Circular No. 99/2024/TT-BQP Issuing the Regulation on the Examination and Awarding of the Creative Labor Award in the Vietnam People's Army Trade Union

CIRCULAR

Issuing Regulations on the Examination and Awarding of the Creative Labor Award

in the Trade Union of the Vietnam People's Army 

________________

MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE

Pursuant to the Law on Encouragement and Reward dated June 15, 2022;

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

Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2022/NĐ-CP dated November 30, 2022 of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense;

Pursuant to Decree No. 98/2023/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2023 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Competition and Reward;

Pursuant to Decree No. 18/2024/NĐ-CP dated February 21, 2024 of the Government on the Ho Chi Minh Prize, State Prize, and other Prizes for science and technology;

At the proposal of the Director of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army;

The Minister of National Defense issues this Circular on the Regulations on the Examination and Awarding of the Creative Labor Award in the Trade Union of the Vietnam People's Army.

Article 1. Attached to this Circular are the Regulations on the Examination and Awarding of the Creative Labor Award in the Trade Union of the Vietnam People's Army.

Article 2. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from January 5, 2025.

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

Article 3. Responsibility for Implementation

The Director of the General Political Department, the Head of the Government Cryptographic Service, the Heads of agencies, units, organizations, and individuals related to this Circular are responsible for its implementation./.

REGULATIONS

ON THE EXAMINATION AND AWARDING OF THE CREATIVE LABOR AWARD IN THE TRADE UNION OF THE VIETNAM PEOPLE'S ARMY
(Attached to Circular No. 99/2024/TT-BQP dated November 22, 2024 of the Minister of National Defense)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

These Regulations stipulate the examination and awarding of the Creative Labor Award in the Trade Union of the Vietnam People's Army (hereinafter referred to as the examination and awarding of the Award) and the responsibilities of agencies, units, and individuals related to it.

Article 2. Applicability

1. Authors and author collectives are officers and trade union members in the Vietnam People's Army and the Government Cryptographic Service who have research works applied in performing tasks in the field of science and technology, technical innovations.

2. Agencies, units, organizations, and individuals related to the organization and activities of examining and awarding the Award (hereinafter referred to as agencies and units).

Article 3. Principles of Examining and Awarding the Award

1. Applications for the examination and awarding of the Award are made voluntarily; at the same time, they are linked to the role and responsibility of party committees, political commissars (political instructors), commanders, and political departments at all levels in organizing their implementation.

2. The examination and awarding of the Award are carried out uniformly and synchronously from grassroots level to the Ministry of National Defense, ensuring honesty, objectivity, fairness, democracy, and accuracy; decisions are made by secret ballot and majority vote.

3. Priority is given to awarding the Award to authors and author collectives directly engaged in production and work in border areas, at sea, on islands, and in regions with particularly difficult economic and social conditions; individuals from ethnic minorities, women, and collectives with a female ratio of 70% or more; individuals with many achievements in training, mentoring, and enhancing the professional skills of colleagues, contributing to building strong units.

4. The Award will not be awarded to works that violate Article 8 of the Law on Science and Technology; nor will the Award be granted or applications for the Award be submitted for authors and author collectives during the period when the competent authority is considering disciplinary action or investigating, auditing, or inspecting them due to suspected violations or complaints and denunciations, or corruption and negative phenomena reported by the press that have not been verified and clarified.

Chapter II

||| CONDITIONS, DOCUMENTS, CRITERIA, SCORING SCALE FOR EVALUATION AND AWARDS; FORMS, STRUCTURE, REWARDS

||| Article 4. Conditions and Documents for Participation

||| 1. Conditions

||| a) For authors and author collectives

||| - Model behavior in strictly adhering to the Party's policies, State laws, military discipline, and unit regulations.

||| - Complete assigned tasks at a satisfactory level or higher.

||| b) For works

||| - Possess novelty and creativity, have been applied or have potential for application in practical military construction, national defense and security assurance, economic and social development, and labor production and business operations.

||| - Works that have not won awards in competitions at the ministry or sector levels or equivalent cannot participate in more than one award from the Ministry of National Defense.

||| 2. Participation Documents

||| Each work participating in the evaluation and award must prepare three sets of documents on A4 paper in portrait format; blue covers for works that are innovations, and pink covers for other works. The documents should be arranged in the following order:

||| a) Registration form for participation;

||| b) Summary description of the work's content and scientific value, not exceeding six pages of A4 paper, typed in Times New Roman font size 14;

||| c) Scientific curriculum vitae of the author(s) and collective author(s) involved in the work, if available;

||| d) Full explanation of the work;

||| đ) List of project leaders and participants, with specified percentage contributions of each participant and confirmation from the command of units at the brigade, division, or equivalent level;

||| e) Minutes of the work evaluation by the Science Council of subordinate units under the Ministry of National Defense;

||| g) Copies of registration certificates for scientific and technological tasks and technical tasks; certificates confirming the applicability of the innovation from using units;

||| h) Copies of patents, certificates, and reward decisions for the work (if applicable).

||| Forms prescribed in the annex attached to this Regulation shall be submitted together.

||| 3. Receiving Documents

||| a) Subordinate agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense send a letter requesting participation and submission of documents for the evaluation and award to the Secretariat of the Award Council before October 15th every year;

||| b) Electronic files of the documents stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article shall be provided along with the documents to facilitate the Council's review and award process through electronic means; photographs of the authors, images of the works, and related video reports shall be sent via portable storage media according to regulations;

||| c) For confidential works, when participating in the evaluation and award, the agency or unit directly submits the documents to the Secretariat of the Evaluation and Award Council or sends them through public postal services (military post).

||| 4. Document Retention

||| Work documents shall be retained by political agencies of subordinate units under the Ministry of National Defense for one set, and by the General Confederation of Labor for two sets. The retention period is sixty months from the date of the award decision.

||| Article 5. Criteria and Scoring Scale for Evaluation and Award

||| The maximum total score for a work is 100 points, based on four criteria, specifically:

||| 1. Scientific Value of the Work (novelty, creativity): Maximum 25 points, ensuring the following criteria:

||| a) The work addresses solutions not previously published within or outside the military;

||| b) The work is the result of research and creativity in scientific and technological activities, labor production, and business operations.

||| 2. National Defense and Security Effectiveness and Economic and Social Benefits (effectiveness): Maximum 35 points, meeting the following criteria:

||| a) Contributes to improving training quality, combat readiness, standardized unit building, discipline training, education and training, scientific research, labor production and business operations, enhancing professional work quality and cultural and spiritual life, economic construction, infrastructure development, agricultural and forestry production, providing a basis for people to stabilize their lives in particularly difficult areas, remote regions, border areas, islands, and sea areas within strategic zones; conducting mass mobilization work, ensuring social order and safety, consolidating the national defense and security posture; combating crime, preventing natural disasters, diseases, fires, rescue operations, ensuring safe labor; protecting health, environmental protection, and improving living conditions.

||| b) Provides benefits in the fields of national defense and security, economy and politics, culture and society.

||| 3. Practical Application Potential of the Work (practicality): Maximum 30 points, meeting the following criteria:

||| a) Has the potential for wide-scale application and broad dissemination;

||| b) Is feasible in research, manufacturing, application, and use;

||| c) Raw materials are easily accessible, low-cost, and can replace imports.

||| 4. Development Potential of the Work (development): Maximum 10 points.

||| The work has the potential for continued research and development after winning an award.

Article 6. Form and Structure of the Award

1. Form: A certificate issued by the Director of the General Political Department to the works that win awards, accompanied by prize money; the amount of prize money is ten times for the First Prize, eight times for the Second Prize, six times for the Third Prize, and four times for the Encouragement Prize based on the current basic salary level, and equivalent to this amount of prize money when the basic salary level is not implemented.

2. Structure:

a) The annual award ratio shall not exceed 55% of the total number of eligible works participating in the Award, including:

- The First Prize, not exceeding 5%, and must score 90 points or higher;

- The Second Prize, not exceeding 10%, and must score 85 points or higher;

- The Third Prize, not exceeding 15%, and must score 80 points or higher;

- The Encouragement Prize, not exceeding 25%, and must score 75 points or higher.

b) In cases where the ratio exceeds the limit specified in point a of this clause, the Standing Office of the Award Review and Presentation Council will propose to the Head of the General Political Department to submit to the Ministry of National Defense for consideration and decision.

Article 7. Awards

1. Propose to present the Prime Minister's Commendation Certificate to authors and members of author teams with outstanding achievements, contributing to the application of scientific and technological progress; collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in summarizing five-year and ten-year periods, meeting the conditions and standards as prescribed.

2. Present the Minister of National Defense's Commendation Certificate to authors and members of author teams whose works win the First Prize; collectives with outstanding achievements in organizing and participating in the annual Award review and presentation; collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in summarizing five-year and ten-year periods.

3. Propose the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to present the Creative Labor Medal to the heads of works winning the First, Second, and Third Prizes, while ensuring the conditions and criteria for presenting the Creative Labor Medal as stipulated in the Reward Regulations of the Trade Union Organization.

4. For works of author teams winning the Award, only authors who contribute at least 20% of the value of the work will be considered for rewards.

Chapter III

REVIEW BOARD, STANDING OFFICE, SECRETARIAT, SPECIALIZED REVIEW BOARDS

Article 8. Review and Presentation Board

1. Establish the Ministry of National Defense Review and Presentation Board consisting of the following members:

a) Chairman: One Deputy Director of the General Political Department.

b) Vice Chairmen:

- Head of the Military Trade Union - Permanent Representative;

- Head of the Military Science Department.

c) Members are Heads of Departments and Units: Financial Department, Training Department, Force Department, Institute of Military Science and Technology, Propaganda Department, Cadre Department, Medical Department, Military Trade Union Board; Chairpersons of Specialized Review Boards; officers from the Military Science Department and the Military Trade Union Board.

d) The Military Trade Union Board is the Standing Office of the Review and Presentation Board.

2. The Review and Presentation Board: Has the function of organizing inter-departmental coordination within the Ministry of National Defense, assisting the Minister of National Defense in guiding the research and innovation movement among military trade union members, contributing to achieving the political tasks of units.

3. Tasks of the Review and Presentation Board

a) Study and propose leadership and guidance policies and measures for the labor movement and trade union activities in participating in scientific and technological tasks;

b) Coordinate with units to organize the activity of reviewing and presenting the Creative Labor Award in the Vietnam People's Army Trade Union;

c) Evaluate and select works of authors and author teams for review and recommendation of awards. Coordinate with relevant agencies to organize the assessment of works participating in the review and presentation of the Award when necessary;

d) Select outstanding works to report to the Head of the General Political Department for consideration and decision to participate in national competitions.

4. Rights and Responsibilities of the Review and Presentation Board

a) Propose the Prime Minister's Commendation Certificate to authors and members of author teams with outstanding exemplary works; collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in summarizing phases; the Minister of National Defense presents the Commendation Certificate to authors and members of author teams winning the First Prize; the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor presents the Creative Labor Medal to the heads of works winning the First, Second, and Third Prizes.

b) Decide to establish specialized review boards and the Secretariat of the Award Review Board to assist the Review and Presentation Board in evaluating works participating in the review and presentation of the Award according to specialties;

c) Issue documents and decisions of the Review and Presentation Board.

5. Regarding the use of seals

a) Documents and decisions of the Review and Presentation Board are signed by the Chairman of the Review and Presentation Board and use the seal of the General Political Department;

b) Documents and decisions of the Review and Presentation Board are signed by the Vice Chairmen of the Review and Presentation Board and use their own unit's seal.

Article 9. Tasks of the Standing Office of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes

1. Annually, develop plans for examination and approval of prizes to be submitted to the Head of the General Political Department and the Minister of National Defense; advise the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes on directing specialized councils and units to implement the plan.

2. Receive and preliminarily classify works participating in the examination and awarding of prizes, send them to specialized councils for examination; compile and report the results of the examinations by specialized councils to the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes; compile and report the results of meetings of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes to the Director of the General Political Department and the Minister of National Defense.

3. Organize surveys on the practical application value of awarded works and inspect works proposed for awards by specialized councils.

4. Prepare contents and programs for sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes; handle regular tasks of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes between two sessions.

5. Propose to the Chairman of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes to decide on the composition of representatives attending and the time for organizing sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes; coordinate with the Military Science Department to propose the establishment and direct the operation of specialized councils.

6. Complete documents according to decisions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes.

Article 10. Secretariat of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes

1. The Secretariat of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes consists of: 01 Deputy Head of the National Defense Trade Union - Head of the Secretariat, 01 officer from the Military Science Department, and 01 officer from the National Defense Trade Union. Members of the Secretariat are members of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes.

2. The Secretariat of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes has the following tasks:

a) Draft agendas and contents of sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes and the Standing Office to be submitted to the Chairman for approval;

b) Compile opinions and record minutes of sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes and the Standing Office;

c) Draft reports and recommendations of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes to be submitted to the Chairman for consideration and decision;

d) Compile and provide relevant information and documents to members of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

đ) Monitor and compile results of scientific research movements and the promotion of inventions and initiatives of the entire trade union force to report to the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes.

Article 11. Specialized Councils

1. Evaluate, examine, and recommend works that meet the criteria for awards within their respective fields and bear responsibility before the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes regarding the results of the examination.

2. Assist the Standing Office of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes in handling complaints and appeals related to works under the jurisdiction of their council.

3. Report the results of examinations to the Standing Office of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes and the Military Science Department.

Article 12. Tasks of Members of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes

1. Chairman

a) Direct the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes and the Standing Office to operate according to their functions and tasks and implement the annual work program of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

b) Direct the Standing Office to prepare contents and programs for sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

c) Decide on convening and chairing sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes and the Standing Office of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

d) Direct and guide the movement of scientific research and technological innovation and initiatives of the Military Trade Union;

đ) Provide comments on documents and reports sent to the Head of the Ministry of National Defense;

e) Assign and supervise the implementation of tasks by members of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes.

2. Vice-Chairman

a) Carry out tasks assigned by the Chairman and be responsible to the Chairman for the tasks assigned;

b) Act on behalf of the Chairman to handle matters of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes when authorized;

c) Direct the activities of the Secretariat directly.

3. Member

a) Carry out tasks assigned by the Chairman of the Council;

b) Fully participate in all sessions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

c) Supervise, direct, and evaluate the results of scientific research activities of the trade union in the industry or field they oversee;

d) Discuss, vote, or cast ballots to approve decisions of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes;

đ) Manage documents related to the activities of the Council for Examination and Awarding of Prizes according to state regulations and those of the Ministry of National Defense.

Article 13. Working System of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize

1. The Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize shall convene once a year on a regular basis and may convene at any time when necessary. A session of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize can only be held if at least three-quarters of the total number of members attend. During the session, the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize may invite some leading cadres, commanders, top experts, or representatives from relevant functional agencies to participate.

2. The Standing Office of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize shall convene once every six months to handle routine matters between sessions of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize, and may convene at any time when necessary.

3. Content and materials related to the regular session of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize must be sent to the members of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize at least three working days before the meeting, and at least one working day before an extraordinary meeting.

4. Decisions of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize must be agreed upon by at least seventy-five percent of the total number of members of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize.

5. Minutes and conclusions of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize during meetings must be recorded fully and stored at the Standing Office according to state regulations and those of the Ministry of National Defense.

6. Minutes and recommendations of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize's sessions must be signed by the Chairman and the Head of the Secretariat of the Council for Examining and Awarding the Prize; in case of signing by proxy, it must be authorized by the Chairman of the Council.

Chapter IV

PROCEDURES FOR EXAMINATION, AWARDS, SUMMARIES, AND EXPENSES

Article 14. Procedures for Examination, Awards, and Recommendations for Prizes

The examination and awarding of prizes are carried out from grassroots level to the entire military level; political organs receive and coordinate with military science agencies to review and propose reports (in cases where units have scientific councils, the review and proposal are conducted by these councils); the party committee's standing committee and the party committee examine and make decisions; unit commanders decide to submit to competent authorities for examination and decision-making.

Article 15. Examination, Awarding, and Summary of Prizes

Prizes are examined, awarded, and summarized annually on the occasion of commemorating the Traditional Day of the Vietnam National Defense Trade Union (March 6) and are organized solemnly and widely publicized through mass media to honor collectives and individuals.

Article 16. Financial Guarantees

1. Expenses for ensuring the operation of the examination and awarding of prizes are funded from trade union funds according to Clause 2, Article 26 of the Trade Union Law No. 12/2012/QH13 and other lawful sources of funding.

2. Annually, the Vietnam National Defense Trade Union Committee takes the lead and coordinates with relevant agencies and units to develop a budget estimate for financial guarantees for the examination and awarding of prizes at the Ministry of National Defense level, which is submitted for approval by competent authorities; management, use, and settlement are carried out according to regulations.

Chapter V

RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, VIOLATION HANDLING, AND COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS RESOLUTION

Article 17. Benefits for Authors of Works Receiving Prizes

1. Leaders of works receiving First, Second, and Third Prizes shall be considered and recommended by the Party Committee and Commanders to competent authorities:

a) Advancement in rank and salary increase for officers; promotion in pay grade for professional soldiers, workers, civil servants, and defense officials and contractual employees ahead of schedule by twelve months or retention of achievements for advancement in rank and salary increase ahead of schedule;

b) Priority in training and upgrading specialized knowledge; transfer, appointment to positions, arrangement, utilization, or consideration for recruitment into the officer corps, professional soldiers, workers, civil servants, and defense officials;

c) Works receiving prizes will be considered for financial support and favorable conditions for continued development.

2. Leaders of works receiving First, Second, and Third Prizes who do not meet the conditions for advancement in rank and salary increase ahead of schedule as stipulated in Point a, Clause 1 of this Article shall receive monetary awards; the amount of the monetary award is five times the current basic salary level and has an equivalent award amount when not implementing the basic salary level.

3. The Vietnam People's Army Labor Creativity Prize has the same value as other scientific prizes in the military when evaluating commendation titles and forms of individual and collective rewards.

Article 18. Handling violations and resolving complaints and denunciations in the activities of awarding the Prize

1. Individuals and organizations violating the provisions of this Regulation shall be subject to legal proceedings and disciplinary actions according to the laws of the State and the Military, and if causing damage, they must compensate for it, depending on the nature and extent of the violation.

2. Organizations and individuals have the right to file complaints and denunciations related to the awarding of the Prize in accordance with the laws on complaints and denunciations.

3. When there are complaints or denunciations, the Standing Office of the Council for Awarding the Prize shall be responsible for coordinating with specialized councils and relevant agencies to examine and resolve them in accordance with the law.

Article 19. Responsibilities of agencies and units

1. The National Defense Trade Union Committee shall take the lead and coordinate with the Military Science Department to handle the administrative tasks of the Council for Awarding the Prize on a regular basis.

2. The National Defense Trade Union Committee shall be responsible for organizing the implementation of the awarding of the Prize and promoting, encouraging, and motivating cadres, trade union members, and workers to actively participate in scientific research, innovation in learning, training, combat readiness, production, and business.

3. The Military Science Department

a) Shall take the lead and coordinate with the National Defense Trade Union Committee to classify and categorize projects participating in the awarding of the Prize by specialty and field; propose the establishment and direct specialized councils;

b) Shall organize reviews of projects proposed by specialized councils; coordinate with the National Defense Trade Union Committee to compile and report the results of appraisals to the Council for Awarding the Prize.

4. Party committees and commanders of agencies and units shall base their leadership, guidance, and organization of the awarding of the Prize at their level on the characteristics, situation, and contents of this Regulation, effectively and practically promote scientific and technological research and technical innovations to participate in the awarding of the Prize at higher levels; coordinate with the Council for Awarding the Prize to implement the contents stipulated in Article 17 of this Regulation./.