en.Wedoany.com Reported - At a recent conference on "Institutions for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation – Removing Bottlenecks and Promoting Development," Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam, Vũ Hải Quân, stated that since the issuance of Resolution No. 57, the Ministry has led the drafting and submission of 10 laws, 1 National Assembly resolution, 40 government decrees, 12 government resolutions, 70 Prime Minister's decisions, and 102 circulars—an unprecedented workload in a short period. However, Vũ Hải Quân emphasized that drafting legal documents is only the first step, with the greater challenge lying in ensuring these regulations are uniformly communicated and implemented in practice. The conference aimed to clarify new points in policies and laws while addressing difficulties and obstacles in implementation. To date, the institutional framework for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation has been largely completed; the current issue is no longer about creating more mechanisms and policies, but about effective organization and implementation.

Deputy Director of the National Digital Transformation Agency (Cục Chuyển đổi số quốc gia), Lê Anh Tuấn, spoke at the conference on special mechanisms for digital transformation investment, procurement, service leasing, and pilot development using state budget funds, proposing 6 major new points to address bottlenecks in investment. Effective July 1, 2026, with the enactment of the Law on Digital Transformation, Decree No. 224/2026/NĐ-CP, and Circulars No. 39 and 41 of the Ministry of Science and Technology, a relatively complete legal framework has been established for digital transformation investment, procurement, and service leasing activities using state budget funds.

Lê Anh Tuấn stated that the new mechanism features 6 prominent innovations. First, digital transformation is identified as an independent budget expenditure area within the science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation group. The Law on Digital Transformation and the State Budget Law stipulate that at least 1% of total annual state budget expenditure is allocated to this area, with Decree No. 224 specifying tasks and expenditure content. Second, the state will provide enterprises with up to 30% support for pilot costs, not exceeding 15 billion Vietnamese đồng; previously, enterprises had to bear all pilot costs themselves, and the new mechanism is expected to encourage enterprises to boldly develop digital solutions. Third, for national-level digital platforms and national databases, Decree No. 224 allows entrusting a single enterprise to execute the entire process from research, project initiation, and design to implementation, ensuring system progress and synchronization. Another notable change is that the new regulations allow the same enterprise to simultaneously design and implement internal software. Software development is a process of continuous adjustment based on actual user needs, whereas previous regulations required separation between design and implementation units, leading to a lack of flexibility in execution. Allowing one enterprise to undertake both phases helps shorten implementation time and improve project efficiency. Additionally, Decree No. 224 addresses difficulties in determining budget prices. Previously, investors distrusted enterprise quotes and were hesitant to proceed; under the new mechanism, enterprises are responsible for pricing, and investors bear no liability. If investors have fully obtained quotes in an open and transparent manner, they are not held responsible for any false or inflated pricing by enterprises. This regulation reduces the liability pressure on investors, helping to accelerate project progress. Another new point is allowing enterprises that develop digital platforms, information systems, or software to continue managing, operating, and maintaining those systems. Previously, development and maintenance units were often separate, leading to many difficulties in troubleshooting or upgrading systems. The new regulation ensures system continuity, stability, and improved utilization efficiency. The leader of the National Digital Transformation Agency stated that the new provisions of Decree No. 224 are based on summarizing practical experiences from implementing digital transformation projects in recent years, aiming to remove institutional bottlenecks in state budget investment, procurement, and service leasing, and will serve as an important foundation for accelerating the implementation of digital platforms, national databases, and digital transformation projects in the future.

At the conference, a representative from the Ministry of Finance stated that the Prime Minister has instructed the Ministry to coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology to perfect fiscal, budgetary, and tax mechanisms to institutionalize Resolution No. 57, while also developing guidance on salary, lump-sum mechanisms, and allocation of funds for digital transformation activities. The Ministry of Finance has supplemented 25 trillion Vietnamese đồng to ensure 3% of the budget is allocated to science, technology, and innovation, providing momentum for development linked to the double-digit growth target. However, to date, many ministries and localities have yet to fully disburse the allocated funds.