Decision No. 38/2002/QĐ-BKHCNMT on the issuance of the Interim Regulations on the working methods of the Advisory Council for the selection of organizations and individuals to lead national science and technology projects during the period 2001-2005.

DECISION OF THE MINISTER

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Regarding the issuance of the "Provisional Regulations on the Working Method of the Advisory Council for Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Lead National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005"

Pursuant to the Law on Science and Technology dated June 9, 2000;

Pursuant to Decision No. 82/2001/QĐ-TTg dated May 24, 2001 of the Prime Minister approving the orientation, objectives, tasks, and list of key science and technology programs at the national level for the period 2001-2005;

The attached Decision issues the "Provisional Regulations on the Working Method of the Advisory Council for Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Lead National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005".

MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

This Decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces Decision No. 42/2001/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated July 18, 2001 of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment regarding the issuance of the "Provisional Regulations on the Working Method of the Science and Technology Advisory Council for Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Lead National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005".

Pursuant to Decree No. 22/CP dated May 22, 1993 of the Government on the tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment;

Heads of Departments of Planning, Industrial Science and Technology Management, Agricultural Science and Technology Management, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences Management, Director of the Ministry's Office, Heads of units under the Ministry, and Heads of related agencies are responsible for implementing this Decision./.

Considering the proposal of the Director of the Department of Industrial Science and Technology Management, the Director of the Department of Agricultural Science and Technology Management, the Director of the Department of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences Management, and the Director of the Planning Department;

DECISION:

Article 1. Provisional Regulations on the Working Method of the Advisory Council for Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Lead National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005

Article 2. (Attached to Decision No. 38/2002/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated July 8, 2002

Article 3. of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment)

REGULATIONS

1. Selection evaluation is based on the submitted application file.

(Attached to Decision No. 17/2003/QĐ-BKHCN dated July 18, 2003

2. Individuals registering to lead a project and those participating in its implementation shall not be members of the selection council for that project.

3. The Council examines and evaluates the application files according to the unified criteria and scoring system established (Evaluation Form for Application Files for Selection of Organizations and Individuals to Lead Projects: Form B2-2-PĐGTC-SĐ for scientific and technological projects and Form B2-2-PĐGTC-XH for social sciences and humanities projects).

4. The organizations and individuals proposed for selection are those with the highest ranked application files, but the average score must reach at least 70 out of 100 points, including a minimum average score of 50 out of 70 points for scientific and practical value.

2. Individuals who have registered as the principal investigator of a Research Project or Pilot Production Project and those participating in its implementation shall not participate in the Evaluation and Selection Council for that Research Project or Pilot Production Project (hereinafter referred to as the Council). In necessary cases, members of the Council may be staff members of the organization registering as the principal investigator of the Research Project or Pilot Production Project, but not more than one person and they cannot serve as Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or reviewing member.

5. Evaluators and Council members must work objectively, take responsibility for their evaluations, comply with selection discipline, and keep confidential information related to the selection process.

6. If a Council member’s score differs by more than 20% from the average score given by other present Council members, that member’s score will not be accepted. The evaluation result will be based solely on the scores given by the remaining Council members.

7. A meeting of the Council to review and evaluate selections must have at least two-thirds of the members present (written opinions of absent members only serve as reference).

9. The Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment (hereinafter referred to as the Minister of ST&EN) appoints staff to assist the Council as secretaries.

The Council agrees on the working method

2. Representatives of the Ministry of ST&EN state the requirements of national science and technology projects as defined in the "Provisional Regulations on Determining National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005" (issued by Decision No. 06/2001/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated April 11, 2001 of the Minister of ST&EN) and the main contents of the "Provisional Regulations on Selecting Organizations and Individuals to Lead National Science and Technology Projects for the Period 2001-2005" (issued by Decision No. 37/2002/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated July 8, 2002 of the Minister of ST&EN - hereinafter referred to as Regulation 37) and these regulations.

3. The Council secretary reads the Minutes of Opening the Application File for Selection (Form B2-1-BBHSTC), announcing the number and list of eligible application files to be reviewed and evaluated by the Council.

II. PROCEDURES AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNCIL

An eligible application file satisfies the conditions stipulated in Article 6, 7, 8, and the conditions for organizations and individuals participating in the selection as specified in Article 5 of Regulation 37.

1. The clerk assisting the Council reads the Decision establishing the Council, introduces the composition of the Council and the attending representatives.

Step 1: 4. The Council discusses and exchanges views to understand the principles, methods of review and evaluation, evaluation criteria, and scoring methods for application files for leading projects according to Regulation 37 and these regulations.

- The regulations on determining national-level scientific and technological Research Projects and Pilot Production Projects issued together with Decision No. 07/2003/QĐ-BKHCN dated April 3, 2003 of the Minister of Science and Technology.

5. Council members receive the application files for selection to prepare written comments and reviews (Forms B2-2A-PNXCN and B2-2A-PNXXH corresponding to scientific and technological projects and social sciences and humanities projects).

The Council assigns two members who are deeply knowledgeable about the research field of the project to provide critical reviews and evaluations of all application files for leading projects.

In case of necessity, the Council may recommend the Minister of ST&EN to invite external experts to provide critical reviews and evaluations of the application files.

Experts or Council members providing critical reviews are responsible for studying and analyzing each piece of information declared in the application files, writing comments and evaluations, explaining the scoring of each criterion, and scoring each application file according to the scale stated in the evaluation form of these regulations, and submitting the written comments and evaluations to the Council secretary.

6. The Council agrees on the working day to review and evaluate the application files for leading projects (organized after receiving the comments and evaluations of the two experts/Council members providing critical reviews of the application files).

The Council evaluates the selection application files

1. The Council listens to the experts/Council members providing critical reviews reading their comments and analyses of each project application file.

The Council may ask questions of the experts/Council members providing critical reviews regarding each evaluation criterion related to each application file.

6. The Council unifies the working day to review and evaluate the selection of applications for leading the implementation of the research topic (organized after receiving the evaluation reports of two experts/members of the Council who provide feedback on the applications related to that research topic).

Step 2: The Council evaluates the selection of applications.

1. The Council listens to the experts/members of the Council providing feedback read their evaluation and analysis of each application of the research topic.

The Council may ask questions of the experts/members of the Council providing feedback regarding each evaluation criterion related to each application.

After answering the questions posed by the members of the Council, the non-Council expert reviewers complete their tasks and do not continue to attend the Council's selection evaluation session.

2. The Council discusses and evaluates

The Council exchanges views and discusses each application according to the criteria already defined and votes to evaluate.

3. The Council elects the Counting Committee and votes

The Counting Committee consists of three Council members (one of whom is elected as the head).

The Council votes to evaluate each Application Form according to Evaluation Form B2-2-PĐGTC-SĐ for scientific and technological topics and B2-2-PĐGTC-XH for social sciences and humanities topics.

Each Council member scores each application by giving points according to the scale specified on the form.

Valid ballots are those that give points equal to or lower than the maximum points recorded on the corresponding form for each evaluation criterion.

4. Summarize the evaluation results

The ballot counting team reports to the Council the results of the ballot counting according to Evaluation Forms B2-3-KPTVHĐ and B2-4-KPĐGTC.

In cases where there are at least two Applications achieving an average total score of 70/100 points or higher, and among which, the average score on scientific and practical value is at least 50/70 points, the Council ranks these Applications in order of priority according to the principles set forth in Article 13 of Regulation 37, specifically as follows:

- Average total score in descending order;

- Prioritize the average score for scientific and practical value for applications with the same average total score;

- Prioritize the Chairman of the Council’s score (or the Vice-Chairman’s score, in the absence of the Chairman of the Council) for Applications with the same average total score and the same average score on scientific and practical value;

For Applications with the same average total score, the same average score on scientific and practical value, and the same Chairman of the Council’s score, the Council recommends that the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment consider and decide.

5. The Council approves the Minutes of the Council's work and recommends organizations and individuals who have been selected.

The Council discusses to recommend additional and necessary amendments to the contents mentioned in the Project Description and recommendations regarding funding for implementing the project, or highlight points to be noted during the completion process of the Application Forms of selected organizations and individuals.

The minutes of the Council's work are prepared according to Evaluation Form B2-5-BBHĐTC./.