection decision according to Model 20. QDKT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular.

2. Based on the approved inspection plan, the Provincial Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control Agencies shall issue a written request or submit to the Department of Science and Technology for issuance of a written request to agencies within their provincial jurisdiction to report on the implementation of building, applying, maintaining, and improving the Quality Management System in accordance with the contents stipulated in Article 36 of this Circular, along with relevant documents and evidence (if any).

In cases where inspections are conducted at the agency's headquarters, the Provincial Standardization, Metrology, and Quality Control Agencies shall issue or submit to the Department of Science and Technology for issuance of an inspection decision according to Model 20. QDKT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular.

Article 36. Inspection Content

1. Inspection of the construction, application, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System in accordance with the requirements of the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008:

a) Scope of application includes all activities related to administrative procedures for organizations and individuals within the agency's jurisdiction.

b) Activities to disseminate and guide the application of system documentation and work process procedures to all staff within the scope of constructing and applying the Quality Management System.

c) Compliance of the agency with all requirements of the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008, policies, objectives, processes, procedures, other related regulations, and relevant legal requirements.

d) Implementation of work processes and processes identified in the Quality Management System.

đ) Leadership review activities and internal audit activities, implementing corrective actions for non-conformities.

e) Handling of complaints related to the application area of the Quality Management System (if any).

g) Improvement activities within the Quality Management System.

2. Inspection of compliance with the provisions of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg:

a) Ensuring the participation of leaders, units, and related individuals in the process of building and applying the Quality Management System.

b) Confirmation by the Head of the agency of the effectiveness of the Quality Management System.

c) Publicizing the Quality Management System's compliance with the National Standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 and notifying in writing to the leading unit for monitoring and consolidation; posting at the agency's headquarters and publishing on the agency's website (if any).

d) Updating changes in relevant legal documents affecting work handling processes into the Quality Management System.

đ) Re-publicizing when there are adjustments, expansions, or reductions in the scope of application of the Quality Management System.

e) Selection of independent consulting organizations or experts (if any).

Article 37. Conducting inspections

1. Inspection through files and reports:

a) Based on the situation report on implementation, related evidence, and previous inspection results (if any), the inspecting unit shall review and issue a written request to the implementing agency or propose measures for rectification of non-compliant contents, which will be inspected in subsequent inspections.

b) The inspection results serve as the basis for the inspecting unit to propose on-site inspections at the agency's headquarters in the future inspection plans.

2. On-site inspection at the agency's headquarters:

a) Announcing the inspection decision and conducting the inspection:

- The inspection team announces the inspection decision to the inspected agency. The announcement of the inspection decision is recorded in a minutes document;

- The head of the inspection team organizes and directs the members of the team to carry out the inspection according to the inspection program established in writing;

- Members of the inspection team must conduct inspections according to the assigned tasks by the head of the inspection team and are responsible for their assigned work;

- The inspected agency has the responsibility to explain issues related to the inspection content; provide timely, complete, and accurate information and documents as requested by the inspection team and bear legal responsibility for the accuracy and truthfulness of the provided information and documents;

b) Preparing the Inspection Minutes:

- The Inspection Minutes are prepared based on Model 21. BBKT, Appendix I issued together with this Circular. The basis for preparing the Inspection Minutes is the situation regarding the establishment, application, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System, as reflected in the actual files of the inspected agency, through interviews with leaders, staff, and employees of the agency, and through observations of actual activities;

- The Inspection Minutes must be agreed upon by the inspection team before being publicly announced to the inspected agency;

- The Inspection Minutes must be signed and confirmed by the head of the inspection team and the inspected agency;

- The Inspection Minutes must be prepared in two (2) copies of equal legal value, with the inspected agency retaining one (1) copy and the inspection team retaining one (1) copy;

c) Implementing corrective actions:

The inspected agency implements or proposes corrective actions for existing issues (if any) mentioned in the Inspection Minutes and reports the implementation status to the inspecting unit within no more than two (2) months from the date of signing the Inspection Minutes.

d) Handling inspection results:

- After completing the inspection, the inspection team reports the inspection results to the inspecting unit along with the Inspection Minutes, implementation reports or proposed corrective actions, and specific handling recommendations (if any);

- The inspecting unit reviews and will conduct follow-up inspections to verify the effectiveness of the corrective actions if the existing issues have been satisfactorily addressed by the agency implementing the corrective actions. In cases where the existing issues have been addressed or proposed but not met the requirements, the inspecting unit shall issue a written notice or submit a written notice to the competent authority rejecting the corrective actions;

- The inspection results serve as the basis for the inspecting unit to propose on-site inspections at the agency's headquarters in the future inspection plans.

Article 38. Compilation and Reporting of Inspection Results

1. In November each year, based on reports on the implementation of quality management system construction, application, maintenance, and improvement from agencies, action implementation files of agencies, inspection team recommendations, and related documents and evidence, the leading unit of the Ministry or sector compiles and reports to the Ministry or sector; the Standardization, Measurement, and Quality Control Agency of provinces and cities compiles and submits to the Department of Science and Technology for reporting to the Provincial People's Committee on the inspection results and recommended measures (if any).

2. In cases deemed necessary, the leading unit of the Ministry or sector reports to the Ministry or sector; the Standardization, Measurement, and Quality Control Agency of provinces and cities submits to the Department of Science and Technology for reporting to the Provincial People's Committee on the inspection results and recommended measures immediately after the completion of the inspection.

Article 39. Retention of Inspection Records

Inspection records are retained at the inspection unit in accordance with the provisions of the law, including the following documents:

1. Inspection plan (approved).

2. Request for agencies to report on the implementation of quality management system construction, application, maintenance, and improvement.

3. Report on the implementation of quality management system construction, application, maintenance, and improvement by the agency and accompanying documents and evidence.

4. Document of the inspection unit requesting the agency to implement or rectify contents that have not met requirements.

5. Inspection decision.

6. Inspection record.

7. Action implementation file of the inspected agency (report on the implementation of corrective actions, evidence of correction or corrective action plans and related documents).

8. Document of the inspection team reporting to the inspection unit on the inspection results.

9. Document of the inspection unit reporting to the Ministry or sector, Provincial People's Committee on the inspection results.

10. Other relevant files and documents (if any).

Article 40. Requirements for Inspectors

1. From June 1, 2016, inspectors (excluding certification organization assessors hired to assist in inspections) must meet the following requirements:

a) Hold a bachelor's degree;

b) Possess a certificate in public administration management equivalent to or higher than the specialist level or a program specified by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Those who have graduated from the National Academy of Public Administration in public administration are exempted from this requirement;

c) Hold a training certificate for quality management system assessment in accordance with Chapter IV of this Circular;

d) Have at least three years of work experience (from the date of graduation from university);

đ) Possess good morals and full capacity for civil conduct.

2. In cases where the Ministry or sector, Provincial People's Committee hires a certification organization to assist in inspections, the certification organization must be granted a certificate confirming eligibility for evaluation activities for state administrative agencies, and the assessors of the certification organization must be issued an assessor card in accordance with Chapter III of this Circular.

Chapter VI

TASKS OF THE AGENCIES BUILDING AND APPLYING THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE LEADING UNIT, AND THE GENERAL DEPARTMENT FOR STANDARDIZATION, MEASUREMENT, AND QUALITY CONTROL

Article 41. Tasks of Agencies Building and Applying the Quality Management System

1. Implement the requirements and tasks stipulated in Articles 3, 4, Clause 1 of Article 7, Article 10, and Article 11 of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg.

3. Implement the job contents specified in Clause 2 of Article 7 of this Circular.

5. Implement the consultation plan strictly in accordance with the agreed content and schedule. In case the consulting organization or independent consultant does not follow the plan without a valid reason or does not comply with the regulations stipulated in this Circular, report in writing to the leading unit and the General Department for Standardization, Measurement, and Quality Control for joint handling.

6. In cases where there are similar administrative procedures in terms of content and implementation steps, the agency studies and builds a common procedure for handling these administrative procedures (by item).

7. Comply with the inspection of the construction, application, maintenance, and improvement of the quality management system by competent agencies and units.

Article 42. Tasks of the Leading Unit

1. Implement in accordance with the provisions of Clauses 3 and 4 of Article 12 of Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg;

3. The leading units of ministries and sectors shall develop annual inspection plans at agencies under ministries and sectors, submit them for approval by ministries and sectors, and organize implementation according to the approved plan.

Provincial and municipal standardization, metrology, and quality assurance bureaus shall develop annual inspection plans at agencies within their respective provinces and cities, report to the Science and Technology Departments for submission to provincial people's committees for approval, and organize implementation according to the approved plan.

4. Annually in December or at any time when required, compile the situation of building and applying quality management systems at agencies and units under ministries, sectors, and localities (in accordance with the form prescribed in Appendix II issued together with Decision No. 19/2014/QĐ-TTg), submit for consideration by ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees, and report to the Ministry of Science and Technology for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

The General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Assurance is the lead agency in implementing this Circular and has the following tasks:

1. Manage and guide the registration of advisory and assessment activities of quality management systems for agencies and organizations within the state administrative system; training activities related to advisory and assessment of quality management systems for independent advisors and assessors in accordance with this Circular.

2. Publish on the electronic information website of the General Department the list of advisory organizations, independent advisors, certification organizations that have been granted or suspended/recovered certificates; the list of advisors who have been granted or suspended/recovered advisor and assessor cards; the list of training institutions that have been granted or suspended/recovered certificates.

3. Specify detailed contents to be implemented during advisory activities at agencies and organizations within the state administrative system.

4. Lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations to inspect and audit advisory activities, assessment activities of quality management systems of advisory organizations, independent advisors, certification organizations; training activities related to advisory and assessment of quality management systems for advisors and assessors conducted by training institutions; activities of building, applying, maintaining, and improving quality management systems of agencies and organizations within the state administrative system, and handle violations according to their authority in accordance with this Circular and relevant laws.

Chapter VII

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 44. Effective date of implementation

1. This Circular shall take effect from December 1, 2014.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN, Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN, and Circular No. 27/2011/TT-BKHCN dated October 4, 2011, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology guiding certain aspects of implementing the construction and application of quality management systems according to the national standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 for state administrative agencies.

Article 45. Transitional Provisions

By December 31, 2015, advisory organizations, independent advisors, and certification organizations that have been granted certificates confirming eligibility for operation under Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN must complete the registration file in accordance with this Circular to be considered for issuance of certificates and advisor and assessor cards.

As of January 1, 2016, certificates confirming eligibility for operation and advisor and assessor cards issued under Circular No. 01/2010/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 09/2011/TT-BKHCN will expire.

Article 46. Responsibility for Implementation

1. The Minister, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, General Director of Vietnam Social Security, Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.

2. Heads of agencies building and applying quality management systems, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. The Director-General of the General Department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Assurance is responsible for guiding, inspecting, and organizing the implementation of this Circular.

4. During the implementation process, if any issues arise or difficulties occur, organizations and individuals are requested to reflect these in writing to the Ministry of Science and Technology for research and resolution./.