The issue of promoting the application of information technology (IT) and finding effective investment measures in this field while preventing waste is garnering significant interest. Mr. Hoàng Quốc Lập – Director of the IT Application Department at the Ministry of Information and Communications recently spoke with a reporter from Financial Times about this matter.
As a state management agency regarding IT application, how do you assess the current situation of IT application among state agencies?
Mr. Hoàng Quốc Lập: We have held numerous conferences and seminars on IT, where the assessment of the current situation and application of IT is always a desired topic. However, the question remains: what do we plan to do with these assessments? Moreover, evaluations need criteria to base them on, to draw useful conclusions. Unfortunately, we currently lack the conditions to conduct these evaluations effectively. Therefore, I would like to outline a few general points regarding the results achieved compared to a few years ago.
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Mr. Hoàng Quốc Lập – Director of the IT Application Department |
The two largest projects, 112 and 47, have provided a boost to the continued enhancement of IT in the activities of the Party and government agencies across many provinces, cities, ministries, and sectors. Just the issues of what has been achieved and what has not, whether there has been waste or efficiency, and how to improve the implementation processes of projects 112 and 47 have sparked public interest and discussion, showcasing a qualitative change in the application of IT within state agencies since the year 2000. This change is evident in the understanding of the essence of IT application in the context of administrative reform and integration, as well as in recognizing the potential and legal barriers. Without confronting these specific issues, how can we engage in debate toward consensus?
Additionally, there are many IT projects funded by the state budget aimed at strengthening the service economy sectors such as transportation, telecommunications, banking, finance, customs, taxation, and trade. These have been operationalized to meet the needs for socioeconomic development. Numerous IT projects in the fields of planning and investment, natural resources and environment, science and technology, education and training, statistics, as well as in national defense and security have begun to be utilized to assist in the development of strategies, policies, and state management tools.
It is also essential to mention the trend of applying IT to develop online public services, marking a significant advancement for state agencies in leveraging the benefits of IT and telecommunications, especially in provincial and city sectors. The results of the efforts to enhance IT application in state agencies, following the spirit of Directive 58, have been significant, creating real demand for the development of telecommunications and the internet, and for Vietnamese computer and software businesses.
Currently, IT is widely applied across all fields. Before 2000, the number of ministries, sectors, and localities with official electronic portals was low, but now nearly all ministries, ministerial-level agencies, provinces, and centrally run cities have established official electronic portals. The electronic portals of the Party, National Assembly, some ministries, sectors, and localities are functioning well and are regularly updated with information. The Government’s electronic portal, part of project 112, and the Government website connect with the electronic portals of the Party, National Assembly, ministries, sectors, and provincial and city People’s Committees, facilitating access to information for organizations and individuals seeking information from public authorities. This represents a step forward towards a “one-stop” approach and a focus on citizens. Some administrative public services have been initially tested online in certain sectors and localities, such as customs and taxation in Ho Chi Minh City and Đồng Nai.
Despite achieving significant results, the application of IT still falls short of the expectations of the Party and the State, particularly when compared to the goals set out in Directive 58-CT/TW of the Politburo. The overall level of IT application in the country faces substantial challenges in terms of scale and technology as Vietnam opens up to integration and prepares to join the WTO in the near future.
Many opinions suggest that the demand for IT application within the state management apparatus is currently very high and practical. However, it seems that this demand remains just that—a demand?
As mentioned, even though significant results have been achieved, paving the way for IT application in the new phase, the reality is that IT application within the state apparatus is still limited, and in general, the projects that have been developed and put into operation have not been exploited effectively.
Computerizing the operations of the state apparatus towards establishing an electronic administration is a step and goal for Vietnam’s IT application, followed by the development of e-government. To succeed, it is necessary to study and implement various aspects, including infrastructure, application technology, application needs (administrative procedures, reform processes); implementation capabilities and project exploitation capabilities. If any aspect is overlooked, it will lead to inefficiency.
Due to various reasons, particularly information infrastructure, work habits, and limited human resources, the application of IT and communication in the operational tasks of state agencies remains constrained. The application of IT and communication is still at a very low level, primarily involving introducing and providing information about organizations and administrative procedures to citizens; scheduling work for leaders; reporting work to leaders; providing some information to support leaders’ activities; email communication; and assisting some management activities of ministries, sectors, and localities.
The implementation of IT projects not meeting deadlines is mainly due to the lack of adequate and synchronized preparation of the above factors. Currently, we lack a national information architecture and do not have a comprehensive, synchronized plan for IT application from the central level down to localities.
Many opinions suggest that to promote IT application within state units, the government needs to issue a legal document soon that establishes the cost norms for software as one of the effective solutions. Do you agree with this proposal?
First of all, IT application in the state sector refers to the investment in building information systems to serve the activities of state agencies from the state budget. When using state funds, effective management is essential. Therefore, like any type of investment, IT projects also need a relevant legal framework to guide investment based on and referring to related legal documents such as the Investment Law, Budget Law, IT Law, Construction Law, and subordinate legal documents.
Clearly, if we have legal documents that serve as the basis for determining software cost norms, state management agencies will have the tools and grounds to build, evaluate, approve, and manage IT projects efficiently and on schedule. This is especially important for new software application development projects within state management agencies. For IT businesses, it would provide a basis to assess the real value of the products they produce. In reality, many businesses have found it challenging to justify the value of their IT products when implementing IT projects with state agencies.
Thus, a system of legal documents governing state investment in IT application projects funded by the state budget is an urgent need that requires synchronized coordination between the Ministry of Information and Communications – the state management agency for IT – and other relevant authorities regarding investment policies, finance, and science technology. Within this legal framework, there is the issue of cost norms for application software projects – that is, custom software developed to the requirements of the investor. This is the most challenging issue in the system of regulations governing the investment management of IT projects.
Recognizing its responsibilities, the Ministry of Information and Communications has been focusing on developing a system of legal documents for managing investments in IT projects, primarily targeting the management of application software projects. To ensure these documents meet the demands of reality, the Ministry is drafting these contents in collaboration with relevant ministries and sectors to find the most synchronized and feasible solutions for prompt issuance. Since this is a new and complex issue, it needs to be addressed as part of a comprehensive set of measures, not merely a technical issue, but in conjunction with investment management solutions, budget management, and organizational solutions. A recent survey by the National Steering Committee on IT also revealed that most ministries, sectors, localities, and consulted businesses believe that the absence of state regulations on cost norms and software pricing is a significant barrier that slows progress, reduces efficiency, and causes waste in IT projects.
I hope that if consensus is reached, the issuance of investment management documents for IT will occur soon and be implemented effectively. This will not only promote IT application but also spur the development of the national IT industry.
Thank you, Mr. Lập!
Huy Sáu
