preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam-ad50d06f5ee751fa.pdf

This 2011 report assesses Vietnam's capacity to integrate sustainability criteria into public infrastructure procurement. It finds that while Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are compulsory, they are poorly enforced due to limited resources. Sustainability standards are largely absent from bidding laws, appearing only in technical specifications with low weighting (10-20%) compared to cost. The report highlights a significant information gap regarding international standards like ISO 26000 and notes that SMEs are driven by market pressures rather than government guidance. As ODA funding declines, the report warns that the shift toward Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) could potentially compromise environmental and social standards to attract investors. Key recommendations include developing a formal SPP roadmap, integrating sustainability into the pre-selection of suppliers, and utilizing accredited external auditors for EIA compliance.

• The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the primary compulsory tool for large infrastructure projects, but its effectiveness is hampered by limited capacity and resources for follow-up. Beyond the EIA, there are few 'hard law' instruments for sustainability in public procurement, and existing environmental and social protection laws are not sufficiently implemented.
• Sustainability standards are not integrated into the national law on bidding; instead, they appear in ministry decrees and are typically limited to technical specifications. These criteria depend heavily on investors, with international donors often requiring higher sustainability integration than the Vietnamese government.
• When sustainability criteria are used, they are given low weight, typically between 10% and 20% of the score, while cost, quality, and time frames remain the priority. The Ministry of Finance specifically prioritizes the lowest cost, and evaluations generally focus on immediate costs rather than life-cycle costs.
• There is a significant awareness and information gap regarding sustainability standards. While ISO 14000 and SA 8000 are known, ISO 26000 has not been seriously assessed by ministries or companies. Government officials often underestimate the value of these standards, and private companies frequently do not know how to acquire necessary certifications.
• Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to meet sustainability standards due to a lack of prior implementation. Their primary incentive to adapt comes from foreign markets, foreign direct investment (FDI) companies, or larger Vietnamese subcontractors rather than government guidance.
• Vietnam is exploring Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a financing mechanism for infrastructure as Official Development Aid (ODA) is expected to decrease due to the country's transition to a lower middle-income economy. However, there are concerns that environmental and social standards might be lowered to attract private investors.
• The report recommends a phased roadmap for sustainable public procurement (SPP) to provide certainty to the private sector. This should include a review of the procurement cycle, the integration of sustainability criteria into the pre-selection of developers, and the creation of transparent information platforms.
• To improve the enforcement of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), the report suggests shifting follow-up responsibility from the government to investors by requiring the hire of government-accredited external auditors who would carry legal liability for compliance.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam-ad50d06f5ee751fa.pdf. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam-ad50d06f5ee751fa.pdf. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam-ad50d06f5ee751fa.pdf |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndpreparednessassessmentinfrastructurevietnamad50d06f5ee751fapdf, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{preparedness\_assessment\_infrastructure\_vietnam-ad50d06f5ee751fa.pdf}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/preparedness_assessment_infrastructure_vietnam.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }