VNPT and the journey to affirm its pioneering position in digital transformation

FROM SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL DOCUMENT CIRCULATION BUS ...

By the end of 2018, VNPT Group was mandated by the Office of the Government to build a national Document Circulation Bus. This can be considered the first major task that VNPT undertakes in building e-Government.

Overcoming many difficulties, in March 2019, VNPT Group completed the construction of the National Document Circulation Bus, creating a platform for integrating and connecting information systems and databases of ministries, agencies, and local governments.

Up to now, after more than 1 year in operation, about 1.7 million electronic documents have been sent and received between administrative agencies through the bus. 94/94 central and local agencies (including 31 ministries, ministerial-level agencies, governmental agencies; 63 provinces and cities directly under the Central Government) have completed the connection of document management and directional systems. They are also regularly sending and receiving electronic documents at 2 levels of government through the National Document Circulation Bus. 100% of the electronic documents with authenticated digital signatures are sent and received via the National Document Circulation Bus under the regulations of the Ministry of Information and Communication.

According to preliminary calculations by the Government Office, the application of the National Document Circulation Bus saves us about VND 1.200 billion each year (in terms of paper cash, ink, backup, postage, time costs, etc. according to World Bank statistics).

But most importantly, the National Document Circulation Bus is an important prerequisite for building e-government. It is like the transport system, helping to connect agencies together in digital space. Because of such importance, former Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung once shared: "The construction, completion and official use of the National Document Circulation Bus is an important technical condition for interoperability and connecting document management and administration systems of ministries, agencies, and localities. It can be said that we have taken the first, important, and successful steps toward building e-Government".

… TO SYSTEMS THAT CHANGE THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF WORKING

After the success of the National Document Circulation Bus, VNPT Group continues to make its hallmark when building

and successfully connecting the National Public Service Portal in December 2019. The National Public Service Portal plays the role of connecting the Government with citizens and businesses in the digital space. According to the Minister, Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung, the completion, and operation of the National Public Service Portal are important steps in building e-Government.

After just over 8 months of operation, as of September 2020, the National Public Service Portal has connected with 18 ministries, agencies, 63 provinces, cities, and 8 banks. Up to now, there have been nearly 56.4 million access hits, more than 220,000 registered accounts; over 14 million records with status synchronized, and more than 260,000 records on the National Public Service Portal. The number of services integrated into the National Public Service Portal has grown rapidly from 8 to 1,000 level 3 and 4 online public services. As a result, the estimated cost savings for the entire society is more than VND 6,700 billion annually.

Many sectors have integrated almost 100% of their services on the national public service portal. The Customs sector is a typical example. By the end of August 2020, the Customs sector has provided level 3 and level 4 online public services for 190 administrative procedures in the field of customs, accounting for 84% of the total number of administrative procedures done by the customs sector. Of which, 184 procedures have been provided as level 4 online public services (reaching the rate of 81%).

Thanks to the deployment of the National Public Service Portal, citizens and businesses only need to access a single address (at dichvucong.gov.vn) with a single account to be able to log in to all ministerial and provincial level portals that provide online public services. They can also monitor the settlement status, evaluate the quality of the settlement, and send feedbacks and recommendations regardless of time or geographical boundaries.

It can be said that the National Public Service Portal is an effective channel to electronize administrative procedures, while also creating an additional channel for monitoring, ensuring transparency in the implementation of administrative procedures of the ministries, agencies, localities. Citizens and businesses can completely  track  the  settlement of administrative procedures, at the same time, the Office of the Government can also accompany, promptly monitor, and correct problems and difficulties in the settlement process.

The National Public Service Portal contributes to savings for the State budget. It also helps people and businesses to save time and effort, preventing corruption by limiting direct contact and transactions between civil servants and service users.

MILESTONES IN BUILDING THE NATIONAL REPORTING INFORMATION SYSTEM

After the successes in implementing major projects for the Government, VNPT Group continues to be trusted by the Office of the Government as a partner to build the National Reporting

Information System as well as the Governmental and the Prime Minister direction and administration Information Center. After nearly a year of expeditious construction, on August 19, the system was officially put into operation.

Up to now, the reporting information system of 30 ministries, agencies, localities, and corporations has connected and integrated information and data with the National Reporting Information System. At the same time, there are 101/200 periodical reports and socio-economic statistical reports that are connected and provided with data by ministries and agencies on the system. 7 information categories are initially established. There are 25 real-time online connections with lots of information to serve the direction and administration to better serve the advisory, direction, and administration of the Government and the Prime Minister. The system is considered an important milestone, changing the way of directing and operating from paper-based information and data to digital data - one of the core elements of intelligent digital infrastructure. From the central location, the Government leaders can directly and quickly monitor, inspect, direct, and manage operations of ministries, agencies, and localities. 

The success of the three e-Government enabling software systems has affirmed VNPT's outstanding technological foundation as well as its leading role in the current national digital transformation.

Not stopping there, VNPT is also continuing to promote cooperation to study new technology fields, including AI, Blockchain technology, IoT, Cyber Security, etc. to create a solid foundation, aiming to become the leading digital service provider in Vietnam in 2015 and the Asian Digital Hub in 2030.

Great aspirations, everyday effort with the right vision and direction have helped VNPT assert itself in the roadmap of building a "digital Vietnam". From this aspiration, VNPT has continuously risen, assuming an important role in building the digital government and economy in Vietnam.

With those contributions in the process of building e-government in Vietnam, in 2020, VNPT Group was awarded the "Vietnam Digital Transformation 2020" Award which is presented annually by the Vietnam Digital Communication Association with the endorsement of the Ministry of Information and Communications. VNPT Group also "reap" up to 15 awards at the Stevie Awards Asia - Pacific 2020 for its IT products. These are worthy acknowledgments for the efforts and contributions of VNPT in the national digital transformation. 

More importantly, it affirms the ability of a pure Vietnamese technology corporation to master foundational technologies. This will be an important springboard for VNPT to gradually exploit the potential of Asia in particular and that of the world in general, to realize the dream of "reaching out to the world.