Joint Circular No. 32/2008/TTLT-BTC-BYT guiding the management and use of funds for implementing the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for the Management and Utilization of Funds to Implement the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the Period 2006-2010

Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget;

Pursuant to Decision No. 170/2007/QĐ-TTg dated November 8, 2007 of the Government approving the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010;

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health hereby issue guidelines for the management and utilization of funds to implement the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning for the period 2006-2010 (hereinafter referred to as the DS-KHHGĐ Program) as follows:

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

1. The DS-KHHGĐ Program includes six projects as specified in Clause 3, Article 1 of Decision No. 170/2007/QĐ-TTg dated November 8, 2007 of the Government.

2. The Circular applies to agencies and units using funds from the DS-KHHGĐ Program.

3. This Circular applies to expenditures from the state budget to implement the DS-KHHGĐ Program. For projects utilizing non-reimbursable aid funds, expenditures shall be based on the levels stipulated in the funding agreements or determined through consensus among representatives of the funding agency, the Ministry of Finance, and the project’s managing authority; if there is no agreement between the funding agency or its representative and the Ministry of Finance regarding expenditure levels, then the levels set forth in this Circular shall apply.

4. Funds for implementing the DS-KHHGĐ Program are sourced from:

- Central government budget, local government budget (including domestic counterpart funds for ODA projects as defined in agreements between the Government of Vietnam and governments or international organizations);

- International aid;

- Community fundraising and other lawful sources.

5. In addition to the contents and expenditure levels prescribed in this Circular, provincial People's Committees are responsible for allocating funds from their annual local budget estimates to implement the Program, subject to approval by the respective People's Councils; these funds will be supplemented with targeted funds from the central budget for the Program and integrated with other available resources within their jurisdiction to ensure the Program's effectiveness according to local regulations.

II. CONTENTS AND GENERAL EXPENDITURE LEVELS FOR PROJECTS

1. Expenditure for writing, compiling, and translating specialized materials for each project. Specific expenditure levels are as follows:

a) Writing and compiling materials: 50,000 VND per page of 350 words.

b) Translating and proofreading materials:

- From Vietnamese to foreign languages: 50,000 VND per page of 350 words.

- From foreign languages to Vietnamese: 45,000 VND per page of 350 words.

- From Vietnamese to ethnic minority languages in Vietnam and vice versa: 70,000 VND per page of 350 words.

2. Expenditure for mid-term and final reviews, training sessions to deploy tasks, and professional seminars. Contents and expenditure levels are regulated by Circular No. 23/2007/TT-BTC dated March 21, 2007 on travel expenses and regulations for organizing meetings for state agencies and public institutions, and Circular No. 127/2007/TT-BTC dated October 31, 2007 amending and supplementing Circular No. 23/2007/TT-BTC dated March 21, 2007 issued by the Ministry of Finance.

3. Expenditure for cooperation and experience exchange abroad related to population and family planning activities, decided by competent authorities. Contents and expenditure levels are regulated by Circular No. 91/2005/TT-BTC dated October 18, 2005 issued by the Ministry of Finance on travel expenses for civil servants traveling abroad for short-term assignments funded by the state budget.

4. Expenditure for purchasing, repairing, maintaining, and servicing equipment and tools used in professional activities of each project, ensuring compatibility with the technical level of the unit.

5. Expenditure for surveys and research conducted according to the approved content of each project. Contents and expenditure levels are regulated by Circular No. 120/2007/TT-BTC dated October 15, 2007 issued by the Ministry of Finance on managing, utilizing, and settling accounts for funds from the state budget for surveys.

6. Expenditure for hiring domestic experts: based on the necessity of implementing research activities and financial capacity, the head of the project management agency decides on hiring domestic experts under a "Contract for Assignment of Work and Products"; actual expenditure levels are determined by the contract agreed upon with the contractor based on the volume, content, and duration of work.

7. Expenditure for monitoring, evaluating, and guiding the implementation of professional activities of each project. Contents and expenditure levels are regulated by Circular No. 06/2007/TT-BTC dated January 26, 2007 issued by the Ministry of Finance on preparing budgets, managing, and utilizing funds for monitoring the implementation of policies, strategies, plans, and programs.

For inter-ministerial and inter-agency inspection, supervision, and evaluation teams, the leading agency of the team is responsible for covering travel expenses (transportation, accommodation allowances, rental fees for accommodations at the destination, and shipping costs for working materials) for team members from the Program's funds. To avoid duplicate payments, the leading agency must clearly inform the agencies sending personnel about not having to reimburse these expenses in the summons notice.

8. Other expenditures.

III. SPECIAL CONTENTS AND EXPENDITURE LEVELS FOR EACH PROJECT

In addition to the general contents and expenditure levels prescribed in Section II of this Circular, each project may incur special expenditures as follows:

1. Project on Public Education and Behavior Change:

a) Expenditure for education, publicity, and dissemination of knowledge on population and family planning policies via mass media at both central and local levels.

b) Expenditure for developing, producing, duplicating, and distributing communication materials and documents: expenditure levels follow the standards, norms, and unit prices of relevant sectors.

c) Expenditure for organizing exchanges, educational communication sessions, and specialized lectures on population and family planning policies: contents and expenditure levels comply with current regulations on organizing meetings.

d) Expenses for training and counseling staff involved in population and family planning work to implement:

- Mobilizing and counseling individuals who agree to have intrauterine devices inserted: expense level of 5,000 VND per case accepted.

- Mobilizing and counseling individuals who agree to undergo sterilization: expense level of 10,000 VND per case accepted.

đ) Expenses supporting staff from the Counseling and Family Planning Service Center to provide reproductive health counseling and family planning services to target groups: 20,000 VND per person per session, but not exceeding 300,000 VND per person per month.

e) Expenses for communication activities at communes and wards, including:

- Supporting communication materials.

- Commune radio broadcasting (editing, broadcasting): Editing: 50,000 VND per page of 350 words; broadcasting: 10,000 VND per broadcast.

- Repainting, repairing posters and slogans: according to local market prices.

g) Expenses for campaigns promoting family planning/reproductive health services in densely populated rural areas with unstable birth rates, high birth rate regions, and economically disadvantaged and extremely disadvantaged areas, including:

- Information dissemination expenses on local mass media before and during the campaign period.

- Decoration costs, photo documentation, fuel or rental transportation fees, and other related activities.

- Interpreter and ethnic language broadcasting expenses: maximum 70,000 VND per person per day.

- Training allowance for those directly supervising the implementation of the campaign, mobilizing and counseling individuals who agree to use contraceptive methods (in addition to current travel allowances): 25,000 VND per person per day.

h) Expenses for organizing population and family planning policy knowledge contests, including:

- Question paper preparation and answer key: maximum 500,000 VND per contest.

- Examination marking allowance, Contest Jury, and result announcement: maximum 200,000 VND per person per day.

- Organizing Committee member allowance: maximum 150,000 VND per person per day.

- Expenditure for prizes:

+ Team prize: from 200,000 VND to 2,000,000 VND per award.

+ Individual prize: from 100,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND per award.

Depending on the scale of the contest (central, provincial, grassroots level), the head of the organizing agency decides the specific prize money within the above-mentioned range within the allocated budget.

- Other expenses serving the contest (if any) such as: stage rental, sound and lighting, props, decoration; allowance for service personnel, program hosts (MC); support for travel, food, and accommodation for contestants from afar; office supplies, ceremonial expenses; fuel or rental transportation,... The expenditure level follows the current regulations; in cases where there are no specified expenditure levels, the head of the organizing agency decides the expenditure within the allocated budget.

- Summary and reporting expenses for the contest results: central level is 500,000 VND per report, provincial level is 300,000 VND per report, district level is 200,000 VND per report, commune level is 100,000 VND per report.

2. Project to Improve the Quality of Family Planning Services:

a) Expenses for purchasing, receiving, storing, and transporting essential drugs and consumables for family planning procedures and safe abortion surgeries according to the quota set by the Minister of Health.

b) Technical and management costs (customer records, follow-up forms, statistical tables, soap, electricity, oil,...): based on actual expenses reflected in relevant payment documents.

c) Expenses for vaginal speculum examination: 10,000 VND per examination.

d) Expenses for wet mount microscopy testing: 5,000 VND per slide.

đ) Allowance for surgical and procedural family planning and safe abortion operations. The expense level is regulated by Circular Joint No. 09/2003/TTLT-BYT-BTC-BNV dated September 29, 2003, issued by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the implementation of Decision No. 155/2003/QĐ-TTg dated July 30, 2003, of the Prime Minister amending and supplementing certain special allowances for civil servants and employees in the health sector. In cases where medical staff performing surgery and procedures already receive allowances from regular healthcare facility funding, they shall not receive additional allowances from the Population and Family Planning Program funding and vice versa.

e) Support expenses for managers and monitors of individuals using clinical contraception methods for the first twelve months: 2,000 VND per person monitored.

g) Expenses for building models for providing family planning services, managing family planning targets, and providing family planning services as decided by the Program Director: the content and expense levels for each activity under the model are implemented according to current state regulations.

h) Support expenses for healthcare workers in mountainous, remote, and island communes when conducting mobile clinics (in addition to current travel allowances), including:

- Prenatal check-ups and genital infections screening: 3,000 VND per person per session.

- Contraceptive injection administration: 1,500 VND per dose.

i) Campaign expenses for providing family planning/reproductive health services in densely populated rural areas with unstable birth rates, high birth rate regions, and economically disadvantaged and extremely disadvantaged areas (the number of communes selected for implementing the campaign is decided by the Provincial Health Department within the allocated budget): including:

- Fuel or rental transportation expenses (including transportation for severe cases, policy beneficiaries, and poor households): expenses according to local market prices.

- Training allowance for those directly supervising the implementation of the campaign (in addition to current travel allowances): 25,000 VND per person per day.

k) Essential drug expenses and technical handling costs for complications for individuals undergoing sterilization after the insurance coverage period (as stipulated in Point d Clause 4 Section III of this Circular) and other clinical contraceptive methods if complications occur: based on actual expenses reflected in relevant payment documents.

l) In the case where the agency or unit managing the Population and Family Planning Program implements through a contractual method with healthcare facilities to conduct testing, surgical procedures, and other services related to family planning according to regulations: the expenditure level shall be implemented in accordance with the current hospital fee collection regulations.

3. Project Ensuring Logistics and Promoting Social Marketing of Contraceptives:

a) Expenditure on purchasing main contraceptive devices (intrauterine devices, injectable contraceptives, contraceptive implants, oral contraceptives, condoms) for the following activities:

- Free distribution to target groups as guided by the Ministry of Health. Community Health Workers or health staff responsible for providing contraceptives must fully record and document the list of individuals receiving free contraceptives in accordance with the Ministry of Health's guidelines.

- Sale to individuals with usage needs through social marketing systems. Financial management mechanisms for social marketing activities of contraceptives shall be carried out in accordance with the current regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

b) Expenditure supporting management and monitoring of individuals using contraceptives (oral contraceptives and condoms) for the first twelve months: 2,000 VND/person monitored.

c) Expenditure on managing contraceptive devices, including:

- Costs for receiving, storing, and transporting contraceptive devices or renting warehouses for storing contraceptive devices (if applicable).

- Expenditure on purchasing and printing inventory records (warehouse books, stock-out forms, stock-in forms, etc.).

d) Expenditure supporting data compilation, writing reports on the import, export, and stock levels of contraceptive devices according to the reporting system prescribed by the Ministry of Health: the expenditure level for the central level is 200,000 VND/month; for the provincial level is 100,000 VND/province/month; for the district level is 50,000 VND/district/month.

4. Project Enhancing Management Capacity, Operation, and Implementation of the Program:

a) Expenditure supporting voluntary health insurance purchase for population and family planning workers at the commune level during their term of office who wish to participate in voluntary health insurance: the support level is determined by the Prime Minister's decision.

b) Expenditure supporting population and family planning workers at the commune level (outside the monthly allowances received from local government budgets as stipulated in Decree No. 121/2003/NĐ-CP dated October 21, 2003 of the Government on the remuneration and policies for commune-level civil servants and employees and related guiding documents), the expenditure level:

- For communes in densely populated areas with unstable birth rates, high birth rate areas, economically disadvantaged and extremely disadvantaged areas: 200,000 VND/person/month.

- For remaining communes: 150,000 VND/person/month.

c) Expenditure for honoraria for community health workers in villages, hamlets, wards, and clusters: the expenditure level is 50,000 VND/person/month.

The number of community health workers in each village, hamlet, ward, and cluster is determined based on the number of households, specifically: For villages, hamlets, wards, and clusters in mountainous communes, remote and far-flung areas, and islands: from 30 to 50 households, one community health worker is assigned; for villages, hamlets, wards, and clusters in other communes: from 100 to 150 households, one community health worker is assigned.

d) Expenditure implementing sterilization policy, including:

- Expenditure for compensating individuals voluntarily undergoing sterilization: 200,000 VND/person.

- Purchase of health insurance for individuals voluntarily undergoing sterilization for a period of two years: 70,000 VND/person.

- Expenditure for fuel or hiring transportation for individuals voluntarily undergoing sterilization to reach the sterilization center or for the sterilization team to travel to the commune for surgery: carried out in accordance with current regulations.

- Expenditure supporting commune-level medical staff in post-operative care for individuals voluntarily undergoing sterilization at home: 10,000 VND/post-operative care session.

đ) Expenditure for rewarding collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in population and family planning work according to the decision of the competent authority: carried out in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 121/2005/NĐ-CP dated September 30, 2005 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain articles of the Law on Encouragement and Reward and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Articles of the Law on Encouragement and Reward and related guiding documents.

Additionally, to encourage communes with outstanding achievements in population and family planning work, the Population and Family Planning Program budget supports communal welfare activities to integrate cultural, educational, and sports activities with population and family planning: the maximum amount is 3,000,000 VND/commune/year. The number of communes supported annually is decided by the Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level within the allocated budget estimate.

e) Expenditure supporting population and family planning management work at the commune level (including: meetings, office supplies, communication): 50,000 VND/commune/month.

g) Expenditure for training and capacity building for population and family planning management staff at all levels. Specific contents and expenditure levels are stipulated in the Circular guiding the management and use of training and capacity-building funds for state civil servants issued by the Ministry of Finance.

h) Expenditure supporting the integration of population and family planning policies into village, hamlet, and cluster customs and regulations (including: drafting customs and regulations; seminars to gather public opinions; finalizing draft proposals for approval by the competent authority; promoting and disseminating customs and regulations to households): specific expenditure levels for each activity are decided by the head of the program management agency after consultation with the same-level financial agency, ensuring alignment with local realities.

5. Project Improving the Quality of Specialized Demographic and Family Planning Information Management:

a) Expenditure on collecting and updating new and dynamic demographic and family planning information of households into the Community Health Worker's Household Register, the expenditure level:

- Collecting and updating dynamic information: 500 VND/household.

- Collecting and updating new information: 1,000 VND/household.

b) Expenditure on collecting and updating input information for the specialized demographic and family planning management information system: 2,000 VND/information form.

c) For creating electronic information on computer networks: the content and expenditure level shall be in accordance with Circular No. 137/2007/TT-BTC dated November 28, 2007 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the expenditure level for creating electronic information.

d) For telecommunication activities related to population and family planning: the content and expenditure level shall be in accordance with the pricing regulations of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

đ) For purchasing software licenses and antivirus licenses.

e) Printing costs for specialized statistical report forms according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

g) Costs for data synthesis work and writing reports as prescribed, the expenditure level:

- For population and family planning collaborators: VND 70,000/person/year.

- For population and family planning officers at commune level: VND 180,000/person/year.

6. The Pilot Project for Expanding Some Models and Interventions to Improve the Quality of Vietnam's Population:

a) Expenditure for scientific research topics linked to the project content according to the approved research outline: the content and expenditure level shall be implemented in accordance with the current regulations on financial expenditure for science and technology tasks.

b) Purchase costs for materials and chemicals serving the research activities of the topic and pilot models.

c) Construction costs for models to improve population quality according to the decision approving the Program Head: the content and expenditure level for each activity within the model shall be decided by the head of the local project management agency after consultation with the same-level finance agency and in compliance with current state regulations.

IV. ESTABLISHING, ALLOCATING, MANAGING AND SETTLING THE BUDGET

1. The establishment, consolidation, allocation, management, utilization, settlement of funds for implementing the Population and Family Planning Program shall be carried out in accordance with the State Budget Law, guiding documents of the Law, regulations on the management mechanism and operation of national target programs, and current relevant regulations.

When allocating the budget to relevant ministries, sectors, and localities, the central project management agency must base it on the ability to implement assigned tasks and the expenditure standards stipulated in this Circular; among which, decentralization to localities in the procurement of equipment, tools, essential medicines, medical supplies, contraception devices for the Program's activities should be implemented.

In cases where localities are unable to procure equipment, tools, essential medicines, medical supplies, contraception devices, the central project management agency will undertake the procurement. Asset transfer procedures shall be carried out in accordance with current regulations.

Procurement of equipment, tools, essential medicines, medical supplies, contraception devices, sterilization insurance services, etc., shall be conducted strictly in accordance with the legal provisions on public tendering for goods purchased with state budget funds.

2. Regarding accounting entries:

The accounting entries for the implementation of the Population and Family Planning Program shall be made according to the current state budget classification. Organizations and units using Program funds must open accounting books to record, account for, and settle accounts in accordance with the current Accounting Regulations for Administrative and Public Institutions. Specifically, for projects utilizing non-repayable aid funds, organizations and units using such funds must follow the current state regulations on receiving, managing, and utilizing aid sources.

3. The entity to which the Program implementation funds are allocated and transferred shall be responsible for managing, using, and settling accounts according to the prescribed regulations. If necessary, related entities must participate in implementing the projects' objectives to accelerate their completion; the project management entity transfers funds to related entities to execute professional contracts. The head of the project management entity must approve the budget expenditure according to the current national expenditure standards and norms.

The entity executing the contract has the responsibility to implement the Program's tasks, directly utilize funds according to the current financial expenditure regulations (without having to settle accounts with its own budget but must maintain separate accounting records for tracking purposes); immediately upon contract completion, it must prepare a final settlement report on the allocated funds and submit it to the project management entity. The project management entity is responsible for settling the professional contract, reviewing the final settlement, and consolidating it into the project management entity's final settlement.

4. Reporting System: Regularly every quarter and annually, ministries, central agencies, and provincial/municipal people's committees have the responsibility to report on the implementation status and results of the Population and Family Planning Program (including both financial and professional indicators) in accordance with current regulations.

V. IMPLEMENTATION

This Circular takes effect 15 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette and replaces Joint Circular No. 95/2002/TTLT-BTC-UBDSGĐTE dated October 22, 2002 of the Ministry of Finance and the National Committee for Population, Family, and Children guiding the content and expenditure levels of the National Target Program on Population and Family Planning.

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health for study and resolution./.