1. A Snapshot on BusinessPortal www.businessportal.vn Jan 2008
INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS INFORMATION PORTAL A Companion of Local Government in Improving Information Transperency & Reforming Administrative Procedures for Enterprises
A Snapshot on BusinessPortal
Jan 2008

2. BusinessPortal: Investment and Business Information Portal

3. Why BusinessPortal?
Both the local demand and regulatory requirements are the basis for the development of BusinessPortal
Government Action Plan on SME Development lays strong emphasis on improving business registration and business start-up procedures;
Resolution No.59 dated by the Government stipulate that business registration, tax code registration must be done within 5 days timeframe and the three business start-up procedures to be carried on on one-stop-shop basis.
The same Resolution calls for the development of electronic enterprise database, on-line and computerized business registration.
Enterprise Law requires that enterprise name cannot be repeated in the territory of one province.
These requirements cannot be address without the application of information and Internet-based technology to process business start-up procedures. BusinessPortal was developed as an answer to these issues.

4. Why BusinessPortal?
Pressure to reduce procedures and costs for enterprises are getting stronger and stronger.
The only one software which is availabe at the moment which allow:
On-line registration for 3 procedures;
Affordable for many provinces since development costs have been paid.
Continuous support from GTZ
Now being implemented in 6 provinces and probably 9 in May 08. Critical mass is there.

5. Key benefits for State agencies
All of business registration procedures are computerized.
No need for seating at one location
Extra investment costs are at minimum level.
Information can be shared on real time basis.
It is possible to check the contents as required by the prevailing laws:
Checking whether enterprises have same names.
Checking representative person of the enterprise (by name and ID card number).
Developing a set of dossiers on enterprise profile for the purpose of post registration examination.
Allowing other agencies and departments (environment, natural resource, trade etc.) to involve in providing post-registration service.

6. Benefits for enterprises
All of business registration procedures will become transparent.
The Portal allows enterprises to declare and develop the dossier (both in the electronic and paper form), reduce errors when declaring dossiers and there is no need for hand writing.
If being submitted via the internet, the dossiers will be processed more rapidly because the Business Registrar or One-Stop Shop Division have no need to re-type the dossiers.
At the same time, if submitting on internet basis, the applicants can monitor the status of their dossiers and they can receive electronic notice, directly contact with dossier-processing agencies.
Some provinces plan to allocate one internet-connected computer at One-stop Shop Division so that enterprises and input their dossiers.

7. Information Transparency
Providing sufficient information on investment and business environment in the province.
Announcing regulations, processes and administrative procedures on business registration, and registration and appraisal of investment projects in the province.
Announcing other related information to enterprises
Improving the efficiency of the exchange, exploitation, and usage of information on enterprises and investment projects in the province.

8. Information Transparency
Continuously and automatically providing sufficient information on enterprises and investment projects operating in the province
Continuously providing comprehensive statistical data by industry, location, type etc.

9. Administrative procedure reform for enterprises
The biggest difference between BusinessPortal and normal websites:
Providing public services via the Internet
Involved three agencies, and inter-agency coordination is indispensable.
The system is flexible and open
Computerizing business registration in the province.
Forming a tool that can be used by 3 organizations for the purpose of merging 3 procedures in accordance with the Circular No. 02.
Forming an online dialogue channel

10. Users of the system
Entrepreneurs, investors for the purpose of business environment study and business registration; registration and appraisal of investment projects;
Provincial departments agencies for the purpose of business registration :
DPI, Tax Agency, Department of Public Security etc.
Provincial departments for the purpose of enterprise management and supports
Local authorities and provincial departments for the purpose of reporting, strategy and policy developing to attract investment and improve business environment.

11. Application of the portal for the purpose of merging 3 procedures
The portal allows conducting the 3 mentioned procedures following 2 principles:
On-line
Off-line
Given on-line principle, such organizations can process their work at anytime and everywhere with one computer and ADSL.
Each organization shall be provided 1 login account to perform their job.

12. Application of the portal for the purpose of merging 3 procedures
Enterprises performing business registration:
Study the process
Download guidelines, administrative forms for purpose of business registration, registration and appraisal of investment projects
Complete dossiers and submitting dossiers via Internet system.
The declared information will be brought to the database in the form of dossiers pending for processing.
Enterprises can print such declaration forms to prepare a complete set of dossier.
Summit the set of dossier as legally required or in accordance with regulations set at One stop-shop.

13. Application of the portal for the purpose of merging 3 procedures
Business registrars, Department of Public Security, Tax agency
Receive and initially process dossiers in accordance with internal procedures
Use the portal a tool to exchange information and data.
Use the portal to process all dossiers of enterprises
The reality shows that the application of the portal have save 30 percent of time and costs spent on registration process.
Update and share information with the enterprise community and the people
The portal is just a tool
The portal can only bring about the best desirable efficiency if the three agencies related to business registration, tax code registration and seal making are fully committed to putting the system into use.

14. Electronic dossiers have important support meaning…
But it cannot replace paper dossier. It will serve as a basis for the linkage of 3 procedures and sharing of information.
ELECTRONIC DECLARING
ELECTRONIC
DOSSIER (BUSINESS
REGISTRATION)
ELECTRONIC DOSSIER
(TAX CODE
REGISTRATION)
ELECTRONIC
DOSSIER
(SEAL MAKING)
ELECTRONIC
TRANSFER
ELECTRONIC
TRANSFER
Input dossiers
BUSINESS REGISTRAR
PROVINCIAL DEPT. OF PUBLIC SECURITY
ONE STOP SHOP DIVISION
TAX AGENCY
BUSINESS
REGISTRATION
DOSSIER
PHYSICAL TRANSFER
TAX CODE
REGISTRATION
DOSSIER
SEAL MAKING
DOSSIER
PHYSICAL TRANSFER
PHYSICAL TRANSFER

15. Development Direction for the coming time
In the coming time, BusinessPortal will continue to be expanded with new modules:
Development of database on foreign invested enterprises in the province.
Development of database to manage investment projects (of both domestic and foreign investors in the province).
Development of database on household business

16. Key Steps to Set-up BusinessPortal
Consensus on the development of the portal
Agreement on the scope, involvement of related party (DPI, PPC, Tax Agencies…)
Finalization of administrative procedures, budgeting issues, contractual procedures with software company)..
Installation of the software and program by software company.
Development of the Portal (customization).
Input of data and content of the portal
Pilot running
Training.
Handing-over
Development of a coordination mechanism for the use of the system by 3 agencies
All can be implemented within 4 months time frame.

17. For more information on BusinessPortal and support services, please visit: Refer to portal of different provinces currently operating BusinessPortal: HUNG YEN: QUANG NAM: NAM DINH: DAK LAK: QUANG BINH: AN GIANG:

18. ANNEXES

19. Structure and features of Enterprise Database
SHARED
ENTERPRISE
DATA
IN THE PROVINCE
Including all data on
enterprises/ Investment
projects being implemented
in the province
An integral part of the database
is a software to process
Business registration
Procedures (in the form of
off-line or online)
This database allows:
Automatically providing macro
Statistics for the purpose of reporting,
Developing economic policies of the
Province (no of enterprises, capital etc.)
Extracting reports in the forms
Required by DPI
Different agencies, departments
in the province can access to the
Database to exploit data on
Individual enterprises or
enterprises by industry
Post business
registration
management
Business
Registration
procedures
are computerized
Newly registered
Enterprises are
immediately
updated
3 procedures including
business registration,
tax code, seal making
can be conducted here

20. Structure and features of Business Portal
ENTEPRISE/
INVESTMENT
PROJECT
DATABASE
Accessible
through the Internet
PROVINCIAL
BUSINESS PORTAL
INTRODUCTION
OF BUSINESS
REGISTRATION
PROCESS &
PROCEDURES
Partly open
to the public, investors,
and the business community
Electronic contact between
local government,
investors
and business community
Procedures
and forms for
investment project
registration & appraisal
INFORMATION ON
PROVINCIAL
INVESTMENT PROMOTION
PROCEDURES
Easy for access and
administration
Investment
promotion
information
(advantages,
Industrial zones

21. Mechanism on the portal operation for the purpose of merging together
ENTERPRISE DATABASE
ONLINE – INTERNET-BASED
SOFTWARE TO PROCESS BUSINESS REGISTRATION,
SEAL MAKING, TAX CODE GRANTING, AND ON-LINE
SHARING OF DOSSIERS RELATED TO BUSINESS
REGISTRATION, TAX CODE AND SEAL MAKING
TAX-RELATED BUSINESS
IS PROCESSED ON
INTERNET BASIS AND
TRANSFERRED INTO
APPROPRIATE FILE
FOR RECORDING
AS REQUIRED BY
THE TAX SYSTEM
SEAL MAKING IS
PROCESSED ON
INTERNET BASIS
BUSINESS REGISTRATION
IS PROCESSED ON INTERNET
BASIS OR USING
SOFTWARETO PROCESS
AT ONE STOP SHOP
ONE STOP
SHOP
DPI – BUSINESS REGISTRAR
TAX AGENCY
PROVINCIAL DEPT. OF
PUBLIC SECURITY
MECHANISM TO DELIVER ORIGINAL DOSSIERS/PROCESSED RESULTS