On June 3 in Hanoi, Vietnam Electricity (EVN) held a conference to summarize the World Bank's technical assistance for EVN's procurement operations.

Attending the conference, on behalf of the WB, were Ms. Zayra Romo - Head of Infrastructure and Lead Energy Specialist at the WB; and Mr. Tran Tan Hung - Senior Energy Specialist and Project Lead, along with other WB experts. From the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, Ms. Cecilia Brennan - Economic Counselor - participated with other Embassy delegates. Also in attendance were representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

On EVN’s side were Mr. Dinh The Phuc - Member of the Board of Directors, Mr. Nguyen Tai Anh - Vice President, and representatives from relevant departments and affiliated units.

EVN Vice President Nguyen Tai Anh stated that since the beginning of 2024, EVN has coordinated with the WB to implement a procurement technical support program, focusing on two main aspects: first, technical assistance for analyzing procurement data to monitor and evaluate procurement quality and efficiency comprehensively, thereby gradually improving the effectiveness of monitoring, assistance, and decision-making for administer and supervise bidding activities across EVN; second, enhancing EVN’s capacity in green procurement and sustainable bidding practices.

EVN leadership emphasized that the tools developed with WB assistance have been effectively applied in practice, enabling member units and procurement personnel to understand clearly and implement solutions with tangible results. The system of procurement data analysis templates under the WB’s technical assistance program was completed and handed over to EVN at the end of 2024.

Notably, WB consultants also completed an analytical report and drafted a Green Procurement and Sustainable Bidding Handbook for EVN, and organized training and certification for EVN’s member units in May 2025. “In the coming period, we will officially disseminate these materials across EVN, with guidance for procurement officers to apply in their own units. Member units will gradually formulate and implement their own roadmaps for green procurement and sustainable bidding tailored to their specific conditions,” Mr. Nguyen Tai Anh stressed.

Partner experts attending conference

At the conference, experts from the working group emphasized that EVN is a key and strategic partner. EVN’s commitments and efforts toward green procurement and sustainable bidding were commendable. It can be said that EVN is a pioneer in applying green procurement and sustainable bidding in Vietnam and a leader in implementing the national e-bidding system with a team of skilled and capable professionals. The actual implementation to date has demonstrated that EVN has flexibly conducted procurement activities; clearly defined a roadmap for sustainable development; and firmly embedded this commitment within the Group’s overarching strategy. Experts also pointed out several areas that require continued execution and substantial enhancement shortly to support operational processes, including the legal framework, guidelines, strategic planning, and implementation tools.

Also at the conference, both parties discussed the practical implementation and roadmap for applying green procurement/sustainable bidding, as well as the indicator system for monitoring procurement activities within EVN. The implementation roadmap is expected to be divided into three specific phases: the 2025 - 2026 period will serve as a pilot phase, during which 3 - 5 member units will be selected to conduct trial implementation of sustainable bidding, combined with the issuance of internal guidelines and intensive training programs, in order to evaluate and summarize experience to refine the procedures; the 2027 - 2028 period will be the scaling-up phase, during which sustainable bidding will be applied across all member units in the areas of construction, equipment, and fuel procurement; and the post-2029 period will mark the full integration phase, in which EVN will fully embed sustainable bidding into its procurement and investment management processes.

Regarding evaluation criteria for a “green” procurement dossier, EVN noted that a standardized set of criteria would be issued for each specific package; in addition to procurement and construction, additional criteria will be developed for consultancy activities.

Mr. Nguyen Tai Anh – EVN Vice President (center) speaking at conference

According to Vice President Nguyen Tai Anh, EVN’s development strategy to 2030 clearly defines that in addition to investment and business operations, the objective is not only to ensure effectiveness but also to align with sustainability developments through environmental protection and social responsibility.

Faced with both opportunities and challenges, EVN's strategic orientation in the coming time is to build a modern - smart - transparent - and efficient procurement model, in which green procurement and sustainable bidding play a critical role in contributing to life-cycle cost optimization, reducing environmental and social impacts, while also helping to ensure EVN’s long-term competitiveness, particularly by facilitating access to concessional green financing from the World Bank and international governments.

Mr. Nguyen Tai Anh also expressed his hope that in the upcoming phases, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Science and Technology will support the development of mechanisms, policies, Vietnamese standards and regulations, and incentives for green procurement and sustainable bidding.

Internally, EVN will establish internal standards to support green procurement and sustainable bidding, serving as a foundation for implementing green procurement/sustainable bidding in subsequent phases. “By 2030, our goal is to fully integrate green and sustainable bidding into EVN’s procurement and investment processes. EVN also aims to lead and spread the sustainable bidding model to other organizations,” Vice President Nguyen Tai Anh emphasized.

Translator: Thu Hường