Decision No. 34/2000/QD-BNNPTNT/TCKT Issuing supplementary expenditure standards for the Forestry Area Project and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project.

Pursuant to …;

Issuing supplementary expenditure norms for the Forestry Area Project and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project

and management of upstream protective forests

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to Decree No. 73/CP dated November 1, 1995 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Credit Agreement No. 1515-VIE (SF) between the Government of Vietnam and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed on June 11, 1997;

Pursuant to Decision No. 22/TTg dated November 1, 1997 of the Prime Minister approving the feasibility study project for the Forestry Area and Upstream Protective Forest Management;

Pursuant to Circular No. 26/1998/TT-BTC dated March 10, 1999 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the financial management mechanism for the Forestry Area and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project;

Pursuant to Circulars No. 93/1998/TT-BTC and No. 94/1998/TT-BTC dated June 30, 1998 of the Ministry of Finance on conference expenses and travel allowances;

Considering the report No. 191CV/DALN-ADB dated March 23, 2000 of the Forestry Project Management Board;

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. Now hereby issuing supplementary expenditure norms for the Forestry Area and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project (as attached);

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of signature.

Article 3. The Director of the Ministry's Office, Heads of Departments, Directorates, and related functional Boards under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, members of the National Steering Committee of the Project, Provincial Directors, and Central and Provincial Project Directors shall be responsible for implementing this decision./.

GUIDELINES

IMPLEMENTATION OF EXPENDITURE NORMS FOR THE FORESTRY AREA PROJECT

AND UPSTREAM PROTECTIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT PROJECT
 and stamped)in accordance with Decision No. 34/2000/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated April 4, 2000)

In Document No. 2764/BNN-TCKT dated July 31, 1999 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Forestry Area and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project was allowed to apply Decision No. 69/1999/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated April 24, 1999 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on expenditure norms for the Forest Protection and Rural Development Project. Now, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development supplements some expenditure norms for the Forestry Area and Upstream Protective Forest Management Project as follows:

I - ALLOWANCE FOR THE COUNTY MANAGEMENT BOARD STAFF:

Applied to county-level staff within the state budget who are assigned or seconded to participate in management throughout the project period as stipulated in the project management plan, the maximum allowance is from 20% to 40% of their basic salary, depending on the duration and responsibility of their work, decided by the Provincial Project Director.

The total allowance amount shall not exceed the total amount approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the annual or periodical project plan.

II - DOMESTIC CONSULTANTS

During implementation, to achieve the objectives, when necessary, the Project may hire domestic consultants according to the provisions and requirements of the project management plan and the agreement signed with the Asian Development Bank. In addition to completing the procedures for hiring consultants as required by current regulations, the cost of hiring consultants will be applied as per Decision No. 803/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated March 9, 2000 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regarding domestic consultant salaries at sub-project villages.

For consultants working at the Project Office, the payment rate will be calculated at 50% of the expenditure norm set out in Decision No. 803/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated March 9, 2000.

When traveling to Provincial Project Management Boards and village sub-projects, consultants will be entitled to travel allowances as specified in Decision No. 69/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated July 31, 1999 and Document No. 2764/BNN-TCKT dated July 31, 1999 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

III - WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS, FIELD VISITS, AND SURVEYS IN THE COUNTRY

1- Allowance for speakers and group discussion facilitators in village-level specialized workshops and conferences is applied as point e, section 1, part B of Decision No. 69/1999/QĐ-BNN-TCKT dated April 24, 1999 and Document No. 2764/BNN-TCKT dated July 31, 1999 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, concerning instructor training allowances.

- Rate: VND 20,000 per hour for speaking and facilitating

Total allowance does not include preparation time

2- Training sessions for popularizing technical skills to villagers on seedling cultivation, forest planting, regeneration promotion, forest care...

- Food allowance for villagers: VND 15,000 per person per day

- Technical guidance staff allowance: VND 50,000 per person per day

3- Field visits and surveys within the country

To help villagers participating in the project improve their forestry technical skills, social forestry models require organizing typical field visits within the province and outside the province in the project area. The Provincial Project Management Board needs to prepare plans and budgets for approval by competent authorities based on the following expenditure norms:

* Food allowance:

- Villagers visiting fields (within the province, district) for 1-2 days

VND 15,000 per person per day

- Village and commune staff visiting fields (outside the province within the project area) for 1-3 days

VND 30,000 per person per day

- Participants and guests

VND 50,000 per person per day

If vehicles are hired for field visits, costs will be calculated based on the contract signed according to the rates approved by the competent authority in the region or locality.

IV - COSTS FOR REINSPECTION AND MONITORING OF PLANTING AND FOREST CARE

Decision No. 162/1999/QĐ-BNN/PTLN dated December 10, 1999 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued temporary regulations on acceptance of forest protection contracts, enclosure and regeneration promotion combined with additional planting, forest planting, and forest care, including reinspection. Costs for reinspection (costs of the direct superior agency of Party A or provincial acceptance committee if necessary) include equipment rental fees and allowances for participating officers and staff as follows:

1- Re-inspection of design planting area measurements (re-inspection of 10% of the designed planting area)

- Cost: VND 60,000 per hectare (based on the re-inspected area)

2- Re-inspection of planted forest areas (10% of the planted forest area)

- The cost level is 30,000 VND/ha (based on the area for re-inspection).

To carry out the re-inspection work, the cost of renting vehicles (if any) shall be calculated according to the signed contract based on the freight rates prescribed by the competent authority in the region, locality.

Based on the above expenditure norms, the Project Director needs to balance the expenses so as not to exceed the approved budget ceiling.

During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties, they should be reported to the Central Management Board and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for prompt resolution./.